We go back to kindergarten for our lesson today. Two wrongs do not make a right.
Radio stations, websites and message boards across the country are buzzing because of the recent comments made by Bryant Gumbel at the end of Real Sports, the television program he hosts on HBO.
"Finally, tonight, the Winter Games. Count me among those who don’t like them and won’t watch them ... Because they’re so trying, maybe over the next three weeks we should all try too. Like, try not to be incredulous when someone attempts to link these games to those of the ancient Greeks who never heard of skating or skiing. So try not to laugh when someone says these are the world’s greatest athletes, despite a paucity of blacks that makes the Winter Games look like a GOP convention. Try not to point out that something’s not really a sport if a pseudo-athlete waits in what’s called a kiss-and-cry area, while some panel of subjective judges decides who won ... So if only to hasten the arrival of the day they’re done, when we can move on to March Madness — for God’s sake, let the games begin."
Gumbel’s remarks were ill-mannered and completely off-beam. He should most definitely be punished, although he probably won’t be. First of all, as a sportscaster, his political views are absolutely irrelevant. More important, Gumbel chose to incite racism in one the few places that the color of your skin is less important than the color of the team you represent.
Without question, Gumbel was wrong. At the same time, many of the reactions to his comments are just as crass as the original statement.
The majority response to Gumbel has been, “Well, why don’t I say that I won’t watch the NBA or Track & Field because the majority of athletes competing are black?”
Since when has it become okay to counter bigotry with bigotry? That’s where the problem lies. Even if it takes the ignorant opinion of a man from another race to provoke your racist views, it is still wrong.
We live in the year 2006. It’s about time we get past these trivial issues.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Victor Lana
You make excellent points here, Dan. Was what Gumbel said stupid? Absolutely. However, if you look at it in context, it was just really more of a throwaway line (ill advised as it was).
Yes, I have heard some reaction to this that is even more foolish than Gumbel's words. One commentator (on Fox News last night) said, "Well, what if John Madden said there weren't enough whites in the Super Bowl?" I've heard similarly inane comments on "talk" radio.
Two wrongs don't make a right, and this is just ignorance and intolerance disguised as outrage over a silly comment.
2 - Matthew T. Sussman
Wait wait wait wait wait .... Bryant Gumbel is black?
3 - Natalie Davis
No, Mr. Sussman, he is beige; do you have problems with visual perception of colors? What does his melanin level have to do with anything? It was an ignorant comment, whatever his hue.
What really riles me is that I have heard talk-show hosts - right-wingers, natch - giving Gumbel crap for using the word "paucity," as if to say, who does that n***** think he is using that word? That's at least as disgusting as Gumbel's statement.
4 - Matthew T. Sussman
Well, yeah it's pretty silly to get one's panties in a bunch over something someone said, when probably 75 percent of those people didn't even know what Bryant Gumbel was doing these days. Hence my disinterest in mainstream non-sports talk radio.
5 - zingzing
i thought it was pretty funny. heh... funny thing, though, i never realized the almost total lack of black athletes at the winter olympics. i haven't really watched much... but i have yet to see even one. that is kind of strange. the gop comment was hilarious. that said, bring on march madness.
6 - Nancy
Whatever happened to the Jamaican Bobsled Team?
That said, I'm surprised some of the snowboarders aren't black, as it translates really well from skateboarding, I'm told by kids (of several shades) who have done both. Maybe it's just a temporary lag thing; remember, for a long, long time there were no blacks in pro-sports of any kind except boxing, and now they're pretty ubiquitous in most of the big "team" sports, and making marks also on the previously all-white sports of tennis & golf, just as women are getting more into sports like basketball & hockey. The more, the merrier, IMO.
7 - fantasticsound
You're confused, Mr. McGowan.
"The majority response to Gumbel has been, 'Well, why don't I say that I won't watch the NBA or Track & Field because the majority of athletes competing are black?'"
There is absolutely nothing racist in the above position. The point they are making is not that they WOULD make that comment. It's a hypothetical question. You're responding as if they DID make that comment and intend to boycott the NBA, etc. You make their point valid by getting huffy and accusing them of fighting racism with racism. They've done no such thing.
They've simply shown, successfully, that were a white person to make a similarly racist remark they would be lambasted for saying so, and likely be fired from their job.
I don't see any of that happening in the mainstream press to Mr. Gumbel.
Yes, there are always lunatic fringe who will hatefully respond to legitimate concerns, confusing the issues further. But despite the pedigrees of several right leaning celebrities and journalists who have picked up this story, few, if any have said anything other than, "Where's the equal application of political correctness? If white, on-air talent are verbally blasted and fired from their jobs, when will Bryant Gumbel have to face the same for his equally reprehensible comments?"
8 - Nancy
I don't think white or black has anything to do with it: it's all about ratings, and if he's got the ratings, the Suits at HQ won't do a thing, whether he's black, white, or houndstooth check.
9 - Natalie Davis
Mr./Ms. Fantasticsour: You are absolutely correct. Stating a hypothetical does not mean acceptance of the hypothetical view. However, when radio talkers condemn Gumbel for being "uppity" in his vocabulary choices, they indeed are being as bigoted as Gumbel.
10 - Mr. White
Most people are missing the main point, which is the most important point of Gumbel's anti-white comments. That is the racial double standard in today's society. There is no question at all that if Gumbel were white, he would be fired, but he can and has said quite a few anti-white comments over time.
