Nov.28 at 1:08 pm

nic says:
impressive. just the idea of a weekly SLAM column from a player is cool as hell, but the candor is really impressive. ill say that my eyebrows raised when i heard about the poetry and activism, but i believe that my own stereotype about that had less to do with blackness and more to do with the fact that etan thomas is HUGE - like, giant-huge to most people - and that we dont often think of people who have huge bodies as also having huge brains. short-sighted, sure, and no apologies here. but really, thanks for this feature. its, as i said earlier, cool as hell.

Nov.28 at 1:09 pm

Dutch Rich says:
First comment, YES!!! Nice piece Eaton, happy you’re part of the Slam Fam.
I just wanted to link to the following as we should all keep focus on progress and should not get caught setting ourselves back because one person has racial issues. I did notice that Fox has taken full aim at our people again since they cannot discredit Democrats anymore. Watch them take a chance and fall here…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cuX2uYOi4g&eurl=

Nov.28 at 1:09 pm

Dutch Rich says:
I’ll take second

Nov.28 at 1:15 pm

Max Airington says:
In modern society, stereotypes have replaced fire hoses and police dogs as the African-American’s worst enemy. I’m looking forward to more of your work.

Nov.28 at 1:16 pm

Sam Rubenstein says:
Among other stereotypes, Etan shattered my perception of what I thought about NBA players that went to Syracuse.

Nov.28 at 1:19 pm

Max Airington says:
Whatever happend to Lawrence Moten? Did he get tenured?

Nov.28 at 1:36 pm

Reggie Evans says:
Mr. Thomas, It really is hard to give each new person we meet a blank slate, and I think that those of us who are conscientious try to do just that, with minimal success. After all, we’re humans, not robots. That said, the real shame for these people on your “list” is if meeting you does not alter their perceptions, especially after their preconceptions have been so blatantly exposed. They may not have been conscious of them before, but they have been faced directly with them after those incidents. If they just shrug you off as the exception, or “one in a million”, among all the “jocks and dreadlock wearing people” - that’s what’s abhorrent. They’ve just been proven wrong on their stereotypes and yet they still cling to them, dismissing the evidence they’ve been given. Ugh.

Nov.28 at 1:46 pm

Ron says:
I just want to thank Kramer- Michael Richards- for bringing race to the forefront of pop culture. For over a week I have talked with so many people openly about race and racism in America. I done a few blogs on Myspace and heard from a number of friends and family on the issue. I for one am glad to talk about this subject because the only way to get over it and deal with it is to talk about it respectfully. We are prejudice about many different things, not just race, but the way we handle our prejudgement is where we show our true colors. If we can seek out truths and dispell the myths and stereotypes that are beaten into our subconscience mostly by mass media, we can begin to learn about our individual characteristics that make each and every one of us great. Sorry for being so long winded, but this is aomething that I don’t like having to deal with and talk about and hopefully the mre we talk about it now, the less we’ll have to talk about it later.

Nov.28 at 2:27 pm

Mooks says:
Dude… lighten up.

Nov.28 at 2:31 pm

Bryant Reeves says:
Etan - Have you ever been to Canada (other than playing the Raps or Griz (RIP)), and if so, do you think the general mentality here is any better? Have sterotyping and discrimination infected all of North America, or is it more prevalent in the States?

Nov.28 at 2:32 pm

Bryant Reeves says:
Also, SLAM - why wouldn’t you run a picture of Etan at one of his public lectures instead of playing basketball???? This article isn’t about basketball at all…

Nov.28 at 2:35 pm

Ryan Jones says:
Fair question, Big Country. The answer is because we have ready access to his NBA action shots and don’t necessarily have access to offcourt stuff. But we’ll see what we can find.

Nov.28 at 2:40 pm

CJM says:
Perhaps the lesson to be learned here is Etan Thomas has no sense of humour ? Any conversation between two races has a racial component, and yet it is not always as simple as that…

Nov.28 at 2:46 pm

Joel O's says:
This is a great, great idea, SLAM, and on hindsight wayy overdue. Brilliant.

Nov.28 at 2:52 pm

Ryan Jones says:
CMJ, I’d say that if Etan’s version of the story is accurate, the ref in question was WAY out of line. It’s the kind of thing you could say to a friend, someone you knew well and had a familiarity with, but in this case it seems like the wrong move. It doesn’t mean the ref is a racist necessarily, and maybe dude meant to be funny, but if so, he needs to work on his comic timing or keep his mouth shut.

Nov.28 at 3:00 pm

Cheryl says:
Glad to see Etan doing his thing here. I hope he gets a chance to read the comments and offer his own comments in this section. I could go on and on about this topic (I teach a course on race and culture at FIU) but what would really be great is a live chat with Etan on this site. I would love to hear his perspective on several topics. Hey, Ryan, can you guys hook that up?

Nov.28 at 3:02 pm

J.A.M.S says:
Ryan just summed it up!

Nov.28 at 3:06 pm

Khalid Salaam says:
Good post Ron. Unfortunately we’ve still got a ways to go before things really change. I’m not speaking in years, more like generations.

Nov.28 at 3:08 pm

CASHVILLE says:
The poem was nice and I think a lot of us have that problem of being stereotyped. Myself along with a lot of the homeys perform spoken word or write poetry but not neccessarily in the Love Jones sense but more along the Jim Jones side of the spectrum, if you catch my drift. Most of us are in college and about to graduate soon but to the naked eye this may seem a little farfetched because of our white tees, baggy jeans, fitted hats, and the way we get inebriated and act a fool in public. As you can probably see, some of the stereotypes we are responsible for such as the public intoxication, but regular outside appearance can never be a valid criterion for measuring one’s character or personality. Me and my pops have gotten into it over the subject of how I’m supposedly making life harder for myself because I don’t wear nut huggers and Brooks Bros. collar shirts when I step out. His argument is sometimes you have to sell out and mine is for who? and what for? He says for corporate America and I’m like f*ck corporate America. I see where he’s coming from but you can’t be suited and hard bottomed up 24/7. He’s old school but he’s still my dude. The solution is more people like Etan, myself, and mostly others on this site turning heads and changing people’s ways of thinking by doing positive things and thinking outside the box. Sorry for getting all conscience and stuff but the time called for it. Peace.

Nov.28 at 3:12 pm

Ron G. says:
Do you think Etan has written a verse about his BFF Brenda?!

Nov.28 at 3:14 pm

CASHVILLE says:
n-e-c-e-s-s-a-r-i-l-y. We need a spell check on this site so we won’t look like idiots.

Nov.28 at 3:21 pm

Ron says:
Khalid, I think your right. Dr. King didn’t die for this, or at least I hope he didn’t. Can’t we all just get along?!?! Judge all men by the content of thier character.

Nov.28 at 3:27 pm

Ryan Jones says:
Too late for that, Csahvllee.

Nov.28 at 3:28 pm

Ryan Jones says:
And Cheryl, I’m not mad at that idea, but this being the web, it’s mostly up to Lang, Sam and Etan. I’m with it, though.

Nov.28 at 3:30 pm

Ryan Jones says:
Oh, and when Khalid uses the phrase “we’ve still got a ways to go,” I assume he’s unknowingly referring to how long it’ll be before he updates Fear of a Black Editor again…

Nov.28 at 3:33 pm

Khalid Salaam says:
What the hell is the Jim Jones side of the spectrum??…. Also rocking suits and selling out aren’t the same things. Not even in the same category. What your dad is probably trying to explain is that the war must be battled on more than one front. A lot of this is mental. The perception game is incredible. WIth a hot suit and tie game you have to possibility of controlling peoples perception. And perception my friend, is just around the corner from controlling their minds.

Nov.28 at 3:36 pm

Khalid Salaam says:
Ha ha. Jones. HA ha. FOABP was on the chillin list. But he’s almost healthy. and you know what that means….

