(ThyBlackMan.com) Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III (aka RGIII) has been asked to respond to those who wonder if he’s “black enough.” As if we need more of this conversation in the black community, a commentator on ESPN chose to take Robert Griffin III to task, wondering if he’s as black as everyone else. Robert Griffin III is, after all, engaged to a white woman and could easily be a white guy if you changed his skin complexion. But does anyone have the right to question a man’s ethnic authenticity?
The remarks in question were made on the ESPN show “First Take.” A black commentator by the name of Rob Parker called out Robert Griffin III, asking: ”Is he a brother, or is he a cornball brother?”
After saying a few words that might make ESPN execs take his black behind off the air, Rob Parker continued:
“He’s not real. OK, he’s black, he kind of does the thing, but he’s not really down with the cause,” Rob Parker said. “He’s not one of us. He’s kind of black, but he’s not really, like, the guy you want to hang out with because he’s off to something else.
“We all know he has a white fiancee. There was all this talk about how he’s a Republican … Tiger Woods was like, ‘I’ve got black skin but don’t call me black.’”
Robert Griffin III said that he won’t respond to the remarks, which were met by angry reactions from his (admittedly mostly white) supporters. Then, Griffin’s father spoke up for his son: ”I’m thankful for a lot of things in life and one of those things is your support. Thank you.”
Of course, when black people get too outspoken, that’s when massa steps in. ESPN spokesman Mike Soltys told USA Today that Rob Parker’s remarks ”were inappropriate and we are evaluating our next steps.” Translation: ”You may not see this negro on the air for a really long time. We are going to now go out and find more appropriate black people to replace him.” So, Rob Parker is going to get even more of the black experience by learning what happens to black men when we go onto predominantly white media outlets and express our true opinions on touchy racial issues. That’s one of the reasons you see me spending more time developing my own platform than trying to get onto someone else’s.
Robert Griffin III then spoke up on his right to be a black Republican engaged to marry a white woman, and how this has nothing to do with his being black.
“He needs to define what ‘one of us’ is. That guy needs to define that,” he said. “I wouldn’t say it’s racism. I would just say some people put things out there about people so they can stir things up.
“Robert is in really good shape on who he is, where he needs to get to in order to seek the goals he has in life … so I don’t take offense.”
Robert Griffin III to continued later to say that he doesn’t want to be defined by race. Perhaps he’s seeking to be post-racial.
“You want to be defined by your work ethic, the person you are, your character, your personality,” he said. “I am an African-American in America. But I don’t have to be defined by that.”
Those speeches sound pretty good, until something goes wrong and folks start to turn on you. OJ Simpson used to give those same speeches 25 years ago and later learned what happens when you’re no longer the golden boy. While Griffin certainly has latitude to express his blackness in any way that he sees fit, he’d be wise to remember that the reason thousands of fan cheered when he proposed to his fiance on the field is because he is an athlete with millions of dollars in earning power.
There is a thin line between enjoying the broad diversity that comes with various forms of black expression and simply using this as an excuse to avoid the common experience of millions of black people across America. Robert Griffin III and many other black athletes are fed access to a polite little Lala Land that other black men can’t access, and sometimes, the intoxicating sound of white people cheering your every move can make you psychologically disjoint from the challenges faced by millions of black men across the country.
So, Robert Griffin III’s measure of blackness, arguably, is not just defined by what he wears, how he speaks or who he’s engaged to marry. It can be measured by whether or not he cares anything about the rest of us. The commentator was off-base by asking this question in the first place, but I am admittedly curious to see how Robert Griffin III responds.
Staff Writer; Dr. Boyce Watkins
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition. For more information, please visit http://BoyceWatkins.com.
Dr. Watkins, I am an (admittedly not black) fan of RG3 and also a semi-regular reader of your columns. Usually I think you get it right, but tonight, frankly, I was a little taken back by your response to Mr. Parker’s remarks.
