Racism Isn't Dead, Its Just Been Caricatured

Great read from Bomani Jones on ESPN Page 2, about Donald Sterling and the lack of media coverage with regards to his history of housing discrimination.

People tend to think of the more annoying manifestations of racism, like how hard it can be for non-white people to get cabs in New York. But in the grand scheme, stuff like that is trivial. What Sterling is accused of is as real as penitentiary steel.

But for some reason, that hasn't qualified as big news in most places.

Sterling deserves to be raked over the coals for this. Judgment should be reserved on the suit the Department of Justice filed until a verdict or settlement has been reached. But he's already paid millions in the face of similar allegations.

It's not Sterling's job to bring attention to his ethical transgressions. That's the job of the media. And as it relates to Sterling, we have dropped the ball.

In American sports, issues of race are unavoidable. But when we turn our attention to those issues, we tend to do so in discussion of sensational topics. And we do so with little more than passing interest.

We're more concerned with people saying stupid things, transgressions that even undeniable racists could criticize.
more ...

I've touched on aspects of this when reviewing Crash, during the Kill Bill flare-up, and while questing for the negro hipster. Now I'm starting to think of the issue in terms of candy and vegetables. As in, we have candy issues, that are sweet, or salty, or nacho-cheesy, like Paris Hilton shaving her kunta kinte. And we have vegetable issues, like Donald Sterling being sued in 2003 by 19 people for housing discrimination. Or the number of black people incarcerated relative to the rest of the population. Blah blah blah.

And the blahs are the point. Vegetables are bloring. Paris Hilton's kunta kinte is hottt ... and presumably fluffy with some sort of chocolate nougat in the middle. (wait a second, has she been with any black people?) (wait two seconds, black people don't shoot fluffy chocolate nougat!) (do they???)

But what's interesting is that there are a lot of smart people looking at everyone flocking to the candy, and concluding that the race menu no longer has any nutritional value. Snobby nutritionists saying, "look at all the fools feasting on candy." Meanwhile, because they're looking at that crowd, they're missing the wheelbarrow of vegetables being pushed by the likes of Donald Sterling behind them. Or under their nose. Or wherever.

And now I'm kind of lost. And Paris Hilton: Driven is on. So my point is this ... I really liked the Bomani Jones piece. And all you pretty girls out there, you might not have to go to the store to sate that hankering for a 3 Musketeers.

possibly Paris ... and TAN?

Donald Sterling: Keeping The Racism Old School [ESPN: Page2]
Good Negro Writers: Harder To Find Than A Three Musketeers [Bomani Jones]
Me & Sir Anthony Hate Racism [TAN]