Nov.28 at 3:48 pm

Khalid Salaam says:
FOABE

Nov.28 at 3:53 pm

marcel mutoni says:
FUBU

Nov.28 at 4:06 pm

winston and the telescreen says:
I dont know
That sounds like something any old guy would say to a young guy
sounds like the old guys I used to work with when I was in high school doing maintenance
If I grasped something they were teaching me theyd say, ‘youre not as dumb as you look’
coming from them it was meant as a compliment
their way of saying ‘good job’
they also would say random insulting things to whoever they accepted within their group
‘where you from? Moorpark eh?, only 2 things come from Moorpark, steers and queers and I dont see any horns on you’
taken out of context that would be some seriously insulting stuff
but for them it was just their way of showing acceptance of you, if you never were insulted by them then you surely knew that they didnt like you or trust you
Now I wasnt there, so I have no way of knowing what the context was
but reading it just as it was written by Etan, thats what the insult reminded me of
an old guy complimenting a young guy
but once again I wasnt there
things like tone of voice are a big factor
and only Etan heard the way it was said to him
I feel like sometimes people are conditioned to expect certain things out of people
The whole ‘jocks’ thing from one of his teachers was nasty and stupid and inappropriate no matter what the context
the same thing with the lady implying that many basketball players couldnt read
and maybe experiencing those types of things would make you on the lookout for more unacceptable behaviour
whatever
I wasnt there so I dont really have an opinion
just putting that out there as far as Kramer goes
he’s a racist
but who really cares
Now I think he’s a giant douche-bag
most of America probably does
this nonsense of suing him is ridiculous though
its one thing to be a racist douche-bag
another to act on your racist douche-bag ‘ness’
I’m not willing to set a precedent and threaten free speech itself by fining Michael Richards
we’d have to start levying douche-bag fines all over the place pretty soon
I live in Riverside CA so I’d make trillions off the ‘bro’s’ here alone
the word ‘nigger’ is prevalent in America today
As far as proliferation of the word in modern america goes, blacks take more responsibility than whites (I’ll go with the word black rather than african-american cause there are many dark skinned men and woman out there that have roots in places other than africa, and I’ll go with the word white because its easier than euro-americans or new native americans or whatever because thats just getting way too confusing)
I myself loathed and abhorred the word throughout most of my life, even when I was a teen in high school and listening to N.W.A with my friends and the word slipped into their lexicon I still refrained
but you know who finally got me to use the ‘N’ word
Dave Chapelle
that man is just too hilarious and you cant help but quote lines from his skits
after watching hours of Dave Chappelle, (and Paul Mooney ironically enough) the word became part of my lexicon as well
Paul Mooney?
I find it difficult that the man who recently played ‘Niggerdamus’ is now refraining from the word-
the mans taking a stand though and I can respect that
but to all the Jesse Jackson Maxine Waters lets go sue people bandwagons
if you want the ‘N’ word to disappear
suing a few white douche-bags isnt going to do it
the word is made popular by black america, not a few random white racists
and I think this mass hype about this incident illustrates and proves that
anyway
I should stick to music making and stop attempting to illustrate my thoughts
I tend to ramble like Grandpa Simpson

Nov.28 at 4:12 pm

Khalid Salaam says:
Some good points winston, really. But here’s a theory on why Blacks won’t stop saying it. Because we know if we stop, most White won’t.

Nov.28 at 4:14 pm

Max Airington says:
Nigga please.

Nov.28 at 4:24 pm

Chris says:
Etan, I think what everybody really wants to know is what really happen with you and brandon haywood, give us the scoop

Nov.28 at 4:34 pm

perkisabeast says:
Proving again that Ken Mauer is a real asshole.

Nov.28 at 4:37 pm

Khalid Salaam says:
There are many ways to look at whether or not the word should be used but please get this. It is a minor detail in the grand scheme of things. F the N word.

Nov.28 at 4:44 pm

CASHVILLE says:
By “Jim Jones side of the spectrum” I meant the difference between “conscience” hip hop and that gansta sh*t. Ask your boy who did the P.O.M.E review and he can clear it up for you. I meant to make a connection between the backpackers and the gatpackers because it’s all a form of expression at the end of the day. I like how I got clowned for expressing myself but it’s cool. I’m not saying me and my crew are a bunch of Marlo Stanfields but we’re no open mic night spoken word type cats niether. If you read my post cleary you can see where I said I see where he’s coming from with the whole suit idea. I’m not saying show up at a job interview with State Prop fatigues on. My beef was about me going out with my friends to a club or something and being “stereotyped” because of our “urban” attire. Why should I change clothes because of someones ignorant views on the world. I’m sure you guys are rarely Steve Harvey like when your sitting at that computer trying to post the “Dirty Thirty” or “Fear of a Black Editor” and why should you when your job doesn’t require it. I say to hell with anybody’s perception if you have a respectable career and money in the bank. Peace.

Nov.28 at 4:52 pm

G-Wiz says:
Etan, I hope you read these comments. Huge Wizards fan. Glad to see you crack the starting line up and protect our paint. The team is struggling a bit. Aside from the big 3 being inconsistant as of late, the D leaving jump shooters open (even in the last minute of games), another factor i observed is Eddie Jordan’s mind boggleing lineup rotations, especially at your position. It seems like EJ doesn’t give you enough time some games to warm up and get into a good flow. Its almost as if a missed shot here and a defensive lapse here sends the big man to the bench on the Wiz. Thus far, you play a big portion of the first half and then the 2nd half you barely get a sniff. PS tell Agent Zero, Arenas, to stop leaving his player open at the top of 3 pt line at the end of games. Keep up the good work on and off the court. As for the ref’s comment, i’m not sure if its racist. Offensive yeah especially in a work environment. Coming from a good friend its okay but a ref that barely knows you shame on him. It all really comes down to tone as another commenter pointed out.

Nov.28 at 4:55 pm

Max Airington says:
But how minor is careless usage of that word in the larger scheme when considering that it bolsters a negative perception that is held by society at large?

Nov.28 at 5:04 pm

Ron says:
Winston, you got me thinking at work. If the hip hop subculture stopped using the N-word a la Paul Mooney, what effect would that have on those who use the word racially? I personally feel tha by using the word so frequently in hip hop it takes away some of the sting when you do here the word. I wasn’t appalled hearing the N-word, what appalled me was the way the word was used. It was said with so much anger and hatred and that’s why the issue is blown way out of proportion now. If he had said you’re acting like a N-, or something to that end I think his apologies would have been accepted. Instead he’s acting as if he only has to say he’s sorry for saying it and everything will go back to normal. Somehow we all have lost focus on his first racist remark “Fifty years ago WE’D have you upside down with a F-ing fork stuck up your ass!” That’s saying a whole lot more than the N- word, and no simple apology can atone for that.

Nov.28 at 5:07 pm

Joey says:
Completely agree w/ Khalid on the use of the N word. Why do it? White ppl aren’t supposed to use it. Black ppl use it b/c its exclusive to them. But in the end… we are bombarded w/ N words in the music industry… which is goin down the drain as we speak. (When the best rapper, Andre 3000, doesn’t feel like rapping, sings, and goes platinum… you know there is a problem) Hip Hop has become pop and everywhere we go… all we hear is the N word on our iPods… There are so many different uses for it… but when our ‘idols’ use it to address themselves as brothers… the derogatory meaning is diluted. Im not justifying Kramer’s remarks… I think the solution to the ‘n-word’ problem is to properly sensor music so that black ppl don’t discrimate against each other. If the younger generation growing up on this Hip-Pop isn’t exposed to so many N-bombs… they’ll be less likely to use them. This is just a stepping stone to the only solution to ignorance and racism- education. And Im glad for athletes like Etan Thoman who step out and makes positive contributions to the worldwide community. Keep it up.

Nov.28 at 5:23 pm

Sam Rubenstein says:
There’s a song on the album by the older and wiser suit wearing Jay-Z where he uses the N word at least 20 times. It’s the last word of every line of a verse. And I don’t think he thinks much of saying the word. It’s just natural to him.
I’m white, I don’t use that word. If black people want to use it, it’s up to them. I hear it so much that I’m desensitized to it.

