Category: People

Obviously the 6th Believer

I can't believe I'm still finding more Bob Dylan songs I like but had never heard/paid attention/'got' before. I'm more and more convinced he's not just the best songwriter ever but that 2nd place is far far away.

 

FDO

Why President Obama Is Black

I’ve had students challenge President Barack Obama’s Blackness, asking why it is that he and everyone else seems to consider him Black although he has approximately equal Black and White parentage. Usually I just talk about the one drop rule and social perception without going much deeper. Often students will chime in that Obama never really had a choice, insisting that Black was the only race he could have been in America.

 

The revelation of his single Census box identity as Black has ratcheted up this conversation and led to some interesting responses. Melissa Harris-Lacewell suggests that Obama created “a definitional crisis for whiteness” by transforming the expectations of what Black and White lives are supposed to look like. She believes Obama won election in 2008 largely because his life hit all the marks previously associated with success in the White community and his decision to identify himself as Black is a deliberate effort to embrace his Blackness.

 

John Judis subtitles his piece on the subject “Why Barack Obama Isn’t Black” and discusses the one drop rule as a legacy of slavery and racism while positing that Obama did the expected but not best thing by indicating himself as Black only. Refusing to accept the paradigm, Judis seems to say, is the only way to remove the power of race as a social construction.

 

Even though I understand the hue and cry, the President’s choice seems remarkably simple to me: He thinks of himself as Black. That in no way diminishes his affection for his mother and grandparents; it certainly doesn’t elevate his absent father. Barack Obama was born in America and has been defined as Black for his entire life. How many of us have ever said (or even thought) Barack Obama is the 43rd White man to become President? Our country does not define Whiteness in the same ways we define Blackness and President or not, that’s the reality for Barack Obama in the same way it is for everyone else.

 

Judis wants the President to begin challenging conventional notions of race by checking more than one box. I would suggest that Harris-Lacewell provides a great answer to that request. Living as he does, accomplishing what he has, being who he is challenge race theory more than any form possibly could.

 

FDO

Easy Like Sunday Morning

I’m sitting on my front porch, typing a probable blog post about President Obama’s census form choice. A car just rolled past with two men in it. The driver was White and he had a Black passenger. Almost as soon as I noticed the passenger, he noticed me. Instinctively, learned of course but definitely unthinking, I raised my hand and my head in greeting. He was doing exactly the same thing to me.

  

FDO

Going for Gordon?

Lottery?!? You’re talking about lottery?!?

Uh no. Lots of folks in Indiana have suggested that Butler forward Gordon Hayward may be drafted by the Pacers this summer. Since the Pacers are not in the playoffs I have to repeat myself. Just a moment.

Lottery?!? You’re talking about lottery?!?

I am not a particular fan of Larry Bird’s work as an exec but taking Hayward would be a shocking development even for him.

People wonder about Hayward’s appeal to the Pacers because of some helpful non-basketball factors. He’s White, he’s local, he’s a folk hero kid, he’s from a team system, he’s super smart and he’s entirely clean cut Hoosier to the core.

While all those things are true, I don’t think Bird will make that kind of reach. (I think Bird may be willing to trade out of the lottery and add a second late first rounder or early second round pick so he can delay taking Dallas’ second rounder until next year when the Mavs pick will likely come earlier. If that happens and Bird’s drafting between 18 and 25, he’d probably be excited to grab Hayward then.) The biggest issue is simply that this is the deepest draft in a couple decades if not ever. I know that’s a giant statement but because of the underclassmen declaring early to avoid Collective Bargaining limbo next year there are lots of guys who would normally stay in school (uh, like Gordon Hayward) are headed to the draft.

Beyond the competition, Hayward is not Bird’s ideal kind of player. He’s quite young and Bird loves seniors; Hayward doesn’t have an obvious NBA position and Bird likes guys who fit clearly defined roles; Hayward mirrors Mike Dunleavy in ways that may make Bird wary; finally, Bird’s track record indicates that he does not feel the kind of pressure many execs do the placate his fan base when draft day arrives.

Please remember that a couple years ago, Broad Ripple high and IUPUI senior George Hill was available for the Pacers but Bird didn’t jump. Hill fit the Pacers’ needs at the time much better than Hayward does now and filled the non-basketball factors (except his race) just as well as Hayward does. Hill is excelling with the Spurs and perhaps Bird believes Hayward will have the same impact but I don’t think Bird will be willing to spend his lottery pick to find out.

FDO

All-NBA Teams for 2009-10

First Team

G Dwyane Wade

G Kobe Bryant

F LeBron James

F Kevin Durant

C Dwight Howard

These selections feel pretty obvious to me. I should note that, for all three teams, I list the players in rank order within position. D-Wade was the first guard on my team while Kobe was the second and so on.

Second Team

G Steve Nash

G Deron Williams

F Dirk Nowitzki

F Amare Stoudemire

C Andrew Bogut

Nash and Williams or Williams and Nash. They were clearly the third and fourth best guards in the league this year. The last game of the year ultimately determined my order for them.

Believe it or not, I almost feel badly for Dirk Nowitzki. Sure he’s won an MVP and is the NBA’s best European player ever but he’ll probably end his career as a top 50 all time player with only 1 or 2 First Team All-NBA selections. As great as he’s been (again) this year, he not only doesn’t make first team this year, but he could have easily fallen behind Amaré and Carmelo. The Mavs finished ahead of the Suns and although Dallas has more team talent, Dirk gets credit for being the only top level guy on his team. Amaré and Carmelo both have dynamic point guards who score well and require lots of defensive attention from opponents. So narrowly, I have Dirk, Amaré then Carmelo.  

