A Statement of Concern
by Jesse J. Lewis, Sr.
During a radio interview last week Charles Barkley criticized several segments of the Black community, when he expounded on claims that Seattle Seahawks’ quarterback Russell Wilson wasn’t liked by some of his teammates in part because he wasn’t considered to be ‘Black enough.’ Here’s some of what he said:
There are a lot of Black people who are unintelligent, who don’t have success. It’s best to knock a successful Black person down ’cause they’re intelligent, they speak well, they do well in school, and they’re successful. It’s crabs in a barrel…we’re the only ethnic group that says,’hey, if you go to jail, it gives you street cred.
The concept of ‘crabs in a barrel” isn’t new, it’s universal. If you’ve ever seen a bucket of crabs at the market, those at the bottom will try to pull down the crabs that are closer to the top.
While some people agree with Charles, others have been irked by him. Some responded that they bristled at Barkley’s tendency to generalize the experience of an entire group. Finally he said:
Unfortunately, as I tell my white friends, we as Black people, we’re never going to be successful, not because of white people but because of other Black people. When you’re Black you have to deal with so much crap in your life from other Black people, it’s a dirty, dark secret; I’m glad it’s coming out.
For some reason we’re brainwashed to think if you’re not a thug or an idiot, you’re not Black enough. If you go to school, make good grades, speak intelligently and don’t break the law, you’re not a good Black person. It’s a dirty dark secret. I have to bring white people into our crap, but as a Black person, we all go through it when you’re successful.
Another controversial statement was made by a Black Republican actress, Stacy Dash. A FOX News contributor and Republican as of 2012, Stacy appearing on the Hannity show, called all Black people in Louisiana “government freeloaders who don’t work.”
When asked “has voting with Obama 95 percent of the time on Obamacare, helped the minority community in Louisiana?” Dash answered:
No, not at all. It still keeps them stuck. They’re getting money for free. They feel worthless. They’re undereducated. I mean, as long as you are that way, (Democrats) they can keep you under their control… they have a plantation mentality. As long as they give you this much money, you’ll stay right there. You don’t need to know too much because if you do, you might start thinking for yourself.”
Crystal Wright, a conservative writer, says Dash’s comments are insulting and give Blacks another reason to tune out the GOP and not take the party seriously.
