Thursday, January 21, 2010

Master Race Basketball -- It's Craaaaptastic!

It's being reported that plans for an "all-white" basketball league are in the works. This is dumb on so many levels, but let's allow the brains behind this brainless operation to point them out:

According to the Chronicle, Lewis said he wants to emphasize "fundamental basketball" instead of "street ball" played by "people of color."

"There's nothing hatred about what we're doing," Lewis told the paper. "I don't hate anyone of color."

Lewis pointed out recent incidents in the NBA, including Gilbert Arenas' suspension for bringing a gun into the Washington Wizards locker room, and said, "Would you want to go to the game and worry about a player flipping you off or attacking you in the stands or grabbing their crotch?"
First, the idea that minorities are unable to play "fundamental basketball", whatever that is, is patently false. Secondly, if I went to an NBA game, I wouldn't walk in fearing for my life or worried that some seven-footer might wave his crotch at me in a threatening manner. I'd be worried I might be at a Timberwolves game.

I suspect that this is a misguided attempt to generate publicity (and thus financial backers) to what will almost certainly be an abject failure of a league.

It's also possible that this is some sort of veiled protest at the double standard when it comes to exclusionary institutions. There are legitimate gripes to be had about a country that allows womens-only schools, blacks-only schools, etc., but frowns upon male-only institutions. I doubt that's what this is, but it's possible. If so, it's one of the dumbest ways to go about it in recent memory.

2 comments:

  1. I agree, this is stupid and a blatant attempt to race-bait. Read my comments on SA.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yep, I've been following the thread over there. Thanks for visiting!

    ReplyDelete