As a topic, voluntarily starting a discussion on racism is about as comfortable as knowingly grabbing a plate with both hands after four minutes in the microwave oven.
Yet, it is a topic difficult to evade or ignore. Thus, once in while you have to grab that plate knowing you’re going to get burnt.
The latest buzz, coming from the world of sports, was the resignation of NFL Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden, as part of the fallout from emails that were leaked. Emails that Gruden had written over the span of several years, and contained offensive remarks of racist and misogynistic nature.
Once the entirety of the emails were leaked, it became difficult to defend Gruden, even by the people who liked him as a coach.
So Gruden is now gone. Now what?
First, the supposition of some that many in NFL management (and beyond the NFL) would fail the litmus test if their own emails were held up to scrutiny… might even be accurate. Certainly Jon Gruden is not alone on that island.
So what’s the answer? Mass firings across the board? Both in the NFL front offices and beyond the NFL? Will this solve the racism problem in the United States?
Where do we stand with racial equality regarding housing? Employment opportunities? Educational ones? Healthcare? Where do we stand resolving the problem (which although quiet lately has not magically vanished) of systemic racism in law enforcement?
Oh sure. Aunt Jemima is now called Pearl Milling Company. The NFL Washington Redskins were stripped of their name and logo of 83 years. By the way, how’s it going with poverty and unemployment among Native Americans? How about healthcare, housing, and other pressing issues?
Aunt Jemima is gone… so I imagine inner city black youth probably feel safer walking down the street or driving their car… right?
Going back to Jon Gruden… what has been accomplished here? To be perfectly clear, I am not advocating that what Gruden did was right, nor that he did not deserve to be ousted from his position.
But frankly, I’m tired of Band-Aids and bandwagons. Let me also add window dressing and token actions.
It is the popular position to decry all sorts of racist comments, symbols, names, movies… regardless of when and under what circumstances they originated. It is the safe opinion to hold, as you are less open to criticism from others.
I will not use labels such as “cancel culture,” as I basically abhor labels and find them “oh so” symbolic of the times we live in. But the polarization to extremes and the ridiculous actions and reactions they spawn is something I have decried for years now… and it seems to be picking up steam.
If you ceiling is leaking, better to slap some paint on it and move on. Don’t have to worry about it until the next time it rains. It looks pretty, but you haven’t taken care of the problem.
Society is in a precarious position at the moment. Given to over-reactions… simplified, cookie-cutter “solutions”… and polarization galore.
I would raise all sorts of red flags.