Earl Ofari Hutchinson Is Misguided In Criticism Of Jesse Jackson

It pains me to write this because I genuinely like and respect Earl Ofari Hutchinson as a writer and commentator who oftentimes is called upon by media outlets because of his expertise.

But, Hutchinson is all wrong in his challenge of the highly-publicized comments of the Rev. Jesse Jackson in response to Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert's infamous comments in response to basketball star LeBron James' perfectly legal decision to leave the Cavaliers, as a free agent, for Miami.

I won't waste your time in rehashing all of the facts in Gilbert-Jackson-James-gate. If you need the 4-1-1, you can review past entries on this blog.

Hutchinson has a column posted at Huffington Post that takes some shots at Rev. Jackson (an increasingly popular trend these days).

Here's how Hutchinson starts his piece:

Jesse Jackson should be slapped with a sixth foul and a fast ejection from the Lebron James game. Jackson should get the much deserved boot for shoving race into an issue that has absolutely nothing to do with race. Jackson likened Cleveland Cavs owner Dan Gilbert's much publicized open letter tirade against James for jumping ship in Cleveland to treating James as a "runaway slave." Jackson's race card sound bite would have gotten a splashy news note if he had stopped there. But Jackson couldn't let it go at that. He demanded that the league chastise Gilbert for his James outburst. That's hyperbole and neither Gilbert, the NBA, nor James bothered to dignify the inanity with a response.

First, Gilbert did offer a response to Rev. Jackson's comments as I am posting below as published on ESPN's Web site:

"I strongly disagree with Rev. Jesse Jackson's recent comments and we are not going to engage in any related discussion on it. Going forward, we're very excited about the Cavaliers and the positive future of our region."

Also, NBA Commissioner David Stern had this comment about it:

"However well-meaning Jesse may be in the premise on this one, he is, as he rarely is, mistaken. And I would have told him so had he called me before he issued his statement, rather than this morning. But he is a good friend of the NBA and our players. Has worked arduously on many good causes and we work together in many matters."

Maybe Hutchinson wrote his column before these responses.

To some degree, I will give him the benefit of the doubt.

Now, back to the excerpt. Did Jackson really bring race into this issue? I think that is debatable. In my opinion, he drew what I thought was a fairly apt comparison between the mentality of slave masters in regard to slaves. People of many different races have held slaves. But, Hutchinson is entitled to his opinion. However, I would contend that whenever Rev. Jackson says anything that can even remotely be considered to race, his critics (and there are a lot of him) attack him as a retaliation for so much of what bothers them (the browning of America, Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama, affirmative action, O.J. Simpson, etc.).

Considering NBA Commissioner David Stern fined Gilbert the sum of $100,000 for his out-of-line words, one could argue there must have been some merit to the true motives behind the statement (however uncomfortable they made some people feel) made by Rev. Jackson.

Here is another excerpt:

Jackson didn't bother to explain how a slave, let alone a runaway slave, can orchestrate their own media self-coronation. Or, how a slave can have the entire sports media genuflect in front of him, shove the BP spill, financial reform bill, and looming immigration reform debate, and the Oscar Grant shooting case verdict off the front page for a day.

That is absolutely ridiculous. Once again, don't be fooled by this journalistic sleight of hand. Rev. Jackson was not necessarily equating James to a slave. Obviously, James is a wealthy man who makes his own decisions (as evidenced by the fact that he left Cleveland and decided to take his talents to Miami). So, Hutchinson's point, in trying to distort and amplify the race angle rings hollow and falls short. Again, Rev. Jackson was comparing the relationship between the slave master and slave to the relationship between the team owner and player.

Frankly, whether it makes people uncomfortable or not, Dan Gilbert was acting as if he owned LeBron James. James was no longer under contract and had every right to leave. Gilbert attacked James.

Again, from Hutchinson:

The Jackson race play with James was more than a desperate grab to snatch a moment of media limelight.

I've never understood this argument at all. While Rev. Jackson has been known to release statements to the media, it is the media that often goes to Rev. Jackson for comments regarding race issues. There are times when perhaps he should decline comment, but I do not believe this is one of them. As uncomfortable as his words were, they were on the money in my opinion.