Nov.28 at 5:24 pm

Dallas J. says:
When I see a black dude with dreds like Etan I automatically think he’s smart or cooler than me.. maybe into music/art stuff like that. I certainly wouldn’t try to rip a lock out of his head.

Nov.28 at 5:26 pm

Sam Rubenstein says:
And by the way, I hear that Clipse album is the best of the year. I need that.

Nov.28 at 5:32 pm

Aaron says:
I just think that Etan was getting his balls busted and took things a little hard. In the context, during a game, you know people talk trash like that all over the place. I’m not denying that people stereotype or that racism doesn’t still exist, but as he mentioned, we have come a long way in that regard. People will still be ignorant but I only hope we judge a person by character more than anything else. In the mean time, give a person the benefit of the doubt before judging him. Don’t pigeonhole someone you feel is pigeonholing you.

Nov.28 at 5:40 pm

O.R Paperstacks says:
Wow. I read the first couple sentences and just….wow.

Nov.28 at 5:45 pm

andrew says:
i think it’s great that you’re an educated person, but let’s reign back the defensive intellectualism a bit. “I was on the Speech and Debate Team. (Made it to the finals at Harvard and led my senior team to a state championship in Speech and Debate.)” That’s great, do we need to know this to realize you’re capable of reasoned argument? As the 10th grade english teachers say, “show us, don’t tell us.” Secondly, Left Behind? This is your basis for a claim to intellectual prominence? I’m more upset by the woman assuming the series of books is academic fodder, than i am at her surprise that you took the time to read it. on the other hand (and possibly more likely), maybe she couldn’t picture ANYONE reading that book for reasons other than a passing grade. and lastly since, this article seems to exist at least in half as a demonstration of your writing skills, proving your more than adequate intelligence, I have to take some umbrage with “dwelling in the pit of ignorance” as just a bit hyperbolic. I mean, this is magazine writing, not a literary analysis of dostoevsky, know your audience. we get it, you’re smart. but please, for those of us lacking your acumen, please don’t hit us over the head with it.

Nov.28 at 5:59 pm

Tony says:
Just because a white person insults a black person doesn’t make them racist, it makes them rude. Racism exists, there is no question about that. But you’ll find it more if you see it everywhere you look. If Mr. Thomas would like to be more well known for his brain than his body, he should give up basketball,get a Phd and start working the University system. Until I see some peer reviewed article on his thoughts about racism, or start seeing him at the forefront of the black rights movement, then I will doubt his point of view as just another person on the street. Being a black NBA player doesn’t make you an expert on racism. If anything, I would like to hear the thoughts of a person who experiences things like they can’t get a job because the color of their skin, not some bad joke in an elitist microcosm of society like the NBA.

Nov.28 at 6:04 pm

LordGefroh says:
Thoughtful, inciteful column. Thanks for starting a dialogue on something many make an effort to avoid.

Nov.28 at 6:13 pm

Jackie says:
As a current SU student I’m ecstatic to see the athletic alumni do more than just toss away the orange jersey to don a new uniform. Your words are beautiful and the message, truly inspirational. You say your intentions are to “provoke thought and discourse”– I see you doing just that.

Nov.28 at 6:22 pm

Cheryl says:
Wow, I’m loving this. In fact I’m still sitting at my desk checking out all the posts, cuz I know when I get home the Slamonline page will be “temorarily down for website updates” or some shit like that. Anyway, the issue of “in the grand scheme of things, F the N word”, is only valid if you deal with the issue at the surface. But dig deeper and the proliferation of the use of the word by black folk, however desensitized we may feel–and do we really feel desinsitized if we respond so strongly to Richards use of it?–and it points to our own internalization of inferiority. Because, really, what does the word mean? What is it’s history and what context was its original intention? No other group of people (and please correct me if I’m wrong) uses a term of self-expression that was historically used to demean, degrade, and render inferior like this word. Also, the words race, racist, and prejudice have all very different meanings and reference different understandings of our cultural nature. Race is an illusion (no basis in biology); racist is the categorizing of the variations of the human species in a hierarchical manner based on something as arbitrary as skin color and hair texture, and then, as another poster mentioned, acting upon that by restricting those at the bottom of this arbitrary hierarchy from economic, political, and social progress; and prejudice is the attitude expressed by the ref in Etan’s piece, but for the most part, other than hurt feelings, really is minor in the “grand scheme of things”.
Anyway, the point is revisiting the use of the word is perhaps a good thing and I’m really glad to be able to do this on a BBall website! My two favorite passions: social commentary and the NBA. How cool is that?!

Nov.28 at 6:24 pm

dez says:
it was a bad joke. some ppl aren’t funny. the bookstore lady might’ve been out of line, but the perception is that athletes are dumb. as if thats something new.
What really amuses me is how defensive everybody gets when someone questions their intelligence/aptitude/ability.
Notice how i said ‘everybody’ and not ‘you people’. Because that would make me racist…right?

Nov.28 at 6:34 pm

Skillet Forilla says:
^^^ I hope you meant “insightful,” not trying to be a snit but yr version has a very different meaning. I am really excited about this new feature and appreciative of the interactivity of the new SLAM site in general. As for “defensive intellectualism,” I think that the author was simply illustrating his point that he has been seen as an outsider in numerous settings; but that is probably painfully clear. I guess the idea of an intelligent and artisitic black professional athelete is still dangerous, even in this forum. Thank you Etan, thank you SLAMericans

Nov.28 at 6:59 pm

dez says:
if someone questions your intelligence, its because they don’t know you, and don’t know what you’re about. either way, its ignorance. which might or might not be the same as racism.
the whole thing is, you can’t be so affected by it, to a point where you’re walking around with a chip on your shoulder. its called having thick skin. you know your true worth, so what does it matter what others think of you. you know better.
and don’t say something like, ‘i do have thick skin. i have to deal with this every day. walk in my shoes’ or whatever. because if you did have thick skin, random ppl’s simple statements wouldn’t get to you.
You can’t read into everything ppl say. whats sad is, instead of ppl developing thick skin, they just get jaded.

Nov.28 at 7:00 pm

Nads says:
Photo had to be of him dunking on a white player, huh? nice

Nov.28 at 7:04 pm

Joe_X says:
Feel the need to share my thoughts… First, what the ref said was out of line, and it smacks of the arrogance of these clowns. Second, there’s something deeper going on here: I think that part of the ref’s surprise was that not just a black man wrote poetry, but that an NBA player wrote poetry. Listen, NBA players (specifically, and pro athletes in general) leave the average fan with a certain perception of who they are: the casual fan (I consider myself one) sees NBA players as interested only in filling their skin with in ink, hanging large diamonds from their necks, covering their bodies with the skins of dead animals (Damon Jones, anyone?), and getting big endorsement contracts from a shoe company. Then, they get into their ridiculously over-sized vehicles and go about their way (their way might easily pass through the parking lot of a gun store before it ends at a strip club). Never mind that the diamonds came from a country suffering civil war over the very same resource. Never mind the animal’s pain and suffering for giving up its fur. Never mind the worker’s conditions in their shoe company’s factory. Never mind the earth-destroying qualities and utter needlessness of their vehicles. Never mind that the gun might get stolen by a posse member and wind up shooting some kid. Am I being unfair? Am I biased by media reports? Perhaps, but this is what the casual fan thinks (I’m so connected to the casual fan). So when I read that Etan writes poetry, reads literature, is involved in politics, and studied calculus, I am impressed, and I would not expect it from an NBA player or most pro athelets. Stereotyping? PRobably, but give me a reason to feel otherwise. And it aint racial. I wouldn’t expect Mike Miller, Wally World, Steve Blake, or any other white, hispanic, black, whatevever player in the NBA (exception: Steve Nash - his extra-curriculars are well documented) to write poetry. But hey, NBA players: give people like us a reason to feel differently! Give us more Etans and less Kobes, LeBrons, Steven Whoos, etc. Prove us wrong! I’d love it. Basketball is a beautiful sport that is all too often ruined by those who play it. Slam - huge thanks for bringing in Etan. He’s obviously well-read and well-spoken, and I will certainly enjoy reading him.

