Jason Whitlock

[FlaHawker 24]

Whether you like or dislike Whitlock, this is a tremendous article:

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7499442...P&GT1=10637

[Bill E. 666]

That really was a great article.

 

 

HBO did a fascinating documentary on Little Rock Central High School, the Arkansas school that required the National Guard so that nine black kids could attend in the 1950s. Fifty years later, the school is one of the nation's best in terms of funding and educational opportunities. It's 60 percent black and located in a poor black community.

 

Watch the documentary and ask yourself why nine poor kids in the '50s risked their lives to get a good education and a thousand poor black kids today ignore the opportunity that is served to them on a platter.

[nobody 2,044]

Here we go.

[Me_2006 14]

Easily the best sports journalist in the country. Really does a great job of taking things beyond the playing field and handles the racial, cultural, etc issues as well as anyone, sportswriter or not.

[49ers_suck 0]

very well written. somebodys' gotta tell it like it is.

[nobody 2,044]

If you ask me, this incident had nothing to do with race. He probably just got into some sh¡t and things got out of hand.

[mgs316 14]

If you ask me, this incident had nothing to do with race. He probably just got into some sh¡t and things got out of hand.

 

He never said that it's because he's black, but the culture that he is involved in. It's the same reason someone like Eminem might get shot at, it's not his skin color but the crowd he's involved with. And in Sean Taylor's case, he runs in a crowd of predominately black men who live this certain thug lifestyle.

 

It's not because of black peoples color, but the culture and environment they cultivate. Big difference.

[baum001 0]

If you ask me, this incident had nothing to do with race. He probably just got into some sh¡t and things got out of hand.

 

I think that was his point.

[nobody 2,044]

I think that was his point.

I don't think it was his point at all.

[ROCKET 0]

He is spot on but one point he fails to make is the fact that the hip hop rubbish culture has also permeated into every other race in our society. Maybe not to the same extent as the black community but how many white kids do you see emulate and idolize these idiots? And if a white jounalist ever wrote that column he'd be crucified.

[mggoilers 0]

It was a senseless crime, and most violent crime in America is perpetrated by black men on other black men. It's a shame, but he was shot and robbed with nothing of any real importance being reported as robbed...it's idiotic. Whitlock is making a huge assumption, but he's guessing he'll be proved right...sadly once again.

 

Feel sorry for the family and especially his young child.

 

I spent an hour watching Cops/World's wildest police chases...while entertaining the motivation(risk/reward) of the crime makes no sense. Whitlock's article just glosses over the huge problem that black on black crime has become...it's a total waste. Nice article, sad commentary.

[FlaHawker 24]

I don't think it was his point at all.

His point was that the black community has to stand up against the gangsta culture that leads black men to commit murder against other black men at alarming rates. The black community needs to come together and adopt the attitudes and culture that led those nine students in Arkansas to risk their lives so that they could be educated instead of this culture today that shows disdain for education. He is imploring the black community to get up off their arses and do something because they are the ones to blame for this senseless thuggery, not white people, not the government, but the gangsta culture. Unfortunately black leaders such as Sharpton and Jackson would disagree with Mr. Whitlock's keen observations so that they can keep pulling the wool over the eyes of their supporters by playing the bogus black/white issue.

[nobody 2,044]

He is imploring the black community to get up off their arses and do something because they are the ones to blame for this senseless thuggery, not white people, not the government, but the gangsta culture.

 

Oh, so they caught the killer, and it's black culture. That's great news!

 

All I'm saying is that it's possible for people to act independently of their race. I know it's hard to believe, but not every thing that happens to a black man is caused by rap music.

[edjr 5,567]

Black KKK

 

 

Excellent article. Whitlock once again nails it. he can't really be from Kansas City.

 

 

You're damn straight I blame hip hop for playing a role in the genocide of American black men. When your leading causes of death and dysfunction are murder, ignorance and incarceration, there's no reason to give a free pass to a culture that celebrates murder, ignorance and incarceration.

 

 

Of course there are other catalysts, but until we recapture the minds of black youth, convince them that it's not OK to "super man dat ho" and end any and every dispute by "cocking on your ######," nothing will change.

 

[Pimptaddy 0]

Whether you like or dislike Whitlock, this is a tremendous article:

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7499442...P&GT1=10637

 

 

Interesting read!

[Vikings4ever 496]

He is spot on but one point he fails to make is the fact that the hip hop rubbish culture has also permeated into every other race in our society. Maybe not to the same extent as the black community but how many white kids do you see emulate and idolize these idiots? And if a white jounalist ever wrote that column he'd be crucified.

Except 90% of wiggers have no contact with any real thugs. A large portion of black and Latin kids do. When the kids start associating with the thugs, they get more and more involved with the real Gangsta lifestyle.

