After the New England Patriot’s historic comeback in this past Sundays SuperBowl 51 which led them to victory over the Atlanta Falcons, Patriot player Martellus Bennett told reporters that he would not be attending the ceremonial visit to the White house. Many thought he would be alone in his public stance, however, Monday he was joined by Devin McCourty, the Patriots defensive back when he too stated he would not be in attendance.

McCourty told TIME magazine, “Basic reason for me is I don’t feel accepted inthe White House. With the president having so many strong opinions and prejudices I believe certain people might feel accepted there while others won’t.” McCourty also went on to say, “I can’t imagine a way I go there.”Super Bowl 51, has arguably been the most politicized sports event of the year thus far, with President Trump tweeting “What an amazing comeback and win by the Patriots.

Tom Brady, Bob Kraft and Coach B are total winners. Wow!” It should also be noted that the President has close connections with Patriots owner Robert Kraft, coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady.Despite the many feelings by both Patriot and Falcon fans one aspect cannot be overlooked: the Kapernick effect.

Both Patriot players have been participants in taking a knee, a political jesture begun by Colin Kaepernick to protest racial injustice in America. Although still early into the week what remains to be seen is if any more Patriot players will follow their fellow teammates lead and opt out of attending the ceremonial visit reserved for Super Bowl champions

The following video is a compilation of suspected white supremacist fans who have decided to record themselves on video burning the the Black QB’s jersey. Judging off of the video’s “like/dislike” ratio, one can see that this (Kaepernick’s jersey burning) is well received by a large number of viewers on a grand scale.

The burning of Colin Kaepernick’s jersey isn’t new. As a matter of fact, it has become a trending activity that suspected white supremacist sports fans engage in when their favorite Black superstar athletes ‘get out of place’. Perhaps the most notable jersey burning ceremony took place in 2010, when white fans in Cleveland took to the streets in a belligerent manner to burn their Cleveland Cavaliers LeBron James jerseys after he made his famous ‘Decision’ to leave the Cavs by signing with the Miami Heat that summer.

Shortly before the white supremacist sports fans’ outrage against Kaepernick ensued a few days ago, NBA superstar Kevin Durant–who played for the Oklahoma City Thunder for nearly a decade–signed with the Golden State Warriors as a free agent this past summer (2016). The video below shows fans giving Durant the same treatment:

In the eyes of many, the notion of these fans burning jerseys of their favorite players can be written off as an act of passionate sports fans heartbroken and angry. In reality, this trend contains heavy racial undertones. Colin Kaepernick, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant are all blessed with otherworldly athletic abilities, they are great teammates, and more importantly, they are upstanding citizens whose faces we’ve never seen in mugshots. However, this does not matter to white supremacists.

The issue that the dominant society has with the aforementioned athletes is that they are well-to-do Black men who either:

a) They prioritize their own best business interests over the selfish wants of their white supremacist fans

b) They’ve used their platform to openly address serious matters that affect Black Society

or

c) They do both.

This has always posed a problem among white supremacists, who’d rather see nothing more than Black athletes–and non athletes alike– stay in their places by doing nothing to empower themselves economically, socially, etc. Instead of deploying lynch mobs to burn down great Black communities such as Tulsa, Oklahoma or Rosewood, Florida, they’ve utilized that same lynch mob mentality to burn jerseys of Black athletes who…decide to take their lives into their own hands.

B. Clark

The answers have been shown to be one that is not absolutely clear, according to Kenny Smith. Former NBA player Kenny Smith declared that this week, he would conduct a call to action for NBA players to do something about the problems that has persisted in the United States that effect Black Americans, in particular murders conducted by police. He appeared on an ESPN Radio hosted by Dan Le Batard to speak about what he plans to do with NBA players. During the interview, he was asked repeatedly what he plans to do, but his answers were either vague or non-tangible–which has come to be expected with Black figures that have something to lose. Murders committed by race soldiers pretending to be police officers—by committing acts of genocide–in the United States against black people have been going on for over 100 years. However, in today’s climate, you can Facebook live stream these crimes, while justice remains to be unserved.

