Report: Hawks Players Don't Think RW is Black Enough

[BirdsCommaAngry]

Maybe we have players who feel this way and maybe we don't, but the concept he refers to is real and while many of us, particularly those who are white and have lived in predominantly white areas, may not have witnessed this specific example of tribalism, you've definitely seen it before in other forms especially as a football fan.

We're tribal by nature and some of us are more extreme in this behavior. A Seahawk fan who is less extreme in their loyalties to the organization would be more likely to place a bet on SF or draft a SF player in fantasy football and perhaps even start him against the Seahawks if it seemed like the move to make to give him or her the best chance to win. A Seahawk who is more extreme in their loyalties to the organization probably wouldn't bet a dime or touch a SF player in FF to begin with regardless of whether or not the bet or pick would have been an absolute steal.

RW is certainly less extreme in his loyalties to the culture of many modern African-Africans not because of a any ill-will toward the ethnicity he has so much ancestry with, but because his loyalties to his team, faith, and other entities that transcend race are presumably much more important to him and his goals. But just like with our fan-base, there's still the potential for people in our locker room to see only the most tribal of distinctions because people still do this nearly everywhere else whether it's with a brand, team, school, region, and unfortunately, even ethnicity.

 

[SonicHawk]

There's no question this is stupid and I guarantee you this issue didn't come up just last week. This is an ongoing thing and not unique to RW.

 

[Scottemojo]

They don't have to love Russ, they just have to play hard.

In all the race talk has been lost that reportedly in private, Russ doesn't take blame for mistakes. Which seems at odds with the very proper Russ who always seeks to say only positive things about his mates in public.

 

[SalishHawkFan]

I have direct experience. It IS racism. Third thing I learned growing up around the Black Panthers - my heroes btw - and a large hispanic community, is that neither the black people nor the hispanic ever admit that what they call racism in whites is exactly what they do themselves and they're just as guilty of it.

The Black Panthers were from a completely different era and took a more militant and intensive stance on how the black community was to gain power and equality.

We're not here to discuss Black Panthers though because that has nothing to do with this discussion. That was black vs white people, not blacks vs other blacks.

You obviously don't know a thing about them except what the press feeds you and historical revisionism.

I learned from them and my own family not to be racist. Not because they were, but because they WERE NOT. They taught me the difference between standing up for equal rights and being just as bad as a racist white man. They would be calling out Seahawks players as being racist for saying Wilson wasn't white enough.

Sorry you have preconceived notions about what the Black Panthers were about. It's not your fault though, the media force feeds that image.

 

[SeahawksForever]

If this is true, they're racist. Ship any players with this attitude off to New York with Percy. I bet he's plenty "black enough."

This isn't racism, this is a serious issue within the black community, but it's not racism. You'll be shipping half the team off to New York if you thought this way.

It IS racism. It's a put down to say he's not black enough, as if being black is superior to being any other color. What they mean is that he's acting like a white man and obviously, that is a bad thing when you're black and racist against whites.

So yes, welcome to what black racism looks like.

You're saying words that make sense to you but they have no context within the black community.

I am giving you direct experience with this exact same issue, why it exists, and what it really means.

If a black man says that white people 'all like ham sandwiches' is that racism? If a white person said 'Man, I just don't like any black rappers' is that racist? If you see an old Crown Victoria driving along the freeway with the spotlight still attached and you see a white man in a suit driving it... you're surprised aren't you? That's not racism.

If a Seahawk player, who grew up in some crap area around all black people who dressed the same, acted a certain way, had similar suspicions of other races, looked at the upper-middle class whites that looked down on him and then as soon as he had some athletic talent suddenly they couldn't get enough of them and you see another man that looks like you seemingly on the other side... you don't think that freaks them out a bit?

It's not racism. It's called being a human.

Dude no one knows what you're talking about. No one cares if you're white, black, Chinese, purple, or whatever. Being mixed race does not make you an authority on what racism is. And don't get me started on your weird blue and purple paint analogy because the unchanging, not-up-for-debate, static color of HOUSE PAINT is a different issue than what it means to have a certain shade of skin. Players aren't saying Russell Wilson's SKIN isn't black enough. They are saying he isn't ACTING black enough.

Every group of people just wants a fair chance to not be judged or generalized based on the color of their skin or any other arbitrary physical attribute. Just because in this situation, black people are generalizing themselves in an effort to ostracize someone (regardless of what color that someone's skin color actually is), how is that not racism? Categorizing "blackness" as a rigid set of behaviors, attitudes, etc. is the definition of racism. If a white person said Russell Wilson wasn't acting black enough, would you consider that racist? I bet you would.

You can say it's an issue in the black community and you're probably right, but that doesn't mean it's not racism.

