Former Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy, for the last few months, has hinted that accused coach Chip Kelly’s decisions to trade him and other players were racially motivated. This is ignoring the fact that Kelly has not only replaced black players with other black players but also has traded/cut white players…. something that McCoy failed to mention.
This continues something that I’ve seen for far too many years: some black folks crying “Racism!” at every perceived slight. I’ve noticed it mainly with the older generation (say, 55 years and older) and, recently, the 25-and-under group. All of us aren’t doing it but there is a vocal segment of the community that is. If something doesn’t go the way you expected, the way you wanted, or the way you liked, race isn’t always the culprit! McCoy, being traded wasn’t a racist act – you simply didn’t fit in with what coach Kelly wanted in his offense. Likewise, If you are in line for a promotion at your job but someone with nearly equal experience and reviews (but is of a different race) gets it instead, it wasn’t a racist promotion. If your boss promotes someone of a different race, with little experience, over you, then makes a comment like “we didn’t need any more of them working in that position”, THAT is racist. When you are walking down the street and a white person (or any other race), on the same side initially as you, crosses the street, waits for you to pass, then crosses back, that can definitely be viewed as racist.
We need to recognize when actual racism happens. The incidents in Ferguson: racist. The incident in Baltimore: NOT racist. 6 officers – 3 BLACK, 3 white – have been indicted and are awaiting trial. Unless someone can prove that ONLY the white cops injured and killed Freddie Gray, it’s not a race issue: it’s a “crooked police department” and “city government cover-up” issue. There are enough issues with us and true racism in today’s society; let’s not add to them with made-up ones.
The Nexus 