More:

Jackson's twist of the James flight from Cleveland into an issue of black victimization fits that bill.

This is not about race or victimization. This is about the fact that Dan Gilbert smeared James, his character and integrity and acted as if the man had no right to leave Cleveland in any way he saw fit. James played out his contract and earned his free agency. This is not about black victimization, but that fits the argument that people most frequently use against Rev. Jackson. It's a weak one that is successful only because people have grown to resent Rev. Jackson for a multitude of reasons (some fair and some not).

I do respect Earl Ofari Hutchinson, but he was wrong on this issue as he wrote yet another column bashing Rev. Jackson and virtually ignoring the sins of Dan Gilbert.

Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/earl-ofari-hutchinson/jesse-jackson-fouls-out-o_b_643896.html

Roland Martin To Dan Gilbert: Shut Up And Build Your Team

Another Example Of Anti-Jackson Prejudice That Taints Perspective

I've been in some spirited discussions about the whole controversy that now includes LeBron James, formerly of the Cleveland Cavaliers and now of the Miami Heat; Dan Gilbert, formerly of class and now owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers; and the Rev. Jesse Jackson, once considered a hero of the civil rights movement now a point of attack for a variety of reasons.

Here is my original commentary: http://sandygholston.blogspot.com/2010/07/jesse-jackson-has-strong-words.html

Rev. Jackson made some controversial remarks in discussing Gilbert's hateful comments and actions toward James in the wake of his decision to leave the Cavaliers, as a free agent, to join the Heat.

Here is an excerpt from an online commentary I recently read from Gregg Doyel of CBS Sports. His commentary is titled, "Jesse Jackson's opinion makes other side look better." That is quite an interesting title and indicative of how a large number of people tend to feel these days with respect to Rev. Jackson. What he says is less important as what he stands for in the eyes of different people. To many whites, Jackson is a painful reminder of an era they would love to forget. For many of these same people, he represents a lot of what makes them angry today with regard to blacks and civil rights: affirmative action, the browning of America, etc. To many blacks, he is a person who draws the ire of whites and that adversely impacts the race.

Here is part of what Doyel had to say in his article:

Jesse Jackson complained about Gilbert.

Sorry, that was too subtle, and Jesse Jackson doesn't do subtle. Jesse Jackson didn't simply complain about Dan Gilbert. He compared Gilbert to a slave owner. Which makes LeBron James the slave.

Which makes Jesse Jackson the biggest idiot in this story, and that's saying something, because this story includes Jim Gray and his question about fingernails.

Gilbert ought to be home free, because the enmity of Jackson is basically a free pass. If Jesse Jackson thinks you're a disgruntled slave-master, then you're not. Simple as that. A lunatic on the fringe, a liberal version of Rush Limbaugh, Jackson lost the right a long time ago to be taken seriously on race -- but in recent years Jackson has come to represent the inverse: When he says one thing on race, you can believe the opposite.

So when Jackson compares James to an oppressed, impoverished slave, you can believe the opposite -- that LeBron James is one of the richest men in America, that he has been treated opulently and lavishly since he was a teenager, that he stands to become a billionaire.

This is another in a long line of examples of people reporting that the forest can't be seen because there are too many trees in the way.

Perhaps Doyel would like for Gilbert to be home free, but he is not. While a large number of people would love to shift the focus on to Jackson and free Gilbert from scorn, it's not going to work. The prejudice that so many people feel toward Rev. Jackson is irrelevant to what he said and the greater point behind what he said.

This is not about being an "oppressed, impoverished slave." Such a point is insane. We know "that LeBron James is one of the richest men in America," but that is irrelevant.

The fact that he could become a billionaire has nothing to do with the issue.

Later, Doyel gets to perhaps his real point:

At the moment, I'm having a hard time believing the comments Jackson made Sunday night, though at the same time I'm relieved he made them. Because his comments take the attention off Dan Gilbert, and focus it directly onto Jesse Jackson. Which was Jackson's point all along, of course.

"Doyel is "relieved he made them. Because his comments take the attention off Dan Gilbert." Is that the real motive here? Is Doyel really happy that Gilbert gets off in this case.