There is no consequence for the actions of race soldiers pretending to be police who murder citizens of the United States. Kenny Smith claimed that what he plans to do could be done in six months. The NBA in particular has a high rate of players who have no interest in doing anything tangible. We are bombarded with players engaging in less than delightful behavior. After the NBA finals, it was discovered that Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving had a party on a yacht that seemed to feature women in bikinis, but none of the women in attendance were Melanoid women. It has been labeled the “white girl only” party on social media. Over the weekend, a few power players in the NBA made Facebook post and tweets about what should be done (in response to the police killings of innocent Black people). While they gained a lot of retweets and likes, there have been no solutions that would pose a direct strike to the system of white supremacy and how that system is affecting the African American community. Also, the vast majority of these tweets and Facebook post showed they were quick to apologize for actions that have nothing to do with the empowerment of Black Americans collectively.

Why are they called “race soldiers? The term “race soldier” was a term coined by Neely Fuller Jr to describe white supremacists who are ALLOWED to get jobs as police officers. These race soldiers’ main objectives are to harm people of color, and most importantly, Black people. To further solidify the case that these are race soldiers, in 2006 the FBI sent out a memo warning city officials that their police departments have been infiltrated by white nationalists around the country.

One has to wonder how were these white supremacist allowed to become police officers? And how far down the line does this exist. If white supremacists are allowed to become police officers and they are allowed to get away with these crimes against humanity, then that means the police unions, the mayor, and other elected officials support them. This fact is blatantly obvious when race soldiers such as Daniel Pantaleo, Darren Wilson, and Asian police officer Peter Liang (who murdered Akai Gurley in New York City) are not charged. For professional athletes who want to do something, I would not suggest they boycott the NBA by not playing. I would not suggest they become shadow investors for empowering causes throughout Black Society. Find someone they can trust and help that person infiltrate the system to change the current conditions. We have enough basketball camps for kids; we have enough non-tangible ideas to last a lifetime. If professional athletes would like to do something, creating a mechanism of protection for Black people would help a lot. They could connect with grass roots organizations that are PRO BLACK, and collaborate with organizations in the inner cities who are trying to help Black people become economically sustainable with employment options and educational opportunities. The Black economy needs to be boosted as far as the access to sufficient employment opportunities. I do not believe in giving away money, I believe creating an option of access, which is something that the Black community needs.

If this becomes a circular instance of nothing being done, I would suggest that the general population of Black Americans end their support of the NBA or any other league dominated by black athletes. The black male professional athlete is 6% of the population, but makes almost 40% of the wealth in the United States collectively. If players are afraid that speaking out will get them black balled from the NBA or any other league, then it’s a safe bet to conclude that they are more than willing to work for white supremacists. No human being should be angry or worried about the loss of finances for helping other human beings who are in need. The idea that Black athletes supporting the communities from which they came is a bad thing gives credence to the notion that they are part of a slave system that has been created to ALLOW a small group of Black people enjoy wealth and empowerment but are not allowed to let that wealth and empowerment trickle down to the communities that brought them up. That is not something that is promoted or discussed with any other race of people’s wealthy class. Being that these things are not being persuaded in other communities shows you that there is a system of technical oppression that is being infiltrated amongst the African, Black American, and throughout the African Diaspora as a whole.

The Black Consigliere

Bill Clinton, who has come under much-deserved scrutiny as of late because of the heinous crime bill he signed into law back in 1994 during his first term as president, has seen his long-time good standing with many Melanoid people take hits because of the disproportionately discriminatory (towards Black people) provisions of the crime bill–railroading many Black men and young teenage boys through the prison system like cattle led to slaughter. Given such a notorious track record with countless innocent Melanoid people (along with everything Ali stood for), Clinton’s eulogy speech at this weekend’s service will certainly come as a surprise to many in Black Society.

Muhammad Ali on the other hand, created a legacy that is a stark contrast from Clinton’s. Ali’s legacy was built on the premise of righteousness and an unapologetic embrace of his Blackness–even if it cost him a large fortune to do so. Because of his bold stance against the evils of systematic white supremacy, Ali sacrificed many opportunities to be ‘bought and paid for’ via the guise of substantial monetary gain, which in many instances left his estate up for grabs when a white businessman by the name of Robert F.X. Sillerman purchased a staggering 80 percent of Ali’s name and likeness over a decade ago.