What bothered me about Mr. Parker’s comments were not that they were politically incorrect/inconvenient for white people. I support not only his right, but his responsibility, to point out that the un-controversialness of RG3 is in itself a topic worthy of discussion and a legitimate source of controversy. What makes RG3 seem so clean and pristine? IE, why does the mainstream media not shower such high praise upon the myriad black athletes who pay their taxes, perform at a high level, avoid legal troubles, etc? I agree that it is a worthwhile topic of discussion, though it is unfortunate that it has to occur on an asinine program like ESPN’s “First Take.”
However, I detest Mr. Parker’s implication that RG3’s non-endorsement of Parker’s worldview – or being “down with the cause,” as he would have it – implies he is some sort of race traitor.
My expectation was that you would dismiss Mr. Parker’s comments as counter-productive at best while acknowledging RG3’s right to speak his mind, which you did. But, you did not stop there. You make a point that the mainstream (ie, white) media could sour on RG3 just as quickly as they did OJ Simpson. I think you are comparing apples to oranges. Just because both men are popular black NFL players who are publicly involved with white women does not make them equally vulnerable to unfair coverage. I do not believe RG3 is ignoring the tribulations of the black experience because the lights are shining a bit too bright at the moment. He just wants to be compared to other quarterbacks, not just black quarterbacks. His position seems to be one of frustration with precisely the type of treatment that the Rush Limbaughs of the world would dictate, ie that he is “pretty good for a black quarterback.”
And the appalling thing is that rather than coming to his defense, Mr. Parker chose to side with the Rush Limbaughs of the world in defining what a black QB “ought to do.”
I too would be disappointed if RG3 turned out to be a card-carrying Republican, and I would be even more disappointed if he was using his platform to criticize black people from the vantage point of a relatively privileged and comfortable life. But please do not criticize the man (well, he is only 22 or 23!) for wanting to be treated like everyone else. I truly believe that RG3 would like to be considered a great QB first – and to let the observation that he is also black come after the fact.
It’s impossible for plantation negroes like watkins to give credit to a civilized black man…it makes them look weak like they are…some of these niggas secretly covet a white woman and just hate!!!lol….they are pathetic and will be forgotten in the anals of history just like people like DuBois have been forgotten. Bunch of hot air…
Dr. Watkins,
I am in disagreement with you and Rob P. I went to a predominately white institution in the south and played ball there as well and when I see this stuff rob said and what you’re alluding to, it makes me cringe.
In response to your “overwhelming cheers from whites” – lame excuse for not supporting your people on the field / court. Last I checked there are no signs anywhere at any NCAA stadium, nba arena that says *****gas only. All due respect Mr. Watkins I feel in this case you’re whining. Especially nba and nfl, there are plenty of black people in the stands cheering for black people. What I admire about the falcons fans is that even though there’s no Vick, the fans have made the the team their own…it’s their community of Atlanta – not just a sport for whites. And that’s how it should be. It’s not uncommon to see our folks in the stands on Sundays so I’m not sure where you’re getting this from. Redskins cowboys falcons raiders chargers panthers saints…come on man. You are incorrect in your assessment of the fan make up.
How black does he need to be? – this kids dad has done everything right and raising him a good person and raised him to take care of business. It’s obvious rg3 has embraced this from his father. So why are y’all tripping on this man.? Valedictorian, QB at a major white university (which isn’t easy ask condredge holloway), two sport athlete, he’s an army brat who has his head on straight – how’d Kobe and shaq turnout….both of them are self absorbed. Nappy braids, 70s style gap. He’s done more than enough. The influence he has on our community is beyond comprehension. Lil black kids every in the dc area want to be like rg3. From there it’s up to the parents or role models to tell those kids why rg3 has been successful and the work he’s put in the receive the benefits – that’s what ticks me off about rob’s bs statements. This dude has worked and worked and worked and worked and worked, while his dad was gone for most of his life. But Rob isn’t talking about that. He hasn’t had anything handed to him!
