That's Racist: Athletes Against Police Brutality, and Blacks Who Blindly Support Bill Cosby

Unpacking the police responses to support for Eric Garner and Michael Brown in professional sports, and the racial element of Bill Cosby's situation.

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Ed. Note—This is a recurring feature about race. The opinions expressed during this conversation do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Complex Media. This month, Julian Kimble and Aaron Horton of What the F*** Is Michael Jordan Wearing? discuss how law enforcement has responded to athletes showing support for the families of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and others, as well as the racial dynamics of the sexual assault allegations against Bill Cosby.

[Since grand jury decisions not to indict Officer Darren Wilson for killing Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. and Officer Daniel Pantaleo for killing Eric Garner in Staten Island, several professional athletes have show support for Brown, Garner and other unarmed blacks killed by police. This has included members of the St. Louis Rams displaying the "Hands Up, Don't Shoot" gesture and the Cleveland Browns wide receiver Andrew Hawkins wearing a shirt demanding justice for Tamir Rice and John Crawford lll. These displays of solidarity have sparked the ire of the St. Louis Police Officer's Association and Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association, who consider the acts signs of disrespect.]

Julian: Alright, so what's up with law enforcement wagging its finger at the NFL, teams and players for supporting the families of unarmed blacks killed by police?

Aaron: It honestly shocked me, although I guess nothing should really shock any of us at this point. But it honestly surprised me, and the statements that the athletes were making and have made have all been relatively tame. The police response to those cases have kind of helped usher in this weird "with us or against us" pro-police view. 

1.

Julian: The night it was announced that Darren Wilson wouldn't be indicted, I heard a plethora of people blasting "Fuck tha Police" in their cars. The players haven't said anything remotely close that. In fact, they haven't said anything about police at all. 



People want to discuss everything but the actual issue of police brutality, which overwhelmingly affects minority communities.


Aaron: Exactly. I think it's great that athletes are addressing some of the current pressing social issues after what seemed like a few years of apathy. I don't want to bash MJ, but he kind of brought a cold, business approach to professional sports. But at the same time, it's not like Lebron and the NFL players have been Jim Brown on the issue, so the police response seemed really aggressive. I mean, passive-aggressive threats to not patrol the stadiums?

Julian: The police response rang like a guilty conscience getting the best of them.

Aaron: A hit dog hollers.

2.

Julian: Remember how during Black History Month or any discussion of racism or race in school, there was always that one kid who was like "Well.....black people can be racist too, you know"? That's who these cops sound like.

Aaron: That's been the worst part about all of this, reliving that moment 24/7 via social media. Well, not the worst part obviously, but yeah. People want to discuss everything but the actual issue of police brutality, which overwhelmingly affects minority communities.

Julian: Which is indisputable.

Aaron: It started with the "No, all lives matter," then "What about black-on-black crime?" Even when conservatives rallied around Eric Garner, they made it about the cigarette tax by the liberal New York City government.

Julian: And that has nothing to do with the issue at all. Not in the least.

Aaron: Nope. I do understand police being frustrated, but the root for their frustration is kind of the cause of a lot of the issues with the "Us vs. Them" mentality—police being war-ready.

Julian: Obviously all lives matter, but that's very easy to say when you've never sweated bullets every time a police car pulls up behind you, or never seen your friends get their asses kicked by the cops unnecessarily.

Aaron: Exactly. There's a disconnect.

Julian: There is, but the concept is so fundamental that you have to wonder how people aren't connecting the dots. It's one thing with older generations, where races were still kind of distant, but it still happens with our generation. I find myself thinking, "Y'all were listening to Jay Z on the way to soccer practice, too. How are you completely missing the point?!" But, back to the original issue, too many law enforcement agencies have adopted the "Us vs. Them" mindset, and it's been woven into how they police. It's created this endless cycle.

Aaron: Exactly. We need police officers in society. In my opinion, at least. But they need to be of and for the people, not against them.

Julian: The answer, however, isn't killing innocent police officers like Ismaaiyl Brinsley did.

Aaron: That was devastating across the board. Like, their deaths should be a unifier, but I'm sure they wont be. Senseless violence is always wrong.

Julian: I don't want to see anyone die, police officer or civilian, as part of some irrationally-conceived revenge plot.

Aaron: Exactly, and I think it should be treated as a stand-alone event. Blaming the officers' deaths on the climate the protests have created is missing the point.

Julian: Right, but, as you can see, the NYPD is doing that. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar wrote something for TIME that framed the issue perfectly, saying that Brinsley was a disturbed man, not an activist.

Aaron: And if you're not looking at it from a biased perspective, that should be obvious. People also keep equating public citizen behavior with the responsibilities that police are charged with. "Why don't you protest police killings?" "Why don't you protest black-on-black crime"?

Julian: People are often unable to separate themselves as individuals from certain subjects. The incident is being protested, not your existence.

Aaron: Right, and the truth is, people are mad because police are in a position of power and it's being abused. That should always warrant protest.

Julian: As black people, and especially as black men, we're taught from an early age that we have to be able to see outside of ourselves and through the eyes of the majority to succeed.

Aaron: That's a good point. Everyone's not forced to do that.

Julian: Right, and it breeds the, "Well, why don't you protest black-on-black crime? or #AllLivesMatter or #CopLivesMatter" thinking.