Nov.28 at 7:52 pm

DP says:
Etan, I like you man. You are pretty cool.

Nov.28 at 7:53 pm

1hush D says:
Love the column idea. Huge respect for Etan.
I am a Missouri-born and raised white male and I remember in high school a black friend and I had a huge laugh at the local redneck ignorance where an individual had spray painted the word NIGER on a rock in a prominent spot in town. We had a great time talking about the country and speculating about the ignoranance and racist individual who provided us with such great entertainment with his poor spelling. It occurs to me that while race is still a very critical issue we have to remember that it may not trump class. Yes it is true that George Bush doesn’t care about black people but more than that, he doesn’t care about poor people. I think class is THE big one that this country needs to tackle and we need to lift our poor brothers and sisters of all races. As for those individuals that think politics and sport should not mix, I say they are inseparable. Waiting for a basketball Ali,
Hush D

Nov.28 at 7:58 pm

Maha10k says:
Etan
This was a pleasant surprise upon visiting the site today. Your book is on my wish list. Great writing. What’s interesting about stereotypes to me that it doesn’t matter how intelligent you are. Some people still find a way to say dumb and nasty stuff. After a rough experience in high school, I had grow up a bit to realize that stuff wasn’t my problem, it was theirs. That stuff used to eat at me, like the pixie on Chappelle’s Show. I thought everyone was watching me and judging me. Once I let it go and felt comfortable being myself regardless, I was a lot happier.

Nov.28 at 8:05 pm

jon says:
i like how you have a picture of yourself dunking on a white person. thats just as racist as misinterpreting a referee

Nov.28 at 8:16 pm

Chris Yeh says:
All these people with negative stereotypes of basketball players must not be watching David Stern’s commercials. If they had, they would realize that not only can NBA players read, they care so much about the kids that they’ll even don a goofy-looking Cat-in-the-Hat hat that makes them look even dorkier (I’m talking about you, Keith Van Horn). I won’t even bother blaming the racists like that lady in a bookstore–their fault is obvious. How about the fact that I’ve never seen a sneaker commercial with a player reading, performing at a poetry slam, etc.? If showing the intelligence of our favorite players would sell shoes, wouldn’t Nike be doing it? And if we don’t really want to see this side of our heroes, perhaps we all need to shoulder some of the blame.

Nov.28 at 8:19 pm

alphonse says:
etan- your turning this into a racial happening MAKES you as dumb as you look. What do you think about what Michael Irvin had to say about Tony Romo?…bet you let him off the hook cause those were JOKES, right?…dummy

Nov.28 at 9:17 pm

rob stewart says:
There are a lot of possibilities of why this ref said what he said. Don’t get me wrong, racism and many other isms still exist more than we like to acknowledge but I’m not sure what that ref was really trying to say.

Nov.28 at 9:31 pm

Jeremy says:
Alright. I’ve got an issue here. I am getting pretty used to (and equally tired of) hearing the whole ‘racial’ thing being used to explain EVERYTHING. Everyone has heard the criticisms that atheletes face regarding their academic capabilities. And no offence, and I don’t understand why, by most of the time they are towards those of us who are oversized. The fact that people consider this stereotype a reality is beyond me. Maybe the perception is that athletes (both collegiate and professional) don’t have much time on their hands for extracurricular activities such as books, poetry, and studying, but I digress. All in all, for those of you who feel this is solely a racial thing, I would invite you to try and understand another possible explanation.

Nov.28 at 9:43 pm

Simon says:
jon:I don’t think that its racist to show a picture of Etan dunking on a white person. After all its only Scott Pollard. Everybody dunks on him… Seriously though, it was Slam that put the picture up and regardless its just a really good photo of Etan dunking. It just so happens to be on Scott Pollard who happens to be white.

Nov.28 at 9:46 pm

Fish McGill says:
Can this be a biweekly colum? This is outstanding.

Nov.28 at 9:48 pm

BETCATS says:
Etan speaks the truth

Nov.28 at 9:56 pm

1hush D says:
Yo Alphie,
Etan never definitively stated this was a race-based issue…he is asking provocative questions to make us think…join us in thinking and if you disagree explain why. That will work better than calling him a dummy. And you will have the strength of your argument to support you. Hush D

Nov.28 at 10:00 pm

Dru says:
What about Chris Kaman? He looks like he’s Frankensteins bastard stepchild, I wouldn’t expect him to be a mensa member simply because he’s white. And I’d think Steve Blake would come from a trailer park instead of Yale, but that’s just me. Seriously, Etan, race matters only because of your perceptions.

Nov.29 at 12:07 am

Lang Whitaker says:
Jon, everyone dunks on Scot Pollard, not just black people.

Nov.29 at 12:08 am

DP says:
Damn man, everyone is racist. There is nothing we can change about that. If you say you have not every been racist than you are perfect. Stop getting on Etan because he speaks his mind. This world is fucked up and it is not getting better, it is getting worse. After all these years, not a damn thing has changed. And that is my damn perception Dru. play wit it.

Nov.29 at 12:17 am

Andrew says:
Brilliant, incite-filled piece of writing. I’m proud you’re a Wizard, Etan.

Nov.29 at 12:57 am

Dru says:
DP: This world is what you make of it. Change your perceptions and you can change your reality. It’s a simple concept yet pretty powerful.

Nov.29 at 1:40 am

TC says:
People think stereotype is wrong and stupid but really who here honestly don’t have any stereotype at all? Some black people would read this column and get mad and then go back watching their Chappelle Show DVD for the 48th time and then go out driving with the windows down and NWA blasting from the stereo. Sometimes people think and feel certain ways because the media protrayed a group of people or a race that way. A white person with no black friends can turn on the TV and watch rappers throwing cash, drinking and shooting, and slapping on women’s butts. He can read about a certain high school kid from the hood giving up college for a big professional contract. So he has some ideas in his head about black atheletes and musicians and he developes a stereotype and now he’s supposed to be a racist? Give me a break….. I remembered years ago when I was in the magazine section in a book store and two white dudes picked up a slam mag (it was TMac’s first cover, with his orlando jersey). They started talking about what a great talent Tmac is and after looking at the cover for a few more seconds they said “wow, look at him, doesn’t he look pissed….why do people always have to look pissed on the cover of Slam?” Like it or not SLAM, you are protraying that good basketball players have to mean mug people and wear jewellery and tattoos. I know it’s not what you intend to do but that’s the message you are sending to most people who are not into reading and watching NBA everyday. And then they said something like black people spend most of their money on bling or muscular black people with tattoos are good at basketball and all the sudden you are looking at them and think ” wow, how can you say that? that’s so wrong…..” As if they never had any reason to think and feel that way in the first place.

Nov.29 at 2:14 am

dj says:
TC -
I own every Chappelle Show DVD and listen to NWA, and I’m not black. “People think stereotype is wrong and stupid but really who here honestly don’t have any stereotype at all?” What’s that supposed to mean? Just live with it? I’m sure Dr.King would LOVE that attitude. “So he has some ideas in his head about black atheletes and musicians and he developes a stereotype and now he’s supposed to be a racist?” UMMMMM….how ELSE do you become racist?!
Do you meet people of many races, interact with them on an equal cultural level, treat them as brothers, and then decide to be a racist one day?…NO “Like it or not SLAM, you are protraying that good basketball players have to mean mug people and wear jewellery and tattoos. I know it’s not what you intend to do but that’s the message you are sending to most people who are not into reading and watching NBA everyday.” So if you dont smile like hell on a magazine cover, most of America will see this to mean that you want to MUG someone?! Great reasoning here.

