theroot--2020-08-05--UConn Becomes the 1st Major College Football Progam to Pull the Plug on Its Season Due to the Corona

UConn Becomes the 1st Major College Football Progam to Pull the Plug on Its Season Due to the Coronavirus. It Won't Be the Last

Unlike the NFL and MLB , who are moving forward with their seasons despite COVID-19 infiltrating their ranks , the NCAA ’ s pool of players is entirely comprised of unpaid amateur athletes .
Sportscaster Bob Costas said it best when he recently addressed the expectation that student-athletes should risk their health and safety in order to generate billions of dollars for everyone but themselves .
“ Think of the size of football rosters and think of the nature of the sport with contact on every play .
And then , think about college football , ” Costas explained on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coronavirus Town Hall .
“ The idea of playing college football under these circumstances , players not compensated , no union to protect them .
That ’ s unconscionable.
” And while various teams and conferences mull their options , UConn has decided to graciously bow out of their upcoming season entirely .
Citing the guidance of state and public health officials , UConn becomes the 1st FBS program to do so .
“ We ’ ve decided that we will not compete on the gridiron this season , ” David Benedict , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement .
“ The safety challenges created by COVID-19 place our football student-athletes at an unacceptable level of risk.
” In making their decision , UConn sought input from their roster of student-athletes .
“ The necessary measures needed to mitigate risk of football student-athletes contracting the coronavirus are not conducive to delivering an optimal experience for our team , ” Benedict added .
“ Ultimately , the student-athletes would rather preserve their year of eligibility with an eye to competing under more typical circumstances during the 2021 season.
” As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , this is kind of a big deal and could be the first domino to fall in what may lead to the eventual cancelation of the entire NCAA football season .
On Wednesday , players from the Big Ten conference released a 24-point plan , aptly titled the “ Big Ten Unity Proposal , ” that outlines their concerns regarding the safety measures in place to address COVID-19 .
“ The NCAA—which is known for its zeal for regulations and enforcement—has had ample time to prepare for the safe return of its athletes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing , ” their statement reads .
“ Its laissez-faire approach is forcing each conference and each school to create its own plan , resulting in inconsistent policies , procedures and protocols.
” But as this statement notes , this proposal is only from players representing a single conference .
What about the other nine conferences and the 130 schools they ’ re comprised of ?
Another option on the table is pushing college football back into the string .
“ I think we need to be prepared to do it , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a viable option , ” Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick told ESPN in July .
“ We ’ re going to learn so much from the NBA and NHL and Major League Baseball in the next few weeks , and if , for example , those efforts go poorly , it ’ s probably going to be a really critical data point for us , and we ’ ll argue for [ a ] delay .
If that occurs , I think you ’ ve got ta be open to the spring.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ tests and subsequent postponements have proven , “ those efforts ” are definitely going poorly in Major League Baseball .
And as for the NFL , both big-name athletes and role players have opted out of participating this upcoming season—a total of 50 and counting .
With billions of dollars at stake , I expect the NCAA to put up the fight of its life and proceed with its plans for college football this fall .
But as UConn has proven already , the NCAA might not have a choice .

College football is in a precarious situation.
Unlike the NFL and MLB, who are moving forward with their seasons despite COVID-19 infiltrating their ranks, the NCAA’s pool of players is entirely comprised of unpaid amateur athletes. Sportscaster Bob Costas said it best when he recently addressed the expectation that student-athletes should risk their health and safety in order to generate billions of dollars for everyone but themselves.
“Think of the size of football rosters and think of the nature of the sport with contact on every play. And then, think about college football,” Costas explained on CNN’s Facts & Fears: Coronavirus Town Hall. “The idea of playing college football under these circumstances, players not compensated, no union to protect them. That’s unconscionable.”
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Pretty much.
And while various teams and conferences mull their options, UConn has decided to graciously bow out of their upcoming season entirely. Citing the guidance of state and public health officials, UConn becomes the 1st FBS program to do so.
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“We’ve decided that we will not compete on the gridiron this season,” David Benedict, UConn’s athletic director, said in a statement. “The safety challenges created by COVID-19 place our football student-athletes at an unacceptable level of risk.”
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In making their decision, UConn sought input from their roster of student-athletes.
“The necessary measures needed to mitigate risk of football student-athletes contracting the coronavirus are not conducive to delivering an optimal experience for our team,” Benedict added . “Ultimately, the student-athletes would rather preserve their year of eligibility with an eye to competing under more typical circumstances during the 2021 season.”
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As the headline of this article alludes to, this is kind of a big deal and could be the first domino to fall in what may lead to the eventual cancelation of the entire NCAA football season.
On Wednesday, players from the Big Ten conference released a 24-point plan, aptly titled the “Big Ten Unity Proposal,” that outlines their concerns regarding the safety measures in place to address COVID-19.
Advertisement
“The NCAA—which is known for its zeal for regulations and enforcement—has had ample time to prepare for the safe return of its athletes to competition, yet it has done nothing,” their statement reads. “Its laissez-faire approach is forcing each conference and each school to create its own plan, resulting in inconsistent policies, procedures and protocols.”
But as this statement notes, this proposal is only from players representing a single conference. What about the other nine conferences and the 130 schools they’re comprised of?
Advertisement
Another option on the table is pushing college football back into the string.
“I think we need to be prepared to do it, and I think it should be viewed as a viable option,” Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick told ESPN in July. “We’re going to learn so much from the NBA and NHL and Major League Baseball in the next few weeks, and if, for example, those efforts go poorly, it’s probably going to be a really critical data point for us, and we’ll argue for [a] delay. If that occurs, I think you’ve gotta be open to the spring.”
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Uhhhh... as increased positive coronavirus tests and subsequent postponements have proven, “those efforts” are definitely going poorly in Major League Baseball. And as for the NFL, both big-name athletes and role players have opted out of participating this upcoming season—a total of 50 and counting.
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With billions of dollars at stake, I expect the NCAA to put up the fight of its life and proceed with its plans for college football this fall. But as UConn has proven already, the NCAA might not have a choice.


theroot--2020-08-05--10 Questions I Have in Preparation for the Greenleaf Series Finale Because Whew Chile!

[ I shouldn ’ t have to say this given that this is about the SERIES FINALE , but SPOILER ALERT .
ALL THE SPOILERS ARE PRESENT . ]
Though I haven ’ t written about it once this season , I ’ ve been , and still am , an avid watcher and fan of Greenleaf .
Next week ’ s episode will be the series finale and I ’ m honestly sad about it .
What will I do without Bishop and Lady Mae ?
And Grace and her shenanigans ?
And Jacob and his ?
And Charity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a whole slew of people I ’ ve become invested in ( and a few I ’ ve had the pleasure of meeting in real life ) that will disappear into the ether and annals of Black History and Entertainment .
I still maintain that the show ’ s tagline should be : Grace Greenleaf shows up , shenanigans ensue .
I told that to Merle Dandridge ( the actress who plays Grace ) in 2018 when I had the pleasure of interviewing her , RICK.FOX.
, and executive producer and writer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vineyard African American Film Festival .
She was not plussed .
I loved that she owned her character .
Be that as it may , Greenleaf is a show that literally left nothing on the table so they can feel very comfortable in knowing that this show lived its best life .
If it could happen on this show , it did .
All the way down to ( SPOILER ALERT ) finally killing off—at the very least it ’ s implied—a main character in Bishop James Greenleaf ( played by Keith David @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has left in the series ’ second to the last episode that aired Tuesday night .
He didn ’ t get shot , for the record ; a much more culturally relevant death befell him : a heart attack .
This show is so beautifully Black .
You should totally watch it if you never have .
Even with that spoiler alert , how you get there is the fun part .
With that being said—and in my sadness Greenleaf , you will be missed—I wonder how much they ’ ll get to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t leave anything on the table they covered a lot of ground in their five seasons .
Shit , there are whole people who have come and gone that I ’ m only remembering since I ’ m thinking real hard , you know , squinting my eyes kind of thinking .
Here are 10 things I hope they get to during the series finale .
1 .
Is somebody gon na call Mavis and tell her—again , presumably—that Bishop is dead ?
I mean they did have a whole fling before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) got married—the first time .
And she is Lady Mae ’ s sister after all and family comes to funerals .
Plus , I ’ m pretty sure we ’ d all like to see Oprah ( she played Mavis ) one last time on the show before it goes .
2 .
Speaking of Mavis/Oprah , what is Lady Mae going to do with the club/bar they bought ?
Originally , they planned to turn into a church since it seems like Calvary ( that ’ s their church if you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of the spoilers ; it had been bought out by a megachurch organization run by a white man who just got run out of town , I think ) won ’ t be demolished and the Greenleafs aren ’ t leaving ?
Mavis used to own and operate said club/bar but has been a ghost for the most part in the past few seasons .
Now Lady Mae owns a nightclub ?
Can a church own and operate a nightclub ?
Or will they sell it since they really don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like to know .
I was trying to pull up .
3 .
Where the hell is Kevin ?
Is he coming to the funeral ?
Are he and Aaron ( I ’ ll get to him in a second ) still a thing ?
Kevin is Charity ’ s ( Deborah Joy Winans ) ex-husband but it turns out he ’ s gay so they got a divorce and then he ( Kevin ) started dating Aaron , the Greenleaf ’ s family lawyer and ( as it turns out ) Grace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an affair with Bishop ’ s good friend Lionel back yonder and got pregnant .
Lionel also happens to be Aaron ’ s father .
Kevin should probably not come to the funeral .
You know what ?
This whole shit is insane now that I read just those three bullets .
4 .
Is Zora going to New York City ?
Zora is Jacob Greenleaf ’ s daughter .
Jacob is played by Lamman Rucker and she was in a relationship with an abusive gospel singer at one point and was gunning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as “ worst kid ever.
” It got so bad that her daddy , Jacob , literally punched out a teenager at a formal event .
Jacob ’ s a pastor by the way .
Apparently not a very good one since nobody seems to want him to be in the pulpit very much .
Also , he and his wife , Kerissa were a whole mess .
Zora is trying to escape .
Will she do it ?
She said she would .
I guess we ’ ll see ?
Maybe .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hate her less ?
I love Deborah Joy Winans , but I hate the character she played .
Whew chile , the ghetto .
She was the most ( clap your hands for emphasis on “ the.most ” ) insufferable individual .
I ’ d bet good money that not a single solitary soul liked her character by the show ’ s end .
So much so that when she finally stood up for herself in Tuesday night ’ s episode to Phil DeMars , I didn ’ t even care .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ redeeming moment .
6 .
Speaking of Kerissa , what is she about to do now ?
Nobody really liked her .
I hope we get a montage of her doing something and real talk , I don ’ t even care if she makes it positively though she probably will , she ’ s just as conniving as she thinks Lady Mae is .
I only care about Winky ( she and Jacob ’ s ) son .
7 .
Is AJ , Grace ’ s son that she gave up for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go find last season , going to still build the car ( and give his life to Jesus ) ?
He and Bishop were supposed to build a car together and he seemed to be looking forward to it .
He also seemed to connect with Bishop really well .
I want to see a flash-forward sequence where the car is done .
8 .
Where the hell is Basie Skanks ?
Basie was a pastor of a rival church who along with his sister Rochelle Cross ( played by one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Letoya Luckett-Walker ) wanted Bishop dead because they think/thought he killed their father in a church fire so many years ago .
Said church fire is how the Greenleaf ’ s ended up with their ginormous house and largesse .
They hate that man , but Basie disappeared and went on the run a few seasons ago and is presumed dead , or at least that ’ s what his ( ex ? )
wife says .
I don ’ t buy it though .
9. Who is about to lead Calvary now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was for Lady Mae to be the lead pastor of this new church at the club/bar Mavis used to own , but Grace is supposed to be the greatest preacher you ever did hear .
Will they lead together ?
Shoot , is Calvary still going to be Calvary ?
Both Noah ( her baby daddy , well one of them ) , the father of AJ and the person she lost her virginity to at her family church and Darius Nash ( RICK.FOX ! )
are two suitors chasing after her .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ will she let them both be ?
I wan na know .
Joe said that first .
That ’ s just a few questions I have .
I ’ m sure there are loads more .
What do you have ?
Also , most importantly , what is I ’ m gon ’ do now that Greenleaf is gone ?
I guess all I can do is sing the intro music….Amen .