Don't expect HBO CEO, Albrecht to fire Gumbel anytime soon. On the contrary, Gumbel knows that his boss is on his side.
I don't have a problem with Gumbel's comments, I have a problem with the extreme racial double standard in America and in the West, in general. The calls for an anti-white and ADL created "hate crime" might even be raised if Gumbel were white.
Let Mr. Gumbel pass on the Olympics and watch "march madness", where he can enjoy watching the best player in the country, JJ Redick (white), embarrass the blacks.
The Olympics are too white for Gumbel, the NBA and NFL is too black for me. Bottom line, lets do away with ADL made "hate crime" laws and the racial double standard and attitude.
Most important of all, white people are now only 8% of the world, we're facing extinction across our formerly white lands...
The Jews, blacks, Mexicans, Indians, Asians and arabs all think racially, it is about time that white people do the same. Whites were well over 90% white before and anti-white 1963 immigration act, now we're already a minority in a few states.
We must secure the existence of our people, and a future for white children
-david lane
11 - zingzing
oh, f*ck off, mr. white. you're dis*us*ing. (to the editor--i'll censor myself, thank you.) you're as bad (probably worse) than gumbel, and you pass it off like you are morally superior. what he said wasn't racist, it was just a fact. it's like saying, "there are not too many minorities in colorado." it's just true. and he's right, the olympics are dull. who wants to watch ice skating?
12 - Mr. White
You're missing my point, maybe if you lose the irrational emotion you might be able to think a little better.
The "fact" is that if Gumbel ( a mulatto who is married to a white woman) were white, he would definitely lose his job.
www.stormfront.org
White Pride World Wide.
13 - Matthew T. Sussman
No, he wouldn't lose his job. He's on HBO. Nobody loses their job on HBO -- their contract demands just get too large.
14 - Natalie Davis
Uh, I do. And though my ethnic makeup is partly "white," few mainstreamers insist on using another term to describe me. Figure skating rules. And what Gumbel said was at least repugnantly ingorant, though not nearly so disgusting as the "white supremacist." Protect the future for all children - who the fuck cares what their skin colors are?
15 - Mr. White
I contend that he would lose his job, HBO or not, if he were white.
As I noted in a previous post, the non-whites, in general, care very much for their people. I am white, I want to see my race exist, I think white people have that right, unless of course some or so filled with hatred that they welcome genocide, sometimes of their own racial group.
For a little more on why the HBO CEO would not even consider firing the anti-white Gumbel, read 'Jewish Supremacism' by Dr. David Duke, which can be ordered at www.whitecivilrights.com
Oh uh, Natalie, apparently "La Raza" "cares what their skin colors are". The meaning of La Raza is 'the united race', and their Mestizo motto is: "for those inside the race, everything, for thos outside, nothing". It is a purely racial group, which feminist, Hillory Clinton gave a speech too. Again, another example of the racial double standard.
PS- a "supremacist's" are people who want to rule over others. White people who are racially conscious are no more supremacist than ADL, NAACP, La Raza, or literally hundreds of other racial groups.
16 - Natalie Davis
Whoops. *Many* mainstreamers. *Far* too many.
17 - zingzing
ugh. hey, white, do you think that adl, naacp, la raza, etc, are racist?! bet you do...
18 - Mr. White
Yes I do think they are racist organizations. That is without question. None more than the Jewish hate group, ADL.
19 - ronjon
zingzing,
Do those organizations serve all racial groups, or just particular ones? Please, show me a case where the NAACP has furthered the interests of whites as well as blacks. Please, show me an instance where the ADL has focused soley on another group besides Jews...
If these organizations are not specifically helping all racial groups, then they are racist. Now, tell me of a mainstram group, that is supported by the government (like the ADL, NAACP, and La Raza), that favors only whites and no other group...
It looks to me like many of you people are merely anti-white and deserve no credibility yourselves. Oh yeah, and Gumble's statement was totally ignorant and uncalled for.
20 - Santana
The only thing I don't get is that if the shoe was on the other foot and a white announcer had said that the summer games were too black than he'd be getting called out by the media and civil rights people like Jessie Jackson as racist. How come Bryant Gumbel can say a thing like this and HBO doesn't bat an eye lash? I've always respected Bryant, he's a good commentator, but what would ever make him say anything this off color (no pun intended)?
21 - Matthew T. Sussman
Oh lordy, here we go now.
Look, it was said, we all agree it was in poor taste, and now it's over. We can move on.
Go watch the Olympics.
22 - Santana
Well I don't agree with this Mr. White, but he does have one point I agree with.
If it had been a white announcer, everyone would be crying racism. There should be some sort of public apology or his firing. Sorry Bryant, next time think before you speak.
23 - Natalie Davis
Most disingenuous of you, Mr. White. Any informed person knows that Stormwatch is a separatist hate group that has many bigots and anti-Semites as members. This phrase is quite telling: "None more than the Jewish hate group, ADL."
I am ashamed to be in the same species as someone who holds the thoughts you do, Mr. White.
Mr. Ronjon, groups that work for equality for all in this society do benefit everyone, whatever their names. MLK's dream was for everyone, not just the negroes. So... are you looking forward to the revolution?
NR Davis
24 - Nancy
As I said, black, white, or plaid, it all gets down to ratings: good ratings, no consequences. In that sense, the bottom line is colorblind.
25 - Matthew T. Sussman
[WARNING: Extreme cornball pun alert]
No, Nancy, only one color really matters: gold.