A small departure from standard fare on RTP:
I've got to say, I've never liked Stephen Smith on ESPN. He's a basketball commentator, and I've always thought a bit of an arrogant ass. I'm no expert at basketball, so I can't say if people generally regard him as a good analyst or not (maybe ToeJamm can comment on this). He clearly comes from a different culture than I do. But, for some reason, he was on conservative radio show host Mark Levin's show the other day (on 3PM-5PM on 860AM in Portland), and talked some real sense on politics. There are a number of black conservatives out there; I'd say Thomas Sowell and Clarence Thomas may be the best known right now, but clearly, the number is still small. But I've never heard a conservative black who comes from (at least to my biased suburban white ears) the urban ass environment. Now Stephen Smith may not even be a conservative. He confesses that he voted for Obama, as did over 90% of blacks, but he sure sounds like a sensible guy with something to say in this interview; keep an eye on him:
Side Note: Mark Levin has written a book most all conservatives are raving about: Liberty & Tyranny, and it has sold over a million copies. I haven't read it but I've heard very good things about it. Maybe Jeff has read it.
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I have not read his book. I am reading several other books. Mark Levin's book may have sold over one million copies but it has not received any attention or reviews in the major media outlets. The fact that it has sold so many copies shows that there is a large conservative base out there.
ReplyDeleteIf this is true, it is interesting that black people voted for Obama because he was black, but voting against a man because he is black is racism. I go to a black school, and it is the most divisive environment I have ever been in. It is a very closed environment. Everything is about race. White man is evil. Malcom X is tha man. It is ok to have reverse racism.
It is ok for the media to come out against a black conservative. Going against a black liberal is racism. A self-made successful black man will be hated on and destroyed by the media. These black people show that the black community can succeed without the government assistance and the welfare state. They also show that America is not racist and that evil white man is not holding down the poor trodden down black man--black culture is doing that. When President Obama get done with America, I don't think America will try a black president for quite some time. A conservative self-made black man will have to go through the media gauntlet, more so than a normal conservative. He will be destroyed. If he becomes a prominent figure, the media will do there best to make sure this black man will stay in his place. Look at Clarence Thomas.
On the broader picture, race is used as a means to divide people and pit them against each other. I see it in school. The bonds of a society held by the common love of freedom can not be easily destroyed. You need to divide and conquer. It is sad that the black community has been held down by the very people who claim to be helping and supporting and fighting for them--liberals.
I guess I'm ignorant for assuming Stephen Smith was a racist liberal ass hole. I have a new found respect for him. His basketball views aren't that bad either. I have heard him say things like, "He's from the heart of Brooklyn and knows the hard knock side of basketball," and stuff like that, which are probably true signs of a tough physical basketball player. But when people say things about black people being better because they came up in a black culture, it makes me believe they are "racist". That isn't true though because it is probably a correct analogy(basketball wise). It is just hard for me, a white conservative, to hear things that Stephen says about black basketball players and not think that he is racist. I need to work on stereotyping. Because in all reality, black people do play a more tough and physical basketball game in urban areas. Good article.
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