Panama Jackson on Very Smart Brothas, shared by Panama Jackson to The Root

[I shouldn’t have to say this given that this is about the SERIES FINALE, but SPOILER ALERT. ALL THE SPOILERS ARE PRESENT.]
Though I haven’t written about it once this season, I’ve been, and still am, an avid watcher and fan of Greenleaf. Next week’s episode will be the series finale and I’m honestly sad about it. What will I do without Bishop and Lady Mae? And Grace and her shenanigans? And Jacob and his? And Charity’s insufferableness? There’s a whole slew of people I’ve become invested in (and a few I’ve had the pleasure of meeting in real life) that will disappear into the ether and annals of Black History and Entertainment. I still maintain that the show’s tagline should be: Grace Greenleaf shows up, shenanigans ensue. I told that to Merle Dandridge (the actress who plays Grace) in 2018 when I had the pleasure of interviewing her, RICK.FOX., and executive producer and writer, Kriss Turner-Towner at the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival. She was not plussed. I loved that she owned her character.
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Be that as it may, Greenleaf is a show that literally left nothing on the table so they can feel very comfortable in knowing that this show lived its best life. If it could happen on this show, it did. All the way down to (SPOILER ALERT) finally killing off—at the very least it’s implied—a main character in Bishop James Greenleaf (played by Keith David) after he exorcises whatever demons he has left in the series’ second to the last episode that aired Tuesday night. He didn’t get shot, for the record; a much more culturally relevant death befell him: a heart attack. This show is so beautifully Black. You should totally watch it if you never have. Even with that spoiler alert, how you get there is the fun part.
With that being said—and in my sadness Greenleaf, you will be missed—I wonder how much they’ll get to in the finale. Since they didn’t leave anything on the table they covered a lot of ground in their five seasons. Shit, there are whole people who have come and gone that I’m only remembering since I’m thinking real hard, you know, squinting my eyes kind of thinking. Here are 10 things I hope they get to during the series finale.
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1. Is somebody gonna call Mavis and tell her—again, presumably—that Bishop is dead?
I mean they did have a whole fling before Bishop and Lady Mae (Lynn Whitfield) got married—the first time. And she is Lady Mae’s sister after all and family comes to funerals. Plus, I’m pretty sure we’d all like to see Oprah (she played Mavis) one last time on the show before it goes.
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2. Speaking of Mavis/Oprah, what is Lady Mae going to do with the club/bar they bought?
Originally, they planned to turn into a church since it seems like Calvary (that’s their church if you’re still reading this far through all of the spoilers; it had been bought out by a megachurch organization run by a white man who just got run out of town, I think) won’t be demolished and the Greenleafs aren’t leaving? Mavis used to own and operate said club/bar but has been a ghost for the most part in the past few seasons. Now Lady Mae owns a nightclub? Can a church own and operate a nightclub? Or will they sell it since they really don’t need it anymore? Inquiring minds would like to know. I was trying to pull up.
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3. Where the hell is Kevin?
Is he coming to the funeral? Are he and Aaron (I’ll get to him in a second) still a thing? Kevin is Charity’s (Deborah Joy Winans) ex-husband but it turns out he’s gay so they got a divorce and then he (Kevin) started dating Aaron, the Greenleaf’s family lawyer and (as it turns out) Grace’s half-brother since Lady Mae had an affair with Bishop’s good friend Lionel back yonder and got pregnant. Lionel also happens to be Aaron’s father. Kevin should probably not come to the funeral.
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You know what? This whole shit is insane now that I read just those three bullets.
4. Is Zora going to New York City?
Zora is Jacob Greenleaf’s daughter. Jacob is played by Lamman Rucker and she was in a relationship with an abusive gospel singer at one point and was gunning for Tariq St. Patrick’s spot as “worst kid ever.” It got so bad that her daddy, Jacob, literally punched out a teenager at a formal event. Jacob’s a pastor by the way. Apparently not a very good one since nobody seems to want him to be in the pulpit very much. Also, he and his wife, Kerissa were a whole mess. Zora is trying to escape. Will she do it? She said she would. I guess we’ll see? Maybe.
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5. Will Charity somehow convince us to hate her less?
I love Deborah Joy Winans, but I hate the character she played. Whew chile, the ghetto. She was the most (clap your hands for emphasis on “the.most”) insufferable individual. I’d bet good money that not a single solitary soul liked her character by the show’s end. So much so that when she finally stood up for herself in Tuesday night’s episode to Phil DeMars, I didn’t even care. Maybe she’ll have some miraculous redeeming moment.
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6. Speaking of Kerissa, what is she about to do now?
Nobody really liked her. I hope we get a montage of her doing something and real talk, I don’t even care if she makes it positively though she probably will, she’s just as conniving as she thinks Lady Mae is. I only care about Winky (she and Jacob’s) son.
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7. Is AJ, Grace’s son that she gave up for adoption 20 years ago that she went to go find last season, going to still build the car (and give his life to Jesus)?
He and Bishop were supposed to build a car together and he seemed to be looking forward to it. He also seemed to connect with Bishop really well. I want to see a flash-forward sequence where the car is done.
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8. Where the hell is Basie Skanks?
Basie was a pastor of a rival church who along with his sister Rochelle Cross (played by one of my top favorite people on earth, Letoya Luckett-Walker) wanted Bishop dead because they think/thought he killed their father in a church fire so many years ago. Said church fire is how the Greenleaf’s ended up with their ginormous house and largesse. They hate that man, but Basie disappeared and went on the run a few seasons ago and is presumed dead, or at least that’s what his (ex?) wife says. I don’t buy it though.
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9. Who is about to lead Calvary now that Bishop is gone?
The plan was for Lady Mae to be the lead pastor of this new church at the club/bar Mavis used to own, but Grace is supposed to be the greatest preacher you ever did hear. Will they lead together? Shoot, is Calvary still going to be Calvary?
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10. Who will Grace choose?
Both Noah (her baby daddy, well one of them), the father of AJ and the person she lost her virginity to at her family church and Darius Nash (RICK.FOX!) are two suitors chasing after her. Will she make a choice? Or will she let them both be? I wanna know. Joe said that first.
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That’s just a few questions I have. I’m sure there are loads more. What do you have? Also, most importantly, what is I’m gon’ do now that Greenleaf is gone? I guess all I can do is sing the intro music….Amen.


theroot--2020-08-05--'Why Is This Time Different?': Ta-Nehisi Coates to Guest-Edit Vanity Fair's September Issue on Art,

'Why Is This Time Different?': Ta-Nehisi Coates to Guest-Edit Vanity Fair's September Issue on Art, Activism and Power

