From: navarrer@bionette.CGRB.ORST.EDU (Roy Navarre)
Subject: Re: SHAQ to Charlotte? - NO TRADE for Hakeem!
Organization: Biological Computing Consortium, OSU, Corvallis, OR.
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 05:07:22 GMT

In article <53927@olivea.atc.olivetti.com> rsmith@strobe.ATC.Olivetti.Com (Russ Smith) writes:
>In article <1992Apr15.201313.29441@talon.ucs.orst.edu> navarrer@bionette.CGRB.ORST.EDU (Roy Navarre) writes:
>>No way did I mean to imply racism was involved. Rather that because Laettner
>>is white he gets more publicity than he would if he was just another good
>>black player. He happens to be one of the few good white players--so he gets
>>more press. That is not necessarily racism.
>>I think this is a legit point. The NBA worries about keeping the interest of 
>>white fans. If the league is all black will it be a viable league? These are
>>legit questions--and not necessarily racist.
>
>Roy, do you mind enlightening us as to how the above is "not necessarily
>racist"? Racism means treating people of different races differently for 
>no other reason but that they are of different races. Treating a white man
>(Laettner in your example) differently than a black man(Shaq) because one
>is white and one is black is flat out racist, cut and dried, take it to the
>bank. I agree that there is concern in the NBA about the low number of whites
>in the league, I've been saying that for years, but that concern is flat out
>racist. Ask yourelf this, could Dale Brown publicly announce he was going to
>only sign 50% blacks 50% whites from now on and not be labelled a racist? No,
>and by the same measure, an NBA team can't even consider keeping whites over
>blacks to even out the percentages without being guilty of racism. If its
>true that Laettner got more pub because he was white(and in this case I don't
>really agree he did, play for Duke and be a star and you'll get pub), then 
>it was in fact racist.
>
>
>
>Russ Smith
>*******************************************************************************
>"If this were at all legible, you would see what I'm talking about"
>
>                            Chevy Chase in Fletch 
>******************************************************************************

I agree with your post Russ, however I stand by my opinion that such an act
might not necessarily be racist.  Spud Web gets a lot of publicity because
he is short--yet can dunk the ball.  Is the extra attention therefore
discriminatory against short people?  If a white superstar heavyweight boxer
came along and people were buying magizines featuring him at a record clip
would that be racist? Not necessarily--could just be novelty, or the fact
that the individual is bucking the trend. In horseracing if a filly was to win
the triple crown, that horse would get much more publicity than a stallion--
because it is unusual. Not because of a sexual discriminatory thing. If a 
female broke the mens world record in the mile she would be deluged with
publicity--because that would buck the trend--not because of discrimination
(against males in this case)

What about rap music? Time magizine suggested that country is the most
popular music all of a sudden because in part white people have turned of to
rap because they perceive rap as addressing black issues and not speaking
to them (whites).  Thats Time's theory not mine.  Does this make people
who don't like rap racist?  If they don't like rap because they think that
rap speaks only to blacks--is that racist? Country has been called white
man's soul music--is that racist?
(ps. I don't like country, just using it to make a point)

I agree it can be a fine line. If an NBA team consistently seems to load
up on white players (who am I talking about?)--then that might smack of
racism.  Same goes for a college team. Given the percentage of college
players who are black the existence of any all white or mostly white
team bucks the statistical facts and might be racist.

I don't think laettner would have gotten all the press he has gotten if
he were black. Look at Larry Johnson. LJ is a far far far far far better
player in college or Pro ball than Laettner. That seems indisputable to me.
LJ stayed in school his senior year--passing up millions. LJ's team was far
superior to Duke and was undefeated--as LJ bid for his second championship.
Did he get anywhere near as much press as Laettner? NO WAY. Why>?
Could it be that he was just another great black player?

Roy