Aaron: It not an easy thing to do. We're all guilty of it, in some respect. Not to equate struggles, but I see it all the time from otherwise rational men when it comes to women's issues, or straight people when it comes to gay issues.  It's hard to step out of your own experiences and believe a group at face value.

Julian: Absolutely. You'll also find blacks quick to defend other blacks, facts be damned.

Aaron: Uh oh. [Bill Cosby face]

[Reports of rape accusations against Bill Cosby have resurfaced, prompting a plethora of new alleged victims to come forward with similar tales of sexual assault at the legend's hands.]

Julian: Perfect segue. Alright, so is it me, or have you noticed some black folks rushing to defend Bill Cosby simply because he's black?

Aaron: They definitely are, and I guess, we shouldn't ignore why that is. There's a history of disgracing public black figures. However, this ain't one them cases. The Cosby show is one of our favorite shows of all time, and the whole thing hurts me.

Julian: Right. There's definitely a history of figurative lynching and castration of prominent black figures, but it might be too early to invoke that here.

Aaron: Definitely. People have to look at the actual allegations. At this stage in Cosby's life and career, I'm not sure what the point of a conspiracy to bring him down would be. The whole thing really does suck, I mean, he was Cliff Huxtable. Who's next? Denzel?

Julian: You're right, but people think they're defending Cliff Huxtable, not Bill Cosby. And they can't touch Denzel, I don't think the community could sustain that.

Aaron: It definitely couldn't. As you know, I just had a son. In his nursery, we have a banner that says, "Hello, Friend" on it, inspired by Bill Cosby. Ugh, I'm also a Temple University alum, so I'd be a prime candidate to defend the guy blindly, but I've had to come to terms with it.

Julian: He's also a Philadelphia native, so this literally hits close to home for both of us.

3.

Aaron: Yup. The thing is, these allegations were actual public knowledge ten years ago. When I was still at Temple, Cosby was removed as the annual Commencement speaker. Then the story just died down, or "scuttled," as he would put it.



There's definitely a history of figurative lynching and castration of prominent black figures, but it might be too early to invoke that here.


Julian: Exactly, so it's not like these alleged victims are coming out of the woodwork. The stories were allegedly getting killed by him and his legal team. You'll also find a lot of people jumping the gun saying, "Well, all of his accusers are white." No, they aren't. So before anyone passes any type of judgment, let's consider all of the facts.

Aaron: Definitely, and on the flip side, I hate to see people reveling in his downfall. Although I didn't agree with him during his controversial, "Pull Your Pants Up" tour.

Julian: I don't want that, either. I don't want to see his downfall, but it's not up to us. And, I remember that period, too. If these claims are valid, his tangents on what the black community must do to repair itself will look funny under the light, just like his legacy.

Aaron: Right. Hannibal Buress was making a joke, albeit about something serious, but because he had some unpopular, typical old black man views, doesn't mean that we should be dancing on his proverbial grave. And, of course, the victims tend to get lost in all of this. I wonder now what his legacy will ultimately be?

Julian: Only time will tell. But I've definitely noticed a tendency, especially among older black folks, to defend without all of the facts, and just because he's Bill Cosby.

Aaron: Exactly. I've noticed that, too.

Julian: I don't want to see him go down in flames, but we also defended OJ.

Aaron: Yup. There were tons of R. Kelly defenders, too. Combing through the video footage.

Julian: R. Kelly Truthers.

Aaron: But—and this is not based in facts, just my opinion—there is a tendency for the public to go harder on black public figures. Maybe it is based on facts. Bill Cosby being able to keep this relatively quiet shows how successful he really was and how far he was able to cross over.

Julian: You raise an interesting point. Is it me, or have the Cosby allegations dramatically overshadowed the Stephen Collins situation?

Aaron: Oh definitely. Granted, Cosby is bigger, but the Collins story is almost being treated like, "Aw shucks. Not the dad from 7th Heaven...oh well." Part of it might be, and I may be reaching, when white people or celebrities do things, it's not a reflection, indictment, or even relevant to the "white community" as a whole. It's just a news story—one of many. With Cosby, we felt a connection.

Julian: But when something happens to a black person of notoriety, it's the entire community's shame.

Aaron: Yup.

Julian: No one's like, "Dammit, Stephen Collins. You just made it that much harder for us. You set us back."

Aaron: You never know, though. Also, they always say it's funny how fast people become black "again" after they run into some trouble. Like how Mike hired the NOI as security around the time of his trial, and Cosby pleading to black media to be fair and balanced. And, obviously, OJ .

Julian: Blackness is not a blazer you can wear to court, or anywhere else for that matter.

Aaron: Ironically, that's a blazer I'd be trying to take off in court.

Julian: Hahahahaha.

Aaron: But they know we'll rally around our "own." You can always come home. I think that may explain some of the Cosby support.

Julian: He's Cliff Huxtable. He half-raised an entire generation. 

Aaron: Well, we'll see if his good deeds end up outweighing the horrific crimes he's accused of.

Julian: Maybe we'll find out next year. You got anything else?

Aaron: Nah.

Julian: Well, I know one thing: It wasn't easy being black in 2014. Not that it ever is.

Is there a very racist topic you'd like Julian and Aaron to discuss in the future? Let us know about it in the comments.

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