Ta-Nehisi Coates , the acclaimed author of the National Book Award-winning Between the World and Me , is helping Vanity Fair interpret the world we unexpectedly find ourselves living in now .
On Tuesday , the magazine ’ s Editor-in-Chief Radhika Jones announced that Coates is the guest editor of the September issue , “ a special edition exploring art , activism , and power in 21st-century America , ” according to a release provided to The Root .
“ There ’ s no one better suited than Ta-Nehisi to illuminate this urgent moment in American history—to answer the question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
’ ” said Jones in an online announcement , explaining that Coates , in collaboration with the magazine ’ s editorial and creative teams , had been given substantial control in producing the issue , “ helping oversee almost every aspect of the magazine ’ s production , including story assigning and editing , writer and photographer selection , art direction , design , display , and multimedia projects.
” “ We are honored to collaborate with him on this project , bringing together the writers , artists , and icons whose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world , ” Jones added .
Those contributors include a stunning and largely Black assemblage of fellow luminaries , including the following : Eve L. Ewing , Bomani Jones , Ava DuVernay , Josie Duffy Rice , Jesmyn Ward , Danez Smith , Deana Lawson , LaToya Ruby Frazier , Kiese Makeba Laymon , Jacqueline Woodson , Franklin Leonard , Kimberly Drew , Hank Willis Thomas , Diana Ejaita , Marjon Carlos , Zerina Akers , Ruth Ossai , Shawn Martinbrough , Ola Ebiti , Calida Rawles , Renell Medrano , Lynsey Weatherspoon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Phylicia J. L. Munn , Levi Walton , Lawrence Agyei , Braylen Dion , Bruce Bennett , Paul Octavious , Shan Wallace , Djeneba Aduayom , Wulf Bradley , Miranda Barnes , Arielle Bobb-Willis , Sophia Wilson , Erik Carter , Kennedi Carter , Myles Loftin , Quil Lemons , Adrienne Raquel , Andrea Ellen Reed , John Edmonds , Otis Kwame Kye Quaicoe and Monica Ahanonu .
The September issue will appear on newsstands on September 1—undoubtedly , we will have excerpts to share as content from the special issue is released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be partnering with Radhika and the entire Vanity Fair staff on this project , ” said Coates .
“ Equally , I ’ m humbled that so many of this country ’ s best writers and artists have agreed to participate .
The moment is too big for any one of us to address alone.
” Join the discussion !
The Root is hosting its first-ever , virtual Root Institute , presented by Target , featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics , culture , health , community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ updates today !

Maiysha Kai on The Grapevine, shared by Maiysha Kai to The Root

Ta-Nehisi Coates, the acclaimed author of the National Book Award-winning Between the World and Me, is helping Vanity Fair interpret the world we unexpectedly find ourselves living in now. On Tuesday, the magazine’s Editor-in-Chief Radhika Jones announced that Coates is the guest editor of the September issue, “a special edition exploring art, activism, and power in 21st-century America,” according to a release provided to The Root.
“There’s no one better suited than Ta-Nehisi to illuminate this urgent moment in American history—to answer the question, ‘Why is this time different?’” said Jones in an online announcement, explaining that Coates, in collaboration with the magazine’s editorial and creative teams, had been given substantial control in producing the issue, “helping oversee almost every aspect of the magazine’s production, including story assigning and editing, writer and photographer selection, art direction, design, display, and multimedia projects.”
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“We are honored to collaborate with him on this project, bringing together the writers, artists, and icons whose work pushes us toward a more just world,” Jones added.
Those contributors include a stunning and largely Black assemblage of fellow luminaries, including the following: Eve L. Ewing, Bomani Jones, Ava DuVernay, Josie Duffy Rice, Jesmyn Ward, Danez Smith, Deana Lawson, LaToya Ruby Frazier, Kiese Makeba Laymon, Jacqueline Woodson, Franklin Leonard, Kimberly Drew, Hank Willis Thomas, Diana Ejaita, Marjon Carlos, Zerina Akers, Ruth Ossai, Shawn Martinbrough, Ola Ebiti, Calida Rawles, Renell Medrano, Lynsey Weatherspoon, Jason Bolden, Dana Scruggs, Phylicia J. L. Munn, Levi Walton, Lawrence Agyei, Braylen Dion, Bruce Bennett, Paul Octavious, Shan Wallace, Djeneba Aduayom, Wulf Bradley, Miranda Barnes, Arielle Bobb-Willis, Sophia Wilson, Erik Carter, Kennedi Carter, Myles Loftin, Quil Lemons, Adrienne Raquel, Andrea Ellen Reed, John Edmonds, Otis Kwame Kye Quaicoe and Monica Ahanonu.
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The September issue will appear on newsstands on September 1—undoubtedly, we will have excerpts to share as content from the special issue is released.
“I’m honored to be partnering with Radhika and the entire Vanity Fair staff on this project,” said Coates. “Equally, I’m humbled that so many of this country’s best writers and artists have agreed to participate. The moment is too big for any one of us to address alone.”
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Join the discussion! The Root is hosting its first-ever, virtual Root Institute, presented by Target, featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics, culture, health, community building and social impact. Subscribe for updates today!


It Is What It Is

Even though it was just a first draft , Tommy thought it was brilliant .
Before reading his new piece of writing aloud to his captive audience , he believed his eloquent breakup letter could possibly change the future of everyone he knew .
Of course , he also knew that he was smarter than all of the B lack servants he convened to hear him read his new political document , so he understood the confused looks .
He was nervous about how his letter would be received but he still couldn ’ t understand why they weren ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the assembled audience stealing furtive , questioning glances at Sally , knowing she was the absolute favorite of the people Tommy called “ his Blacks.
” Sally raised her hand , asking for permission to speak .
“ When you say ‘ all men ’ does that include women , ” Sally asked .
“ It is meant to encompass all human beings , ” Tommy responded , confident in his brilliance .
“ So , do you consider Black people to be human ?
” “ Of course , ” Tommy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extension of the philosophy of John Locke and Thomas Hobbes , who believed that it is the natural state of man , as he said , ‘ to use his own power , as he will himself , for the preservation of his own nature ; that is to say… ’ ” “ Yeah , yeah , I get all that , ” interrupted Sally as the others shook their heads in affirmation .
“ So does that mean we are free ?
” “ Not quite .
What I was trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sally interrupted him again .
“ Does it mean I can say no when you drag me out of the basement tonight ?
” Sally asked .
“ Oh , hell no !
” Tommy yelled as the others murmured among themselves .
“ First of all , I am the master ; you are the slave .
Secondly , what do you mean ‘ drag ?
’ You come to my bed because you love me , right ?
I know you don ’ t have a choice in the matter because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I wouldn ’ t call it ‘ dragging .
I wish there was a phrase for that.
” “ Nigga please , ” erupted Sally , to the shock and delight of her fellow enslaved Africans .
“ First off , the creator ain ’ t endowed you with very much at all .
Secondly , you just said : ‘ All men are created equal and are endowed by their creator with the right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
’ So how you gon ’ tell me I can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Either you ’ re being a hypocrite or you think white people are superior to Black people .
I wish there was a phrase for that.
” The awkward silence wafted through the warm Virginia night and pressed against the walls of the slave quarters as Tommy ’ s all-Black audience waited for a reply .
Frazzled , Tommy glanced around the room where he had gathered a select few of his more than 100 enslaved Africans to test the reaction to his new writing before sharing it with his fellow aristocrats .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , paused for a second and—bereft of words , a reasonable reply or any legitimate argument to contradict the impeccable logic Sally had obviously absorbed from him—Tommy improvised a response on the spot .
“ Well , Sally , ” Tommy began , before condensing the callous haughtiness of a slave master , a rapist and political genius into five words .
On July 3 , 1776 , Thomas Jefferson responded to the critique of Sally Hemings , his human sex slave , by offering the only excuse he could muster : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country under his control closes in on 5 million infections and 157,000 deaths , Trump sat down for an interview with Axios ’ Jonathan Swan ( No relation to T.J. or “ Black ” ) that aired on HBO .
Trump appeared to assume Swan would congratulate him for bungling the worst American pandemic since Ashton Kutcher infected the country with the trucker hat outbreak in the early 2000s .
But , when confronted about COVID-19 ’ s rising infections and death toll , Trump seemed frazzled that Swan ( no relation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just swallow the president ’ s dim-witted explanation like the fair and balanced journalists at Fox News .
To acquit himself , in this specific case , the president didn ’ t pull out a bald-faced lie .
After declaring that he was handling the pandemic very well , Trump instead pulled out a few charts that were apparently printed on the presidential inkjet printer because he obviously can ’ t be bothered with actually studying and memorizing the data on what has literally become the most important issue in the world .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dictionary.com says the phrase first appeared in a 1949 article in the Nebraska State Journal and came into popularity around the early 2000s , which is , coincidentally , smack dab in the middle of the trucker hat craze ( I ’ m not accusing Kutcher of anything .
I ’ m just saying ) .
But , as a professional translator of Blackanese , I contend that “ It is what it is ” is white people ’ s version of a phrase created in 1936 by beloved mother and usher board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by her son , Lamont , why he had to take off his school clothes before he went outside , Viola created the precursor to “ it is what it is ” long before that white man from Nebraska when she answered : The phrase later evolved into a simpler form— “ because ” and , eventually , “ cuz ” —before white people elongated it to a five-word collection of mouth sounds .
However , this is not the first time Trump has shrugged off human death with the hollow phrase “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a reply to questions about the coronavirus .
This vapid display of dimwittery is not Trump ’ s response to the problem that has killed more Americans in six months than the entire global conflict that was once referred to as “ the Great War.
” ( More than 156,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 since Feb. 6 .
116,516 Americans died in World War I . )
“ It is what it is ” wasn ’ t just Trump ’ s riposte to U.S. intelligence reports that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi Arabia : “ It is what it is ” is Trump ’ s response to everything .
Immediately after he became president , he claimed the biggest electoral landslide in American history , the biggest inauguration crowd and that voters had illegally cast ballots for Hilary Clinton , until he had to admit that his electoral math was actually not what “ it is.
” He denied that Russia interfered in the 2016 elections to help him .
When confronted with evidence to the contrary , Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American democracy , was , in essence , “ It is what it is.
” Trump insisted there was no quid pro quo during a phone call with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky , which eventually led to his impeachment .
During his impeachment trial , Trump conceded that he made the call .
He didn ’ t even try to argue that he wasn ’ t caught soliciting foreign interference in a U.S election for the second time .
Instead , he insisted that the allegations may have been true , but they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from office .
His entire legal defense was essentially a version of : “ It is what it is ” Writing for Psychology Today , Dr. Liana Gabora explained that she assumed the phrase was “ an indication that the speaker is letting the thing exist in all its rich uniqueness without having to categorize it or analyze it.
” The increased use of the phrase , ” Gabora wrote “ seemed to be a sign that people are increasingly comfortable with ‘ states of potentiality , ’ which are states that could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depending on the context ” before she eventually concluded that : “ [ i ] n some contexts , it can indicate acceptance of complexity and ambiguity .
In other contexts , it can indicate acceptance of limitations .
It ’ s a phrase that may well have yet other shades or meaning , or be evolving new shades of meaning.
” I don ’ t know what the fuck she is talking about .
But then again , neither did a certain psychology professor from the University of British Columbia named Liane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is what it is ” is not an answer .
It ’ s not an empty response or an insincere deflection .
It ’ s not even a lie .
The oft-used phrase is just a collection of sounds that come out of a person ’ s mouth when he or she doesn ’ t have a logical answer to a valid question .
Anyone who says “ it is what it is ” is not smart enough to refute an assertion or guilty of the thing for which they are being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the same time , which is why “ it is what it is ” may also be the most American sentence of all time .
How could a man proclaim “ all men are created equal ” while owning other men ?
Why is Terry Crews like this ?
How can racism still exist if every white person claims they aren ’ t racist ?
If numbers were invented to count things , why are there imaginary numbers ?
If America was created to “ establish justice , insure domestic tranquility , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the general welfare , and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity , ” then why are police like this ?
Why is Post Malone ?
How can people vote for a racist as P resident of the United States and still say America is not racist ?
“ It is what it is ” are not just empty words used by our dotard president to whitesplain death .
The phrase is America ’ s version of Shakespeare .
It is a tale told by an idiot , full of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thomas Jefferson explained this nation ’ s foundational hypocrisy the same way America has historically whitesplained away the existence of inequality , which is also how Donald Trump believes he should be applauded for the current incompetence-fueled pestilence that continues to ravage this country : Because white people said so .

