Lightcraft Studio wrote:
Interesting. This man was adopted and raised by a white family.

He's in a $114 million contract (not counting the $12 million signing bonus).

I wonder what, in his mind, it would take to not be "oppressed"?

I'll answer that question after you answer this one:  if he was a poor nobody, what are the chances that we'd be discussing his opinions right now?

Lightcraft Studio wrote:
Interesting. This man was adopted and raised by a white family.

He's in a $114 million contract (not counting the $12 million signing bonus).

I wonder what, in his mind, it would take to not be "oppressed"?

Are you saying that his money protects him from racism? Or that because he doesn't personally feel the toll of oppression in our country he shouldn't be using his place of fame as a platform from which he can speak about it?

Lightcraft Studio wrote:
Interesting. This man was adopted and raised by a white family.

He's in a $114 million contract (not counting the $12 million signing bonus).

I wonder what, in his mind, it would take to not be "oppressed"?

My guess is he knows full well his wealth won't protect him if he's stopped by racist police aka most and when he goes into White communities or stores he has the same kind of target on his back broke Black men do.

Lightcraft Studio wrote:
Interesting. This man was adopted and raised by a white family.

He's in a $114 million contract (not counting the $12 million signing bonus).

I wonder what, in his mind, it would take to not be "oppressed"?

Sorry, but he is not claiming to be oppressed. He is attempting to make a statement about the oppressed.

The French Revolution against the aristocracy (USA is way overdue for similar) was essentially started by some aristocrats with empathy, morals and a conscience (I know almost multiple oxymoron's). The poor were too busy trying to survive.

Cheap shot, but I do understand it.

roger alan wrote:
A noble cause, but a poor plan IMHO. Is he stuck doing this doing this indefinitely going forward? No matter how right the cause, this type of protest will create backlash from some people, and growing tension in his life that will drain his energy and  diminish his athletic performance.

If a protest does not create a backlash, then it has not hit a nerve, and is simply being ignored.

That is why the masters permit very, very controlled marches and protests. They are meaningless, do nothing, and the sheeple feel better that they think they have actually done something. Allows the harmless release of pressure before the pot boils over.

Zack Zoll wrote:

I'll answer that question after you answer this one:  if he was a poor nobody, what are the chances that we'd be discussing his opinions right now?

I think while he is free to say what he wants it may not be a very strong business move.  I cant imagine he will get alot of endorsement deals out of this.  Also given his background and his salary it seems to be a bit of crocodile tears being shed.

Herman Surkis wrote:

If a protest does not create a backlash, then it has not hit a nerve, and is simply being ignored.

That is why the masters permit very, very controlled marches and protests. They are meaningless, do nothing, and the sheeple feel better that they think they have actually done something. Allows the harmless release of pressure before the pot boils over.

Herman, As much as I hate to admit it, sometimes I think Malcolm X was more right in his analysis than Dr. King. Occupy was the closest thing we have had to a real force of change in a long time and they shut it down no problamo. It makes me very sad.

Lightcraft Studio wrote:
Interesting. This man was adopted and raised by a white family.

He's in a $114 million contract (not counting the $12 million signing bonus).

I wonder what, in his mind, it would take to not be "oppressed"?

You should read again what he said, he never mentioned that he was personally oppressed, and his race and who he was raised by makes his comment no less valid.

Colin Kaepernick;
"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people & people of color."

Lightcraft Studio wrote:
Interesting. This man was adopted and raised by a white family.

He's in a $114 million contract (not counting the $12 million signing bonus).

I wonder what, in his mind, it would take to not be "oppressed"?

LOL

Maybe taking a stand for others who don't have the bully pulpit?

IDK. Human behavior can be very complex.

BTW, I think Tom Brokaw said that the Chinese were the only ones that laws were specifically made to discriminate against. Didn't fact check that. But there is an MLK Day, a black history month, but there is no Asian/Oriental history month, week, day, hour, minute or second, millisecond, nanosecond or femto second. Not to weep nor worry.

Back to blacks, I think that Peter Jennings wrote a book about finding out that blacks get stopped routinely. Even one of his cameramen was harassed until he threatened to bring camera crews to document it. Peter asked why did my they tell him--the black crew said it was so routine as not to be noteworthy! Wow! Not good.

I think the former chief of Orlando Police Department got into political hot water because one of his rookie officers did a night stop of a black lawyer whose mother was a commissioner who called the chief at home at night.

While we're having non serious discussions on MM about this type of non contentious stuff, let's ask about Jews and Germans. Blacks and whites you can see a difference. Jews and Germans were often indistinguishable!

Let's learn to live with each other and ourselves.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of … icide_rate
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of … icide_rate

We ought to learn to tolerate ourselves and each other!

Lisa Everhart wrote:
Why anyone would voluntarily support any government is beyond me. It's the most irrational fiction ever invented.

Well, I don't have nuclear weapons and would like a government entity to run nuclear defense for me collectively since I can't do it individually.

Come to think of it, I don't need a fire engine all the time just on occasion so I think some sort of group effort makes more sense for me.

Etc. I guess out of some sense of self interest, economies of scale, etc. I support pooling of resource. United we are stronger. Does this rationale make sense to you?

Let me put it in even simpler terms. I do not want to learn to be a policemen, fireman, EMT, nor do I want to learn how to build cameras, lights, design PhotoShop, pose, do hair, makeup, sew for wardrobe, etc. So I do some sort of team work. Sometimes it is called government.

Lisa Everhart wrote:

Herman, As much as I hate to admit it, sometimes I think Malcolm X was more right in his analysis than Dr. King. Occupy was the closest thing we have had to a real force of change in a long time and they shut it down no problamo. It makes me very sad.

Two things effect real change.   Violence and money.   The Montgomery Bus boycott changed things because it cost the company money.   That said I understand how some might see this.   A wealthy Black man decrying America when this nation is why he's successful.   Some might see that as disrespectful but my guess is he has family members who may not have been as lucky as he.   Some who can point directly to unfair treatment by other Americans and its police and practices.   

When people aren't made to feel and believe they are full citizens should they still stand in support of that nations flag?

FFantastique wrote:

Well, I don't have nuclear weapons and would like a government entity to run nuclear defense for me collectively since I can't do it individually.

Come to think of it, I don't need a fire engine all the time just on occasion so I think some sort of group effort makes more sense for me.

Etc. I guess out of some sense of self interest, economies of scale, etc. I support pooling of resource. United we are stronger. Does this rationale make sense to you?

Let me put it in even simpler terms. I do not want to learn to be a policemen, fireman, EMT, nor do I want to learn how to build cameras, lights, design PhotoShop, pose, do hair, makeup, sew for wardrobe, etc. So I do some sort of team work. Sometimes it is called government.

If you think I don't understand the need for collective organizations to provide for all sorts of community needs, then you misunderstand my statement. With the exception of nuclear defense, all these things you mentioned already exist, created by voluntary cooperation between people outside of government. I doubt that without government forcing universal taxation on their citizens, there would be any nuclear devices in the world, not such a bad thing.