Jason Whitlock column on Taylor

[BrudLee]

FOX Sports on MSN - NFL - Taylor's death a grim reminder for us all

There's a reason I call them the Black KKK. The pain, the fear and the destruction are all the same.

Someone who loved Sean Taylor is crying right now. The life they knew has been destroyed, an 18-month-old baby lost her father, and, if you're a black man living in America, you've been reminded once again that your life is in constant jeopardy of violent death...

[MTK]

damn that's a powerful article

[SmootSmack]

Very similar to Deion's points on NFL Network

[Slingin Sammy 33]

Wow. Jason does a fantastic job articulating what Deion was trying to say on NFLN.

[BringBackJoeT]

I don't know if someone already posted this today, but below is what the Washington Post said in today's paper on Sean's murder, and their editorial echoes in part what Whitlock said.

washingtonpost.com

[warriorzpath]

Sorry if anyone shares this guy's viewpoint, but it is ridiculous to use this to compare hip hop to the KKK. And to call KKK the parent organization to the Black KKK, which he uses as a name for hip hop, is offensive.

What the hell is going on? Is Sean Taylor's death, an excuse for self-righteous journalists to state their social opinions on varying subjects? These articles seem to be more about social commentary and less about Sean Taylor.

[wilsowilso]

Originally Posted by warriorzpath

What the hell is going on? Is Sean Taylor's death, an excuse for self-righteous journalists to state their social opinions on varying subjects? These articles seem to be more about social commentary and less about Sean Taylor.

I hope Sean Taylor's death will spark as much social commentary as it can. Seems like many people don't really care about the great social problems of the times that we are living in until something happens close to home and in this case it hits close to home to a large group of people. It's really always been that way and change only happens when enough people say enough.

[warriorzpath]

Originally Posted by wilsowilso

I hope Sean Taylor's death will spark as much social commentary as it can. Seems like many people don't really care about the great social problems of the times that we are living in until something happens close to home and in this case it hits close to home to a large group of people. It's really always been that way and change only happens when enough people say enough.

I actually agree, but some of the stuff coming out of these reporters' mouths are a bit reaching in trying to create a link to Taylor's death.

I get a sense when I hear some of this stuff that Taylor committed a crime or was guilty of something.

[DynamiteRave]

Originally Posted by warriorzpath

I actually agree, but some of the stuff coming out of these reporters' mouths are a bit reaching in trying to create a link to Taylor's death.

I get a sense when I hear some of this stuff that Taylor committed a crime or was guilty of something.

I don't think they're making him seem guilty at all. I think they're making him look like a victim of a senseless act of violence. And that violence can occur to anyone, rich or poor.

[warriorzpath]

Originally Posted by DynamiteRave

I don't think they're making him seem guilty at all. I think they're making him look like a victim of a senseless act of violence. And that violence can occur to anyone, rich or poor.

Some are suggesting his past, upbringing, and those he associated with - are direct and indirect causes to his death.

[DynamiteRave]

Originally Posted by warriorzpath

Sorry if anyone shares this guy's viewpoint, but it is ridiculous to use this to compare hip hop to the KKK. And to call KKK the parent organization to the Black KKK, which he uses as a name for hip hop, is offensive.

What the hell is going on? Is Sean Taylor's death, an excuse for self-righteous journalists to state their social opinions on varying subjects? These articles seem to be more about social commentary and less about Sean Taylor.

I can understand where the article's coming from. As a Black female, I know that some Black people, especially on the lower socioeconomic ladder love to blame other people for their problems or the problems of the ghetto and crime in general. But all the guy's trying to say is that if we want to change and stop all this violence and negativity, more specifically, Black on Black crime, we can't look to blame and point fingers or wait for it to go away. We have to take action and do something about it.

Makes enough sense to me.

[warriorzpath]

Originally Posted by DynamiteRave

I can understand where the article's coming from. As a Black female, I know that some Black people, especially on the lower socioeconomic ladder love to blame other people for their problems or the problems of the ghetto and crime in general. But all the guy's trying to say is that if we want to change and stop all this violence and negativity, more specifically, Black on Black crime, we can't look to blame and point fingers or wait for it to go away. We have to take action and do something about it.

Makes enough sense to me.

I think that's where I find fault in the article. He lists a lot things wrong with a big part of our society. But where does he list any solutions and ways to deal with all of this? Like the old saying goes - if you aren't part of the solution, you're part of the problem.

[freddyg12]

Originally Posted by warriorzpath

I think that's where I find fault in the article. He lists a lot things wrong with a big part of our society. But where does he list any solutions and ways to deal with all of this? Like the old saying goes - if you aren't part of the solution, you're part of the problem.

Actually he does offer a broad solution - black people should resist blaming others & be proacitve to care for their own.

[warriorzpath]

Originally Posted by freddyg12

Actually he does offer a broad solution - black people should resist blaming others & be proacitve to care for their own.

Exactly... but I would go even further and add that one should be proactive as an individual and stop blaming and speaking for groups of people, like they have become the self appointed representative or leader.

To me, Whitlock doesn't have much of an understanding of what hip hop truly is - only what he gets from the media (maybe because he is part of the media). And how do you speak on a subject that you do not have knowledge of ?

It would be much more insightful for me to read an article from someone who has knowledge of hip hop and linked it to these issue(s).

[SouperMeister]

Originally Posted by warriorzpath

Sorry if anyone shares this guy's viewpoint, but it is ridiculous to use this to compare hip hop to the KKK. And to call KKK the parent organization to the Black KKK, which he uses as a name for hip hop, is offensive.

What the hell is going on? Is Sean Taylor's death, an excuse for self-righteous journalists to state their social opinions on varying subjects? These articles seem to be more about social commentary and less about Sean Taylor.

Frankly, it's high time for self-examination and social commentary when a young man like Taylor is snuffed out just when he's getting his life together. If you don't believe that hip hop culture glorifies murder, and de-sensitives black youth to violence, then you're not paying attention. I think that Whitlock is saying that if young black men were killed with today's regularity by the original KKK, there would be moral outrage. You don't sense outrage to the carnage against black men today. Instead, there's a "don't snitch" mentality, again perpetuated by hip hop culture that rationalizes self-genocide. Whitlock and others like Bill Cosby who have the courage to speak up on this issue are spot on.