Open Letter to Ron Artest

An open letter to Mr. Ron Artest:

Please stick to playing basketball, and leave cultural commentary to others. Please refrain from defining your antics, tirades, and tantrums as just “representing your (Black) culture” to the fullest. Stick to slam dunking and turnaround jumpers. Please, for the love of man, stick to simply entertaining. For the record, I am a huge fan of your game. I appreciate all of its aspects, and actually have been wanting you as a member of my favorite team (THE Los Angeles Lakers), antics aside, for many years. I’m even down with your desire to pursue a music career, wild and ridiculous hairstyles, and super-inflated sense of self…just so long as it doesn’t interfere with your actual productivity on the court. I know that is an essential part of becoming one of the best/finest at what you do, so I dig that. What I cannot co-sign with, is your claim that Yao Ming’s concerns over team chemistry (after your recent acquisition) are simply a result of him never having a Black teammate that has “really represented his culture” as much as you do. You go on to state that you are “still ghetto”, and that you will never change. You even go as far as to claim your role in the Detroit Palace brawl (2004) was simply a “culture issue”. As though, the decision to go into the stands and randomly assault the wrong fan (inciting one of the most disgusting sports brawls in history) was somehow the ’Black’ thing to do. That is a blatant disregard/disrespect towards our history and culture. It reminds me of that scene ‘When Keepin’ it Real Goes Wrong’, from Chappelle’s Show (Comedy Central). Maybe you didn’t see that one Ron-Ron, but just in case: In that instance (the brawl), Keepin’ it Real went VERY wrong for you.

Let me help you out Ron-Ron. When A. Philip Randolph organized the Brotherhood of the Sleeping Car Porter’s Union, that was a cultural issue. When Martin Luther King led the Montgomery Bus Boycott, that was a cultural issue. When Malcolm X founded the Organization of Afro-American Unity, that was a cultural issue. When Huey Newton and Bobby Seale founded the Black Panther Party for Self Defense, THAT was a cultural issue. You play basketball. You shoot a round leather ball into a hoop. What you are doing, whether on/off the court or in the stands, is not a cultural issue. If you are going to continue to make comments about Black Culture and what it is to “represent“, then please keep that fact in mind. Your charitable works and community service should be your definition of ‘representing’. If you really want to be considered a ‘Tru-Warrior’, then find redemption through ‘true’ deeds. Not holding onto a false sense of self….a flawed and completely backwards mentality of ‘Ghetto=Black’.

Shooting Crabs in a Bucket

A prime example of why I've been critical of so-called leaders within the Black community like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton (and the like) took place this past week. Rather than embracing the honor and magnitude of Obama's candidacy, and amazing opportunity that may soon follow, Jesse Jackson opens his big spotlight-stealing mouth in order to cast a negative light on Obama's campaign.

During some recent speeches, Obama has been calling upon the community to take a greater sense of responsibility/accountability for the current status of the community. Obama was quoted as saying, "Any fool can have a child. That doesn't make you a father. Too many fathers are AWOL, missing from too many lives and too many homes," to the 20,000 member congregation at the Apostolic Church of God. Last week, while appearing on Fox News, Jackson suggested that Obama was "talking down to Black people" and that he would like to "cut his (Obama's) nuts off." If Mr. Jackson seriously had an issue with Obama's comments, then why wouldn't he have asked for a private meeting in order to voice those concerns?

I don't exactly follow how Mr. Jackson could determine Obama's call for accountability/responsibility regarding parenting and education as 'talking down' to the Black community, but I can say the follow-up comment about "cutting his nuts off" is just ridiculous, and sounds as though it is routed in bitterness and jealousy. Its seems like a classic example of the 'crabs-in-a-bucket' syndrome that has plagued the Black community for years now. In case you are not aware of the issue, simply put, its the mindset of not wanting/allowing anyone else to succeed and rise above the level of the proverbial 'bucket'. Rather than rejoice and/or be inspired by the success of a fellow member of the community, those stricken by this syndrome would rather snap and claw at the individual's ankles and yank them back down with the rest of the pack. These individuals fail to realize they are doing exactly what dominant society wants them to do. If you keep an economically 'inferior' class in a subservient position by allowing them to fight amongst one another, then they will never understand the need to band together in order to succeed.

Dating vs. Mating Game

So when did the dating game officially become the mating game? Was it a government conspiracy of some kind, or did I simply not get the memo? Now, I'd love to blame even this on the rising price of gas, but I just can't find a strong enough link. I've been giving this a good deal of consideration, and like gas prices, I don't think relationships have ever been at such a point. We've, seemingly, fallen to such depths that actual 'ladies' and 'gentlemen' have altogether ceased to exist. Courtship turned into dating, which then became hook-ups, which later regressed into booty-calls. Just when it looked like it wouldn't be possible to plunge deeper into the abyss, in comes the...wait for it...booty-text.