The 42nd president of the United States isn’t alone in delivering the eulogy for the People’s Champ. Comedian Billy Crystal and television host Bryant Gumbel will also contribute parting words at the memorial service held for the public, which will be held in Ali’s hometown of Louisville, Kentucky this upcoming Friday.

B. Clark

For those who don’t follow sports, Bob “Bobby” Knight is a man who made his name in the sport of basketball, coaching major college programs such as Indiana University (where he cemented his legacy as a coach by winning three national championships), and Texas Tech where he coached in the twilight of his coaching career.

While the list of Knight’s on-the-court accomplishments appear to be plentiful, the opposite can be said about Bob Knight as a person off the court. In a 1988 interview with famed media personality Connie Chung, Knight appeared to celebrate the raping of women, stating that “if rape is inevitable, relax and enjoy it”. In spite of making such an atrocious remark, white society’s reverence for Knight remained as strong as ever. However, his star power would lose some of its luster in 2000 when the news broke that Knight was physically assaulting students. White supremacists and suspected white supremacists alike often dismiss accounts of Knight’s bigotry towards Black players–simply dismissing the coach’s shenanigans as a ‘competitive fire’ used to galvanize the players on his team. In 2000, a Black NBA coach by the name of Butch Carter (who played for Knight at Indiana U) wrote a book which claimed that Knight called his players “niggers”, including his soon-to-be NBA bound star player, Isiah Thomas.

It was written in Carter’s book that the coach “does not like educated, strong-willed Blacks”. This would probably explain why Knight has openly criticized the current climate surrounding the game of basketball, in which Black players are making unlimited amounts of money while taking the trajectory of their careers into their own hands.

Fast forward to last night’s primary in the state of Indiana, and Bob Knight steps forward to announce his endorsement of Donald Trump. “There has never been a presidential candidate prepared to the length that this man is. You will be helping our government take the first step toward what all of us want our government to be like”, the former basketball coach told the crowd of Trump supporters on hand.

While many people would overlook Bob Knight’s endorsement of Donald Trump as happenstance, it should be noted that suspected white supremacists of Knight’s ilk oftentimes have open access to Black youths–namely young Black males–where they become revered as “father figures” and mentors to these unsuspecting Melanoid youth…only for them to expose their suppressed white supremacist tendencies and hatred (for Black people) years after countless young Black men have been groomed and influenced by them. Bob Knight and his role in the lives of young Black men over the years highlights the desperate need for strong Black male leadership for the next generation of Black males.

B. Clark

For a number of years, the league has celebrated such occurrences as MLK Day and Black History Month. However, the Sacramento Kings organization took steps that have been deemed questionable in the eyes of many Black fans, and especially one particular Black player. Demarcus Cousins is a five-year vet who plays center for the Kings. Known affectionately to fans as “Boogie”, Cousins is considered one of the NBA’s elite players, perhaps one of its most outspoken as well.

Earlier this week (Feb. 1), it was announced by the Kings organization that they had planned to give away shirts commemorating the “Year Of The Monkey”, in conjunction with February 8th’s Chinese New Year. Cousins, sensing the suspicious intentions of his team’s marketing campaign, immediately stepped forward to announce his distaste for the t-shirt giveaway.

Photo of the shirts that were slated to be given away to fans this past Monday

According to the Sacramento Bee, the team actually had placed the “Monkey” t-shirts on seats in Sacramento’s Sleep Train Arena in the hours leading up to that evening’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Fans in the dominant society were outraged by Cousins’ stance on his team’s promotion, engaging in slanderous and sarcastic posts via social media. Below are just a few examples of the backlash that Demarcus Cousins received from white supremacists and suspected white supremacists alike.