Doyel contends that Jackson's intent was to gain attention for himself. This is an old and tired argument used against Rev. Jackson and it is designed to marginalize the argument by attempting to discredit the person making it (perhaps that is what Doyel wanted all along).

Here is a thought, maybe Gilbert trashed James to take the pressure off of himself for not being able to surround James (the two-time MVP) with championship-level talent. Maybe Gilbert jabbed at the raw emotions of Cleveland fans to make James the target and absolve himself of responsibility.

Later, we see more hatred toward Rev. Jackson as the true motive continues to reveal itself:

But I can't ignore this, and here's why: Jackson is poisonous. Rainbow PUSH? My ass. He's a coral snake, a small little creature cursed by Mother Nature with the venom of 10 poisonous serpents. And the thing is, it didn't have to be this way. When it comes to right and wrong, good and bad, Jackson comes down on the side of right. Racial equality? That's good. Once upon a time, Jackson was a positive factor in this conversation.

Today? He's a carnival barker. He's the racial conversation's version of PETA, a great idea gone bad, an attention-seeking missile aimed directly at one of society's most vulnerable fault lines. Jackson stopped being part of the solution a long time ago. Now he's part of the problem, and Gilbert was his most recent prop.

Clever commentary about PETA, but it all shows a simmering hatred. He calls Rev. Jackson "poisonous," a "coral snake," a "small little creature cursed by Mother Nature with the venom of 10 poisonous serpents," a "carnival barker" and so on. There is a lot of hatred in Gregg Doyel's commentary and it is all aimed at Rev. Jackson.

While I agree he could have used a less controversial analogy. I think his words touched a wound that many Americans do not truly want to heal. It's a wound that people hide from, make excuses for, and ignore with the hopes it will just go away. The wound is racism. And, no amount of attacks on Rev. Jesse Jackson will move us any closer to deal with those wounds.

Rev. Jackson's comments were not even necessarily about race, but people like Gregg Doyel desperately want it to be about race so they can attack Rev. Jackson as a race agitator.

He reminds people of past sins, current sins and future sins.

Fear is a large part of why he is so frequently attacked and what he actually says is typically ignored.

Once again, the Rev. Jesse Jackson is met with scorn while Dan Gilbert is given mostly a free pass.

CBS Sports:
http://www.cbssports.com/columns/story/13637053/jacksons-opinion-makes-other-side-look-better

Jesse Jackson Has Strong Words Regarding Dan Gilbert's Attack On LeBron James

The Rev. Jesse Jackson is going to take a lot of heat for his comments as he has stepped in on the Dan-Gilbert-LeBron James issue heating up the summer of 2010.

Unless you've been living in a cave in Afghanistan, you are likely aware that LeBron made a tough decision to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers, and his home state of Ohio, to join the Miami Heat along with fellow superstar free agents Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Gilbert, owner of the Cavaliers, has had some angry and borderline hateful words toward James as he has seemingly sought to tap into the anger of the Cleveland community and the state of Ohio.

First, lets establish the foundation for Rev. Jackson's comments and that starts largely with Gilbert's letter to fans of the Cleveland Cavaliers:

Dear Cleveland, All Of Northeast Ohio and Cleveland Cavaliers Supporters Wherever You May Be Tonight;

As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier.

This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his "decision" unlike anything ever "witnessed" in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment.

Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to all of us.

The good news is that the ownership team and the rest of the hard-working, loyal, and driven staff over here at your hometown Cavaliers have not betrayed you nor NEVER will betray you.

There is so much more to tell you about the events of the recent past and our more than exciting future. Over the next several days and weeks, we will be communicating much of that to you.

You simply don't deserve this kind of cowardly betrayal.

You have given so much and deserve so much more.

In the meantime, I want to make one statement to you tonight:

"I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER 'KING' WINS ONE"

You can take it to the bank.

If you thought we were motivated before tonight to bring the hardware to Cleveland, I can tell you that this shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own has shifted our "motivation" to previously unknown and previously never experienced levels.

Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there.

Sorry, but that's simply not how it works.

This shocking act of disloyalty from our home grown "chosen one" sends the exact opposite lesson of what we would want our children to learn. And "who" we would want them to grow-up to become.

