The writer has had his heart broken by racist revelations from people who knew better. His question now is, ‘Who’s next?’
You wanna know what really sucks about being Black in America?
It’s not knowing who really likes you.
With the emergence of social media and digital technology, Black people, especially recently, are starting to find out who really digs them, and who really doesn’t.
I know, I know. What people say behind closed doors is something you can’t help nor is none of our business. After all, “closed doors” is just that. Private space and private time.
And, as a Black man, I know that there are a ton of White people who, unfortunately, don’t like me. Sucks, but it’s real, and I can deal with it.
But, what do I do, and how should I feel when: A) certain White people you admire don’t like you or your race, or B) White people who should know better end up being exposed as possible racists?
The Donald Sterling/mistress mess is the first thing that comes to mind. The conversation that doomed Sterling was taped off of a phone, but the convo was posted on a website. Even though Sterling has allegedly been a racist as long as he’s owned the Los Angeles Clippers, the fact that the man owned a basketball team where the majority of the players are Black, in a league that’s predominately Black, while detesting Black people, is incredible. That’s like me taking in a few cats from a rescue shelter and putting them in my house.
I’m SUPER allergic to cats.
The Sterling fiasco made me angry. It disappointed me. But, I kinda expected it, given Sterling’s track record.
But there was one guy who absolutely broke my heart a few months ago.
Sylvester Stallone was my hero when I was a kid. As a short, acne riddled, nerd who was always in an argument, or a near fist fight in my East Cleveland neighborhood, I identified with Sly’s characters. Rocky Balboa always had his back to the wall, and had to prove to people and his opponent that he did matter as a person, and that they were in for the fight of their lives if they crossed him. John Rambo just wanted a fucking sandwich in that small town, when that prick sheriff tried to get him to leave that craphole of a city, just because the cop didn’t like how Rambo looked.
Doesn’t that sound like something a Black guy could identify with? Both of Sly’s most famous characters had traits I readily identified with. Shit, if you read Rocky’s saga on paper, you would think the character was Black: Grew up in a poor neighborhood, had a rough upbringing, had a limited education, had to fight for everything he got. You can see why Rocky and Rambo were my personal superheroes as a kid.
(Keeping it real, Stallone’s actual life was inspiring to me. He was disfigured by a second rate doctor during his birth, giving him that famous lisp. He grew up short and directionless. He discovered acting, and had to go through a ton of shit throughout the early part of his career. He could only get bit parts, due to his ethnic look and his facial/speech situation. He got the idea to write the script for Rocky while he was dead broke. The script became a hot property in Hollywood, but Stallone wouldn’t let the movie be made unless he could star in it. And he was a complete unknown. He could have sold the script and gotten enough money to feed himself and is wife, but stuck to his guns and ended up starring in a movie that no one believed in. Man, after writing that, Sly’s saga almost seems hip-hop-ish to me. The irony.)
Well, last November, this TMZ story broke. I don’t know about you, but to me, Sly clearly says the “N word”. His reps, and his wife, denied that he uttered the word. Due to Sly not being the global superstar he used to be, the story had a short “life” in the media, and died in a few weeks.
Then my ass had to go see Captain America: The Winter Soldier. At every movie at the multiplex, several trailers are shown. One of them was for The Expendables III. Great trailer, incredible cast. Goosebumps from me.
Until that TMZ story popped up in my head.
Now, since that trailer, I’ve been faced with a dilemma. Should I go and pay to see The Expendables III? Should I give my money to Sly? Should I give my money to a man who may have made a horrible mistake on that November day? A man who may overall be a decent human being? Or, would I be giving my money to a man who, privately, may be a snarling monster?
Funny thing is, in my circle of Black male nerds, opinion is mixed. Nearly half of my friends in the know may not pay to see the movie. But, the other half is gung ho on going to see it. (Maybe it’s because Wesley Snipes, fresh out of jail, is in it.) Full disclosure: I haven’t had the chance to ask my friends who are pro-Expendables why they want to fork over their dough to Sly. I’m really interested in their answers.
Sly (I say his nickname so much because he really was a hero of mine) isn’t the only one who’s floored and disappointed myself and the rest of the public. I’m a football fan, and I followed Riley Cooper at the University of Florida. I liked it when he was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. I didn’t like it when I found out he’d fight every ni**er in his vicinity. Yes, he was filmed drunk at a concert. Yes, he’s young. But, not only did he offend many people with his words, he made it kind of weird to watch the Eagles.
Every time he made a catch for a long gain, Black people across America frowned. The guy couldn’t even high five his Black teammates. Paris Hilton…yup, I said PARIS HILTON had me fascinated with her ten years ago. She was an alcohol swilling, club hopping, jet setting badass who couldn’t wait to be seen photographed turned up. All of the behaviors that were seen as only for male celebs (Clooney, any rapper), Hilton owned. I loved her.
Then, she went and blurted this bullshit.
Sigh.
At this point, I’m just waiting for the next racist rant/remark from a White person I admire.
What’s next? Unearthed video of Mr. Rogers burning a cross on someone’s lawn? A grainy post of Joe Montana at a Klan rally?
Those were half jokes.
Photo LanceScurv Flickr
Well, if it matters at all, I’m a white person and I like you. 😉
But in all seriousness, I’m glad you wrote this. I think people don’t often understand the individual hurts that happen when others are racist, particularly those whom we continue to support publicly.
Well, regarding another’s comment, Italians call each other “wop,” although everyone knows a non-Italian can’t say it. I don’t use the N-word personally as a black man. Greg, you can do what you want, I’ll never watch another Stallone movie. If you survey all of his films, he never had an African-American co-star other than Wesley Snipes and those in the Rocky movies, which very much played black stereotypes. While we’re on the subject, Stallone is a New York Italian and, unfortunately, they tend to be very parochial in their attitudes.
In general I assume that celebrities are selfish and self-centered people who know very little about people unlike themselves.
How can you expect anyone to not use a word that black people use constantly? If people wanted to truly stop racism they wouldn’t have rules where it’s okay for one race to do something, but not okay for another.
Joseph? Are you serious?
Just google up the why…