The recent wall-to-wall denunciations of Nets star Kyrie Irving, as a promoter of hate, is a current example of white American media’s head-scratching hypocrisy.
Kyrie is supposed to be the worst present-day posterchild of hate, in this country? Really? The son of a Black man in this America with its deeply exploitative history of slavery, lynchings, Jim Crow segregation, mass incarceration and state genocide—like the kind that snuffed out the lives of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, et al.?
How are we to take these folks seriously when their denunciations of hate are so selective and ignores the plight of the most vulnerable group in the nation?
These same media mouthpieces now attacking Kyrie are silent when it comes to speaking out against the deeply entrenched, politically and economically advantageous hate that daily wreaks havoc on the most besieged and attacked group in America: Blacks. It more than strains credulity when these pretenders decide to portray a Black man as a principal transmitter of hate in a land where white supremacy has always been a primary political policy.
Let’s make something clear right at the start: all forms of hate should be condemned. The common humanity of man must be respected regardless of things like one’s religion—and one’s so-called “race.”
But that of course is the problem here with these self-righteous corporate journalists who are so upset with Kyrie. Because only hate against those with white European skins apparently infuriates these paragons of the press who have been crucifying Kyrie and calling for his head over the last week.
The facts of American history tell us hate is as American as apple pie.
Black Americans know this all too well because the most violent—and life-taking—hate has always been directed at us because of our sun-blessed Black skins. America’s ground is soil-soaked with the blood of Black people and America’s foundations were secured with our bones and broken bodies.
Today, the hate against us continues in all facets of American society and haunts us from the womb to the tomb.
Many prefer to frame America’s race problem as one that is about individual bad acting crazy white citizens. This is done to deflect the truth away from the reality of institutionalized white supremacy that has always underpinned this society.
There is little honesty on the issue of anti-Black racism in the nation. Black Americans have been systematically targeted by hateful political policies, by white America, and its government, from the very beginning when Africans were mass kidnapped and trafficked here to build the 13 Colonies into a global superpower, with centuries of free labor.
And, in 2022, the abuse of Black America continues—even after all the talk about a “racial reckoning” in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder. Politicians at the local, state and national level still push a plethora of hateful policies against us. And the same people pillorying Kyrie engage in a strategy of hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.
Look, for example, at what right-wing politicians (say in Georgia and Florida) are doing now to prevent us from voting.
Over the last few years, especially since the state-sanctioned police murder of George Floyd, the world witnessed the viciousness Black Americans face routinely from white America’s “license to kill” police. However, many, especially in light of the present pandemic of police killings, still want to portray the problem as one of “a few bad apples.” Sadly, much of the momentum in pushing for a change in racist policing has been smothered by politicians in Congress.
And the same media folks who are so outraged about hate against one segment of the Jewish community, are aiding-and-abetting in this new effort to whitewash the continuing killings and murders of Blacks by police.
Last week, the families of Terrence Bridges and Luke Stewart received monetary settlements for the police killings of their loved ones. While last month the killers of Jayland Walker returned to work.
Meanwhile in Grand Rapids, Michigan it was just announced that killer-cop Officer Christopher Schurr will face murder charges. This is the officer who escalated a simple traffic stop into firing a bullet into the back of the head of 26-year-old Congolese immigrant Patrick Lyoya. Schurr did this because Black life is so hated, and cheap, that white people with badges think it is their God-given right to murder us whenever it suits them. And apologist politicians allow them to do so with their blessings.
Where is the media on these stories of hate?
Here is a sobering thought to consider: under two different White House administrations, in this 21st Century (first under George Bush, and then Obama) the FBI issued warning assessments that white supremacists—the term they use is “Ghost Skins”—were actively infiltrating American law enforcement. One would think something like this would be newsworthy. How many people reading this ever heard of these FBI warnings?
But the folks hyperventilating because of Kyrie can never seem to find their voices to talk about this state of affairs or denounce the state hate that manifest itself in public policy. So white supremacist people in police uniforms become judge, jury and executioners in the streets of America—with little outrage from the responsible corporate white press.
Currently, Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes is being prosecuted and there is now information filtering out about military members, police, and politicians who are on the members list of the Oath Keepers. Why are we not seeing major media coverage on this?
There is another aspect of this anti-Semitism conversation that shows superficiality, and crass racism as well, at work.
Whenever the Western media talks about anti-Semitism they always clearly exclude non-white Jews. In fact, because of this, many people think all Jews have white skins.
Therefore, the racism that a Jewish group like Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jews) face—inside Israel—is never mentioned and is not even known by many. Why are there no denunciations of those who engage in discrimination against Ethiopian Jews? Why no headline stories about that?
Is it because these Black-skinned Jews are deemed less Jewish in the eyes of those now nailing Kyrie to the cross?
In the final analysis, we should all condemn hate in its multiple forms. However, establishment media personalities are being totally disingenuous when they act as if they care so much about hate while exhibiting selective outrage.
Ignoring the deadly racism that Black America is subjected to daily exposes America media, which has played a leading role, historically, in propagating that hate.
So, we can’t really take them seriously regarding Kyrie.
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