[ROCKET 0]

Except 90% of wiggers have no contact with any real thugs. A large portion of black and Latin kids do. When the kids start associating with the thugs, they get more and more involved with the real Gangsta lifestyle.

 

Even though young wiggers rarely have any contact with real thugs it's still pretty pathetic that so many worship them and their twisted lifestyle. The article is pointing out how so many young people emulate and aspire to be like these morons. I hate to say it but there is a big percentage of this current generation that are basically clueless.

[Skinny_Bastard 154]

Boy, the guy really nailed it.

A must read for all.

[NotAClue 0]

Out of curiosity can everyone who posts a comment also state what race they are?

 

I'm Asian, and I am ambivalent towards the article.

[p00h 85]

good article. Really captures the issues at hand with black america today. It is speculation that this was a black on black crime, but one doesn't need this to be black on black to discuss the issue within the black community. The self loathing/hatred thing goes beyond just shooting up other blacks. It's also about giving up on a proper life early on in life with an attitude of 'whats the point. The man's just trying to keep me down anyways. I'll just hang on teh corner drinkin 40s and smokin blunts' This is not the days of slavery, nor is it even the 50s and 60s. While I'm sure equality is not a reality, blacks have almost the same opportunities as others to get ahead in life through education. These athelets are prime examples. They get a free education to one of the best college systems in the world, if not the best. Yet so many barely get through, banking on sports. Of every collegiate scholarship athelete that makes it to the pros, there are thousands that dont. Many of them do get an education and get ahead, but s tatistics show that many black atheletes that bank on a pro career but don't make it end up back 'in da hood' up to nothing but trouble. And the sharpton/jackson thing is soo on point. They're too busy blaming the man to shed light on the real issues. And when someone like Bill Cosby speaks the truth, they get all pissy about it. Yeah lets get the nation's panties in a bunch over what a shock jock said, we don't need to worry about the real issues at hand. It's a mockery...

 

 

I am of indian descent, born in the USA, into poverty, and grew up around many poor people of all colors and races. I created my own opportunities and took everything the country had to offer me to get ahead. Many others I know did as well, and many I know that had far more than I didn't get nearly as far as I did. Moral of the story, there is opportunity for all in this country, black or white. I don't believe true equality exists, but we are not at the other end of the spectrum either...

[my_9th_season 0]

You have to admit that a large part of the 'whats the point?" and "the man keeping us down" attitudes comes from their realities. Most of the thug activity you see or hear about comes from inner cities, where young black men are heavily recruited by gangs, and those that resist are hassled by the very gangs they are trying to stay away from. They would like to finish school, and get a good education, but trouble often comes looking for them in the form of gang recruitment. Teachers are powerless for the most part to stop it, for fear of losing their own life for trying to stand up to the thugs. There's not enough police to respond to every incident, and most people in poorer neighborhoods don't trust the police anyways, so a lot of crime goes unreported. Even if every incident were reported, and 75% were solved, there's not enough jail space. Some kids are born into it, some grow up with it and its all they know, some feel compelled to join gangs just to keep themselves fed. Most business owners won't give half these kids a chance by giving them a job because they don't trust them. As far as education goes, it only takes one frustrated teacher to give up on a kid just one time and they hit the streets with their "whats the point" attitude.

 

I don't have any figures in front of me, but I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that there just aren't enough jobs for everyone to have a living wage job. Roughly 300 million people in the US. Probably about a third of the population is too old, young, or sick/disabled to work. That leaves 200 million in the work force. Does anyone really think there are 200 million jobs available in the US? Not just job openings...jobs period.

 

I could go on for days on the reasons why so many young men, regardless of race, do what they do. Point is, there's plenty to go around, but a few control the plenty all in the name of power and greed.

 

I am white, 35, born into lower middle class. As an adult I've worked crap jobs and had a few good ones. I've been on both sides of the poverty line. I don't live in or have I ever lived in a gang ridden neighborhood. Jason Whitlock wrote a good article that should wake up a few, but didn't exactly nail it on the head. There are too many socioeconomic factors to figure in from all races and all classes.

[skins56 0]

You have to admit that a large part of the 'whats the point?" and "the man keeping us down" attitudes comes from their realities. Most of the thug activity you see or hear about comes from inner cities, where young black men are heavily recruited by gangs, and those that resist are hassled by the very gangs they are trying to stay away from. They would like to finish school, and get a good education, but trouble often comes looking for them in the form of gang recruitment. Teachers are powerless for the most part to stop it, for fear of losing their own life for trying to stand up to the thugs. There's not enough police to respond to every incident, and most people in poorer neighborhoods don't trust the police anyways, so a lot of crime goes unreported. Even if every incident were reported, and 75% were solved, there's not enough jail space. Some kids are born into it, some grow up with it and its all they know, some feel compelled to join gangs just to keep themselves fed. Most business owners won't give half these kids a chance by giving them a job because they don't trust them. As far as education goes, it only takes one frustrated teacher to give up on a kid just one time and they hit the streets with their "whats the point" attitude.

