HERE WE GO AGAIN
LZ Granderson, a writer for ESPN, is the latest condescending blowhard to jump on the "stereotyping" bandwagon that started rolling when LeBron James dared to strike an aggressive pose on a magazine cover.
Since that cover came out, self-important "PC cops" like Mr. Granderson have been bleating endlessly about how "racist" and "stereotypical" it is for a black athlete to dare to look the least bit hostile. Well, thank you for telling me how I'm allowed to perceive black people, and for writing the rules by which black people are apparently allowed to behave.
Granderson recently wrote an article concerning beleaguered MMA superstar Kimbo Slice, who has apparently raised the ire of many for not looking and acting the way that they feel he should.
Check out this imperious bullshit from the article (taken from www.bloodyelbow.com):
Kimbo Slice can best be described as a cross between Lil' Wayne and Kunta Kinte -- a runaway slave with a mouth full of gold teeth playing up every single stereotype of an African-American male in exchange for short-lived adoration from a soulless media with ADD.
In a recent photo shoot with ESPN The Magazine, a shirtless Slice makes a variety of menacing/coonish facial expressions that are uncomfortably close to those of a caged animal, which he is routinely referred to online. Fortunately, the Mag opted not to run most of the shots, but there are still various clips on the Internet that refer to Slice being from the wild jungle, including photos of a gorilla instead of his headshot. And the YouTube clip mentioned earlier is pretty close to a lynch mob environment. All of which he seems to be playing up as part of his act.
While LeBron James unintentionally striking a King Kong-like pose for Vogue is disappointing, I find what Slice is consciously doing downright disgusting.
And unquestionably profitable.
....... Branding once was something slave owners used to punish my ancestors. Now it's being used by the descendents of slaves to punish their memory.
I don't know about anyone else, but as far as I'm concerned, I'm far more offended by some self-important jackass saying that Kimbo is "punishing the memory" of his ancestors than I am by anything that I've ever seen Kimbo (or LeBron) say or do. I thought that the whole point of abolishing slavery was so that black people could live the free lives that they deserve as much as anyone else WITHOUT ANYONE TELLING THEM HOW TO DRESS OR ACT!!!!!!!!
Unlike you, Mr. Granderson, I know Kimbo and I can tell you that he's intelligent, articulate, and one of the nicest people you could ever meet (I'd like you to explain how all that conforms to stereotype). I can also tell you that even if Kimbo wasn't known by anybody outside of his immediate family, he would still be acting, dressing and talking the same way. If you want to condemn him for his distinctive look or occasional use of hyperbole in order to hype a fight or get his image over, you'd better be prepared to do the same to an innumerable and multiracial group of pro wrestlers, athletes, actors, etc.
You want to cry "racism"? Well, nothing's more racist than accusing LeBron of conforming to a stereotype by striking a pose that wouldn't have ruffled feather one if he were a white man. So why don't you get started on that first, Mr. Granderson?
If Kimbo conforms to a stereotype today, then the fact is that he always did, and by flashing his gold teeth and striking aggressive poses he's not acting "coonish", he's just being himself and not purporting to be a representative of every black person in the world. And if Kimbo's look/actions lead certain people develop preconceived notions about him without ever meeting him, then that's their problem, not his, and he shouldn't be persecuted for it.
In closing, I'd like to say that being black yourself does not automatically qualify you to write the rules for an entire race of people, Mr. Granderson. I hate to break it to you, but you're nowhere near that important.
So how about you step down off your soapbox and leave Kimbo the hell alone to continue doing something positive with his life?