But the good news is that this heartless and callous action can only serve as the antidote to the so-called "curse" on Cleveland, Ohio.

The self-declared former "King" will be taking the "curse" with him down south. And until he does "right" by Cleveland and Ohio, James (and the town where he plays) will unfortunately own this dreaded spell and bad karma.

Just watch.

Sleep well, Cleveland.

Tomorrow is a new and much brighter day....

I PROMISE you that our energy, focus, capital, knowledge and experience will be directed at one thing and one thing only:

DELIVERING YOU the championship you have long deserved and is long overdue....

Dan Gilbert
Majority Owner
Cleveland Cavaliers

My first reaction was the same as that of a lot of people I know, "Who in the hell does Dan Gilbert think he is talking about another person like this?"

His comments are a good distraction from his ability to build a championship team. Cleveland fans have been fooled. James had no choice but to leave. The Cavs were not in a position to win a championship. Boston had gotten better, Chicago is better, Orlando is still good, Miami was going to be better. Cleveland was headed in reverse and James knew it.

I was going to leave this issue alone (limited to my comments with Twitter followers and Facebook friends.

Then, I read the following comments from Rev. Jackson:

"He speaks as an owner of LeBron and not the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers," said Jackson in a press release from his Chicago-based civil rights group, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. "His feelings of betrayal personify a slave master mentality. He sees LeBron as a runaway slave. This is an owner employee relationship -- between business partners -- and LeBron honored his contract."

Boy, will that make people uncomfortable.

I know that Rev. Jackson is going to take heat from the far-right nuts and even from some people on the left who run like scared children from real issues that involve race. Now, this is not to say Gilbert is racist. I am not saying that at all. Just to be clear, I AM NOT SAYING DAN GILBERT IS RACIST!

BUT, Gilbert's attitude toward LeBron James after his departure is quite disturbing. Gilbert said none of these bad things when James was under contract or when he thought he had a chance to re-sign him.

I saw multiple people I know say the same thing: One said that Gilbert is acting as if he owns LeBron and the other said Gilbert is acting like his best slave ran away.

James owes the Cavaliers nothing. Organizations cut players and trade players all the time. When they do, it is simply tough luck for the players.

James has worked hard and earned his free agency and the right to play with whatever team he wants to take his game to at this stage of his career.

Looking at Dan Gilbert's comments, I bet LeBron James is happier than ever about the decision he made to leave Cleveland and head to Miami.

James could have handled the situation a bit better, but he had every right to leave and Gilbert's comments in the wake of his departure are troubling on a lot of levels.

It will be interesting to see if the NBA does anything to address his comments.

Gilbert would have had no problem taking Tom Izzo as his head coach and picking the pocket of his alma mater, Michigan State University.

He should have had no problem with LeBron James leaving. And, if he did have an issue with it, he should have handled it in a more civilized fashion.

ESPN Gathers A Panel To Discuss Kobe Vs. LeBron

I am not sure I agree with some of the analysis that compares and contrasts the two best basketball players in the NBA: Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.

The depth and breadth of the comparisons make the article an entertaining read. This is an older story, and even more dated since the Cavaliers were eliminated from the playoffs, but it’s still intriguing.

ESPN:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=Roundup-KobeLeBron

ESPN’s LZ Granderson Comments On LeBron ‘Sportsmanship’ Issue

I had an opportunity to read ESPN columnist LZ Granderson’s opinion (I don’t mind differing opinions) about the controversy surrounding Cleveland Cavaliers’ superstar LeBron James walking off the court without shaking hands with Orlando Magic players and blowing off the media following his team’s lost in the NBA’s Eastern Conference Finals. Some have compared it to the infamous 1991 walkout in which most of the Detroit Pistons’ players declined to shake hands with most of the Chicago Bulls’ players. Eighteen years later, those Pistons are still hammered for that decision. In that series, however, there was a lot more to it. There had been a lot of animosity and a lot of nasty things said in the newspapers and elsewhere in the media that precipitated that walkout – even if it did not justify it in the minds of a lot of critics. In LeBron’s case, there seems to have been no animosity (at least not that I am aware of). To some extent, I take LeBron at his word that the competitor in him just wanted to get off the court and be away from it (even if I don’t necessarily agree it was the proper move).