Michael Harriot on Institute, shared by Michael Harriot to The Root

Tommy expected applause.
Even though it was just a first draft, Tommy thought it was brilliant. Before reading his new piece of writing aloud to his captive audience, he believed his eloquent breakup letter could possibly change the future of everyone he knew. Of course, he also knew that he was smarter than all of the B lack servants he convened to hear him read his new political document, so he understood the confused looks. He was nervous about how his letter would be received but he still couldn’t understand why they weren’t clapping.
Tommy noticed nearly everyone in the assembled audience stealing furtive, questioning glances at Sally, knowing she was the absolute favorite of the people Tommy called “his Blacks.” Sally raised her hand, asking for permission to speak.
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“When you say ‘all men’ does that include women,” Sally asked.
“It is meant to encompass all human beings,” Tommy responded, confident in his brilliance.
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“So, do you consider Black people to be human?”
“Of course,” Tommy explained. “My argument is an extension of the philosophy of John Locke and Thomas Hobbes, who believed that it is the natural state of man, as he said, ‘to use his own power, as he will himself, for the preservation of his own nature ; that is to say…’ ”
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“Yeah, yeah, I get all that,” interrupted Sally as the others shook their heads in affirmation. “So does that mean we are free?”
“Not quite. What I was trying to say is...” Thomas began before Sally interrupted him again.
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“Does it mean I can say no when you drag me out of the basement tonight?” Sally asked.
“Oh, hell no!” Tommy yelled as the others murmured among themselves. “First of all, I am the master; you are the slave. Secondly, what do you mean ‘drag?’ You come to my bed because you love me, right? I know you don’t have a choice in the matter because you can’t say no but I wouldn’t call it ‘dragging. I wish there was a phrase for that.”
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“Nigga please,” erupted Sally, to the shock and delight of her fellow enslaved Africans. “First off, the creator ain’t endowed you with very much at all. Secondly, you just said: ‘All men are created equal and are endowed by their creator with the right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.’ So how you gon’ tell me I can’t say ‘no?’ Either you’re being a hypocrite or you think white people are superior to Black people. I wish there was a phrase for that.”
The awkward silence wafted through the warm Virginia night and pressed against the walls of the slave quarters as Tommy’s all-Black audience waited for a reply. Frazzled, Tommy glanced around the room where he had gathered a select few of his more than 100 enslaved Africans to test the reaction to his new writing before sharing it with his fellow aristocrats. He placed his declaration on the podium, paused for a second and—bereft of words, a reasonable reply or any legitimate argument to contradict the impeccable logic Sally had obviously absorbed from him—Tommy improvised a response on the spot.
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“Well, Sally,” Tommy began, before condensing the callous haughtiness of a slave master, a rapist and political genius into five words. On July 3, 1776, Thomas Jefferson responded to the critique of Sally Hemings, his human sex slave, by offering the only excuse he could muster:
“It is what it is.”
Donald Trump expected applause.
Privileged men always do.
As the country under his control closes in on 5 million infections and 157,000 deaths, Trump sat down for an interview with Axios’ Jonathan Swan (No relation to T.J. or “Black”) that aired on HBO. Trump appeared to assume Swan would congratulate him for bungling the worst American pandemic since Ashton Kutcher infected the country with the trucker hat outbreak in the early 2000s. But, when confronted about COVID-19’s rising infections and death toll, Trump seemed frazzled that Swan (no relation to the lake) didn’t just swallow the president’s dim-witted explanation like the fair and balanced journalists at Fox News.
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To acquit himself, in this specific case, the president didn’t pull out a bald-faced lie. After declaring that he was handling the pandemic very well, Trump instead pulled out a few charts that were apparently printed on the presidential inkjet printer because he obviously can’t be bothered with actually studying and memorizing the data on what has literally become the most important issue in the world.
CNN reports:
“I’ve gone to your rallies. I’ve talked to your people. They love you. They listen to you. They listen to every word you say. They hang on your every word,” Swan said. “And so when they hear you say, ‘everything’s under control. Don’t worry about wearing masks,’ I mean, these are people — many of them are older people.” “Well, what’s your definition of control?” Trump replied, adding: “I think it’s under control.” “How? A thousand Americans are dying a day,” Swan said. “They are dying. That’s true. And you — it is what it is,” Trump said emphatically. “But that doesn’t mean we aren’t doing everything we can. It’s under control as much as you can control it.”
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“It is what it is.”
Dictionary.com says the phrase first appeared in a 1949 article in the Nebraska State Journal and came into popularity around the early 2000s, which is, coincidentally, smack dab in the middle of the trucker hat craze (I’m not accusing Kutcher of anything. I’m just saying). But, as a professional translator of Blackanese, I contend that “It is what it is” is white people’s version of a phrase created in 1936 by beloved mother and usher board member Viola Rosa Johnson. When asked by her son, Lamont, why he had to take off his school clothes before he went outside, Viola created the precursor to “it is what it is” long before that white man from Nebraska when she answered:
“Because I said so.”
The phrase later evolved into a simpler form—“because ” and, eventually, “cuz”—before white people elongated it to a five-word collection of mouth sounds. However, this is not the first time Trump has shrugged off human death with the hollow phrase “it is what it is” as a reply to questions about the coronavirus.
Advertisement
Advertisement
This vapid display of dimwittery is not Trump’s response to the problem that has killed more Americans in six months than the entire global conflict that was once referred to as “the Great War.” (More than 156,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 since Feb. 6. 116,516 Americans died in World War I.) “It is what it is” wasn’t just Trump’s riposte to U.S. intelligence reports that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the death of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi Arabia: “It is what it is” is Trump’s response to everything.
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Immediately after he became president, he claimed the biggest electoral landslide in American history, the biggest inauguration crowd and that voters had illegally cast ballots for Hilary Clinton, until he had to admit that his electoral math was actually not what “it is.” He denied that Russia interfered in the 2016 elections to help him. When confronted with evidence to the contrary, Trump’s only retort to foreign actors manipulating the American democracy, was, in essence, “It is what it is.”
Trump insisted there was no quid pro quo during a phone call with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, which eventually led to his impeachment. During his impeachment trial, Trump conceded that he made the call. He didn’t even try to argue that he wasn’t caught soliciting foreign interference in a U.S election for the second time. Instead, he insisted that the allegations may have been true, but they didn’t warrant him being removed from office. His entire legal defense was essentially a version of: “It is what it is”
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Writing for Psychology Today, Dr. Liana Gabora explained that she assumed the phrase was “an indication that the speaker is letting the thing exist in all its rich uniqueness without having to categorize it or analyze it.”
The increased use of the phrase,” Gabora wrote “seemed to be a sign that people are increasingly comfortable with ‘states of potentiality,’ which are states that could ‘collapse’ to different actual states depending on the context” before she eventually concluded that: “[i]n some contexts, it can indicate acceptance of complexity and ambiguity. In other contexts, it can indicate acceptance of limitations. It’s a phrase that may well have yet other shades or meaning, or be evolving new shades of meaning.”
Advertisement
I don’t know what the fuck she is talking about. But then again, neither did a certain psychology professor from the University of British Columbia named Liane Gabora.
To be clear, “it is what it is” is not an answer. It’s not an empty response or an insincere deflection. It’s not even a lie.
Advertisement
The oft-used phrase is just a collection of sounds that come out of a person’s mouth when he or she doesn’t have a logical answer to a valid question. Anyone who says “it is what it is” is not smart enough to refute an assertion or guilty of the thing for which they are being accused. It explains everything and nothing at the same time, which is why “it is what it is” may also be the most American sentence of all time.
How could a man proclaim “all men are created equal” while owning other men? Why is Terry Crews like this? How can racism still exist if every white person claims they aren’t racist? If numbers were invented to count things, why are there imaginary numbers? If America was created to “establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, ” then why are police like this? Why is Post Malone? How can people vote for a racist as P resident of the United States and still say America is not racist?
Advertisement
“It is what it is” are not just empty words used by our dotard president to whitesplain death. The phrase is America’s version of Shakespeare. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
Thomas Jefferson explained this nation’s foundational hypocrisy the same way America has historically whitesplained away the existence of inequality, which is also how Donald Trump believes he should be applauded for the current incompetence-fueled pestilence that continues to ravage this country:
Because white people said so.


theroot--2020-08-03--Play It Safe With Ten Splatter-Blocking Face Shields for $19

Y ’ all , let me tell you : I ’ ve seen some nasty videos from some nasty people @ @ @ @ @ peoples faces .
If you ’ re particularly vulnerable and you ’ re dealing with @ @ @ @ @ daily basis , consider purchasing this ten pack of face shields for just $ 19 @ @ @ @ @ a foam band that keeps it comfortable on your forehead , and it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ fit children and adults alike .
This deal was originally published by Quentyn Kennemer in @ @ @ @ @ new information on 8/5/2020 .