#SacramentoKings deem 4000yr old Holiday insensitive? Donald Sterling effect? #demarcuscousins Valentines allowed? pic.twitter.com/XqZv44zdlQ

— Juan Dios (@whatdyouxpect) February 3, 2016

Same as the whole #DeMarcusCousins and the #YearOfTheMonkey bullshit! Chill. Overly sensitive society, who's 2 afraid 2 just call some1 out

— William Brett (@scenesetter91) February 4, 2016

By yanking the lunar year t-shirts, the Sacramento Kings have shown that they value Blacks over Asians. #SacramentoKings #demarcuscousins

— Johan (@johanbaka1) February 3, 2016

Pretty sure the #ChineseNewYear has been around longer than #BlackHistoryMonth get over it #demarcuscousins sheesh!!

— Joel Martin (@fatzmcboom) February 3, 2016

If you're offended by a purple monkey, you're a bitch. #demarcuscousins #nba #noteverythingisaboutrace

— Lenny (@mice_eatcheese) February 2, 2016

While people outside of Black Society were in an uproar over the teams’ decision to scrap the giveaway, it should be noted that the originally planned date of the giveaway coincided with the first day of Black History Month–a month in which all of the NBA’s players are already wearing pre-game warm-up shirts in honor of.

Given the longstanding history of white supremacists’ false claims that Blacks and monkeys are related and/or resemble one another, it was necessary that the shirts were not given to the general public. It was an even better move that the team’s best player (who also happens to be Black) stood up in opposition to what his team wanted to do.

B. Clark

Dexter Manley is an ex-NFL player who recently made an appearance on a football show, and made very disparaging remarks about Melanoid quarterbacks. Check out the remarks he made in the following video to see for yourself.

]]> https://www.melanoidnation.org/former-black-nfl-player-accuses-current-black-players-of-being-criminals/feed/ 126 https://www.melanoidnation.org/racist-trolls-hijack-blacksoncampus-twitter-buzz/ https://www.melanoidnation.org/racist-trolls-hijack-blacksoncampus-twitter-buzz/#comments Thu, 12 Nov 2015 10:26:16 +0000 http://melanoidnation.org/?p=2888 This week, the Black players on the University of Missouri’s football team took a stand because in retaliation to the ongoing disparaging treatment they have been receiving…because they’re Black. As this week comes to an end, the Black athletes and fellow Black students on campus are receiving death threats by white extremists…because they’re Black. Campus has been all but shut down, and the young students there are rightfully afraid for their lives.

In light of a heart-wrenching story on Raw Story about how terrified these young Melanoid students are about the possibility of them getting killed by white extremists on campus, many of the same racists have taken to Twitter, letting their presence-and racist intentions–be felt by all who cares to read. On Twitter, there has been a hashtag named #BlacksOnCampus, which has been trending heavy on the popular social media site. However, white supremacist trolls have begun to use the hashtag in their own way, resulting to name calling and an outright display of disrespect towards the brave Melanoid young men who have stood brave in the face of the adversity. Here are just a few of the Tweets left by the trolls:

What #BlacksOnCampus proves is blacks DON"T BELONG on campus – if they got there through affirmative action & #blackprivilege not merit

— US Taxpayer (@TeaPartyStance) November 11, 2015

Will #BlacksOnCampus address the disproportionate crime committed by the Black Community or the 73% fatherless kids? pic.twitter.com/nlojPE4VK4

— Great Intellectual (@USA_First_2016) November 12, 2015

I avoid niggers>the result is my life doesnt get threatened, backup plan is concealed carry. #Mizzou #BlacksOnCampus https://t.co/zBDkwk6ucL

— EscapeVelocity (@EscapeVelo) November 12, 2015

Want a good laugh? Look at the hashtag #BlacksOnCampus most of them dot even attend college lmao

— Justin (@JNasty720) November 12, 2015

Trolling #BlacksOnCampus in 3..2..BAM! Lol pic.twitter.com/jXGvr7wmhf

— tom riddle (@v0ld4m0rt) November 12, 2015

As you can see, white supremacists are in an uproar over the simple fact that the Black football athletes of the University of Missouri realized that their purpose in society meant much more than just scoring touchdowns and sacking quarterbacks. It’s no secret that for years, Black basketball and football athletes have been accepted–and even celebrated–under the condition that they remained seen and not heard. This means that they’ve been expected to be good athletes, marginal students, and racially transparent.

