I recently saw that Josh Howard, an extremely talented forward for the Dallas Mavericks, is being criticized for comments he made in a YouTube video. In the video, with the National Anthem playing in the background, Howard says “…I don’t celebrate that s***, I’m black…” This is not the first time the Maverick’s star has made controversial comments: Before a pivotal playoff game this year, he admitted to using marijuana and claimed many other NBA players smoked as well.
I have always been a Mavericks fan and more in particular, a Josh Howard fan but his comments frustrate me to no end. As an African American I already have to deal with the many stereotypes associated with my culture and don’t appreciate someone from within the race adding to these negative perceptions. I can guarantee that Howard’s comments confirmed the ideas of many ignorant people throughout the world. Let me say now though that NOTHING HOWARD SAID REPRESENTS THE MAJORITY OF AFRICAN AMERICANS.
First of all, let me address his comments on the national anthem. I know several black people that do “celebrate” the National Anthem. The most obvious being those African Americans who give their lives defending this country. The name Barak Obama also comes to mind…The more hurtful aspect of Howard’s comments is how they can be perceived. It could be interpreted that he is essentially saying black people do not care about politics. Once again this is untrue, as I personally know many blacks who not only care about politics, but are extremely knowledgeable in them. His comments are an insult to all African Americans, especially those who are active in our government.
Secondly, his candid comments on his own marijuana use are also extremely frustrating. It goes along with the growing stereotype of African Americans as thugs, smoking chronic in the back of SUVs with tinted windows, on the way to bust a cap on some hood who is actin’ a fool. Once again the actions of some cannot be a reflection of a race in its entirety. I am really disappointed in Josh for endorsing a stereotype that needs know help in being spread throughout the world. I don’t know how many times people have given me weird looks when they find out that the brotha doesn’t smoke. Rarely has it been a black person that has asked me…Some people truly believe that all black people actually smoke weed. In my family, every person up to my grandmothers generation has not only been clean of drugs, but have gone to college and gotten very successful jobs.
In short, I am really disappointed in Josh Howard, a former hero of mine who seems just to not get it. Maybe he felt his comments were accurate, he was just keepin’ it real, but that is not the point. He needs to understand that because of his fame as an athlete, his comments are taken as a reflection of the race as a whole. To those who think Howard’s comments reflect my race, let me say this with one hundred percent certainty: there are many more African Americans who disprove his comments than those that prove it… Now that’s real talk.
3 comments:
I've gotten so used to professional sports players being excoriated for their bad behaviors and ill-thought public speeches that I've accepted for the last several years that professional players are simply not, nor should they be, looked up to as heroes. But your post opened my eyes to another dimension of this topic. The damage that a player’s remarks can rend goes beyond making a bad impression on the little tykes in Pee Wee football.
As much as we try to look beyond the color of skin, as much as we tell ourselves that the behaviors of some are never representative of the behaviors of all—in race, religion, or politics—it is human nature to succumb to the need to “categorize” in hierarchies (who’s superior to whom) and labels (who belongs to which group). Josh Howard certainly does not represent all African Americans, and I’m sure if we asked him, he’d say he doesn’t want that responsibility. But, as StangWalkOn09 seems to indicate, the combination of his position in sports and his race burdens him with a heavier responsibility by default. It’s terribly unfair that a white person can make offensive public mistakes and just look stupid, but an African American can do the same thing and reinforce a negative stereotype that plagues the entire country. Josh Howard’s actions and words, whether he likes it or not (and unfair or not), are under the public’s ethical scrutiny.
I think it's evident that this entire "superiority complex" displayed by a number of celebrities stems from the fame itself. The law (or common sense, for that matter) doesn't seem to apply in that particular universe. I hate to make the Paris Hilton comparison here, but celebs (no, definitely not all of them) are pretty convinced that they can get away with just about anything. Sometimes the publicity gains them additional fame, but it isn't always for all the good reasons. I agree with you about people's skewed perception concerning this issue. Obviously one remark or attitude can't sum up an entire race or culture. A group's accomplishments should be celebrated, and not overshadowed by individual mishaps.
I agree with your thoughts in this blog. I also feel that he is giving a bad name to professional athletes as a whole. They are very dedicated and comments like this make people believe that athletes in professional sports do not appreciate their lifestyles. Many children also look up to this man. What do you think they start to believe when they hear these comments? This is upsetting because as an influential person in the spotlight he should be held to a higher standard.
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