Quentyn Kennemer on Kinja Deals, shared by Ignacia to The Root

Reusable Face Shields (10-Pack) | $19 | MorningSave
Y’all, let me tell you: I’ve seen some nasty videos from some nasty people spitting in other’s peoples faces. If you’re particularly vulnerable and you’re dealing with hordes of people on a daily basis, consider purchasing this ten pack of face shields for just $19. Elastic straps connect to a foam band that keeps it comfortable on your forehead, and it’s adjustable, so this can fit children and adults alike.
This deal was originally published by Quentyn Kennemer in July 2020 and updated with new information on 9/25/2020.


theroot--2020-08-05--Do You Know What 'Brolic' Means? (And If Not, Where Are You From?)

While walking through some mud at Moraine State Park last weekend , I thought about how “ mud ” is one of those perfect words that fits exactly what it is .
Mud looks and acts and feels and smells exactly like something we should call “ mud.
” It would make no sense if the word for mud was something fancier sounding , like “ strawberry ” or “ orgasm.
” ( Admittedly , “ I accidentally stepped in a patch of orgasm ” would have a nice ring to it . )
“ Armpit ” is another perfect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And “ wallet.
” There are also perfect names : Professional race grifter Thomas Chatterton Williams , for instance , looks and sounds and acts and writes exactly like how someone named “ Thomas Chatterton Williams ” would .
His finesse wouldn ’ t work as well if he was just some nigga from Newark named “ Tommy Williams ” —which is exactly who he is .
Anyway , I ’ ve always felt that “ brolic ” was perfect , too .
I don ’ t remember the first time I heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had a translation gap with it .
It ’ s a word to describe a person who is large and muscular and also maybe aggressive .
Perhaps even too large and muscular for their occupation .
You ’ d expect an NFL linebacker to be brolic , so you wouldn ’ t describe him that way .
But if you ’ re built like The Rock and working at T-Mobile , you might be a bit too brolic for your own good .
Those bicep curls won ’ t help your iPad sales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body parts .
Brolic arms or thighs , for instance .
And also inanimate objects .
Like a refrigerator .
Or your student loan debt .
It ’ s such a perfect word that I assumed a universality with it .
Some colloquialism , of course , is region-specific .
Some is race-specific .
But I always thought “ brolic ” was relatively transcendent , until I began incorporating it more frequently in writing and while speaking , and people started asking for clarification .
And by “ people ” I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ —not this time , at least .
Just people .
The homie Yessenia Funes apparently had a similar experience , and recently did a survey about it : My guess is that , while many people in other parts of the country are familiar with it , “ brolic ” was born in the Mid-Atlantic , New York City , specifically .
The internet backs me up .
Nas , Biggie , Jay-Z , and Ghostface were all using it in songs as early as 1997 .
And , in a Spin Magazine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took credit for inventing it .
There ’ s also evidence that it stems from an anime character , but I got bored with reading about that .
Anyway , have you heard this word before , and do you know what it means ?
( Better yet , had you heard of it before , you know , reading this ? )
If not , where are you from ?
And what ’ s your word for “ brolic ?
” Swole ?
Buff ?
Jacked ?
Damon ?

Damon Young on Very Smart Brothas, shared by Damon Young to The Root

While walking through some mud at Moraine State Park last weekend, I thought about how “mud” is one of those perfect words that fits exactly what it is. Mud looks and acts and feels and smells exactly like something we should call “mud.” It would make no sense if the word for mud was something fancier sounding, like “strawberry” or “orgasm.” (Admittedly, “I accidentally stepped in a patch of orgasm” would have a nice ring to it.) “Armpit” is another perfect word. As is “rock.” And “wallet.” There are also perfect names: Professional race grifter Thomas Chatterton Williams, for instance, looks and sounds and acts and writes exactly like how someone named “Thomas Chatterton Williams” would. His finesse wouldn’t work as well if he was just some nigga from Newark named “Tommy Williams”—which is exactly who he is.
Anyway, I’ve always felt that “brolic” was perfect, too. I don’t remember the first time I heard it, but I know I never had a translation gap with it. It’s a word to describe a person who is large and muscular and also maybe aggressive. Perhaps even too large and muscular for their occupation. You’d expect an NFL linebacker to be brolic, so you wouldn’t describe him that way. But if you’re built like The Rock and working at T-Mobile, you might be a bit too brolic for your own good. Those bicep curls won’t help your iPad sales quotas!
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Brolic can also describe particular body parts. Brolic arms or thighs, for instance. And also inanimate objects. Like a refrigerator. Or your student loan debt.
It’s such a perfect word that I assumed a universality with it. Some colloquialism, of course, is region-specific. Some is race-specific. But I always thought “brolic” was relatively transcendent, until I began incorporating it more frequently in writing and while speaking, and people started asking for clarification. And by “people” I don’t mean “white people!”—not this time, at least. Just people.
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The homie Yessenia Funes apparently had a similar experience, and recently did a survey about it:
Advertisement
My guess is that, while many people in other parts of the country are familiar with it, “brolic” was born in the Mid-Atlantic, New York City, specifically. The internet backs me up. Nas, Biggie, Jay-Z, and Ghostface were all using it in songs as early as 1997. And, in a Spin Magazine feature from 1998, Method Man apparently took credit for inventing it. There’s also evidence that it stems from an anime character, but I got bored with reading about that.
Anyway, have you heard this word before, and do you know what it means? (Better yet, had you heard of it before, you know, reading this?) If not, where are you from? And what’s your word for “brolic?” Swole? Buff? Jacked? Damon?


theroot--2020-08-05--Trump on NBA Players Kneeling During National Anthem: ‘I Think It’s Disgraceful’

Trump doesn ’ t watch the NBA .
In fact , when asked what the NBA stands for , Trump said , “ Apparently not the anthem ” and then punched Jared Kushner in the round balls .
But seriously folks , Trump , who is the president of people with a nice set shot , has a whole lot of thoughts on basketball players kneeling during the national anthem because he knows it excites his base when he says something .
Since the NBA restart , the majority of players and coaches have been locking arms and taking a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anthem to protest the over-policing of communities of color .
“ When I see people kneeling during the playing and disrespecting our flag and national anthem , what I do personally is turn off the game , ” Trump said Wednesday morning in a phone interview with Fox & Friends , according to TMZ Sports .
“ I think it ’ s disgraceful .
We work with [ the NBA ] , we worked with them very hard trying to get open .
I was pushing for them to get open .
Then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That ’ s not acceptable to me .
When I see them kneeling during the game , I just turn off the game .
I have no interest in the game .
Let me tell you this , plenty of other people out there , too.
” Trump also claimed , without proof , that NBA ratings are way down because Trump only gets his rating numbers from what white people are watching .
According to YardBarker.com , “ ratings are up 14 percent from when the season was suspended due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t the first time that Trump has butted his orange-dusted nose in sports business .
Miami Heat forward Meyers Leonard ’ s president famously called NFL players ’ moms “ bitches ” for kneeling during the national anthem in 2016 .
Since the season checked ball , only four people — two players ( one being Leonard ) and two coaches — have stood for the national anthem , YardBarker.com reports .
Players have been wearing social justice buzzwords on the backs of their jersey , but as one person noted on Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ player with the jersey name “ Stimulus Check .
”

Trump doesn’t watch the NBA. In fact, when asked what the NBA stands for, Trump said, “Apparently not the anthem” and then punched Jared Kushner in the round balls.
But seriously folks, Trump, who is the president of people with a nice set shot, has a whole lot of thoughts on basketball players kneeling during the national anthem because he knows it excites his base when he says something.
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Since the NBA restart, the majority of players and coaches have been locking arms and taking a knee during the playing of the national anthem to protest the over-policing of communities of color.
“When I see people kneeling during the playing and disrespecting our flag and national anthem, what I do personally is turn off the game,” Trump said Wednesday morning in a phone interview with Fox & Friends, according to TMZ Sports.
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“I think it’s disgraceful. We work with [the NBA], we worked with them very hard trying to get open. I was pushing for them to get open. Then I see everybody kneeling during the anthem. That’s not acceptable to me. When I see them kneeling during the game, I just turn off the game. I have no interest in the game. Let me tell you this, plenty of other people out there, too.”
Trump also claimed, without proof, that NBA ratings are way down because Trump only gets his rating numbers from what white people are watching.
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According to YardBarker.com, “ratings are up 14 percent from when the season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.”
This isn’t the first time that Trump has butted his orange-dusted nose in sports business. Miami Heat forward Meyers Leonard’s president famously called NFL players’ moms “bitches” for kneeling during the national anthem in 2016.
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Since the season checked ball, only four people — two players (one being Leonard) and two coaches — have stood for the national anthem, YardBarker.com reports.
Players have been wearing social justice buzzwords on the backs of their jersey, but as one person noted on Twitter, I haven’t seen one player with the jersey name “Stimulus Check.”


theroot--2020-08-05--‘I Was Very Young, It Was a Long Time Ago’: Ohio Health Commissioner Apologizes After Blackface Phot