With that being said, here is an excerpt from Granderson’s column:

If this was a real issue for NBA commissioner David Stern, he would not be responding three days later. His reponse on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” that it’s “fair to say” that he’s upset with LeBron comes across as more public posturing than concern.

You want to know what’s poor sportsmanship?

Brett Favre cutting off all communication with his mentee and supposed friend Aaron Rogers after being traded to the Jets. Or Shaq freestyling about Kobe’s Finals loss — more than four years after being traded from L.A.

That’s poor sportsmanship.

Taking a day to calm down and gather your thoughts, that’s a sign of maturity.

And so I’m also glad that LeBron didn’t apologize for walking off the way that he did, but rather gave us an honest look into what being competitive means to him. After a day to cool off, he said his piece. That to me is much better than ripping teammates he may have to play with or a coach he may have to play under next season.

There is nothing wrong with being a competitor, but there is nothing wrong with congratulating your opponent and wishing your opponent good luck. I am not bashing LeBron and saying he is a bad sport or anything like that. I don’t think he is a bad sport at all. I do see where LZ is coming from. Honestly, I think LeBron James is one of the great sportsmen of his era who simply made a bad decision at an emotional time. My hope is he learns from this lesson and makes the proper decision the next time he is faced with similar circumstances. Some of the greatest competitors in the history of the sport took time to congratulate teams that beat them.

As I wrote in an earlier blog, one of the greatest traditions in all of sports is the National Hockey League handshake line at the end of a hard-fought series.

LZ Granderson’s column:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=granderson/090602&sportCat=nba

LeBron James Must Learn From This Moment

It’s understandable Cleveland Cavaliers’ star LeBron James felt a lot of frustration.

After all, he put the Cavaliers on his back and carried them toward theNBA championship he so desperately covets. That dream, of course, was derailed by the Orlando Magic. Thus, the dream matchup of LeBron James and Kobe Bryant in the NBA Finals will not take place this season. But, in the wake of the loss of James and the Cavaliers to the Magic was an incident that has left a large number of people disappointed. James hustled off the court and blew off the media following the loss to Orlando that ended Cleveland’s season.

LeBron is a great player, and his best years are very much ahead of him. I know he was tired. After all, he carried that team on his back, and carried the team deeper into the playoffs than perhaps it should have been. Still, James made a mistake in not being more gracious in defeat. All the great players hurt after a loss. But, for the most part, they do the right thing – they face the media and they congratulate their opponents. There is no shame in paying respect to an opponent. In hockey, one of the greatest traditions in all of sports is the handshake line at the end of a series.

It was even more disappointing to see LeBron not admit his mistake and disrespect (although probably not intended that way) of the Orlando Magic. At some point, I am sure LeBron and the Magic players will talk it over and bury the moment. In all honesty, it would not have hurt James to congratulate the Magic players and coaches on a phenomenal series and advancing to the NBA Finals. He should have been there with his teammates and coaches to face the Magic, the disappointment and the media.

Obviously, it was painful for LeBron James to lose so far short of his goal (an NBA championship). Now, he has to hope that this will not leave a stain (whether large or small) on his legacy.

Blaming LeBron James Is Silly

I’ve been amused listening to some of the criticism being heaped onto the broad shoulders of Cleveland Cavaliers’ superstar LeBron James in this playoff series against the Orlando Magic. In all honesty, these are individuals who need to have their heads examined. LeBron has been brilliant in this series. If anything, what has been exposed is the fact that his supporting cast is not quite as strong as a lot of people wanted to believe (after an impressive regular-season run). Don’t get it twisted, the supporting cast is not bad. Look, Mo Williams is a fine pro basketball player (an all-star this year) and the Cavs have a few other guys who are solid contributors. But, lets be honest, LeBron’s supporting cast (solid as it is) clearly is not in the same class as supporting casts enjoyed by the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant and the Denver Nuggets’ Carmelo Anthony. So, we can kill that noise right now. LeBron has put this team, franchise and city of Cleveland on his back. At this point, in a series between evenly-matched teams, LeBron could use a little more help carrying the load.