rooney rule everywhere, but not a drop of pigment...
i love being black these days. i really do. compared to the difficulties that my parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and so on have had to deal with, life for me is pretty simple. i can go places they never thought about. i can do things they never dreamed about. i can be someone they thought was never possible. in fact, in many ways, this country is closer to the "more perfect union" that mr. jefferson had in mind those 300+ years ago as he penned the declaration of our independence while looking out upon the slave-manicured lawns of monticello. hell, the fact that i'm even considered human is progress...but there is still more perfection to be aspired to...
"more perfect union"
when memorizing the declaration of independence in eighth grade, they were simply words to me, as was the preamble of the constitution. to memorize and recite is an important skill to learn, but to understand and appreciate the meaning and true intent behind the words that you learn is something that too many people are unable to achieve. given the fact that thomas jefferson is considered to be one of the most intelligent intellectuals who ever lived and a master of the english language, i think we've slept too long on his choice of words here...and he chose them most carefully, as he always did.
while i could go on and on about this phrase, i'd rather you read the document in its entirety and get out of it what you can, but don't forget to pause when you see that simple phrase.
many people would like to believe that; since black folks no longer hang from trees on a regular basis and; asians are no longer relegated to menial jobs and; hispanics are able to be more than mere laborers and; native americans are not simply residents of reservations and; irish folks are not considered ape-like drunks and; poles are not the butts of ugly jokes and; africans are not backwards headhunters and; muslims are only dreaming of sacrificing themselves for an afterlife spent with virgins and on and on and on and shamefully on...
many people would like to believe that, since the ugly stereotypes we used to, and still do, believe of one another are only uttered in homogeneous company that, the prejudices that have spread ruin on this earth for eons, and have poisoned this wonderful country that we continue to build into a more perfect union, this union is perfect...or that this union is perfect except for "them".
the fact is that this union and all that comes with it is "perfect" and "imperfect" because of "us" and "them", and any rule that requires the inclusion of "them" despite the protests of "us" is a good rule, and should be followed to the letter and to the spirit. we live in a purported democratic society, where majority rules. however, why is it that sports, in general, are run, nay, ruled over, by rich white men (owners, commissioners, executives, coaches), but played by black men?
i love being black these days. i really do. compared to the difficulties that my parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and so on have had to deal with, life for me is pretty simple. i can go places they never thought about. i can do things they never dreamed about. i can be someone they thought was never possible. in fact, in many ways, this country is closer to the "more perfect union" that mr. jefferson had in mind those 300+ years ago as he penned the declaration of our independence while looking out upon the slave-manicured lawns of monticello. hell, the fact that i'm even considered human is progress...but there is still more perfection to be aspired to...
"more perfect union"
when memorizing the declaration of independence in eighth grade, they were simply words to me, as was the preamble of the constitution. to memorize and recite is an important skill to learn, but to understand and appreciate the meaning and true intent behind the words that you learn is something that too many people are unable to achieve. given the fact that thomas jefferson is considered to be one of the most intelligent intellectuals who ever lived and a master of the english language, i think we've slept too long on his choice of words here...and he chose them most carefully, as he always did.
while i could go on and on about this phrase, i'd rather you read the document in its entirety and get out of it what you can, but don't forget to pause when you see that simple phrase.
many people would like to believe that; since black folks no longer hang from trees on a regular basis and; asians are no longer relegated to menial jobs and; hispanics are able to be more than mere laborers and; native americans are not simply residents of reservations and; irish folks are not considered ape-like drunks and; poles are not the butts of ugly jokes and; africans are not backwards headhunters and; muslims are only dreaming of sacrificing themselves for an afterlife spent with virgins and on and on and on and shamefully on...
many people would like to believe that, since the ugly stereotypes we used to, and still do, believe of one another are only uttered in homogeneous company that, the prejudices that have spread ruin on this earth for eons, and have poisoned this wonderful country that we continue to build into a more perfect union, this union is perfect...or that this union is perfect except for "them".
the fact is that this union and all that comes with it is "perfect" and "imperfect" because of "us" and "them", and any rule that requires the inclusion of "them" despite the protests of "us" is a good rule, and should be followed to the letter and to the spirit. we live in a purported democratic society, where majority rules. however, why is it that sports, in general, are run, nay, ruled over, by rich white men (owners, commissioners, executives, coaches), but played by black men?
the funny thing is, the rooney rule doesn't require a team to hire a minority coach for every 20-30 white ones they hire...it just asks that they consider one, interview one, and the nfl doesn't even seem to want to be a mirage...