 

[scutterhawk]

If this is true, they're racist. Ship any players with this attitude off to New York with Percy. I bet he's plenty "black enough."

This isn't racism, this is a serious issue within the black community, but it's not racism. You'll be shipping half the team off to New York if you thought this way.

Perceiving that someone as not having been raised poor enough equates with not acting black enough.
The problem is, that RW wasn't brought up as poor enough for their liking.
A lot of these people are considering Wilson as self indulgent, and a snooty....So, Russell Wilson in in no-mans-land eh?

 

[SonicHawk]

I have direct experience. It IS racism. Third thing I learned growing up around the Black Panthers - my heroes btw - and a large hispanic community, is that neither the black people nor the hispanic ever admit that what they call racism in whites is exactly what they do themselves and they're just as guilty of it.

The Black Panthers were from a completely different era and took a more militant and intensive stance on how the black community was to gain power and equality.

We're not here to discuss Black Panthers though because that has nothing to do with this discussion. That was black vs white people, not blacks vs other blacks.

You obviously don't know a thing about them except what the press feeds you and historical revisionism.

I learned from them and my own family not to be racist. Not because they were, but because they WERE NOT. They taught me the difference between standing up for equal rights and being just as bad as a racist white man. They would be calling out Seahawks players as being racist for saying Wilson wasn't white enough.

Sorry you have preconceived notions about what the Black Panthers were about. It's not your fault though, the media force feeds that image.

Sorry that you don't know what you're talking about. My father was involved with many organizations being in his 20s during the 60s. My uncle fought in Korea and came home to the same BS that he left and joined the BP. The 1960s version of the Panthers was pretty different than the one in the late 70s or early 80s.

 

[SonicHawk]

If this is true, they're racist. Ship any players with this attitude off to New York with Percy. I bet he's plenty "black enough."

This isn't racism, this is a serious issue within the black community, but it's not racism. You'll be shipping half the team off to New York if you thought this way.

Perceiving that someone as not having been raised poor enough equates with not acting black enough.
The problem is, that RW wasn't brought up as poor enough for their liking.
A lot of these people are considering Wilson as self indulgent, and a snooty....So, Russell Wilson in in no-mans-land eh?

Being poor, stupid, or not being able to speak 'black' has absolutely nothing to do with their comments. If you think that's what black people mean when they say 'acting white' then you must think black people are stupid, poor and don't think proper grammar is beneficial for conversation.

 

[SonicHawk]

Dude no one knows what you're talking about. No one cares if you're white, black, Chinese, purple, or whatever. Being mixed race does not make you an authority on what racism is. And don't get me started on your weird blue and purple paint analogy because the unchanging, not-up-for-debate, static color of HOUSE PAINT is a different issue than what it means to have a certain shade of skin. Players aren't saying Russell Wilson's SKIN isn't black enough. They are saying he isn't ACTING black enough.

Every group of people just wants a fair chance to not be judged or generalized based on the color of their skin or any other arbitrary physical attribute. Just because in this situation, black people are generalizing themselves in an effort to ostracize someone (regardless of what color that someone's skin color actually is), how is that not racism? Categorizing "blackness" as a rigid set of behaviors, attitudes, etc. is the definition of racism. If a white person said Russell Wilson wasn't acting black enough, would you consider that racist? I bet you would.

You can say it's an issue in the black community and you're probably right, but that doesn't mean it's not racism.

Once again, all you're doing is putting together slogans that sound good. We all know what these players should do, which is not give a crap about his actions.

It's not racism though and if you continue to call it that, all you're doing is softening what racism is.

 

[SeahawksForever]

Dude no one knows what you're talking about. No one cares if you're white, black, Chinese, purple, or whatever. Being mixed race does not make you an authority on what racism is. And don't get me started on your weird blue and purple paint analogy because the unchanging, not-up-for-debate, static color of HOUSE PAINT is a different issue than what it means to have a certain shade of skin. Players aren't saying Russell Wilson's SKIN isn't black enough. They are saying he isn't ACTING black enough.

Every group of people just wants a fair chance to not be judged or generalized based on the color of their skin or any other arbitrary physical attribute. Just because in this situation, black people are generalizing themselves in an effort to ostracize someone (regardless of what color that someone's skin color actually is), how is that not racism? Categorizing "blackness" as a rigid set of behaviors, attitudes, etc. is the definition of racism. If a white person said Russell Wilson wasn't acting black enough, would you consider that racist? I bet you would.

You can say it's an issue in the black community and you're probably right, but that doesn't mean it's not racism.

Once again, all you're doing is putting together slogans that sound good. We all know what these players should do, which is not give a crap about his actions.

It's not racism though and if you continue to call it that, all you're doing is softening what racism is.

