by Hollis Wormsby, Jr.
Uproar Over Sterling Comments Another Case of Misplaced Priorities
We all know by now that a few weeks ago the owner of the LA Clippers, one Donald Sterling, was recorded making racist remarks to his mistress. In the aftermath of the release of these tapes African American leaders around the country flew into an uproar and demanded immediate action. Swift action was demanded and quotes and responses were sought from everywhere.
At the same time on Urban radio stations across the same country, hip hop artists are putting out songs, I guess you can call them that, calling our women b’s and h’s, encouraging violence in our communities, and spewing all kinds of venomous rap about just about any and every body and the same leaders who demanded action on Sterling sit amazingly silent.
One of the people put forward to save the day and buy the team on behalf of redemption was none other than Jay Z. Jay Z in his own rap career has rapped about selling drugs, degrading women, shouted that his money could buy him anything and has promoted a line-up of artists who have put out some of the most vile examples of today’s hip hop culture.
How at one level can we rise to the level of holy condemnation because of the words an old white man says to his mistress and yet, remain silent as hip hop artists say things that are even more vile everyday? Why is that we can find righteous indignation for the controversy of the moment but yet we cannot commit to a realistic long time strategy and effort to right the wrongs in our own community.
Where is the national outcry on the level of violence being perpetrated by an element in our community? Where is the strategy to take back our community? Where is our righteous indignation at the element that is robbing old people, breaking into people’s homes and generally making our community a place that even those of us that can afford to, are beginning to seek escape from.
I am tired of the excitement that each new Donald Sterling or Trayvon Martin case generates, while issues that put our children at daily risk are ignored. We need a civil rights movement on creating stability in our neighborhoods again. And by movement I don’t mean a rally where we make a few speeches and go home. I mean a movement where we identify the challenges in the community, and form committees to seek solutions. I mean a movement where we commit to stay in the struggle together until we see a difference. I mean a movement where the bad guys realize we are a force to be feared and choose to get the hell out of our face because it is in their best interest.
The great threat to our community is not the words some old, belligerent white man says to his mistress. The great threat is the sense of complacency that allows evil to go unchecked, and the tendency of good people to want to bury their head in the sand rather than challenge the evil. Or at least that’s the way I see it.
Special shout out to Brother Jones at Talk of the Town Barber Shop who challenged me to write this column after a conversation we had there.
(Do you have a question or comment on this column? Look me up on Facebook/HollisWormsby or email me at hjwormsby@aol.com.)
