first of all, i'm an american---pure & simple! i was born in america & i am black. i resent the term 'african american' &, here's why. we are the only people that allow a continent (very few of us know much about) to precede our being fully recognized as american. the term also harkens back to that once popular white saying, 'go back to where you came from'. since espn (first take) wants to delve into these 'non-sports' issues, i can only hope they will pursue all sides of the topic.
rob parker is entitled to his opinion however, had that of been a white man saying what he said, there would have been an immediate uproar from the non-white communities & calls for his firing.
are black americans to remain being defined by their skin color first & accomplishments second? when & where will it stop? all of you are guilty of perpetrating this color injustice. i,e; you recently had that debate about african american coaches verses white coaches & there is the rub...you lumped all the black coaches in one category, african americans. where as, the white coaches were simply white. i didn't miss your point about the coaching employment situation &, i hope you're not naive enough to miss mine.
when you talk about other successful american athletes, you never define them like you do blacks. i've never heard you or any other sports reporters or talk show hosts refer to tom brady or john elway as 'white american' &, you judge them by their accomplishments. enter michael vick or rglll &, their instantly 'african americans' & judged against african american donovan mcnabb.
before you all get bent out of shape trying to cover your butts, when have you ever described other successful athletes by using their country of origin first? such as; steve nash---have you ever said, south african american; ernie els, south african american; hector camacho, puerto rican american; shawn bradley, west german american???????do you get my point?
i want my life's achievements defined by my individualism, not my skin color.
