From CBS News.
Robert Griffin III might be the NFL’s offensive rookie of the year in a season that has his Redskins competing for the NFC East. But even with all his accomplishments on the field, one ESPN commentator thinks the former Heisman Trophy winner could be a “cornball brother” because of his white fiancée and speculation of the quarterback’s political leanings.
Rob Parker, a contributor for ESPN’s “First Take” morning show, questioned Griffin’s standing as a black man, asking whether the quarterback was a “cornball brother,” and later saying that the black quarterback is “not one of us.”
“He’s black, he kind of does his thing, but he’s not really down with the cause; he’s not one of us,” Parker said this morning. “He’s kind of black, but he’s not really the kind of guy you want to hang out with cause he’s off to something else.”
During the “First Take” segment, Parker pointed out Griffin’s engagement to his white fiancée, Rebecca Liddicoat. Parker also speculated that the Redskins quarterback might be a Republican, but that Griffin’s braids added to the “authenticity” of being black.
“I want to find about him,” Parker said about the rookie quarterback. “I don’t know because I keep hearing these things. We all know he has a white fiance. Then there was all this talk about him being a Republican, which there’s no information at all. I’m just trying to dig deeper into why he has an issue.”
Parker and Jamie Foxx should get together.
To his credit, RGIII shot back:
“For me, you don’t ever want to be defined by the color of your skin,” Griffin said at the end of Wednesday’s post-practice news conference in reference to a question about Martin Luther King, Jr. “You want to be defined by your work ethic, the person that you are, your character, your personality. That’s what I’ve tried to go out and do.”
ESPN suspended Parker for his bat-shit stupid comments. If this had been a white commentator, he’d have been fired before the segment even ended.
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PARKER :…. …At the age of 76 ; entering the military at age 16(forged B.C.). And encountering , all sorts of racism. It taken me 50 yrs or more to overcome …some of the multitudes of adversities, that is still in place. You have to watch who you refer to as a “DIEHARD”(not by Sears)..But “SELF”. ….when you continuously ….carry this mentality on your back. Some things change….and some don’t. We all can’t be a brothers(bros.)…Do we die with dignity….orrrrr ..use our survival skills to see another day. RGIII;…. Is exercising is civil rights as he extend is thinking to adjusting and adapting to the ” continuity (never ending)….changing of our society. If it’s one thing that I have learned out of these tough 76 yrs.(still counting)…….Freedom is NOT:
eating at a lunch counter, drinking from any water fountain….or even sitting at the front of a bus…….Freedom !!!…Mr Parker …..is a; ” STATE of MIND “.
I so glad that I lived to see OBAMA’S appointed position by tha “PEOPLE !”..
But better yet !… I lived to hear the new profound phrase; ” IT IS…WHAT IT IS ”
I’m NOT knockin you Mr Parker….GOD said: ” I am ..that I am “.
I say to you: You are what and who you are.
Good luck.
K-George