Now I'm not calling for a step back into the Jane Eyre and Wurthering Heights days of soaking blue balls in buckets of ice water for 3 years before even getting a mere glance at a chastity belt. Speaking of which, does anyone else find it even remotely ironic that the name 'Chastity' has become so fashionable with the stripping profession? But I digress...the old adage of "all men are dogs and only want sex" is completely out the window these days. In the past, even though we KNEW women wanted it as well, at least they 'played the role' and acted like they wanted something more meaningful. No bullshit, I actually had a woman just walk up an grab my junk in a club a few weeks back, and then suggestively smile at me while saying, "Shiiit, I had to see what you was workin with...ya feel me?" Then had the audacity to act surprised by my disgust and disinterest in dancing with her.

Where has the morality, the self-respect, hell...the dignity gone with you ladies? I know, I know, you're going to tell me that 'lady' (and I use that term lightly) was more of the exception rather than the norm. Well, yes, of course you have a point there, but skankage aside, you still have an overwhelming percentage that are simply confused regarding what they actually want. You know these women. The ones that claim all they need is a man that treats them well, is respectful and responsible, and can hold a consistent job. Yeah, you can always spot these women because they are generally constantly complaining about how either their man doesn't do this/that, or are steady at the club looking for the next pretty boy with the always classy neck-tatt and multiple babies mommas. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not hating on these men or the women that love them, for that matter. I know thugs, like big beautiful women, need love too, and I would never discourage either. All I'm saying is that you can't come to me claiming to want butterflies, puppies, and long walks in the park, when what you really want is a roughneck full of swagger, with a baby-arm between his legs, and the faint hint of liquor and weed on his breath.

Now ladies, before you start slicing holes in my chest with those laser beams that have undoubtedly replaced your eyes by this point, allow me to ask my fellas a few questions as well. When did it cease to be 'manly' to actually 'love' a woman? When, exactly, did it become a problem or soft/weak to do things like opening doors, pulling out chairs, or (heaven-forbid) tell your woman you love her while your boys are around? Why are we taking our manhood ideology lessons from Lil Wayne? Lick, lick, lick you like a lolipop is not sexy, clever, imaginative, nor is it impressive.

Listen party people, as I continue along my journey towards sanity in an insane world, all I ask is that we return to (at the very least) some form of the 'real' in terms of how we relate and interact with one another. Don't get me wrong, the current state is highly entertaining...but sadly, not very fulfilling.

Is Black Leadership Merely a Myth?

Those that know me, know that I love Mr. Cosby and a few other people in his position...but that does not relieve them of the partial responsibility for the condition that our community is in today. Mr. Smith raises a point that I have long pondered as well: What happened to all of our Black leaders during the 80's and 90's?

Of course, we saw PLENTY of Jesse and Rev Al or even Oprah, Colon and Condoleezza all over the tv during that time. They were right there on the scene as soon as any issue of racism or extreme prejudice presented itself, but what were they really doing? Were their motives to merely make a name for themselves or were they genuinely interested in helping those that necessarily couldn't help themselves in a time of need...maybe even lend their name, their global (at least national) voice to those that otherwise would have remained nameless and voiceless? I think the true essence of their motives lies somewhere between the two.

Of course, I believe our leaders cared for the Black community during the 80's and 90's, but somewhere along the way they seem to have lost sight of the true goal. I used to often say that our leaders made the fatal mistake of going "Hollywood"...but now I'm realizing it goes a lot deeper than that. They didn't just go Hollywood, they actually went corporate. They fell victim to the very cause, the very fight, the very system they (at one point) were dedicated to defeating. By becoming worldwide names, wealthy beyond belief, recognized by most more so than even their elected officials, our ‘leaders’ seemed to have made a deal with the Devil. With corporate sponsorship, federal funding, and pr/marketing teams whose sole purposes are to ‘present’ these individuals in a strong and positive light, is there any wonder whether their positions, stances, and even morals were at the very least altered along the way?

Now I’m not just one to sit back and cast judgment. Our leadership, or lack thereof, are obviously not the sole reason our community is in the shape its in now. Across the board, we have a responsibility to work on changing the vile and negative culture/ideology that our society has not only gleefully accepted, but even indoctrinated as ‘Black’. I’ve been preaching an ‘Education + Enlightenment= Empowerment’ formula for years now, but until we get things together and take accountability/responsibility for our actions things are never going to change. Am I saying that the events of history, and the continued corruption (moral/financial) of our society, and the ongoing development and mutation of institutional racism are no longer issues? No, of course not. Such a claim would be ridiculous if not completely absurd. All I’m saying is that its time to recognize these things as reasons and causes to inspire great courage and change, rather than holding onto them as excuses. Use them as inspiration and motivation instead of allowing them to remain as road blocks.