 

I don't have any figures in front of me, but I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that there just aren't enough jobs for everyone to have a living wage job. Roughly 300 million people in the US. Probably about a third of the population is too old, young, or sick/disabled to work. That leaves 200 million in the work force. Does anyone really think there are 200 million jobs available in the US? Not just job openings...jobs period.

 

I could go on for days on the reasons why so many young men, regardless of race, do what they do. Point is, there's plenty to go around, but a few control the plenty all in the name of power and greed.

 

I am white, 35, born into lower middle class. As an adult I've worked crap jobs and had a few good ones. I've been on both sides of the poverty line. I don't live in or have I ever lived in a gang ridden neighborhood. Jason Whitlock wrote a good article that should wake up a few, but didn't exactly nail it on the head. There are too many socioeconomic factors to figure in from all races and all classes.

 

Chicken or the egg response. Point is it doesn't really matter. You have to take responsibility to change things in your life and responses and attitudes like this that just deflect blame are part of the problem.

 

I'm a white male and I've worked and taught in inner city schools now for about 10 years...in my opinion Whitlock couldn't be more on the money. Anybody that has worked with his population knows that the hip hop culture is a huge part of the problem as well. We see these kids walk around like zombies with their headphones on mumbling obscene lyrics, avoiding eye contact, disrespecting anyone who tries to help them. Its sad and pathetic at the same time and you just know that they'll continue the cycle unless something DRASTIC changes them.

[northernsong 0]

I think a lot of it comes down to leadership. Individuals acting alone really can't do much to overcome such deeply rooted issues. Real change comes through movements and movements are brought about by leaders. Problem is, it is very difficult to find true leaders interested in principles as opposed to personal gain that are able to stand by those principles even when they start to gain attention/celebrity/power/etc. That's not just the case in this particular community but in all communities (see Fidel Castro).

 

I think MLK fit this profile and did an incredible amount in a very short period of time. Problem is he was murdered, which not only created a leadership vacuum but created a bit of a counter movement against the type of non-violent resistance he promoted. His efforts created great opportunity for people who did not previously have opportunity, but there continue to be barriers both inside and outside that community preventing people from taking advantage of the opportunity.

 

Until a real leader from within the community comes along with a positive, realistic and pragmatic message that drowns out both the war profiteers (a.k.a. hip hop artists) and the apologists, then nothing will change. Sad but true I think.

[parrot 789]

Whitlock makes some solid points that really don't have sh!t-all to do with Sean Taylor or his murder. Taylor's murder was just a convenient opening to preach something he has preached before.

[Riddlen 1]

ahhh yes. whitlock rips on other black people and whitey runs out to praise him. you guys are so predictable.

[craphouse rats 0]

Blacks are killing other blacks and it is going to keep happening long after anyone of us are still around. It is just an ineviatable life cycle our society goes through and tolerates. Sharpton and Jackson have done no justice for their race with their tired stupid drival about the white man keeping the black man down. the black man keeps the black man down. The black or women has to take some responsibility for their actions and Sharpton and Jackson are not letting them do that because they keep blaming the white race for all of the blacks failures and inablities to get ahead. I think if Taylor had or really wanted to change his life he would of got out of Miami all together and just moved away. He stayed there so I think he was still involved with that life style somewhat.

[Jarvis Basnight 119]

ahhh yes. whitlock rips on other black people and whitey runs out to praise him. you guys are so predictable.

 

"whitey"?

 

that's racism right there.

[scott ross 0]

yep, i still DISLIKE him.

[skins56 0]

ahhh yes. whitlock rips on other black people and whitey runs out to praise him. you guys are so predictable.

 

So you disagree with what he wrote?

[Wildman 0]

Excellent column, although I believe Whitlock is being overly simplistic by blaming an art form on black on black violence and general lack of self-esteem and positive action within poorer, predominantly black communities. Yes Hip-Hop is an art form, like it or not. Just like people thought comics and jazz weren't art forms when they were in their heyday. An aspect of the Hip-Hop culture is definitely a symptom of the problem, but it's only a reflection of what's happening now and was happening for years leading up to the stories told in the music.

