I will first come out and say it, there's no picture of me on my blog. I keep my picture off my twitter in case I offend someone and they want to find me, but I am a white male. I am highly annoyed with what Rob Parker said about Robert Griffin III. It is not just because I am a Redskins fan, it stems from people being able to say ignorant things and not have any consequence from it. Sure Parker was suspended, but this is viral now. With the internet, comments like these don't go away. Since television became big, we (the fans) have still not let down on the question to Doug Williams.
Rob Parker is a black man. Not sure where he is from, don't know how he grew up family wise, but he has to have some what of a brain in order to have been hired by ESPN. Why would anyone suggest that RG3 is a "cornball brother?" It is clear to us all that Griffin doesn't care about skin color. He has announced that several times when mentioning the type of quarterback he wants to be known as. So why would he essentially be an informal black man (as the definition states it). Is it because he talks very formal and intelligently? Is it because he doesn't wear baggy clothes and have a sideways hat? Could it be the lack of jewelry? I mean Parker did state something along the lines of, 'he is a brother, he has dreads.' Not an exact quote but it was something to that extent.
Let's look at the "non cornball" brothers in the league. Would we like Griffin to be like Michael Vick? Hell of a role model there! Fought dogs, killed them maliciously for losing a fight? Sounds like a winner there Rob. Shall we look at someone like Rae Carruth? He decided to hire a hitman to shoot and kill his pregnant girl friend. Maybe we just want him to be a real bad ass and be like Pac-man Jones. The list goes on, why would we call someone out for doing everything right?
Griffin was clearly raised the way that he presents himself. His parents are both of military background. Being around the military some, I know how kids can be raised around this setting. Is this necessarily a bad thing? Do we not want kids to have a positive role model to look up to? In the DC area especially, I would much rather have a well spoken, down to earth young man as the face of a franchise then someone that is constantly on the news for being arrested. Let's just call Griffin out because he's different. Even Stephen A. Smith said "I'm uncomfortable with where we just went."
Maybe it is because I am not black, but what is this cause that Parker is speaking about? Don't we as Americans seek equality? So is Parker suggesting that all black people are together fighting against others? Why does race always have to play a part in everything that is good. Griffin doesn't want to just be known as a black quarterback. He has a white fiance, so does that make him not black? Michael Strahan was married to a white woman, he never sported dreads so is he not a "brother?" Strahan is very well spoken as well, yet he isn't attacked and called a cornball.
Rob Parker, I hope you are fired from ESPN and never hired again. It is people like you that make society has terrible as it is. Stereotypes shouldn't be brought to light when such a great young man such as Robert Griffin III comes along. He is exactly the type of person and player that the league needs and that kids need as a role model. To be perfectly honest the world needs more people like Griffin and less people like you!
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