Now, I don't exactly know the rules of football. And I don't know much about RG3. (I may have had to Google him to find out his position before writing this.) The first time I saw him was on the Subway and Gatorade commercials. The few times I've heard him speak, he does it well and doesn't seem to be involved in bad behavior like some of the other American professional athletes. So no objections to RG3 in general.
See the First Take video here.
Here are the highlights from the shenanigans:
Parker: I've talked to some people in Washington, D.C. Some people in [Griffin's] press conferences. Some people I've known for a long time. My question, which is just a straight, honest question, is ... is he a 'brother,' or is he a cornball 'brother?' He's not really ... he's black, but he's not really down with the cause. He's not one of us. He's kind of black, but he's not really like the guy you'd want to hang out with. I just want to find out about him. I don't know, because I keep hearing these things. He has a white fiancée, people talking about that he's a Republican ... there's no information at all. I'm just trying to dig deeper into why he has an issue. Tiger Woods was like, 'I have black skin, but don't call me black.' People wondered about Tiger Woods early on -- about him.
Skip Bayless: What do RG3's braids say to you?
Parker: To me, that's very urban. It makes you feel like ... I think he would have a clean cut if he were more straight-laced or not ... wearing braids is ... you're a brother. You're a brother. If you've got braids on.
Following this logic, Parker, who wears a receding-hairline fade, might not be a bona fide brother.
Stephen A. Smith (presumably a real brother) later went on to say: First of all, let me say this: I’m uncomfortable with where we just went. RG3, the ethnicity or the color of his fiancée is none of our business, it’s irrelevant, he can live his life in whatever way he chooses. The braids that he has in his hair, that’s his business, that’s his life, he can live his life.
Smith has it right.
If a person has Black skin, they are Black. That's it. It's not too complicated. Their political affiliation, choice of significant other, or hair style should be a moot point. Too bad Parker is not "down with the cause" enough to know this. Shoving Black people into boxes - again, is probably not "down with the cause" either. Just call me a 'cornball sister.'
Parker is suspended "until further notice." Now that he has some time off, Parker will have the opportunity to take some anti-ignorance classes.
Read more here.