As I mentioned yesterday, Andrew Bogut has had a sensational season and clearly deserves this second team nod. At this time last year, I anticipated this slot being filled by Andrew Bynum, Yao Ming, Greg Oden or Andrea Bargnani. I’d given up on Bogut being more than a serviceable center but I was absolutely wrong.

Third Team

G Joe Johnson

G Brandon Roy

F Carmelo Anthony

F Zach Randolph

C Brook Lopez

Johnson and Roy are similar players with similar teams. Johnson gets the nod due to his better health and Atlanta’s team success. Next year may be the season when Roy leaps ahead of him but since Chris Paul will likely be healthy, third team may be B-Roy’s level for the next couple years.

Carmelo was an easy choice here but Z-Bo was not. Lots of folks will probably pillory this choice but virtually all his numbers are in line with the other candidates and he did this great work on a radically transformed team with other scoring happy guys. Randolph kept the Grizzlies in playoff contention even though most of us thought they’d be lucky to win 30 games. And maybe the most amazing thing of all; Zach Randolph made his teammates better. The other four starters for Memphis all did more than could have been expected this year with Z-Bo as the anchor, lightning rod and leader.

Brook Lopez is the center choice for me. Al Horford got the All-Star nod but didn’t deserve it and David Lee put up nice numbers but in a system and environment conducive to great stats, didn’t deliver those. Let’s just put it this way: Wouldn’t you trade David Lee if you could get Brook Lopez, right now?

Honorable Mention (next 10 regardless of position)

Carlos Boozer    Tim Duncan     Chauncey Billups   Paul Pierce   Rajon Rondo  Pau Gasol     Chris Bosh    Danny Granger     David Lee     Chris  Paul   

Out of these ten guys are 8 forwards (Lee is only a center because the Knicks’ legit centers are atrocious.) which means they get squeezed out. Were Duncan willing to be labeled a center (which he really has been since David Robinson retired) he would have been second team. The other guys will have to settle for All-Star games. Rondo has a chance at making All-NBA next year if his mid-range game improves and CP3 may combine with Darren Collison to form the best backcourt in the league next year. Even if Collison regresses some, as long as Paul is healthy he should battle Wade and Bryant for 1st team honors.

FDO

Obama’s Best Weekend Ever

Well, at least since his inauguration.

Not only is the world still buzzing about healthcare reform passing but now he's achieved the most substantial nuclear arms reduction in the last couple decades AND gained the country around $8 billion through the Citigroup bailout. Kudos, Mr. President. Let's hope this roll continues!

 

 

FDO

Health Care and Hate- Part 2

I love this phrase from Rep. Cleaver's statement after being spit upon, "Our nation has a history of struggling each time we expand rights."

I think that's exactly true and part of the reason I still feel hopeful. Despite the ups and downs, the pattern remains clear: Americans GAIN rights over time. The right to health care is another in a long line. The same is true for gay marriage. 5 years ago there's no chance gay people in DC could be married. 5 years from now, I think gay marriage will be legal in 15 or 20 states. We're going the right way, it's just damn hard to get there sometimes.

FDO

Health Care and Hate

Several people I know were convinced by the 2008 Presidential election that America was quickly moving into a 'post-racial' society. There were lots of articles and essays suggesting that kind of notion and many folks believed that President Obama would be a symbol that America has moved past its racist past.

 

I tried not to say much in response because I don't like highlighting hate. Well, not only was it clear to many of us that America was nowhere near ‘post-racial’, I was quite worried that the election of a Black President would encourage many silent bigots to rally around their fear/anger. Last summer’s gun toting binge at Presidential events was a clear indicator of this reality and the storm of vicious comments surrounding Congress’ Health Care reform votes this weekend is another symptom of the same malady.

 

This weekend, that bigotry manifested itself not just in the use of racial slurs but also in anti-gay epithets directed at Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA). What, if anything, Lewis’ race and Frank’s sexual orientation have to do with Health Care has not been made clear. For many Tea Party protestors, however, obscene chants and shouts were part of their method of expressing discontent.

 

I should make it clear that I am emotional regarding this issue. Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) is one of my personal heroes. His life and career are beyond impressive to me and I’d be hard pressed to find a current political figure for whom I have even half as much respect. For people to believe they have the right to call Lewis names, especially ‘nigger’, infuriates me. Calling him names because he’s doing the work of representing his constituents is even more baffling to me. Rather, it used to be baffling to me. Now, I’ve come to feel confident that many in our country believe that anyone who disagrees with their opinions is undeserving of respect. Even though that’s patently ridiculous, many seem to operate that way.

 

What continues to confound and sadden me is that a few years ago, I was able to suggest that the right wing fringe was being moved along by Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and other people whose interest in politics was directly connected to their ability to draw ratings. Now, these folks on the right margins are being coddled by elected representatives. The shift is important, I believe, because of the suggestion of authority Americans have always ceded to our officials. It’s much harder to dismiss Steve King (R-IA) than it is Glenn Beck.

 

I use King as an example because he’s already downplayed the importance of civility in public assembly being bold enough to assert, “There are a lot of places in this country that I couldn’t walk through. I wouldn’t live to get to the other end of it.” I can only think of a couple interpretations for this statement. One, being a White, straight, conservative male is the social equivalent of being Black or being gay and is just as likely to result in being targeted for death or two, America is dangerous enough that if my car broke down I might get killed depending on where I am. I don’t know which I find more objectionable but either would be ridiculous.

 

Sadly though, this kind of statement provides license for people to use the same kind of language and engage in the same kind of conduct as yesterday’s protestors. It also directly connects uncivil speech to the possibility of death. While I’m sure it was unintentional, it’s still real and particularly in this kind of political environment is a horrible link to make.

 

It appears to me that I’ve been wrong. That, in fact, I should be making every effort possible to highlight hate. I suppose I just wish there were not so much of it.  

FDO