Cornball – you mean like president Obama? Or Bryant gumbal? Or Collin “mr. Wmds ” Powell? Nah it ain’t even close Rob is a whiner! Rg3 is ball player, not a political analyst. Hey rob pay attention to the news! If you want to call some ofnournpeople out who are selling out here’s a few – Melissa Harry perry, Susan “ms African Genocide” rice, al sharpton, CNN black hosts who won’t criticize Obama, all those politicians in the black caucus who sat back and watched voter fraud happen in Allen west’s primary only because of differing party conflictions and all you black media folk who are for falling O’s Assad WMD propaganda as you watch Obama committ black genocide with his democracy drones all in the name of pushing the AFRICOM agenda. Mr. Watkins and Rob we aren’t looking for rg3 or any ball player for spiritual guidance or political guidance. So lay off this young man and give him some credit.
Thanks
I think asking questions like this makes us as a people even more divided then we already are. We must get away from dividing each other because someone doesn’t speak, dress, or look a certain way. If you are Black and care about your people, it will come out. During the Million Man March, all Black men got together, no matter what they looked like or how they spoke. We seem to always find a reason to stay apart. Let’s find reasons to work together. We can always do more together, than we can apart.
Black Unity means financial independence and happiness
Yeah watkins seems to go on a lot of womanly type tirades a lot on here….if it wasn’t for him placing his name at the end of his articles, I would think he was a woman most of the times. Most of the time he sounds like a bitter black woman
Sorry, but this article was a major fail Dr. Watkins.
part of being free, is having the right and freedom to choose, not matter what your peers think. good article, but the responses from the readers were great. love is where you find it, no matter what color. let the man be free, happy, and live his life the way he sees fit.
Feel you @Dcarter
The writer of this article is very narrow minded in my opinion. Fairness and equality was not just words that MLK fought and died for but went beyond skin color and as RGIII said about “character”! It was in MLK’s speech for goodness sake. RGIII is a WELL spoken brother that obviously did just “smash hoes” and party through college but walked away with a degree that can be heard and observed in his words and behavior. This article is not in line with the deep, thought provoking articles of other writers that post here. We should not be supporting this type of reverse racism nor should anyone here who believes in and promotes a new, culturally rich AA community support any notion or idea that a black person can be defined. You cant define a race of people because when you do, when you try…you limit that people to artificial mental confines that has held us back for so many years. Physical enslavement is one thing, but like those who align their thinking with that of the writer of this article are suggesting and promoting is mental enslavement supported with some false grandeur of black excellence through black-blackness(?).
This is why “real” black people are’nt “allowed” to:
1. surf
2. mountain climbing
3. like learning in school (especially k-12)
4. want to be a doctor or lawyer
5. think star trek and NASA is cool
6. listen to anything other than hip hop/rb/jazz
7. pioneer new advances in technology
8. do anything but sit around and think of ways to get an increase in welfare benefits (ie obama phones)
9. use welfare check for anything other than buy jordans and fried chicken
I agree with Alex and Hoodgirl….they tend to just talk about nothing….soon as you tell em to invest five dollars in a business idea they look at you thinking “I ain’t giving this nigga my money, he might not give it back.” Lol. That’s when you know you’re dealing with the right type of people. When it’s time to put their money where their mouth is. Talk about investments they run for the hills, especially when it’s a black person talking about the investments. If a scholar can’t show me his investment portfolio, or any knowledge he/she has on how to get money, then i tune them mofos out because they lack the ability to show me how to stand on my own. The only thing black scholars teach other black people how to do is how to stay dependent on government. Which is not a viable solution.
I don’t know which is worse – whites and others that think all blacks are a stereotype or Blacks that think we SHOULD all conform to the stereotypes? Like it or not we are all not “down”.