Nov.29 at 3:18 am

jon says:
i guess u guys r right

Nov.29 at 3:40 am

Peajay5 says:
Etan, Great article! I am an 18yr Air Force veteran and black. I understand exactly what you are talking about. Some of the things I have seen and heard have been amazing throughout my career. Military has that same negative type casting as well. I totally understand. Great article though and it’s good to see you getting some serious shine in DC.

Nov.29 at 4:18 am

AB_40 says:
So I was talking to a friend of mine the other day and she’s from yugoslavia and man was she right. Because nigger or nigga is a degrading word for black people and as long as we keep using it even to one another that will always continue. I’ve got friends with different coulors from different nations and most of them are from another enviroment or culture as some might say. But wherever you go and whereever you’re coming from. People’s personalities everywhere are all the same. I’m in my 6th differant class in 7 years I’ve seen all kinds of people on and of the court. And I respect most of them. Hey I’ve had raccist remarks thrown to my head. And I can see if I go out and dress like a baller or put a suit on that the perception of how people see you changes. Hey I’m big too not as big as etan though I’m just 6′81/2 but still. Untill you prove em wrong they got nothing on you. And some folks always make it worse for others. Man I can go on and on and keep on ranting about this but hey…who cares… peace and love to everyone beceasue we’re all brothers and sisters

Nov.29 at 4:45 am

Z says:
As a black grad student that played varsity basketball my whole life, I feel like I can relate to what Thomas is saying. I’ve heard all the pseudo-compliments about how articulate I am and so on and so forth. (although, this very post might not be that articulate since French is my native tongue) Those comments were not meant to be racist or mean, but they still were. Most people think that the only ways for black people to achieve great success are through sports and entertainment. Liberal professions are only an afterthought and that’s very sad. It’s always shocking for people to hear that I’m doing a master’s degree in international law. In an ideal world, it shouldn’t be. Who’s to blame? I can’t say the media because a) that’s too simplistic b) I’m not even sure what that means, as a whole. I don’t have an answer, but I think it’s an interesting question.

Nov.29 at 8:04 am

Skaff says:
I don’t think it’s entirely a race issue. I reckon the dreads play a bigger role than you think. I doubt guys like Emeka Okafor, Dwight Howard, David Robinson, clean cut guys, would have got the same response from that referee. Whereas I’m sure someone like Cherokee Parks or Chris Anderson would. The whole “you speak so well” thing is a different story…that’s racist.

Nov.29 at 8:08 am

Boing Dynasty says:
Cheryl, you teach at FIU? Maybe have a word with the football team, about not trying to hurt the good football players, because they cant compete with them?
Sam, that new Clipse is whatsup.
1

Nov.29 at 8:24 am

Boing Dynasty says:
As for the ref, while he did base his joke on a stereotype, im more inclined to believe that it was the “athletes are dumb” one, not the “black people are dumb” one. Its also probubly a joke hes used dozens of times, its a way of giving a guy a compliment, with out slobbing his knob. As for the lady in the book store, seeing as how she asked “are you that basketball player” the whole “at least some of you read” comment may have been about athletes. Still wrong, but not racist. Is it possible that Etan is just preceiving those two as racist? That is one of the stereotypes in the black community, “white people dont like black people, and are not to be trusted”. And did anyone ever think that maybe Michael Richards was just…nah just playin.
1

Nov.29 at 9:24 am

BlueSpeck says:
Slammies — THANK YOU a thousand times for finally giving Etan Thomas a place of his own on your site. Between Etan and Dave Zirin it’s nice to have some juicy red meat to savor for those of us who want to be enlightened and challenged just a bit more than the usual “Toy Department” fare (not that SLAM is the Toy Department, but hopefully you know what I mean). Etan if you happen to read this, best to you in basketball and in life. And thank you for your wonderful book, More Than an Athlete; and most of all, thank you for your FEARLESSNESS — on and off the court. Hopefully when the Wiz visit OKC (yeah I live around there) in January to face the Hornets I’ll be there (’cause it’ll be my last chance to see one of my favorite teams before the Hornets return home for good), and definitely wishing for a more positive outcome for the Good Guys than last year (GRRRRDavidGrumbleWestCuss3ptdaggerGRRRR). PS — A huge smile crept across my face and stayed there when I came to the “my man Steve Blake” remark. God I miss that guy in a Wiz uniform. Wish they hadn’t let him go : ( .

Nov.29 at 9:58 am

Froggiestyle says:
Dear Etan, We all look forward to more of your thoughts, rants, writing, experiences et. al. Thanks so much. Now on to the social commentary. _________
Once you live enough and/or step outside your native water (as in a fish out of water) you realize that you are an ambassador for what people perceive you to be. As an American living / working / loving in France I have to answer for any and every American numbskull in politics, media etc. You also get an earful of the kindly ignorant - “wow you’re from America? I bet everyone must be cool in America…” When I don’t know folks or don’t feel like it, I claim to be from Belgium just to avoid hearing an earful from folks. It’s obviously different to try and claim a different height, or hair length, or color of skin… _________
Point being everyone has “impressions”, first impressions, ingrained impressions, hard-wired impressions, learned impressions, forced impressions. I see you on the street and I think something - plain and simple - you see me and you do the same. They don’t have to be judgments, prejudgments (aka prejudices), biases or worse - but they exist. We all have them. _____________ Now, how you go about communicating with people, relating to/with them when you open ya big fat mouth is a whole ‘nother can-o beans. _____________ Ok, I could go on but the suds on my toes are itching - peace and hairgrease (dread-juice?)
PS. Etan, you read much Ralph Wiley?

Nov.29 at 9:58 am

Mariah9999 says:
What a thought provoking column! Etan is my favorite player, both on and off the court. I’m not surprised at his intelligence at all… I’m just glad to see him start getting some of the credit he deserves. He is obviously multi-talented and I look forward to reading more of his thoughts.

Nov.29 at 10:14 am

Cheryl says:
Boing, they won’t take my class. My rep is that my class is “too difficult”. The funny thing is, the one or two athletes that I’ve had really in the class really got into it because of our critique of popular culture, including hip hop. My class has very similar discussions to the one we’re having here. And, trust me, I could give a whole lecture on race, black masculinity and the media, around that FIU/UM football game you’re talking about. But this is a Basketball forum, after all…

Nov.29 at 11:39 am

ron smith says:
Etan …I have great respect for you as a public figure willing to take a courageous, progressive stance. You stand with Tommie Smith, John Carlos, and that extraordinary aussie, Peter Norman. Keep going…we need all the honest voices we can find. in solidarity ron

Nov.29 at 11:42 am

Brian says:
In all fairness Etan, and I could be wrong, but these could both be examples of the “dumb athlete” stereotype, and not racial at all.

Nov.29 at 11:59 am

rida says:
It’s possible that maybe the “dumb jock” stereotype is just the “dumb basketball player” stereotype. I wonder if the umpires and refs in the NFL or MLB or people like Etan was talking about say stuff like that to someone like Tom Brady or Derek Jeter?… Just a querey of mine. The whole stereotype that jocks are dumb womanizers is very illogical and hurtful to them even though they might not admit it.

Nov.29 at 12:41 pm

Yvonne says:
I think it is probably both — racial and the dumb athlete stereotype — as well as the the dumb big person sterotype also! I have a tall teenage daughter who is white and is a strong basketball player. She is also in a gifted and talented program and reads every moment she is not on the court. So, why do I write? People who know her from her basketball world are always amazed she loves to read and is such a strong student — more than once other parents have expressed amazement to her or me that she loves to read so much or is such strong student — like if she can dribble a basketball that part of her brain isn’t supposed to work –so there it is — the dumb athlete, dumb big person stereotype. And some of her teachers have told me on more than one occassion that she should find something more “useful” to do with her time than play basketball multiple nights per week. (This in a time when we are trying to battle a nationwide obesity epidemic among kids.) I told the teachers when she stopped getting all A’s we would consider limiting her basketball but for now I thought it was perfectly fine for a strong brain and a passion for a sport to coexist in one body. I think there are plenty of stereotypes going on out there…. everyone seems to need to put people into little one-dimensional boxes.