‘I Was Very Young, It Was a Long Time Ago’: Ohio Health Commissioner Apologizes After Blackface Photo Surfaces

An Ohio health commissioner who has called for racism to be recognized as a public health crisis amid the pandemic recently received a visit from the Ghost of White Supremacist Past when a decades-old photo of him wearing blackface was unearthed .
The investigative team for 19 News recently uncovered a 1990 photo of Cuyahoga County Board of Health Commissioner Terry Allan dressed as Buckwheat from the TV show Little Rascals for a Halloween party .
His costume choice was bad enough , considering the fact that Buckwheat ’ s character is widely regarded as a racist stereotype , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see the photo .
I mean , look at this shit .
First , what kind of paint did this man use and why does it look like he melted a bag of Tootsie Rolls over the stove and dipped his face in the skillet ?
( I ’ m actually really hoping that ’ s how he did it . )
And what the fuck is that hair supposed to be ?
19 News referred to them as “ faux cornrows ” which leads me to believe that not a single white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knows what cornrows are supposed to look like .
Anyway , we all know what Allan was going for , but his 30-year-old Don ’ t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood cosplay ( and yes , I realize that movie wasn ’ t out yet ... shut up ! )
has finally caught up with him and now he ’ s apologizing .
“ I was very young , it was a long time ago , ” Allan told 19 News over the phone Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That since then—what I didn ’ t realize when I was younger is how offensive it is , and I have certainly come to understand that now .
That that was very offensive to people , that my eyes have been opened in my work in public health since then.
” “ It ’ s completely unacceptable what I did then , ” he continued .
“ I think that what I ’ ve done since then and tried to do in my work in public health is to focus on equity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recognize all the injustice.
” According to Fox 8 , the Cuyahoga County Board of Health released a statement Tuesday addressing Allan ’ s past behavior .
“ This situation is an unfortunate reminder of the lack of awareness and understanding that has served to perpetuate the stereotypes of African Americans and people of color in our society , ” board members wrote .
“ The concept of cultural appropriation , while new to many people over the past several years , has existed for centuries and is a tool used to demean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” ( I mean , cultural appropriation and racist blackface aren ’ t really the same issue , but whatever . )
“ In terms of Commissioner Allan ’ s involvement , we fully appreciate how the actions of a young person can be inappropriate and regrettable , ” the statement continued .
“ We also understand that through education and experience , a person can change for the better .
”

An Ohio health commissioner who has called for racism to be recognized as a public health crisis amid the pandemic recently received a visit from the Ghost of White Supremacist Past when a decades-old photo of him wearing blackface was unearthed.
The investigative team for 19 News recently uncovered a 1990 photo of Cuyahoga County Board of Health Commissioner Terry Allan dressed as Buckwheat from the TV show Little Rascals for a Halloween party. His costume choice was bad enough, considering the fact that Buckwheat’s character is widely regarded as a racist stereotype, but it’s much worse once you see the photo.
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I mean, look at this shit.
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First, what kind of paint did this man use and why does it look like he melted a bag of Tootsie Rolls over the stove and dipped his face in the skillet? (I’m actually really hoping that’s how he did it.)
And what the fuck is that hair supposed to be? 19 News referred to them as “faux cornrows” which leads me to believe that not a single white person in the history of white people knows what cornrows are supposed to look like.
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For example:
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Anyway, we all know what Allan was going for, but his 30-year-old Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood cosplay (and yes, I realize that movie wasn’t out yet...shut up!) has finally caught up with him and now he’s apologizing.
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“I was very young, it was a long time ago,” Allan told 19 News over the phone Tuesday. “That it was clearly wrong. That since then—what I didn’t realize when I was younger is how offensive it is, and I have certainly come to understand that now. That that was very offensive to people, that my eyes have been opened in my work in public health since then.”
“It’s completely unacceptable what I did then,” he continued. “I think that what I’ve done since then and tried to do in my work in public health is to focus on equity and to serve under-resourced communities. And recognize all the injustice.”
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According to Fox 8, the Cuyahoga County Board of Health released a statement Tuesday addressing Allan’s past behavior.
“This situation is an unfortunate reminder of the lack of awareness and understanding that has served to perpetuate the stereotypes of African Americans and people of color in our society,” board members wrote. “The concept of cultural appropriation, while new to many people over the past several years, has existed for centuries and is a tool used to demean and diminish the experiences of those affected.” (I mean, cultural appropriation and racist blackface aren’t really the same issue, but whatever.)
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“In terms of Commissioner Allan’s involvement, we fully appreciate how the actions of a young person can be inappropriate and regrettable,” the statement continued. “We also understand that through education and experience, a person can change for the better.”


theroot--2020-08-05--When the Spice Girls Sang Two Become One They Were Talking About the MaiTai Vibrator, Now $50 Off

Ella Paradis are just really too good to us .
In their month-long celebration of honoring wellness , they ’ ve been hitting us with some awesome deals , and today we have one for couples .
If you ’ ve been lucky enough to shelter in place with your honey bunny maybe you ’ ve gotten creative with snuggle time .
Today the MaiTai couples vibrator will take that to a new level for just $ 24 .
This vibrator has three motors , ten vibration modes , and is definitely a way to change up whatever you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stimulates , is comfortable , and the vibes are distributed evenly so like you and your significant other it ’ s equal .
Now Ella Paradis is boasting that you can create over one hundred combinations of good feels and well what better way to spend a rainy summer afternoon than trying to figure them all out .
It ’ s USB rechargeable and completely waterproof so you can take this off dry land .
We say challenge accepted on discovering new things .
The MaiTai deal is only for today and free @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Sheilah Villari on Kinja Deals, shared by Ignacia to The Root

MaiTai Couples Vibrator | $71 | Ella Paradis
Ella Paradis is just really too good to us. In their tradition of honoring wellness, they’ve been hitting us with some awesome deals, and today we have one for couples. If you were lucky enough to survive the pandy with your honey bunny, maybe you’ve gotten creative with snuggle time after two years . T he MaiTai couples vibrator will take that to a new level, and it’s 70 % off.
This vibrator has three motors and ten vibration modes and is definitely a way to change whatever you’ve been doing. The round shape stimulates, is comfortable, and the vibes are distributed evenly, so it’s equal like you and your significant other . Now Ella Paradis is boasting that you can create over one hundred combinations of good feels, and well, what better way to spend a rainy spring afternoon than trying to figure them all out. It’s USB rechargeable and completely waterproof, so you can take this off dry land. We say challenge accepted on discovering new things.


theroot--2020-08-05--Oprah's Latest Book Club Pick Is Isabel Wilkerson's Caste: 'A New Way of Seeing Racial Inequality'

“ This might be the most important book I ’ ve ever chosen for my book club , ” said Oprah Winfrey of Isabel Wilkerson ’ s Caste : The Origins of Our Discontents .
The latest from the Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and author of The Warmth of Other Suns was released on Tuesday on Apple Books , among other booksellers .
The highly anticipated release was accompanied by the news that perhaps the world ’ s most famous book lover ( and promoter ) had chosen the already acclaimed work as her newest Oprah ’ s Book Club pick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partnership with Apple .
According to a release , along with narrating an exclusive excerpt in a new video and hosting a free and exclusive conversation with Wilkerson this fall on Apple TV+ , Winfrey will also be the first-ever guest editor for Apple News , presenting a curated collection of related and relevant articles .
“ I am honored and thrilled that Caste has been chosen for Oprah ’ s Book Club and that its humanitarian insights will now reach a wider audience , ” said Wilkerson , explaining that her newest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racism ” may be insufficient in our current era .
We need new language , a new framework for understanding our divisions and how we got to where we are .
Caste gives us this language .
Caste allows us to see ourselves through a different lens and the chance to work toward healing from the wounds of artificial hierarchy .
We must first see it to begin to resolve it.
” Publisher Penguin Random House describes Caste : The Origins of Our Discontents as “ a masterful portrait of the unspoken caste @ @ @ @ @ @ @ h/t Apple ) A synopsis reads : Drawing parallels between the caste systems of America , India , and Nazi Germany , Wilkerson outlines a revolutionary framework for understanding how caste plays out across civilizations , both historically and today .
Backed by years of research , she identifies eight ideological pillars that underlie all caste systems .
Using riveting stories from the lives of Martin Luther King Jr. , baseball ’ s Satchel Paige , an ordinary single father and his toddler son , and many others , Wilkerson shows how the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each of us every day .
She documents how the Nazis studied the racial systems in America to plan their debasement of the Jews ; she discusses why the cruel logic of caste requires that there be a bottom rung for those in the middle to measure themselves against ; she writes about the surprising health costs of caste , in depression and life expectancy , and the effects of this hierarchy on our culture and politics .
Finally , she points forward to ways America can move beyond the artificial and destructive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in our common humanity .
In addition to her upcoming content on Caste , Oprah ’ s Book Club devotees can enjoy the media maven ’ s ongoing series for free exclusively on Apple TV+ , “ where they can watch all of Winfrey ’ s discussions with Book Club authors , ” says the release .
There will also be a “ Caste ” discussion guide available on Apple Books “ to help host their own conversations around the book and the important issues it explores.
” As part of Caste ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apple Music will broadcast an interview between their Beats 1 host Ebro Darden and Wilkerson “ about how her book is reflective of the times.
” “ Caste : The Origins of Our Discontents provides a new way of seeing racial inequality , ” says Winfrey , “ giving rise to countless aha moments and helping us truly understand America as it is now and how we hope it will be.
” Caste : The Origins of Our Discontents is available in multiple formats at Apple Books and booksellers everywhere now .
Join @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its first-ever , virtual Root Institute , presented by Target , featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics , culture , health , community building and social impact .
Subscribe for updates today !

