Black Privilege, It’s A Thing
By now, all of you have either seen or heard about Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington attempting to decapitate Sophie Cunningham of the Indiana Fever. As Cunningham left her feet for a layup, Carrington, from behind, wrapped her arm around her face and head and threw her to the court.
By anyone’s definition, it was a dirty play. Carrington was charged with a flagrant 2 technical foul and was ejected from the game. While in the locker room, she proved that her ignorance is not confined to the court by posting “WHITE PRIVILEGE” on social media.
Anyone who is still claiming that White privilege is a real thing is just looking for a convenient excuse for their own failures. That said, Carrington, saying it is totally ridiculous. The WNBA is a predominantly black league that also includes an inordinate number of lesbians. Sophie Cunningham and her teammate Caitlin Clark are both White heterosexuals, a fact that many believe makes them targets for the other players. Both have been roughed up and fouled, while the referees, deliberately or not, looked the other way.
This isn’t Carrington’s first rodeo. A few years back, she gave Caitlin Clark a black eye when she deliberately hit her in the face with her nails. Of course, Carrington claimed it wasn’t intentional, even though the replay showed her dangerously using her nails, and naturally, no foul was called.
Last night, she was at it again. This time, “unintentionally” smacking two players, Tiffany Hayes and Cecilia Zandalasini, of the Valkyries in the face. That means she has now hit three players in the face in the past four days. Despite that, neither play drew a flagrant or a technical foul. Does that sound like white privilege or black privilege to you?
Now, just imagine if it were a white player who was smacking the hell out of black players with her knife-like nails. Do you think more fouls would have been called? Do you think more flagrant fouls, techs, and ejections would have been enforced? I certainly do; in fact, if a white player had this type of attitude and reputation, I think that player would have been suspended at some point.
Speaking of black privilege, Marshawn Lynch, the former Seattle Seahawks running back, opened his mouth on national TV and, like Carrington, proved that black privilege not only exists; it is thriving.
Lynch is another person I take issue with. When he was an active player, he acted as though he despised the media. When the Seahawks were in the Super Bowl, he openly said at media day that he was only there to avoid a fine. The reporters he constantly snubbed were just trying to do their jobs; still, he treated them like dirt and enjoyed his reputation as a jerk.
After he retired, it became a different story. Now he has become a fixture in commercials and is a spokesperson for several products. His flipping of that switch only when it benefits him doesn’t sit well with me. His indignant spurning of those covering his career was uncalled for, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this way.
The Seahawks are being featured on “Hard Knocks” this preseason, and Lynch has virtual free run of the practice field and training facility. Nicknamed “Beastmode” because of his hard running style, he walked up to Seahawks strong safety Julian Love during the team’s practice at Lumen Field and asked him:
“Why y’all keep on getting all these White DBs? What y’all gonna do with them, fam? What y’all gonna do with all them White DBs?”
The Seahawks currently have two White defensive backs on their roster. Ty Okada started 11 games last season and is expected to maintain his starting strong safety position in his fourth league season.
Maxen Hook is trying to earn a roster spot during training camp. Both players are White. Okada has Japanese ancestry, but that is hardly the point.
Why is Lynch so interested in the race of NFL defensive backs?
Okada, who was standing right next to Love when Lynch asked his stupid question, seemed confused by the former running back’s inference about race.
“How many of y’all is it?” Lynch asked Okada.
“What?” Okada responded?
“White DBs,” Lynch said.
“More and more,” Okada answered.
“What the F*ck is going on?” “What the F*ck is going on?” Lynch blustered.
“So, tell me how this work in your hips. White people ain’t known for their dancing.”
Really. Is Lynch actually criticizing Whites ability to play defensive back positions? Did he really make a crack about their hip movement and their ability to dance?
Somewhere, Jimmy the Greek Snyder is rolling over in his grave. In January 1988, Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder, a sports commentator on The NFL Today, made controversial comments during a televised interview in a restaurant. He claimed that Black athletes were superior because they had been “bred” for athleticism during slavery. Additionally, he stated that the only role remaining for white people in sports was coaching. As a result, CBS fired him shortly afterward.
Lynch, like Carrington, understands that they can push boundaries because of their race. Even when they do or say something inappropriate, if someone calls them out on it, they often play the race card, portraying themselves as victims of persecution instead.
You can only cry wolf so many times. Carrington does not play hard; she plays deceptively dirty. She throws her hands into the faces of opposing players because she knows that she can get away with it.
Lynch knew he could go on national TV and insinuate that White players don’t have the same dexterity as black players. Apparently, Lynch thinks that every player should be black. He walked up to two White defensive backs and had the balls to ask them, “How many of y’all is it?” before making a crack about their hips and, by his judgment, their inability to dance.
There are those who will try to downplay what Lynch said, but there is no doubt about what he was implying. His comment wasn’t about comparing one player’s ability to another; it was strictly about race. If a White ex-player had expressed to two black defensive backs that they were inferior to Whites, it would have been his last appearance on national TV.
The term “white privilege” has run its course. It’s time to start telling it like it is. Black privilege is a real thing, and it’s time to stop pretending that it isn’t.