Nov.29 at 1:02 pm

Josh says:
I was a fellow Syracuse student during Etan’s days on campus and participated in a community service project called ‘Shooting for A’s’. The program gave inner city kids a place to learn basketball, but more importantly, do their homework in a positive, encouraging work environment. Etan attended one of these sessions to speak to the children about the importance of education and instilled in them a message of hope and promise. From that day on I have always looked at him in a differnt light. He was a model for student-athletes then, and should serve as a model for professional athletes now. I look forward to your writing and applaud all that you’ve done.

Nov.29 at 1:05 pm

Wizfan4life says:
Regardless, the referee had no right to come at Etan in that manner. And seeing how smart and perceptive Etan is, I am quite sure that Etan did not blow his statement out of proportion and knew exactly what the referee was implying with that statement he made. Also, Jamison was a witness to this exchange and felt as Etan did. As for the Michael Richards debacle, we as black Americans use the N word so liberally in music, videos and other types of media to the point that we are almost giving others permisssion to do the same. But that is still no excuse for the Michael Richards tirade. Dude straight up has issues with Blacks and it came out. As for me, I don’t need an apology from him, it is just nice to know where he stands. He basically outed himself.

Nov.29 at 2:56 pm

H to the izzo says:
Isn’t he just perpetuating the stereotype of the ignorant middle- aged white man?

Nov.29 at 3:32 pm

Ron says:
Etan Thomas- I hope this was the type of response you were looking for when you submitted your writing to Slamonline. This is a dialogue of comments that has been going on for 24 hours, and it could go on forever. The only time I can recall comments going on so long was the inital complaints about the top 50 players during the end of the summer. This to me represents much success on your part, and I must say you’re not as dumb as you look.

Nov.29 at 4:43 pm

Shiz says:
and the beat goes on… Etan made some very valid points. Racism is a very slippery thing in this country (especially). What with everybody concerned about being “politically correct” its now not “fashionable” to call a black man a “coon” but the way people say “black guy”, you know he means coon… Take Kramer for example…I watched a Youtube version of his outburst that sub-titled his rant. His last words before it cuts off are “I shock you…I shock you…with what lays buried”…damn…He’s a racist but he just dropped some knowledge… Racism does lay buried under “political correctness”. Another example…I was just getting off from work and had to run to the drug store to fill a perscription…Im a paralegal so I rock a suit to work. I go up to the counter and the head pharmacist gives me shit like I stole something from him… He automatically got defensive when I asked him the price of the drug and then retorted after choking on multiple responses, “I cant check the perscrip without insurance!!” I had to do a double take down at my shirt…like what about me or my attire suggest a lack of basic healthcare coverage? My hair? Nope, it was low cut. My dress? I was in a suit…a fly ass suit mind you. So what? The fact that I inquired about a product that I was purchasing? It simply amazed me. Now if I had been rockin some dicked sneakers and a fitted that was two times two big, or some dipset white-t that hangs down to my knees wit holes and stains all through it, I might have been able to let it slide a bit more. At that point, the old saying came into my head “still a nigger, just harder to hang”. Obviously I was irate…I mean this is about to be 2007 for Christ sake and I got hit wit that shit?! Word. But rather than to prove the “stereotype” about all black men and anger, I simply left my card and told him to expect a nice Summons and Complaint…He switched his shit up quicker than a Wizard (and I aint talking bout Gilbert) at a God rally. But really its that type of shit that needs to be recognized. People make all types of reasons for why what they said wasn’t racist or whatever, but fa real, it all boils down to stereotyping…but really stereotyping is a (not so) distant cousin to racism.. If a person comes up to me and says “you black guys are awesome at basketball” that is just as bad as saying “all you niggers do is play basketball” which is highly racist… but all you gotta do is switch around a couple words and it goes from innocent, though questionably termed, attempt to give praise to out and out blatant racism. People need to understand how closely related stereotypes and racism are. Ask Mel Gibson about some jewish stereotypes and Im sure it’ll quickly blur into another one of his alcohol induced anti-semetic rants. And its usually the ones denying racisms effect, presence, and forms that are the secretly racist ones who defend themselves by saying “back in high school, my best friend was black”…OH really? Well, I guess you deserve a spot right there next to Harriet, Martin and Malcom, huh? So thats something else to think about, I mean people are trying to differentiate between racism and stereotypes when really one and the other are usually the same. And on to the word nigger…nigga…nigguh…which ever way you say it. My thing is this, as black people claim the word and change its meaning, other people (mostly racists) view us using the word as hypocritical and get all pissy…I say to them “slow down sparky”. So why can black people say it and not white people?
1) its a way for us to take something completely derogatory and turn into a symbol of solidarity, like the Black Fist.
2) some white people don’t understand the difference in which black people use it, so rather than understand, they try to blame it on hypocracy. Or, are so racist they are actually mad that a group is taking a term meant to demean us and slander our spirit as a culture and making a positive out of it…and
3) In the name of progress, why do they (speaking generally here) even want to be able to say it? Some of my best friends since grade school are white. I really appreciate them, because they in-turn appreciate the power behind that word and understand that in the wrong hands its dangerous. My homeboy got a mixed baby by a white girl…I was talking one day and said the word “cracker”…she said I really wish you wouldn’t say that. I can respect that.. but then I asked her, “well, is it the racism behind it, or just because Im talking about white people in a derogatory way”. She answered ” because of the racism”. And I looked at her and said “but its okay for me to say nigga all the time?” to which she had no response, cuz we laugh about it. Why do we laugh about it? Because my friend Blue and I have demonstrated how members of a culture can take a derogatory statement about them and turn it into a term of unification. Then I looked at Young Cob’ (yes, named after Kobe) and he gave me the Black Fist…I almost cried yall… I dont have any real racist tendecies besides using slang terms for shock value, but I treat everyone I break bread with equally til ya get on my shitty side. Is racism here? Yezzir!! Is it gonna stay? More than likely, until we really tackle the issue instead of making excuses for our own ugly actions or trying to hide behind the curtain of PC like its Oz or somethin. In the words of Jesse, “Keep hope alive” and in the even wiser words of Malcom “by any means necessary. Put it all together and you get “Keep hope alive by any means necessary”. North, East, West, South…put it all together and it spells NEWS. I really hope Etan keeps on with that good work. And next time a dude goes for a dread just shaolin finger jab ‘em in the eye…

Nov.29 at 4:51 pm

Abed says:
Wow…This is why is Slam is the Leader is Basketball coverage! Good Job Slam..And good Job Etan..

Nov.29 at 5:15 pm

Shiz says:
H to the: Nah he’s not perpetuating the stereotype of the ignorant white middle-aged man…Bush doesn that well enough by himself…it was more a theoretical question wondering about this man’s true motivations behind his comments…especially considering the context in which he said it. Either he was alienating ball players or black folk. See? Its the motivation behind the words. And if anything, Etan’s story only helps be defunct stereotypes about black athletes…The ref in question was just the jump off point for a much larger conversation that didn’t necessarily involve ol’ boy specifically, he wasn’t the target “per se”. Its that type of transferrence that is done too easily in regard to race relations or lack thereof. Me? Im from the Dave Chappelle, Carlos Mencia school…which is a derivative of the George Carl school which simply states “offend everyone so nobody can complain…”

Nov.29 at 5:17 pm

1Ozzy says:
How do we change things? Where do we start? I have no real answer but I have been tired of the same old bullshit since I was old enough to be aware.
I recently saw cornell west speak and was blown away (for anyone interested go buy his new book). This man will invade your mind, rip you apart and open your eyes. The overwhelming thing from his speach has been vibrating in mind since that did stick with me is change of this magnitude will only happen with the dying of the old oppressive system and with a change in the thinking of the new generation. So we need to start with our children and young people. The other thing that stuck with me is he kept saying that we need to show these young ones an abundance of love always.
Etan, thanks for sharing.

