Obama to put basketball court in White House

[ree-Xi]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

All the bullisht aside, this has gotten the reacton that it's gotten (not by people in this thread) because:

BASKETBALL = BLACK
BASKETBALL = STREET
BASKETBALL = NONELITE
BASKETBALL = LOWER CLASS
blahzey blah

The Repubs and nonRepubs who have made this into a silly "issue" are using these images because of the threat of a black man, who is a Democrat, possibly becoming POTUS. Politics is never just about politics.

You know, I just don't buy that this is THAT much more than just basketball. Sure, it's a great sound bite. Yes, Obama is (how do I say this) part black. But does that make this all about race?

At least half the guys I know, white/black/whatever, teenager or father of four, suburb or city dwellers - they are playing basketball in their driveways, in pickup games on the school courts, or even in evening basketball leagues. Three out of my five nieces and nephews (ages 8, 9, 13) play basketball, with two older ones on two teams each.

I stand by my statement that the game is an equalizer. You can play with minimal skill (and lose, but still play), with two people or ten, as long as you have something round to throw the ball into. I think that this should be taken just as it is - some guy saying that it would be cool to have a bball court at "home".

[starang21]

Originally Posted by ree-Xi

You know, I just don't buy that this is THAT much more than just basketball. Sure, it's a great sound bite. Yes, Obama is (how do I say this) part black. But does that make this all about race?

At least half the guys I know, white/black/whatever, teenager or father of four, suburb or city dwellers - they are playing basketball in their driveways, in pickup games on the school courts, or even in evening basketball leagues. Three out of my five nieces and nephews (ages 8, 9, 13) play basketball, with two older ones on two teams each.

I stand by my statement that the game is an equalizer. You can play with minimal skill (and lose, but still play), with two people or ten, as long as you have something round to throw the ball into. I think that this should be taken just as it is - some guy saying that it would be cool to have a bball court at "home".

uhhhhh......

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by starang21

uhhhhh......

Yes, there are women and men of various cultures and races who play basketball at home, work, organized leagues, etc. Hell, the NBA used to be "white man city" so of course blacks aren't the only ones who play basketball.

But people know what images "streetball" conjures up in many minds and they also know the images that conjured up when the NBA stopped being "white man city." Basketball has always been listed as one of the sports where one doesn't need money or influence to play (perhaps what ree means by the "great equalizer") and class and race are very linked in this society.

Let's not act brand new up in here. Or were the racial comments in the original link a figment of everyone's imagination?

[starang21]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

Yes, there are women and men of various cultures and races who play basketball at home, work, organized leagues, etc. Hell, the NBA used to be "white man city" so of course blacks aren't the only ones who play basketball.

But people know what images "streetball" conjures up in many minds and they also know the images that conjured up when the NBA stopped being "white man city." Basketball has always been listed as one of the sports where one doesn't need money or influence to play (perhaps what ree means by the "great equalizer") and class and race are very linked in this society.

Let's not act brand new up in here. Or were the racial comments in the original link a figment of everyone's imagination?

minorities are just a bunch of crazy, wily, people.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by starang21

minorities are just a bunch of crazy, wily, people.

Yes. :hallucinating:

[tld221]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

Let's not act brand new up in here. Or were the racial comments in the original link a figment of everyone's imagination?

like i mentioned before, i really thought we were gonna let the whole "clearly this statement is going to be spun on its stereotyped head, but were not going to make this a thread about THAT because we know where those threads go on GC" thing go.

i thought it was obvious and we were going to avoid that trap.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by tld221

like i mentioned before, i really thought we were gonna let the whole "clearly this statement is going to be spun on its stereotyped head, but were not going to make this a thread about THAT because we know where those threads go on GC" thing go.

i thought it was obvious and we were going to avoid that trap.

What else is this thread about if isn't about THAT? Oh...the dumb discussion of what president had a bowling alley? No thanks because that's bullisht.

It isn't a "trap" to me and I don't care where race-candid threads "go" on GC. No me problema.

Feel free to continue to not participate but spare me the "let's not go there" posts.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by ree-Xi

Yes, Obama is black.

Fixed that for you.

[starang21]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

Fixed that for you.

he's not white?

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by starang21

he's not white?

hehe...I can think of tons of nonbiracial blacks whose "race" is more ambiguous than Obama's.

[DSTCHAOS]

http://www.blackagendareport.com/ind...d=661&Itemid=1

Let this BLACK MAN do what BLACK PEOPLE have been doing for generations: Use THE BLACK CHURCH as a platform to talk to EACH OTHER about things that (disproportionately) impact US.

Muchtadoaboutnuthin....