“This might be the most important book I’ve ever chosen for my book club,” said Oprah Winfrey of Isabel Wilkerson’s Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. The latest from the Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and author of The Warmth of Other Suns was released on Tuesday on Apple Books, among other booksellers.
The highly anticipated release was accompanied by the news that perhaps the world’s most famous book lover (and promoter) had chosen the already acclaimed work as her newest Oprah’s Book Club pick and would be promoting it via her partnership with Apple. According to a release, along with narrating an exclusive excerpt in a new video and hosting a free and exclusive conversation with Wilkerson this fall on Apple TV+, Winfrey will also be the first-ever guest editor for Apple News, presenting a curated collection of related and relevant articles.
Advertisement
“I am honored and thrilled that Caste has been chosen for Oprah’s Book Club and that its humanitarian insights will now reach a wider audience,” said Wilkerson, explaining that her newest work “shows that the term “racism” may be insufficient in our current era. We need new language, a new framework for understanding our divisions and how we got to where we are. Caste gives us this language. Caste allows us to see ourselves through a different lens and the chance to work toward healing from the wounds of artificial hierarchy. We must first see it to begin to resolve it.”
Advertisement Advertisement
Publisher Penguin Random House describes Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents as “a masterful portrait of the unspoken caste system that has shaped America” (h/t Apple) A synopsis reads:
Drawing parallels between the caste systems of America, India, and Nazi Germany, Wilkerson outlines a revolutionary framework for understanding how caste plays out across civilizations, both historically and today. Backed by years of research, she identifies eight ideological pillars that underlie all caste systems. Using riveting stories from the lives of Martin Luther King Jr., baseball’s Satchel Paige, an ordinary single father and his toddler son, and many others, Wilkerson shows how the insidious undertow of caste is experienced by each of us every day. She documents how the Nazis studied the racial systems in America to plan their debasement of the Jews; she discusses why the cruel logic of caste requires that there be a bottom rung for those in the middle to measure themselves against; she writes about the surprising health costs of caste, in depression and life expectancy, and the effects of this hierarchy on our culture and politics. Finally, she points forward to ways America can move beyond the artificial and destructive separations of human divisions, toward hope in our common humanity.
Advertisement
In addition to her upcoming content on Caste, Oprah’s Book Club devotees can enjoy the media maven’s ongoing series for free exclusively on Apple TV+, “where they can watch all of Winfrey’s discussions with Book Club authors,” says the release. There will also be a “Caste” discussion guide available on Apple Books “to help host their own conversations around the book and the important issues it explores.” As part of Caste’s curated content, next week, Apple Music will broadcast an interview between their Beats 1 host Ebro Darden and Wilkerson “about how her book is reflective of the times.”
Advertisement
“Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents provides a new way of seeing racial inequality,” says Winfrey, “giving rise to countless aha moments and helping us truly understand America as it is now and how we hope it will be.”
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents is available in multiple formats at Apple Books and booksellers everywhere now.
Advertisement
Join the discussion! The Root is hosting its first-ever, virtual Root Institute, presented by Target, featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics, culture, health, community building and social impact. Subscribe for updates today!


theroot--2020-08-05--Red Dead Redemption 2's Depiction Of Jim Crow Racism Doesn't Add Up

When it comes to depicting the prejudices of historical time periods , most video games sidestep the issue .
They avoid acknowledging that these prejudices existed or don ’ t emphasize them .
Rockstar Games ’ 2018 western Red Dead Redemption 2 was different .
Two chapters of the open-world game were set in a recreation of 1890s Louisiana called Lemoyne , where Rockstar attempted to depict the systemic “ Jim Crow ” racism that existed during that time .
The studio , however , fell short .
The racist system of Jim Crow began during the post-Civil War South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subjugation of Black Southerners due to the abolishment of slavery .
Red Dead 2 takes place more than 30 years after the war , and its depiction of the era could have shown the realities of the time .
I nstead , it de picts it in some instances while sanitizing it in others .
The issue isn ’ t that the game ’ s take on race is entirely insensitive .
The issue is that Red Dead 2 ’ s developers didn ’ t seem to know how they should depict the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Instead of not acknowledging it or explicitly showing it , the game opts for a middle ground between these two extremes .
The result is a muddled and indecisive depiction of Jim Crow .
To give an example of how Rockstar approached racial issues in the game , consider two characters who the game ’ s protagonist , outlaw Arthur Morgan , can meet in the Lemoyne town of Rhodes .
One is a drunken , destitute old man named Jeremiah Compson .
In the game ’ s third chapter , Jeremiah asks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to retrieve an old watch and a ledger .
When Arthur gets the ledger , he finds that it contains lists of captured slaves .
W hen he returns to Jeremiah , he ’ s understandably angry and decides to burn Jeremiah ’ s things in front of him while condemning the old man for being a remorseless slave catcher .
The player then has a choice of leaving Jeremiah alone or murdering him .
Either way , the game ’ s messaging for this sidequest is clear : American slavery was an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end .
In that same town , Arthur can meet a disabled , homeless Confederate war veteran named Joe Butler .
Joe spends most of his time in Rhodes panhandling .
He insults the town ’ s residents for not helping him and for being ungrateful for his sacrifices in the Civil War ( he lost a leg in battle ) .
Unlike Jeremiah , Arthur can befriend Joe and can converse with him throughout the game .
At one point , Joe helpfully warns Arthur about lawmen searching for him and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may present Jeremiah and Joe as two very different people who Arthur is inclined to treat differently , but the men aren ’ t far apart .
They are two sides of the same coin .
The former was a slave catcher , while the latter proudly fought to preserve slavery .
And yet Arthur rightfully condemns one but can make friends with the other .
In their conversations , he never condemns Joe for fighting to keep millions of Black people enslaved even though it ’ s shown that he finds slavery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are examples of a pattern of the game ’ s contradictory and confusing depiction of American life during the segregation and racism of Jim Crow .
Another example : there ’ s a questline where Arthur can help two escaped convicts , a white man named Sampson Black and a Black man named Wendell White .
Both men were convicted for murdering a white man .
The first part of the questline has Arthur taking down their wanted posters in Rhodes .
He learns more about them from a conversation between a man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men are guilty and mentions that Mr. White is a “ darkie ” who killed a white man .
But the woman responds by saying that the charges against Mr. White were “ trumped up ” ( likely due to his race ) and Mr. Black was set up by a corrupt judge .
I n this instance , the game points out systemic racism of the Jim Crow-era justice system .
However , this doesn ’ t extend to the rest of Red Dead Redemption 2 .
Playing through the game , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of segregation in Rockstar ’ s version of Louisiana .
I ’ ve found no “ Whites Only ” or “ Colored Only ” signs in Lemoyne , and systemic segregation is barely acknowledged .
This matters , because Jim Crow was a form of institutional racism .
One of its most infamous symbols were those signs .
If the game hadn ’ t implied that systemic racism existed in its version of this period , then the lack of the signs would ’ ve been less jarring .
But the game does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racism several times .
For example , in the game ’ s town of Rhodes , there ’ s a saloon that has a front entrance sign that states that the saloon services everyone .
But the town and saloon are owned by the Grays , a rich plantation family that used to own slaves .
This also applies to the game ’ s New Orleans stand-in , Saint Denis , which also doesn ’ t appear to have Jim Crow signs for its businesses .
At most , segregation is hinted at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be said of Red Dead 2 ’ s depiction of racial violence against B lack people .
For example , Arthur can randomly find KKK members burning down a cross , yet players can never encounter the racially motivated lynchings that occurred at the time .
Oddly enough , the game does repeatedly acknowledge racial violence against Native Americans with a late game subplot involving a tribe retaliating against the U.S. Army .
There ’ s also an abandoned Army fort that was used to imprison Native Americans .
There are several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s contradictory presentation of Jim Crow , but the most significant one is Arthur Morgan ’ s weirdly inconsistent knowledge of racism .
When his gang moves to Lemoyne to escape the law , his half-Black , half-Native American friend Charles Smith expresses surprise that the gang ’ s leader , Dutch , is willing to move them to the South despite his progressive views on race .
Being a white guy who grew up in 1860s America , Arthur doesn ’ t need to ask Charles about why he feels this way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Black people .
Lenny teaches Arthur about racism during a ride in Red Dead Redemption 2 .
But then in a later story mission , Arthur expresses surprise when another Black gang member , Lenny , tells him about how differently he ’ s treated in Lemoyne compared to other places .
Similarly , Arthur also shows his obliviousness about race when one of the gang ’ s caretakers , a Black woman named Tilly , can tell him about how afraid she is of living in the South .
Arthur responds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good a place as any to get chased by the law.
” Tilly then has to point out to Arthur that she is a Black person .
Arthur finally understands what she ’ s trying to say and promises that he ’ ll keep her safe .
Now , one could argue that due to growing up with Dutch and not being from the South , Arthur is just ignorant about Jim Crow racism .
The problem with this argument is that it implies only the South was systemically racist towards Black people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a whole .
So , one has to wonder about why Rockstar decided to write Arthur like this .
I contacted Rockstar with questions about Red Dead 2 ’ s depiction of Jim Crow-era racism but unfortunately the studio declined to make its developers available for an interview .
For me , the way Arthur was written came across as confusing .
It felt like Rockstar couldn ’ t decide if he should be a man of his time or someone who ’ s naive about its prejudices .
I don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racist , but having characters explain concepts to him such as , “ Black people experience racism in the South ” hindered his believability as a character in the game ’ s 1890s setting .
It may have been controversial to have people play as a white character in a more realistically rendered version of the Jim Crow era , since the player would have benefited from a segregated , racist system .
But Red Dead 2 didn ’ t have to have a white protagonist .
One of its major themes is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American government taking more and more control of the region .
So , wouldn ’ t the game have worked better with a non-white character such as the game ’ s half-Black , half-Native American character Charles Smith ?
Maybe Red Dead 2 could have depicted this era more honestly , since the player would be resisting it as part of the oppressed class , instead of playing as someone for whom the system was made .
The most disappointing part about all of this is that Red Dead 2 didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 , Rockstar ’ s sister studio , Hangar 13 , launched Mafia 3 , an open world action game set in the Jim Crow-era South .
In that game , players take control of Lincoln Clay , a biracial Vietnam War veteran who sets out to get revenge against the Italian mob for betraying his black mob family .
Unlike Red Dead 2 , which waffled with its depiction of the Jim Crow South , Mafia 3 attempted to depict the era more honestly .
White characters regularly use the n-word .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are suspicious of Lincoln , regardless of whether he ’ s committed a crime or not .
There ’ s also an in-game mechanic where players can more easily commit crimes in Black neighborhoods than in white ones due to how racist the cops are towards the city ’ s Black community .
Mafia III proved that a mainstream game could take place in this era and depict its racism without taking a bunch of half-measures .
I understand that to some people , games are supposed to be escapism .
After all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last year was Assassin ’ s Creed Odyssey , and I would ’ ve hated it if the game restricted its optional female protagonist , Kassandra , from participating in certain missions due to the sexism of Greece in 429 BC .
But , unlike Red Dead 2 , Odyssey barely tried to depict that aspect of Greek society in the first place .
If game developers are going to set their games in potentially controversial time periods , they should decide how that time period will be depicted and then commit to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and taking Rockstar ’ s approach for Red Dead Redemption 2 just results in a depiction of history that comes across as confusing rather than insightful .
Isaac Monterose is a freelance games writer based in New York City