Nov.29 at 5:25 pm

Etanslitlsis From Chi-Town says:
Wow, bro you are doing your thing!!! I love the article and all I can say is that some people are just REALLY IDIOTIC! That ref had some nerve talking to you like that, but I must point out how proud I am of you because I know you probably wanted to ho slap him! His comments were not only stereotypical and inappropriate, but obviously a way to provoke you to anger so that you could shout something back at him. Then he would’ve IMMEDIATELY given you a “tech”. I’m shocked that no one else on here has talked about this angle of the ref’s possible motives for uttering something so stupid to someone he doesn’t know. These refs think they’re “hard” and that they can provoke players and say anything they want now that the new “rules” have been laid down. But luckily for you and the readers, you’ve got your own article and you can share your opinions with us:-).

Nov.29 at 5:41 pm

John says:
I like the Wizards and Etan’s a decent player. Not great, but decent. It’s also nice that he seems be the rare obscenely-rich athlete who doesn’t live in a self-absorbed bubble. Kudos. But let’s be honest: his writing is really not that good. “This is something that I have always had to deal with throughout my life.” This sentence is redundant. “I have come to expect a certain reaction of surprise by my extracurricular activities…” This is also redundant, not to mention the fact that people react “to” something, not “by” it. I know this and I didn’t even GO to college! One post said essentially “if you’re smart, you probably don’t need to go around telling people you’re smart” and I wholeheartedly agree. Is it really sad that our society hasn’t advanced past the point where people would make comments like the ones Etan has had to hear? YES. But you know what feeds this fire? Chip-shoulder combos like this. It’s like you’re saying “I’m black but I was on the debate team - respect me, respect me!” and all it makes me want to do is respect you less. And the poetry? I could write better from my desk at work. Try this on: “We breathe this air/the only thing we share/caught in between the rhythm of racial reality and the downbeat of division, we war like jazz/rockets red-glaring, pointing, staring/seeing only differences in this red-blue black-white world/our flags unfurl and clash as the wind that whips us fills the air we share with the ash of our indifference. If only God could see us now.” p.s. - if somebody told me Steve Blake wrote poetry, I would indeed be shocked. Oh snap - white on white racism alert!

Nov.29 at 6:33 pm

Shiz says:
John: Once again you’ve saved the day, Captain Critique…I don’t know how we could have managed with out you…

Nov.29 at 6:37 pm

John says:
Oh sorry, I thought that’s what the comments were for, stating your opinion. How stupid of me! Now about your critique of my comment…

Nov.29 at 6:56 pm

Harlem World says:
I’ll try to keep this as short as possible but I’ve a couple observations to add to the ‘pot’. Nigga is not a term of endearment. This is the excuse given by Black men/women too undisciplined to curb their language and put their brain in gear before their lips get into motion. Just because it is flooded throughout our society - does not make it right. HIV/Aids is global now too, does it make it right?
The term Nigger is derrogatory in the worst way towards Black men and women as in its origin, it was used to dehumanize us. You don’t have to be deep into your books to know that ALOT of Black men and women have died over the use of that word, and in some cases trying to liberate us from the oppression of that word and the inferiority it breeds. For that alone, we should check ourselves before firing any more ‘nigga this, nigga that’ off of our tongues.
We need to stop accepting this all too comfortable place of inferiority that has been bestowed upon us (and that we are all only too happy to perpetuate) and redefine who we are and what we may become. There are plenty of other terms of endearment we can use instead of bastardizing our inherent greatness. We’re NOT niggas, Niggers or any other negative term put on us by those who would seek to oppress us in some way. As for that Kramer cat? He only revealed into the mainstream what many of us know ‘lies underneath the surface’ of alot of white men anyway. The sad thing is, we are still generations away from being able to do anything about it - and going in the wrong direction. In ending, white people, don’t be scared of us just because of what you don’t know. Get to know the content of each individual character (there’s good and bad both sides of the fence) and remember one person (whether good or bad) does not carry the weight for a whole race. Y’all probably won’t even hear me on this though.

Nov.29 at 8:25 pm

Ryan Jones says:
Lang, you’re gonna have to give Etan a heads up to make sure he knows this thing is posted and inspiring mad discussion… unless you do know, Etan, in which case feel free to holla.

Nov.29 at 9:13 pm

qtlaw says:
Mr. Thomas, Thanks for your wonderful insight. As a fellow minority in the U.S. I share your concern with eliminating stereotypes; my view is the only way to do that is to educate so that people will see their ignorance.

Nov.29 at 9:42 pm

qwert says:
“You’re not as dumb as you look” This is not a racist comment… it’s an old cliche joke. A friendly sarcastic jab, a joke of endearment, meant to gain rapport. I can tell you with no other context and 99% certainty that the ref meant it in a positive way, and that he would absolutely say it to any other player. Turning that comment into a race issue is extremely counter-productive. Things like this make white people afraid to say anything at all to black people, and that can only further any divide.

Nov.29 at 10:46 pm

Eric says:
Harlem World, I like what you wrote: “…remember one person (whether good or bad) does not carry the weight for a whole race.” Like you say about Kramer, yeah maybe a lot of white guys are racist. I think just a lot of people are racist too though. For example here in DC more than once I have heard random people shout “skinhead motherf*&^%!” while I was minding my own business and I’ve only been here two months. Skinhead has some pretty vicious connotations associated with it. I have a shaved head because I’m going bald like all the men in my family and I refuse to live with a receding hairline. Funnily enough I justified shaving it completely to my wife by saying “MJ looked pretty cool bald”. Racism is such a global phenomenon. Every time I travel to a new country I see a new example of racial discrimination in some form. Go to many Asian or European nations and they are slagging the citizens of the country beside them just because they are different. Will the world ever be free of it? We can only continue to educate our children to not follow the bad examples of the previous generations in the hope that one day the world will get it right. Good work Etan. God I love basketball.

Nov.30 at 12:35 am

cordell grooms says:
In so many ways, student-athletes are stereotyped in the education system because of the fact that so many of us cannot read on grade level etc, but minority student-athletes face even more harsh criticism. Many of the talented athletes attend colleges that really do mirror society at large, meaning that the majority of the people on campus are not of minority descent and stereotypes are the norm. No matter how much money that you make as an athlete, there are going to be times when you have to step up to the challenge of stating your awareness and intelligence about diverse situations even while facing racism, pre-conceived discrimination, and ignorance square in the eye. Can you handle it? Only time will tell minority student-athletes.

Nov.30 at 3:45 am

Norway says:
I get mr Thomas’ point about stereotypes. Kind of. But truth to told, here on the other side of the Sea, you never hear about NBA players doing the kind of “intelligent stuff” that Etan Thomas does. The picture we get trough the media is that NBA players spend all their spare time playing Playstation or golf (and of course doing lots of charity work - David Stern wouldn’t want us to miss that), and that’s the kind of image we have of everyone in the NBA, black or white. It seems the league doesn’t want their players to talk about diffult or controversial issues. For example you never hear any debate about the use of performance enhancing drugs. It would hurt the perception of league and is hushed down. It’s like American sportswriters avoid controversial issues, because they don’t want to hurt the league’s image.
As a result all articles follows the same pattern where you rarely discuss anything that doesn’t happen on the hardwood and never anything that might harm the NBA. Scoop Jackson is the only one I’ve seen who actually dares to speak his mind and write articles with originality and critisism. The Slam articles, even though they are well written, have sadly become very repetitive. I think it would be cooler if you guys allowed yourselves let loose a bit more and write whatever comes to mind.
But I enjoyed reading the words of Etan Thomas. He and Gilbert Arenas are like a breath of fresh air. They actually have their own thoughts and say things we haven’t heard before. They’re like Casino Royale in the James Bond series.
I think it’s unfair to imply that the ref was thinking about race though. I myself am short and quite pale and I’ve often heard “you’re not as stupid as you look”.
The ref may have made a bad joke, but that doesn’t mean he deserves to be put on the internet, accused of being a racist.
Maybe Thomas needs to realise the fact that he actually IS different? I mean: which other NBA player(black or white) owns a state championship in speech and debate, and writes poetry?
And why is he comparing the ref’s statement to the shocking and obvious racist rant of Michael Richards? Walking through life looking for comments from white people that you can somehow interpret as racist, is to me an “unbelievably blatant” and “stereotype” way of thinking and living. I’d also like to comment on the use of the “N-word”. I think The US is the only place in the world where people use it on a regular basis. The funny thing is that using the word is only accepted if you belong to a certain race. Here in Norway (and in most other parts of Europe I think) we have the exact same word. But here you never use except if you’re not a nazi or something similar (which luckily very few are). Actually I don’t think I’ve ever heard it being used here in a serious way.
Why is it different on your side of the pond? Is it because white Americans deserve to be punished for what their ancestors did? And how is it possible for ANYONE to use the n-word without supporting racism? Obviously there are still problems, with for example the shootings in New York a few days ago. But isn’t it time to work AGAINST racism?

