Shut up and dribble: 40 Million Dollar Slave”

I awakened to the news that Donald Trump won the presidency— Oh! that actually happened already didn’t it! Or maybe it’s prophetic... so prepare your stomachs now...

Up at 4:30 awakened by the revelation that a revolution has been thwarted,  actually botched.  

Many years ago I read the book, “40 Million Dollar Slaves”, by William C. Rhoden, and though I wasn’t feeling the title I was pulled into its  allure, but that was the trick. The marketing strategy. Otherwise, juxtaposing  40 Million dollar salaries of Athletes to “slavery” felt abhorrently offensive to me. But the message was more. The message was what we see happening today. It was at least one of the takeaways for me.  Nevertheless, today roughly 4 years to the date, since Colin Kaepernick was ousted from the NFL for taking a courageous, powerful  necessary stance on social injustice and the strategic genocide of Black Men and boys in the street, or in their homes at the hands and will of white supremacist and militia that have infiltrated the police force to accomplish their agenda.  Nevertheless, I compared him proudly and fondly to Muhammad Ali. I viewed him lovingly as I did, Tommie Smith and John Carlos as they raised a fist symbolizing “Black Power” ✊🏾 after they won the bronze in the 200-meter race in 1968. I held him to the likes, though different, to the decision in March 1961, that Ray Charles made to not perform once he realized that the theater seating was to be segregated. But these were Individuals making individual decisions and while they were impactful, memorable and largely influential... they were individual. Not to mention that, the consequences were isolated and detrimental to their purse strings... well at least it was in the case of Ali , and Ray Charles was sued.  

But the NBA... they dropped the ball. They “shut up to go dribble” as they were previously advised to do by the little orange man. This time one of their own came for them to usher them back to their plantation.

They blew it! Botched  an opportunity  to collectively turn social injustices right-side up... 

This organization, mostly populated by Black Athletes, took a stance that could have done what no Political Party, or President could ever do! LeBron James — Doc Rivers took a stance that was the ultimate  pivot. This could have ushered us (Black people) into an entire world-changing paradigm shift, but instead they succumb to the derailment of Michael Jordan’s Stockholm syndrome. To the taunts and devaluation, minimizing “signals” of J. Kushner. “They were fortunate to have been able to take a night off work. I will reach out to LeBron”, he said.

So, currently they have taken the watered-down approach to Twitter, “Go Vote!” Really? How disappointing, deflating and anticlimactic. So, I suspect “talks” are on the table. Well, so are my plate settings, but that means nothing when there’s no food in the refrigerator! These guys are professional negotiators. They negotiate contracts for a living! They know the power of having the most to bargain with and they surrendered it! How do you give away your bargaining power and then go sit down to have “talks”—to “negotiate.” How? Who’s going to take them seriously now—who?

And yes there’s always today’s news cycle. And so much I don’t know. Details evolve as I blog. But how will they approach a “next time?” The next time an unarmed, non-threatening Black man, boy, woman or girl is assassinated by a police officer. Driving while Black, eating skittles while black, jogging while black, playing with a water gun while Black, even sleeping in your own bed being your American Black self. What about the “next time” which will very likely be today!

I am reminded of a statement from Eddie Glaude, Jr. In his book, “Begin Again”, “It makes sense that Black people would look to the fact of their blackness as a key source of solidarity and liberation. White people make black identity politics necessary.”

This thwarted NBA stance could have been the epithet of that solidarity. Solidarity alongside brave activists risking their lives to show solidarity with mourning Black mothers, families, and fatherless boys and girls suffering under the unrelenting and strategy of eliminating Black Lives. They turned back for something far more important... basketball!