Just prior to the Super Bowl, two articles by different authors were posted to The Root about how a Cam Newton-lead, Panther victory would result in “white tears”. Here they are:
Make ’Em Cry, Cam: How Newton Will Drink Reporters’ White Tears
Why does it matter what The Root publishes? Well, it considers itself to be,
“…the premier news, opinion and culture site for African-American influencers. Founded in 2008, under the leadership of Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr., The Root provides smart, timely coverage of breaking news, thought-provoking commentary and gives voice to a changing, more diverse America.”
As it is, the Panthers lost – badly. And for that, there were still plenty of white tears. Boatloads of white people lost gobs of money betting on the favored Panthers. Boatloads of white fans bought Super Bowl tickets and watched their team get pummeled. Boatloads of white fans sat at home in a puddle of sadness. Oh, and Jerry Richardson, the white owner of the Panthers, probably shed a few tears, too.
Frankly, I had no idea white people were against Cam Newton because he’s a black quarterback. Everything I was seeing was more like this:
(Image source: myfox8.com)
It wasn’t until the “Flood of White Tears” article popped up on my feed that I learned about the issue. While I’m sure you can find examples of white racism in the NFL, those articles say much more about the racism of the authors and, potentially, the editor(s) of “the premier news, opinion and culture site for African-American influencers.”
It’s as if the authors of the articles believe that white people sit around plotting how to stop a black man from getting a Super Bowl ring. Is that really an assumption within some of the leadership of the black community? If so, how insulting and petty to assume so much of people simply based on their race. While the authors may not admit it, that’s the very definition of racism.
Having watched the Super Bowl, it wasn’t white people who stopped Cam Newton. It was Von Miller, a black linebacker who was named MVP of the game.
(Image source: USATSI)
So what does that scene say to those members of the black community who were joyously looking forward to “white tears” from a Cam Newton victory? Does it actually reflect the enormous sea-change in opinions on race that has taken place over the last sixty years? Does it show that Americans of all colors actually just want the best team to win — no matter the color of the quarterback?
Yes, there are white racists out there. But there are also black racists. Americans would probably be wise to ignore both.
(Image source: CBSSports.com)
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