 

If finger pointing is the game here, let's begin with these entities in this order:

 

1. Parents

2. Local and state government

3. Federal government

4. Corporate America

 

Even Malcolm X in his heyday preached the notion of the black community taking active steps to be self-sustaining and supportive of each other. I'm not saying segregation. I'm saying just like Asian communities and Jewish communities focused on developing their communities as economic and educational powerhouses in the last century, Malcolm X was preaching a similar thing. Even what I'm mentioning is overly simplistic. Racism still exists and Whitlock's point about a Black KKK is an imaginative way of underscoring it. Despite many changes for the better in the past 40 years, race relations is still the most pressing issue in this country. It bleeds into everything--economics, crime, family, government, education....

 

I'm a 37-year-old, white male who helped raise two biracial children.

[p00h 85]

Chicken or the egg response. Point is it doesn't really matter. You have to take responsibility to change things in your life and responses and attitudes like this that just deflect blame are part of the problem.

 

 

Exactly. Is there racial equality today?!? I'd say no. Is there segregation?!? No. The truth lies somewhere inbetween. Like I said, I have seen many individuals, black, white and every shade inbetween, rise from utter poverty to make a solid life for themselves, utilizing the different opportunities and avenues available to us in this country. And I have seen many individuals of all colors wallow in their poverty, claiming they have no means to get out. And I have seen people not so poor do nothing with their lives, content with getting by. Bottom line is, individuals as well as groups of individuals need to take responsibility for their lives instead of making excuses and using crutches. I'll give you an example of a friend of mine who has a hard time with drug addiction. He goes in and out of rehab, and the underlying theme of his is that he had a rough childhood and its tough to mentally get his head straight and away from drugs. He is absolutely correct in stating that his childhood was rough. I witnessed it first hand, and wouldn't wish it on most. But at the ripe old age of 34, he has 2 choices. Wallow in that past, continue down his drug abuse path, and blame everyone but himself for the life he is living. Or he can take the measures to get his head straight, quit the drugs and start his life anew. That analogy applies perfectly to a significant part of black culture. These individuals that were born in 1980 or later talking about the man keeping their people down, and why bother, etcetcetc. You haven't seen ###### about the man keeping keeping your people down. 6 generations ago, your people were being used as slaves. Don't go using that as a crutch to live a worthless life. There are opportunities for all in this country. I've got black friends that got free educations from Ivy league schools. And I'm not talking about people that grew up in Bel Air like the fresh prince and his cousins. People of fuckin dirt poor poverty. Setting their minds on getting an education and bettering themselves. Making 6 figure salaries straight out of college, breaking the cycle of poverty that had stricken their family for generations in the matter of a very short lifetime. If everyone in this world stopped making excuses and using crutches to justify their warped sense of reality, the whole world would be a far better place...

[IndyTom 0]

Black KKK

Excellent article. Whitlock once again nails it. he can't really be from Kansas City.

 

He's not. He was originally from Indy.

[Wildman 0]

He's not. He was originally from Indy.

 

 

Yep he's the last remaining member of the Jeff George fan club.

[Speedy G 0]

Hip hop is a reflection of the culture, not the other way around.

 

It's an effect, not the cause.

 

It certainly doesn't help matters, but the disappearance of gangsta rap won't lead to a reduction in the number of ghettos nor make them nice places to live.

 

Mass poverty in the richest country on earth is the problem.

[IndyTom 0]

Hip hop is a reflection of the culture, not the other way around.

 

It's an effect, not the cause.

 

Itsatip that Madonna made young girls dress like her - not the other way around. It's ignorant to believe that boys and girls aren't dressing, talking, and acting like what they see on TV and hear on the radio -

 

Hop/Hop and even Country music is no different.

[wiffleball 4,645]

Itsatip that Madonna made young girls dress like her - not the other way around. It's ignorant to believe that boys and girls aren't dressing, talking, and acting like what they see on TV and hear on the radio -

 

Hop/Hop and even Country music is no different.

 

 

It's true. After Faith Hill's "Breathe" video came out, I wore nothing but a white satin sheet for months...

[Wildman 0]

It's true. After Faith Hill's "Breathe" video came out, I wore nothing but a white satin sheet for months...

 

That's funny as hell...

 

 

Parents make the ultimate choice whether they wear this stuff or not.

[bno70_1 0]

ahhh yes. whitlock rips on other black people and whitey runs out to praise him. you guys are so predictable.

Ahhh yes, you are the first to point the racist finger. How predictable.

[kwhiz73 0]

And if a white jounalist ever wrote that column he'd be crucified.

 

I was thinking the same thing.

[mleo21 0]

Am I the only one completely tired of Whitlock? Please re-write any of his articles, switch "black" and "white" and tell me it doesn't come off as racist rubbish. Maybe if he would stop focusing on race as the primary reason for every possible injustice against any african-american person someone would eventually take personal responsibility for themselves as a human being and quit hiding behind these masks of "race" and "culture".