I read everything I can get my
hands on. Everything. And I try to take lessons away from everything I watch
and/or listen to, from Zoom calls with my fraternity brothers every month to
advice from my weekly golfing partners to the unvarnished wisdom of my 6-year-old
grandson, who does not see racism, just other kids his age. But he does jump
out of his skin for a chance to touch Captain America's shield at a superheroes
parade and he can put a smile on the faces of Anna and Elsa from Frozen by
telling them how beautiful they look.
And then I turn on my TV. For
an escape, I watch Yellowstone, the Montana-based modern cowboy drama about a
lifetime rancher trying to preserve his land, his family and the heritage of
the entire valley where they reside, side by side with neighboring Native
Americans. The show displays the plight that minorities have to fight against
in the plight of the Native Americans intertwined into the narrative, not
surprising so much for series-star Kevin ("Dances With Wolves") Costner though,
right?
And then the news comes on. And
there is a Navy veteran in Portland, Oregon, being beaten and gassed by
unmarked U.S. military officers trying to supposedly enforce a peaceful protest
that they ignited into a riot instead by their very presence. And a line of
"Moms" trying to stand peacefully between the protesters and the
unmarked riot police also being gassed.
Moms. Real Moms. Shame on you,
Mr. President, shame on you, and for praising those paramilitary officers'
work.
In the Sunday newspaper, there's
a story about people spitting, literally spitting on people who wear (or don't
wear) masks when they're out and about, especially in stores or entertainment
venues, such as they are. SPITTING on each other. Here, have my virus.
And then come the stories about
the removal of statues honoring confederate soldiers who fought and lost in the
Civil War. They not only fought to preserve slavery, they were traitors against
their government and fought to overthrow it. They were traitors.
We know, we see, how blacks and
minorities are treated today in this country. Can you imagine if the South had
won the Civil War?
And then there are the Clay
Travises of the world. Travis thinks he's God's gift to (sports) talk radio. He
spends as much time on his show talking about how great he is as he does about
sports. He and Jason Whitlock, who has twice been bounced at ESPN and once
before at Fox, tell people they are the only ones having a meaningful
discussion about America and sports' impact on it.
Travis contends that the rise
in shootings around the county - and it's bad, no doubt - can be traced in good
part to athletes now bursting back on our countryside and TV screens who are
taking up the cause for civil rights by kneeling during the National Anthem and
dedicating their efforts to the late Brionna Taylor, who was shot by police in
Louisville, Kentucky. That incident is still unresolved as she was shot while
trying to protect herself from those police who entered her home.
Now, months later, no one has
been arrested nor indicted in that incident. That's Kentucky, Moscow Mitch McConnell's home state.
But Travis contends that
athletes taking up the cause for civil rights and Black Lives Matter are in
good part responsible for the spike in shootings nationwide. This man who says
he deals in facts and data to fuel his opinions has offered no proof whatsoever
to back up this claim. To him, LeBron James is as much to blame for increased
shootings for writing
Brionna Taylor's name on his game-worn sneakers.
But Travis offers no proof. Who
does that remind you of, someone very high profile in this country, who offers
up far-fetched theories about the coronavirus or the value of
hydroxychloroquine?
Clay Travis is a phony. Yes,
there are more shootings. No, they are not LeBron James' fault. In true Trump
style, he'll deny he ever blamed so much of this on athletes taking up the BLM
cause.
Travis goes so far as to offer,
with no proof or evidence, that Black Lives Matter is a movement fueled by, sponsored by, supported by and driven by ... are you ready(?)
... extreme white liberals.
And that part of his audience
which is uneducated Trump rednecks probably believes it.
Travis celebrated on air as
baseball returned. Barely a weekend in and we already have a coronavirus
outbreak on the Miami Marlins roster that caused a cancellation of their home
opener and stranded their infected players in quarantine in Philadelphia, where
they'd been playing, which caused the Phillies to cancel their home game
against the visiting Yankees.
Still celebrating, Clay?
Sending your kids back to
school in your hometown in Tennessee, Clay?
One more thing - Travis claims
he doesn't have high-profile athletes on his show because he won't coddle
"their balls" (his words) like other sports talk-radio hosts do. The
next time I hear Dan Patrick do that will be the first time.
While we're on the subject of
sports and coronavirus and rights, will American hockey players be allowed back
into the United States after the entirely Canadian-hosted NHL Stanley Cup
tournament concludes? I mean, Canada forced the Toronto Blue Jays of MLB to
play all their home games in Buffalo, at their Triple-A affiliate's stadium.
Hey Clay, can you pull some
strings and get those American hockey players back home when the music is over
north of the border, y'know, pull some magic, like your hero Trump is relying
on to rid America of the coronavirus.
And if you really believe that
Black Lives Matter is being puppeteered by white liberals, then get out there,
make signs, and you and Whitlock hit the streets and march to that tune.
Me, I've got a Robert E. Lee
statue to tear down.
Good night, Mrs. Calabash.
Here's to you, indeed, Mrs. Robinson.
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