I’m standing on the sidelines covering a High School lacrosse game on a cool spring evening when I notice a certain player on the visiting team keeps getting beat on and pushed around more than the other kids. I don’t think much of it, maybe they have a good rivalry or don’t really like each other, maybe he stole the guy’s girlfriend, who knows? Then when the refs are far enough away, the visiting opponent gets knocked down and you hear the real reason as the home player shouts out “stay down nigger.” And there it is. The reason for him to not like the young man. No other reason.
After the game, I was talking with a young videographer friend of mine when the offender walks by the crowd and states snidely “you’re gonna hear some lies that I supposedly said to the African-American player.” My young friend and I were just simply disgusted by these actions.
But it’s nothing new. It’s been going on in America forever. Sadly racism is everywhere, even in team sports. As a sports reporter/photographer you get up close and personal to the players, the coaches, and the game. You see and hear things most don’t. In most cases, it’s very positive especially in High School as a coach tries to explain something to his players. You see people of all races, religions, and colors trying to work together as a team for a common goal. But sadly not everyone is on the same page.
I’ve seen and heard more racist comments in sports than I do almost when I’m off the fields and courts. I’ve seen players dropping that dreaded n-word, calling others monkeys, wetbacks, whatever racial terms they can think of. And they think it’s funny. And it’s not just players. It’s many of the fans too.
I was covering a High School basketball game several years ago and it was the regional playoffs. The game was in an all white-country community and the student section kept chanting Taco Bell whenever the visiting team’s star player had the ball. He actually was black but was adopted by a Mexican family thus he had a Mexican last name. I pointed out to the leaders of the student section that he was black and they said “it didn’t matter and they weren’t racist because they had a black kid in their school.” They didn’t seem to care that they made a young man’s younger brother and sister cry as they got their first taste of real racism in America. After that game, the Athletic Director of the school just blew it off as “kids will be kids”. For the record, the offending school made it to the state championship game where they were soundly defeated. By an all-black team.
It might be 2020 and the Ku Klux Klan doesn’t march in parades or hold rallies like they used to but racism is still thriving in the USA. It’s not out at the forefront or so blatant like it used to be but now with social media, it seems to be more prevalent because you can say what you want and in most cases not be held accountable. At least for the common man.
Back in my day, I watched fellow media people get fired over racial comments, people like Jimmy the Greek, Don Imus, and many more. And rightfully so. They apologize, claim it’s how they were raised, but that doesn’t make it better.
When you stop and think about it, look at how long it has been since the end of slavery, the Jim Crow laws. Not that very long ago. Think about that just not that long ago blacks were not allowed to play in Major league sports and Jews couldn’t compete in the Olympics for their home country of Germany, But we progressed. We knew it was wrong. We know that although different in many ways we are still human beings. But that’s lost on many people.
A group of young black cheerleaders from Detroit was cheering their hearts out for their basketball team in an all-white private catholic school. I sat on the floor by the home teams’ student section to get my pictures of the game and I was blown away in 2020 what I was hearing. Organized chants, on how ugly the opponent’s cheer girls were, how inferior they were because of race. They were body shaming, color shaming, and just flat out being racist. But no one from their school said a word. Not one person spoke up. And that’s a big problem.
We must hold others accountable for their hatred because that’s what racism is, hating or disliking someone for their race. There are no excuses. It is a learned behavior and it is deplorable. When kids are not wanting to be a part of a team, when they have to switch schools, when they have to move because they are not made to be felt equal or accepted because of their skin color then that’s a real problem. And it’s up to each of us to change it.
I’ve seen so much racism over the years and it makes me sick. I’ve seen the only black girl on a basketball team get pushed, knocked around, and tripped. I’ve seen people rush the court in anger scaring young black kids. I’ve seen people that won’t talk to other white folks because they have bi-racial kids. I’ve seen it all. And it hurts. I’m seeing people protest today and rightfully so. There is a problem and it’s been around and it’s time people speak up and use their white privilege to help others. It starts with acceptance. It starts with you!
I’ve always been amazed at how in black-dominated cities they never treat the few white kids on the team any differently. They realize they’re a team. They never treat me differently either. The coaches, AD’s, the fans, and especially the players welcome me with open arms. Some coaches have told me the kids play better when I’m there because the kids get motivated to make great plays hoping I’ll get a good memory of them captured on the camera. And that’s a good feeling.
I’ve been working on this for a long time. I’ve met literally thousands of athletes from all walks of life in my media career. I love what I do and I’m blessed to be able to do it. I’ve covered everything from little league to pro sports and I’m grateful. But I’ve asked just about every kid I’ve met over the years, people of color if they’ve experienced racism in sports and 99.9% of them say yes! Only one has said no. And then I hear the stories. And it breaks my heart.
It’s time to put a stop to racism people. It’s time to quit hating. It is 2020. There is no excuse for hatred. For hypocrisy. For division. We are supposed to be evolved beyond all that. We are the most informed, advanced, and connected civilization ever in the history of the World. So let’s act like it. Let’s use our advantages for the good of mankind. Action, not just words. We are all brothers and sisters on this big blue ball called Earth. We are to create a bright future for all, to help others in any way we can. It’s time to make a positive change in your heart for all.