Cornball and proud! 😉
Michael Eric Dyson and the likes are cowards. They get their marching papers from the establishment to stir the racial pot and will continue to fall in line because they have no autonomy over their own lives. As Miss Manners suggested, the World would be a better place if people butted out of others business and took care of their own business. I wish Robert Griffin III peace and happiness because life is full of twists and turns and people who have done nothing with their own lives are quick to meddle in the lives of others.
No matter what woman you marry, if you got dough put your money in trust and a prenup so she can’t ruin your life….it’s funny how negroes want to turn celebrities lives into everyday lives…they live a different experience than everyone else, yet they speak as if everyone relates to their lives…articles like this are a joke: http://blackamericaweb.com/80556/black-women-is-rg3-down-with-me/
Black people want to make other black peoples’ lives their cause. From Troy davis, Trayvon Martin, Shawn Bell, and a whole host of other people. Yet they don’t make strong families a cause. Worrying what’s in RG3’s pockets or bed is not anyone’s concern. Kind of remind me in the movie “Mo Betta Blues” when the cats were hating on the brother that was with the French chick. It’s like dude worry about what’s in your bed. Don’t hate on my pimping. These dudes hide behind their college degrees, which is nothing but fluff. Outside of what they see in society, what change are they really making? What change is Eric Dyson really making? Or any other so-called “scholar?” They sit from their comfortable space, with their outdated curriculum and spew nothing worthwhile. Really sound obnoxious most of the time. I mean if the dude is happy with his lady, why are we affected? We are so invested in hating the other side, we can’t appreciate when two people find peace with one another, when seemingly, they should despise one another.
The logic of this article in setting up two milestones for Blackness — not avoiding the common experiences of Black people and caring for the rest of us — is a little dangerous. For example: there are many, many Black people that don’t seem to have much concern about Black people as a whole, and they range from the “I got mine– y’all get your own” to the “I don’t have mine so I’m not thinking about helping you get yours” income levels. Self-centeredness is not the exclusive province of the Black rich — so do we revoke tens of thousands of folks’ Black cards because they don’t care about the rest of us? For another example: I am doing everything I can to avoid the common experiences of millions of Black people: unemployment, poverty, jail time, destructive habits, destructive relationships. Does that make me less Black? I’m sure that’s not what was meant in this article, but as I said, the logic is dangerous.
Sports commentators aren’t hired to give their opinions about race matters. They’re hired to give opinions based on the performance of athletes and their teams. So this guy was way out of pocket, and should be fired for overstepping his boundaries. We wanted Jimmy the Greek fired for making his racially motivated comments, did we not?
This brother (RG3) is happy. Cool. I’m happy for him. I just hope he got himself an iron-clad prenup. I wish the brother the very best in life and career.
Boyce you sound like a hating ass black woman who think she’s automatically entitled to a black man’s riches just because she needs a bailout….lol you’ll dudes are a disgrace to the youth no wonder they sell crack….you’ll too busy hating people than learning commerce and trade
Excellent article!
Sankofa,
Can you give us specific statistics with sources regarding the increase in Po-lice murders of African males and females. Thanks!
Negroes like this annoy me…lotta times they dudes who really wanna approach white chicks but scared what black women will think (including their mother). Dude is happy, why you want to rain on his parade. I hate racism on both sides. They taught their people to hate we taught ours to hate. What has it really accomplished? At the end of the day, RG3 and his lady seem civilized and seem like they have produced a civilized child. How much more can you contribute to society than that?
I had a similar conversation on Facebook today and I find it intriguing how we, me included, tend to want people to conform to what we think they should be. Granted that this colour blind, I got to be me theory holds no water, but don’t we have more important things to focus on? Such as the increase in Po-lice murders of African males and females? The increase and consistent statistics of knee-grows killing knee-rows of all sex and age? How about the selected mannequin, upping America’s attacks on countries in Africa in order to promote European imperialism? We need to get away from the cult of personality and teach from the ground up to live our culture. Robert Griffith II, like Earl Woods, taught his boys to be colour blind in a colour focused world. Let it play out, but this Rob fellow should be worrying about more important things.