In conjunction with these laughable expectations placed upon Black athletes by members of the dominant society, it should be noted that in the competitive hierarchy of the NCAA, the Mizzou football team is part of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

This collegiate sports conference has long been recognized as ground zero for its athletic programs which recruit young and impressionable Black males from the rural areas of places of the South such as Alabama and Mississippi, notoriously racist coaches (who are celebrated to this day) like Paul “Bear” Bryant & Adolph Rupp, and last but not least, the extensive network of the “good ol’ boys” who seek out young able-bodied Black “bucks” to lead their respective athletic programs to the promised land (which is a national championship).

In hindsight, after knowing all of this about the University of Missouri’s athletic conference affiliation and its home state’s recent history of racial calamity, it comes as no surprise that this campus was primed and ready for this past week’s series of events to occur in the first place.

B. Clark

In spite of his understanding on the dynamics of race in America, Rambler celebrated this past Halloween in an interesting fashion. A photo has went viral which depicts him dressed as what appears to be the late Bob Marley. The most distinctive feature about Rambler’s Halloween outfit wasn’t who he was dressed as, but rather how he presented himself when doing so.

From the looks of the picture (which is the featured photo for this story), Terry Rambler’s face has been painted in “blackface”, the longtime make-up style used by members of the dominant society to ridicule and disparage the naturally darker skin tones of Melanoid people. Another thing to consider after reviewing this photo is the fact that Terry Rambler isn’t much lighter than the revolutionary recording artist was when he was alive. After painting his face, Rambler was much darker than Bob Marley ever was. If the aforementioned Rambler is aware of this fact–and most of the world is–then why would he paint his face in such a way under any circumstances? After all, doesn’t Rambler consider it to be offensive that many Melanoid men have suited up to play for professional sports franchises in which they had no say in determining the names of those teams?

Although Rambler has since issued an apology, this is just the latest incident involving non-Black people who dress up in stereotypical ways to depict Blacks. This incident also forces us to re-visit the topic of Blacks who try to latch on to other agendas outside of their own just because the people they support are “brown people of color”. Are “red”, “brown”, and/or “yellow” people in the trenches with African/Melanoid people as many of us claim they are?

B. Clark

]]> https://www.melanoidnation.org/american-indian-activist-dressed-in-blackface-for-halloween/feed/ 121 https://www.melanoidnation.org/black-nba-player-racially-profiled-at-jewelry-store/ https://www.melanoidnation.org/black-nba-player-racially-profiled-at-jewelry-store/#comments Wed, 21 Oct 2015 16:57:43 +0000 http://melanoidnation.org/?p=2758 For starters, John Henson is a 6’11” young Black male who chose to shop at an upscale jewelry store in the Greater Milwaukee area. Based on the demographics of the area where his shopping trip took place on Monday (Whitefish Bay), it would be a safe bet to conclude that there aren’t many Melanoid people in the vicinity ost would automatically assume that he was either a professional athlete and/or a man of means. Contrary to conventional belief, the employees of Schwanke-Kasten had an opposing perception of Henson.

“They (workers of Schwanke-Kasten) locked the door and told me to go away. After I rang the doorbell twice everyone went to the back. No one answered the door or told me what was going on,” Henson wrote on his Instagram account that was later removed for some reason. Henson was followed by two police cars, which parked across the street and watched him for approximately 5 minutes.

After being interrogated about his reasons for being outside of the jewelry store, cops eventually explained to the store’s employees that “it was safe” for him to come into the store to look at a watch that he (Henson) wanted to see. “The employees finally came out of the back and proceeded to conduct business like they previously were as we walked up,” Henson wrote on the now deleted Instagram post.

The cops ran his license plates, and eventually the Milwaukee Bucks power forward was escorted inside the store by the officers.

According to a statement written by the store owner on Monday night, Henson’s vehicle was deemed “suspicious” because of the license plate, which was issued by the dealer.

Henson also wrote in the Instagram post that “This was one of the most degrading and racially prejudice things I’ve ever experienced in life and wouldn’t wish this on anyone. This store needs to be called out, and that’s what I’m doing.”

Here’s John Henson’s reaction to the situation.

B. Clark