Isaac Monterose on Kotaku, shared by Genetta M. Adams to The Root

When it comes to depicting the prejudices of historical time periods, most video games sidestep the issue. They avoid acknowledging that these prejudices existed or don’t emphasize them.
Rockstar Games’ 2018 western Red Dead Redemption 2 was different. Two chapters of the open-world game were set in a recreation of 1890s Louisiana called Lemoyne, where Rockstar attempted to depict the systemic “Jim Crow” racism that existed during that time.
Advertisement
The studio, however, fell short. The racist system of Jim Crow began during the post-Civil War South and its goal was to continue the subjugation of Black Southerners due to the abolishment of slavery. Red Dead 2 takes place more than 30 years after the war, and its depiction of the era could have shown the realities of the time. I nstead, it de picts it in some instances while sanitizing it in others.
The issue isn’t that the game’s take on race is entirely insensitive. The issue is that Red Dead 2’s developers didn’t seem to know how they should depict the historical racism of the Deep South. Instead of not acknowledging it or explicitly showing it, the game opts for a middle ground between these two extremes. The result is a muddled and indecisive depiction of Jim Crow.
Advertisement Advertisement
To give an example of how Rockstar approached racial issues in the game, consider two characters who the game’s protagonist, outlaw Arthur Morgan, can meet in the Lemoyne town of Rhodes.
One is a drunken, destitute old man named Jeremiah Compson. In the game’s third chapter, Jeremiah asks Arthur to go to his foreclosed house to retrieve an old watch and a ledger. When Arthur gets the ledger, he finds that it contains lists of captured slaves. W hen he returns to Jeremiah, he’s understandably angry and decides to burn Jeremiah’s things in front of him while condemning the old man for being a remorseless slave catcher. The player then has a choice of leaving Jeremiah alone or murdering him. Either way, the game’s messaging for this sidequest is clear: American slavery was an evil, reprehensible system that deserved to end.
Advertisement
In that same town, Arthur can meet a disabled, homeless Confederate war veteran named Joe Butler. Joe spends most of his time in Rhodes panhandling. He insults the town’s residents for not helping him and for being ungrateful for his sacrifices in the Civil War (he lost a leg in battle). Unlike Jeremiah, Arthur can befriend Joe and can converse with him throughout the game. At one point, Joe helpfully warns Arthur about lawmen searching for him and the rest of his gang.
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The game may present Jeremiah and Joe as two very different people who Arthur is inclined to treat differently, but the men aren’t far apart. They are two sides of the same coin. The former was a slave catcher, while the latter proudly fought to preserve slavery. And yet Arthur rightfully condemns one but can make friends with the other. In their conversations, he never condemns Joe for fighting to keep millions of Black people enslaved even though it’s shown that he finds slavery to be abhorrent.
These two encounters are examples of a pattern of the game’s contradictory and confusing depiction of American life during the segregation and racism of Jim Crow. Another example: there’s a questline where Arthur can help two escaped convicts, a white man named Sampson Black and a Black man named Wendell White. Both men were convicted for murdering a white man. The first part of the questline has Arthur taking down their wanted posters in Rhodes. He learns more about them from a conversation between a man and woman. The man thinks both men are guilty and mentions that Mr. White is a “darkie” who killed a white man. But the woman responds by saying that the charges against Mr. White were “trumped up” (likely due to his race) and Mr. Black was set up by a corrupt judge. I n this instance, the game points out systemic racism of the Jim Crow-era justice system. However, this doesn’t extend to the rest of Red Dead Redemption 2.
Advertisement
Playing through the game, I’ve seen no literal signs of segregation in Rockstar’s version of Louisiana. I’ve found no “Whites Only” or “Colored Only” signs in Lemoyne, and systemic segregation is barely acknowledged. This matters, because Jim Crow was a form of institutional racism. One of its most infamous symbols were those signs. If the game hadn’t implied that systemic racism existed in its version of this period, then the lack of the signs would’ve been less jarring. But the game does depict, mention, and imply systemic racism several times.
Advertisement
For example, in the game’s town of Rhodes, there’s a saloon that has a front entrance sign that states that the saloon services everyone. But the town and saloon are owned by the Grays, a rich plantation family that used to own slaves. This also applies to the game’s New Orleans stand-in, Saint Denis, which also doesn’t appear to have Jim Crow signs for its businesses.
At most, segregation is hinted at in the game, and the same can be said of Red Dead 2’s depiction of racial violence against B lack people.
Advertisement
For example, Arthur can randomly find KKK members burning down a cross, yet players can never encounter the racially motivated lynchings that occurred at the time. Oddly enough, the game does repeatedly acknowledge racial violence against Native Americans with a late game subplot involving a tribe retaliating against the U.S. Army. There’s also an abandoned Army fort that was used to imprison Native Americans.
There are several other examples of Red Dead 2’s contradictory presentation of Jim Crow, but the most significant one is Arthur Morgan’s weirdly inconsistent knowledge of racism. When his gang moves to Lemoyne to escape the law, his half-Black, half-Native American friend Charles Smith expresses surprise that the gang’s leader, Dutch, is willing to move them to the South despite his progressive views on race. Being a white guy who grew up in 1860s America, Arthur doesn’t need to ask Charles about why he feels this way. He knows that the South discriminates against Black people.
Lenny teaches Arthur about racism during a ride in Red Dead Redemption 2.
But then in a later story mission, Arthur expresses surprise when another Black gang member, Lenny, tells him about how differently he’s treated in Lemoyne compared to other places. Similarly, Arthur also shows his obliviousness about race when one of the gang’s caretakers, a Black woman named Tilly, can tell him about how afraid she is of living in the South. Arthur responds by saying that Lemoyne “seems as good a place as any to get chased by the law.” Tilly then has to point out to Arthur that she is a Black person. Arthur finally understands what she’s trying to say and promises that he’ll keep her safe.
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Now, one could argue that due to growing up with Dutch and not being from the South, Arthur is just ignorant about Jim Crow racism. The problem with this argument is that it implies only the South was systemically racist towards Black people at this time and not America as a whole.
So, one has to wonder about why Rockstar decided to write Arthur like this. I contacted Rockstar with questions about Red Dead 2’s depiction of Jim Crow-era racism but unfortunately the studio declined to make its developers available for an interview .
Advertisement
For me, the way Arthur was written came across as confusing. It felt like Rockstar couldn’t decide if he should be a man of his time or someone who’s naive about its prejudices. I don’t think Arthur should’ve been a racist, but having characters explain concepts to him such as, “Black people experience racism in the South” hindered his believability as a character in the game’s 1890s setting.
It may have been controversial to have people play as a white character in a more realistically rendered version of the Jim Crow era, since the player would have benefited from a segregated, racist system. But Red Dead 2 didn’t have to have a white protagonist. One of its major themes is how the West is changing due the American government taking more and more control of the region. So, wouldn’t the game have worked better with a non-white character such as the game’s half-Black, half-Native American character Charles Smith? Maybe Red Dead 2 could have depicted this era more honestly, since the player would be resisting it as part of the oppressed class, instead of playing as someone for whom the system was made.
Advertisement
The most disappointing part about all of this is that Red Dead 2 didn’t have to be this way. In 2016, Rockstar’s sister studio, Hangar 13, launched Mafia 3, an open world action game set in the Jim Crow-era South. In that game, players take control of Lincoln Clay, a biracial Vietnam War veteran who sets out to get revenge against the Italian mob for betraying his black mob family.
Unlike Red Dead 2, which waffled with its depiction of the Jim Crow South, Mafia 3 attempted to depict the era more honestly. White characters regularly use the n-word. There are segregated businesses. The police are suspicious of Lincoln, regardless of whether he’s committed a crime or not. There’s also an in-game mechanic where players can more easily commit crimes in Black neighborhoods than in white ones due to how racist the cops are towards the city’s Black community.
Advertisement
Mafia III proved that a mainstream game could take place in this era and depict its racism without taking a bunch of half-measures.
I understand that to some people, games are supposed to be escapism. After all, one of my favorite games of last year was Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, and I would’ve hated it if the game restricted its optional female protagonist, Kassandra, from participating in certain missions due to the sexism of Greece in 429 BC. But, unlike Red Dead 2, Odyssey barely tried to depict that aspect of Greek society in the first place.
Advertisement
If game developers are going to set their games in potentially controversial time periods, they should decide how that time period will be depicted and then commit to it. Trying to thread the needle and taking Rockstar’s approach for Red Dead Redemption 2 just results in a depiction of history that comes across as confusing rather than insightful.