Slogans?? I don't think any of my post could be considered a slogan. I guess if you don't know the definition of "slogan" than I'm not surprised you are confused about something as complicated as race and racism.

But again, I would ask that if a white person said to your face that Russell Wilson wasn't black enough, would you consider that racist?

 

[Rocket]

Is proper grammar the only thing you guys can come up with that you think bothers 'black' people?

I mean really, that's the least of the things.

I for one would like an explanation as to what qualities, good or bad, of Russell Wilson's that other blacks might consider evidence of his not black enoughness... I find the concept to be ludicrous, by the way.

BTW, when I was 19 and in college, I was ridiculed by my close homies for being the "college boy" because I didn't have the right records and the right shirt, etc... clearly in retrospect I think the whole issue was one of jealousy because I was movin' on and they weren't. Is this similar? Is success a bad thing?

 

[SonicHawk]

Slogans?? I don't think any of my post could be considered a slogan. I guess if you don't know the definition of "slogan" than I'm not surprised you are confused about something as complicated as race and racism.

But again, I would ask that if a white person said to your face that Russell Wilson wasn't black enough, would you consider that racist?

No because without context that means close to nothing. There is no context. There is context when a black man says it.

 

[seahawks187]

article is dumb but I heard this before.. and anyone can watch the mike rob videos and listen to RW interviews and see he isn't "ghetto" or "black enough" .. but who cares?? Peyton manning is whiter than hell and is still able to interact and gain the respect of everyone.. I don't think he is going to hang out with an aquib talib or TJ ward and hit the clubs or anything but yea lol.. I see the same with RW.. maybe a lil different because he is black and isn't "ghetto" or "black enough"

also I think I remember a former teammate or something that mentioned RW not going out at all to parties or anything during his time at college

anyways.. who cares

 

[Largent80]

And I suppose Key and Peele aren't funny because they are mixed as well?

They are my favs.

 

[SonicHawk]

Is proper grammar the only thing you guys can come up with that you think bothers 'black' people?

I mean really, that's the least of the things.

I for one would like an explanation as to what qualities, good or bad, of Russell Wilson's that other blacks might consider evidence of his not black enoughness... I find the concept to be ludicrous, by the way.

BTW, when I was 19 and in college, I was ridiculed by my close homies for being the "college boy" because I didn't have the right records and the right shirt, etc... clearly in retrospect I think the whole issue was one of jealousy because I was movin' on and they weren't. Is this similar? Is success a bad thing?

A lot of times there is jealousy. Blacks have only recently got to enjoy success in this country (a few generations at most). For the most part it was creating a strong community of people helping each other and getting each others backs. That system still exists in large parts today (most other ethnicities and sub-ethnicities experience the same thing).

Being called white is suggesting that you don't have the community's back anymore. It's an exclusive comment, a comment of disrespect, not racism.

 

[SeahawksForever]

Slogans?? I don't think any of my post could be considered a slogan. I guess if you don't know the definition of "slogan" than I'm not surprised you are confused about something as complicated as race and racism.

But again, I would ask that if a white person said to your face that Russell Wilson wasn't black enough, would you consider that racist?

No because without context that means close to nothing. There is no context. There is context when a black man says it.

The reason there is no context is exactly what makes it racist!! You don't think that if a white person says to a group of black people that Russell Wilson isn't black enough, the majority of those black people won't respond sarcastically with (or at the very least think to themselves) "and how exactly are black people supposed to act??"

 

[Cartire]

And I suppose Key and Peele aren't funny because they are mixed as well?

They are my favs.

Funniest skit they did was the racist zombies.

 

[Bigpumpkin]

I'm beginning to think the article and subsequent thread is all a set up to entrap and permanently ban me from the site. Do you have ANY idea how many jokes there are in this thread? I'm like Rainman on the porch missing "Whoppner" right now.

Well played mods, well played. And kudos for getting Freeman in on your ruse. But, I will not bite.

BINGO....I wouldn't touch this with a 10' pole!!

 

[DTexHawk]

I say it smacks of stupidity but a line along this type of thinking was uttered by the star of the new "Blackish" series when he said his wife wasn't black enough.

OT, but that is a damn funny show.

Only saw 1 episode, but agree.

Wonder if RW doesn't do the "nod"?

 

[SonicHawk]

I'm beginning to think the article and subsequent thread is all a set up to entrap and permanently ban me from the site. Do you have ANY idea how many jokes there are in this thread? I'm like Rainman on the porch missing "Whoppner" right now.

Well played mods, well played. And kudos for getting Freeman in on your ruse. But, I will not bite.

BINGO....I wouldn't touch this with a 10' pole!!

That pole would be black


HOOOOOOOOOHHHH WHOO WHOO WHOO WHOO


/banned /locked