Sunday, September 7, 2014

If One Is A Racist Comment, Then The Other Should Be As Well

From ESPN: Seattle Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said Sunday he's concerned about the lack of African-American players and managers in baseball.
In the last few weeks, two African-American managers left the game in Houston's Bo Porter, who was fired, and on Friday, Texas' Ron Washington resigned, leaving McClendon as the only black man as a manager.
"It's concerning," McClendon said. "Not just from a managerial standpoint but from a player standpoint, in what's happening with baseball in the inner cities. I think from all the conversations I've had, I know Major League Baseball is committed to bringing [it] back to the inner cities. I think from a philosophical standpoint we're missing some ideas that need to be in there."
http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/11483181/seattle-mariners-manager-mlb-not-reaching-blacks
And from ESPN:
Atlanta Hawks owner Bruce Levenson is selling his controlling interest in the team, NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced Sunday.
In July, Levenson self-reported an email he wrote to the team's co-owners and general manager Danny Ferry in August 2012 that he called "inappropriate and offensive." The league commenced an independent investigation after being made aware of the comments....
In the email sent in August 2012, Levenson shared his observations of the fan experience at Hawks games. He said he concluded "southern whites'' were uncomfortable at games.
"My theory is that the black crowd scared away the whites and there are simply not enough affluent black fans to build a significant season ticket base,'' Levenson said in the email released Sunday by the Hawks.
"Please don't get me wrong. There was nothing threatening going on in the arena back then. I never felt uncomfortable, but I think southern whites simply were not comfortable being in an arena or at a bar where they were in the minority.''
Levenson said Hawks crowds are 70 percent black, the team's cheerleaders are black and hip-hop music was played.
"Then I start looking around at other arenas,'' Levenson said. "It is completely different.''
Levenson said he often heard fans say the area around Philips Arena in downtown Atlanta is dangerous.
"This was just racist garbage,'' Levenson said. "When I hear some people saying the arena is in the wrong place I think it is code for there are too many blacks at the games.''
Though he said he disagreed with the conclusion, he said he told team executives to add white cheerleaders and music "familiar to a 40-year-old white guy.''
Added Levenson in the email: "I have even bitched that the kiss cam is too black.''   http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11481937/atlanta-hawks-owner-bruce-levenson-selling-team
So, the Black manager thinks there should be more Blacks in baseball and he is considered to be thoughtful.
The Atlanta Hawk owner thinks that there should be more Whites at the Hawks games and he is considered a racist.
But they are asking for the same thing.
Double standard?

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