The Big Picture

Keep an Eye on the Big Picture

As we approach the biggest television viewing day of the year, let’s put some things in perspective. The media has been making a big deal, and deservedly so, of the fact that Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith, two African American head coaches, are leading their respective teams into the Super Bowl. I am proud of these two men as well and I do not ignore the significance of their accomplishments. But even as I anticipated their wins on Sunday watching the games, I had a bittersweet taste in my mouth. Why, almost 39 years after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., is America still waiting to fulfill his dream? Why, almost 39 years after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., are we still experiencing these very significant “firsts?” And now that we have coaches of color on the sidelines, how much longer before we have a majority owner in the NFL? How much longer until we have a commissioner of color in a major professional sport? We have a long way to go so let’s temper our enthusiasm and stay in the fight.

I know that change takes time and I know you cannot rush progress. But I think this is a moment in time that can be used by all Americans to examine where we are as a country. Since most of America will at some point glance at the game, whether you are a football fan or not, challenge yourself to use this moment of historical significance to examine your feelings about race. You don’t have to engage anyone in conversation to do this. Just look inward and ask some tough questions of yourself. For example, if you are a white person, ask yourself if you would let a Black person make financial decisions for you and your family’s future? Ask yourself if you trust a Black surgeon to save your life or the life of a loved one. Some Black people need to ask themselves the same questions because there are some self-esteem issues and identity issues that many of us possess that have passed down through the generations that cause us to look at our own people and ourselves in negative ways. So while we celebrate the accomplishments of our Super Bowl coaches and acknowledge their ability, examine how we feel about other issues that have more at stake than simply winning a football game.

I met my writing partner and friend, H (the catalyst) in college at North Carolina Central University in 1983. From the day we met we had a friendship that often involved discussions of race from historical perspectives. We liked to challenge each other as to which of us had the greater knowledge of Black history. It was a fun discussion and both of us would learn from the other. We never did denigrate Black professionals or the significant contributions of our people. Sadly, I have heard other Black people engage in the type of hatred I would expect from a racist. I have heard my people say they would not go to a Black doctor, or use a Black lawyer or engineer or architect, etc. Many of our own people have been brainwashed into believing that we are less qualified than our White counterparts. So in that way, many Blacks and Whites share the same views. Rarely, though, do you see or hear a White person deny the competency of another White person. If you do, it’s an isolated incident and a criticism of one person, not the generalization against an entire race. I’ve actually known graduates of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s) say they wouldn’t send their children to their alma mater or any other HBCU. That to me is reprehensible but I also feel sorry for someone who feels that way.

I tie the above paragraph to the Super Bowl coaches for one reason. Most people accept Blacks in significant roles in sports. We as a people have proven ourselves to be good athletes who regularly compete and dominate at the highest levels in sports. And now, with Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy on the sidelines the world can see that intellectually, Black people can lead in sports. But we still have to reach the point where we strive to meet the dreams of Dr. King and judge all people on the content of their character. And we also have to get to the point where we trust the intelligence of all races in all endeavors. We must shed the hatred and self-hatred that causes us to only trust certain races to do certain jobs.

The old cliché is that sport brings people together. Let’s use this moment in sports history to start coming together in a bigger and more important arena: LIFE.

Please think,
Cabong