One piece of the information that came out this week about
the bullying issue (which it definitely was) with Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito is that there is
apparently a place for those who are not, but are considered to be…a black man.
For some reason this person Richie Incognito has so associated himself with
either actions or deeds of black men that he was actually made an Honorary one-My
question is what perks does a move like this afford someone? Is this the reason
he was allowed to bully another black man in his own locker room? Was it
alright because he was an honorable black man? and that was the reason the
“brothers” in the room ignored his ratchet behavior? It must have been the
reason everyone from the owners to the coaching staff turned a deaf ear when
they repeatedly heard the un necessary, unwarranted, unruly use of the N-word
in the locker room, and on the field by their own highly paid players. I would bet that Martin, who was called less of a black man than Incognito (which in itself is pure ignorance, since 1 drop of red blood from a black man, by their rules, makes you black) knew that if he did retaliate his punishment would be far more deadly than his counterpart. I'm sure he had thoughts about his family and legacy in football and decided to suffer the disrespect and BS in silence. This is
no different than what I have seen countless times on the play ground, offices, schools, racial equality marches and numerous PBS Eyes on the Prize specials. People are using these NON –terms of endearment as ways to communicate
with each other in a NON-community building, Non-positive way. One article said
that the staff of the Miami dolphins asked Incognito to bring Martin out of his
shell, http://mmqb.si.com/2013/11/07/richie-incognito-jonathan-martin-dolphins-lydon-murtha/ the article went on to say that once Martin
was out of his shell…He didn’t find many things amusing and did not seem to
like the “fun and games” these grown immature men were constantly playing. Some
of the language could be “blue” and that is understood. I think most of us
realize that a football locker room is not a prayer closet and there will be
colorful language used there. We also understand that usually, language of that
sort is directed at a member of the opposing team. Not true in this case, as
the language in all of its disrespectful, colorful, hateful and otherwise
inappropriate flair was directed at a team member. This article goes on to
highlight some of the banter http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9926139/richie-incognito-miami-dolphins-used-slurs-messages-jonathan-martin
as it outlines the use of the N-word amongst other words that had no place in
that locker room.
A few years ago(2011) when Rex Ryan used the
F-Word that rhymes with “stuck”…he was fined http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story/_/id/7260763/at-least-75k-fine-likely-rex-ryan-new-york-jets-source-says
and he said he understood the reason why and that he realized that he is a
representative of the NFL and cannot just say anything you want. This was a
perfect time for the NFL to declare a policy that would have tempered the use
of many words in and around the locker room, telephone, text messages and
overall conversations of players and men who were being paid to be on their
best behaviors. This of course was not done and now we are here again with the
use of the N-word, now coupled with other words that have run their course. Then
last year (2012) another player Tank Carder decided it was ok to use the other “F” word while tweeting and
also got into trouble http://americablog.com/2012/11/tank-carder-gay-slur-twitter-nfl.html Earlier this year (2013) Riley Cooper decided
it was no foul to use the N-word in front of his friends at a concert and did
so while on camera, with apparently no worry for consequences. Even while
saying he would fight every N-word at the concert. http://msn.foxsports.com/lacesout/wow-stop-the-clock-did-riley-cooper-just-say-that/
I have to ask in a time such as this, when political creativeness
has us calling Christmas, the HOLIDAY season, has us tipping our hats to
marriages of the same sex, has our children able to call the police when disciplined
by parents, but yet we seem to be alright with people of any and all colors
getting a pass if they want to use the N-word against the very victims of the atrocities
that bore this word? It has not escaped this writer that this issue took place in Florida. Florida has been in the headlines of late for a passion they seem to have with hating black men specifically and black people in general. This hatred and indifference has now spread to open actions by it's professional team. All of the marching and poster writing and court cases, have done absolutely no good and that is evident by this event and the fact that it has been going on for as long as it has. http://www.daveyd.com/nword.html Organizations like the United Voices for a
Common Cause http://www.theunitedvoices.com
/ and Ban the N-word http://banthenword.org/news/publish/news/index.shtml
have been working relentlessly behind the scenes, to fight the powers that be and get this word
recognized as one of utter disrespect just as other words are no longer used
except in historical context. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ethnic_slurs_by_ethnicity Join with us in this fight and donate your talents to get this thing straight for once and for all...and help us keep this word especially
out of the mouths of those who are ignorant to the history behind it-Lets not
take for granted that adults are a special breed. Allow us to come in and
re-educate those who need sensitivity classes to teach why this word should not
be used and what the eventual consequence will be for the use of it. Make rules
to govern those who choose to disregard the struggle and brainwashing that this
word produced. All races and creeds have words that provoke disdain and animosity
towards the user and this word is not different in that stand. Speaking of
words…I found this to be interesting…Definition of the word...Incognito… of a person having
one's true identity concealed. “In order to observe you have to be
incognito" under an assumed name, under
a false name, in disguise, disguised, under cover, in plain clothes, camouflaged, unidentified; secretly
anonymously-What a true sense of appropriateness that a man named Incognito
came across very clear and transparent as can be but was not seen by the other
brothers on that team and probably others as well.