Nov.30 at 7:48 am

Adrian Zapata says:
Well it was an interesting article to read. I pretty much agree with a lot of it but I did want to say that i think you should take certain things as compliments. Obviously you would have to listen to the tone of it. I mean, i’m Mexican-American, from a border town in Texas, and i get some crazy comments also. For example, some can say “Wow you did this or that and your from Laredo? I thought everyone was drug smugglers back there.” I’d rather take that as a compliment, itstead of taking offense.
But i guess we’re in different situations.

Nov.30 at 11:41 am

Cheryl says:
Wow, this is still generating comments. Ryan’s right, Lang. U gotta give Etan a heads up to check this out. No other article has generated this much from a wide variety of “Linkstigators”. Having dude put his thoughts out here like this, and us adding our 2 cents–you guys may have hit on something that’s been missing…

Nov.30 at 3:08 pm

Lang Whitaker says:
Etan is checking this out, don’t worry.

Nov.30 at 3:34 pm

CASHVILLE says:
This reminds me of the top 50 with all these post. Ahh, the good ole days.

Nov.30 at 5:06 pm

winston and the telescreen says:
I read this article again and I’m pretty much convinced that Etan is overreacting to the incident with the ref. It sounds like a misunderstanding more than anything, heres the part thats convinced me. ‘He saw that I was in no way amused, without even the slightest hint of a smile, and attempted to clean up his statement, saying, “Well I think it’s great, I could never do anything like that…” I simply nodded my head and returned to the game.’ thats a complete and total compliment from an old school guy
I think lil sis is dead wrong, that man would have to be all kinds of evil to attempt to use racist remarks to provoke tech’s, the notion seems somewhat ridiculous to me. And if he was that evil he wouldnt have followed the statement with ‘I think thats great, I could never do anything like that’ the man was straight up complimenting you Etan, in the way that crusty old white dudes compliment young guys Racism will always exist because stupid people will always exist, but you as an intelligent person need to realize that the sooner you get this chip off your shoulder the happier your existence will become. It sounds to me like the whole thing was a misunderstanding. I hope I’m not creating Winston and the Telescreen hate out there, I’m not trying to be mean to anybody, thats just how I see it. And I do realize that I wasnt there to witness it but its Etans account of the situation that makes me feel that way.

Nov.30 at 8:00 pm

Hornacek4eva says:
I think everyone’s missing the point. The article’s not about stereotypes. Ethan Thomas wants everyone to know how frickin’ smart Ethan Thomas is… “Then there was the time I was working on the Grand Unified Theory during halftime and coach is like ‘you know the greatest minds in science haven’t been able to solve that problem.’ I just smiled at coach, wondered if things were going to ever change, and then returned to pondering the effect of gravity on a 5th dimensional plane.” - Ethan Thomas

Dec.1 at 2:59 am

Badcock says:
Etan Thomas has clearly provoked a whirlwind. Whether the ref’s statement was racist, prejudiced versus jocks or just a lame joke is no longer important. If comments are going to be taken seriously, it helps if yur abel to spelll and punchuate!?! And full sentences. I remember a very special episode of “Gimme a Break” in which Nell Carter lectured the family about the N-word. Her point was that it is just a word, and it only has power because we give it power. As absurd as a jumping off point as that is (kind of like having a dumb jock initiate a debate about racism, class struggle and war), Nell had a point. Language is fluid, constantly evolving. The N-word has no inherent meaning, which is why its connotation changes based on who’s saying it. I’m white, and I bristle when I hear that word used viciously. But the N-word will someday fall by the wayside, because it will lose its power to shock & awe. I think Dave Chapelle will be remembered as someone who gave the N-word a big shove in the right direction. The word will lose its power to insult, eventually, I hope. Because his version of “F*** your couch N*****, f*** your couch!” is much funnier than my asterisk-filled version. Thanks to Dave Zirin, author of “What’s My Name, Fool?” for tipping me off to Etan Thomas’s new column in Slam. And big thanks to Etan Thomas for standing and delivering. Keep sowing the wind. I look forward to his future columns.

Dec.1 at 4:24 am

Harlem World says:
Badcock, I disagree with your sentiments about the word Nigga/Nigger. I write the word in full because this ‘N Word’ reference is nonsense. If you read though the posts on Slam, you’ll see countless ‘nigga’ references all over the place - and this isn’t to slam Slam (pause for appreciation on the wordplay…ok, continue) as they are reflective of the tone and rhythm to which the readers they covet, communicate. At this point, I’m not saying that’s wrong or right, just that it is understandable why the word is peppered all over the boards. What gets me is, this whole ‘oh we’re de-sensitizing the word’ ‘it doesn’t mean anything’ ‘it will become powerless and harmless by continued use’. OK, so if that’s the case, how come we’re nowhere near close to accepting motherfu**** into our general circle of acceptable vocabularly/language? If by using a word frequently and supposedly using it as a ‘term of endearment’ - why then don’t we do the same for ‘motherfu****’? In my circle the word motherfu**** is thrown around often, and is used in a way that differs greatly from its orginial intent. The ‘desensitized’ version of ‘motherfu****’ translates to something along the lines of ‘friendly fool’ as in ‘motherfu****, you stupid!’ - offered up after one member of our group may have just shared a silly story/joke. In that context, it is not meant to offend. Far from it. So the same argument put forth about making Nigga/Nigger powerless through continued ‘harmless’ use could also be made about ‘motherfu****’. Somehow I don’t see that debate happening anytime soon. We don’t enter the debate about accepting ‘motherfu****’ into general vocabulary because it is profane, hurtful and insulting. There is no difference with the word ‘Nigger’. Just because the word (either one of them) is thrown around in what should remain closed circles, does not mean that it should be shared or accepted into the wider context of society. The overwhelming majority of Black people around the globe still find the word ‘Nigger’ DEEPLY offensive and emotionally hurtful. There is a reason for that. I suggest those who choose to use the word openly in any arena first at least read up on the history of the word, the proliferation of its use in the oppression, enslavement and death of Black people since its inception. After that point, I’d be interested in seeing how many people feel as comfortable with letting it roll off their tongues. In closing, please…NEVER underestimate the power of language. ‘Its just a word’. Please. Words represent food for the mind, our minds control the way we live - feed your mind bullsh*t (hey, is that word cleared for use in here?) and how do you think your mind will react? **Lang - I know I might have pushed the envelope just a little bit on this post, but for the purpose of presenting the case against, clearly, please don’t edit or remove this post. Thanks! And needless to say, I think this thread is your best yet**

Dec.1 at 10:28 am

Eileen Brand says:
Dear Etan: Ever since I read the text of your brilliant, courageous speech at a peace rally I have been following your multifaceted career and am exceedingly grateful to you for taking the lead in opposing a war that, in the interest of human survival, we all should be opposing to our utmost ability. It takes guts as well as brains to speak out so emotionally and eloquently and intelligently against this war and this torturing and Constitution-destroying Administration. Eileen Brand P.S. I love basketball. People sho