Curious. If there is a “white power structure” in this country, surely the Washington Post is in it, probably in its leadership ranks. And yet today’s Book World, its Sunday book review, has not one but two reviews singing the glory of black power.
In one, Raymond Arsenault, who is a good enough historian to know better, can almost be seen biting his tongue so as not to say anything overtly critical of a new book “[c]hallenging the conventional wisdom that the Black Power movement was a tragic misstep along the road to freedom,” that
applauds the continuing influence of a 1972 Black Power conference, whose “agenda for urban reform, political accountability, and the promotion of strong local communities through the strategic deployment of black political power remains remarkably relevant.”
Arsenault concludes:
While some readers may find this attempt to redeem the Black Power movement a bit strained and unconvincing, it is difficult to fault an author who brings such a fresh perspective to a topic in dire need of reexamination.
Hmm. I’m not sure how difficult it would be. I haven’t read the book under review, and so I can’t say for sure, but Arsenault’s own seeming reluctance to offer any substantial criticism strikes me as itself “strained an unconvincing.” Of course, “some readers” may find fault with my reading of his reading.
In the other, David Leonard, identified as an assistant professor of comparative ethnic studies at Washington State University, sings the praises of a book arguing that black male athletes, even (or perhaps especially) the very well paid ones, are “indentured servants” and “slaves” toiling in the fields of “America’s athletic plantations.” Leonard endorses the author’s view that “[a]s long as black people don’t take control of the industry that feeds them, they will always work at the pleasure of the white power structure.” Thus he agrees with the author about Michael Jordan’s firing by the Washington Wizard’s Abe Pollin: “Like Curt Flood before him, the superstar was ‘used for his muscle, then discarded.’” Such a fate, of course, never happens to athletes who are not black.
In what may be an attempt to appear balanced, however, Leonard does have one criticsm of the author:
… at times he misses the opportunity to celebrate athletes such as Etan Thomas (a pro basketball player who has spoken out against the war in Iraq) and Toni Smith (a former college basketball player who protested the war by turning her back to the American flag during the national anthem)….
Well, I suppose no book is perfect.
I wonder if the publisher and editors of the Washington Post and its Book World believe that as long as black writers “don’t take control of the industry that feeds them, they will always work at the pleasure of the white power structure.”
So everyone is an “indentured servant” or “slave” where the owners of their workplace have different demographics than themselves?
More stunningly obtuse observations.
If he is so unhappy with blacks athletes playing for “white” professional teams he can always bring back the Negro leagues.
Do people like Mr. Leonard ever stop and think about what they are saying?
I heard that author on Michael Medved’s show. The guy simply refused to accept the reality that a basketball player making millions of dollars a year is in no way a slave just because he isn’t an owner. And he also refused to see that the same basketball player was in no way on the same par with your average working joe. It was fascinating.
I believe that Mr. Rhoden knows that much of what he is saying is nonsense. The players that move into management, coaching, etc are generally never the best athletes or stars of the team but usually the second string or the bench warmers. Most college coaches were not the stars of their teams. Most MLB managers were back up catchers or never made it out of the minors.
Magic Johnson, Michael Jordon, and Isiah Thomas have all tried management in the NBA and they were all failures. The individuals who end up as Athletic Directors or presidents of sports franchises started out as low level workers and moved up (See the new president of the NFL). That is not something that an athlete (white or black) who has been the best on his team since the 6th grade is going to do.
Also, many of the athletes learn to close their mouths because they want endorsement deals. People like Rasheed Wallace and Chris Weber have cost themselves millions of dollars because they came off in public as unlikable.