Texans ready to walk out on owner after “inmate” comments

[TakeYouToTasker]

There are more poor white people than there are poor black people, yet poor blacks go to jail at higher rates.

Incomplete and unsourced data.

[HappyDays]

The players feelings aren't relevant to the facts, and what the Texans' owner said wasn't racist, and has a colloquial understanding. The players are being dumb, and are the problem in this scenario.

Nope. There is no colloquial understanding of inmates running the prison because that phrase doesnt exist. It would be like if I said the animals are taking over the inner city and followed up with oops I meant to say zoo! Words still mean something.

[klos63]

People looking to be offended by racism took something innocuous and found racism in it.

 

As Jauronimo once said here, when the only tool you have is a shotgun, every problem looks like a tranny.

 

People finding offense in the innocuous is the problem, the people producing the innocuous are not.

Such as quietly kneeling for maybe a minute before a game?

[phypon]

Nope. There is no colloquial understanding of inmates running the prison because that phrase doesnt exist. It would be like if I said the animals are taking over the inner city and followed up with oops I meant to say zoo! Words still mean something.

 

Change that to aquarium and you would have a more accurate analogy. You are reaching.

[BringBackOrton]

Nope. There is no colloquial understanding of inmates running the prison because that phrase doesnt exist. It would be like if I said the animals are taking over the inner city and followed up with oops I meant to say zoo! Words still mean something.

Why do you associate the word prison with black people, racist?

[Kelly the Dog]

 

The "straw" seems insignificant UNTIL you see what else was already on the camels back!

 

This is not an "athlete" vs team owner thing.

 

Race issues are getting to the breaking point in this country (again) and MANY of the comments in this forum are good examples of WHY.

 

To many of you - If you do not have a horse in this race, you would be better off to STFU.

You're talking to the wrong person. I'm one of the most sympathetic to black people's causes on this entire board. Overly so. So much in fact I call myself a racist because I favor minorities over white people on almost everything.

 

I do believe this to be a straw that broke the camel's back scenario. And do believe Hopkins did it because he couldn't believe the insensitivity of McNair the day of a sit-down meeting to address the issue. And I also think that particular insensitivity is most of the problem.

 

But walking out of practice hurts your team. The team spoke about it and en mass decided to practice. I think it could have been voiced differently.

[Doc Brown]

Such as quietly kneeling for maybe a minute before a game?

There is some hypocrisy there. No doubt about it. If you're fine with McNair's comments then you shouldn't take issue with players kneeling before a game. Both are expressions of free speech. If the NFL mandated that all of its employees stood for the national anthem it would be a different story, but Goodell didn't do that and he'll now face the consequences.

[TakeYouToTasker]

Not sure that's a fair statement, because racism does exist and sometimes it may be difficult to determine what is racist and what is a poor choice of words. It's hard to read intent into every statement. And if you've been a victim of racism, it's seems likely that you may be more sensitive to it. That being said, McNair did seem genuinely sorry for what he said. Normally, that would end the conversation.

The problem is that we are cultivating a culture in which people are being taught that they are victims, and that their problems are due to racism when the truth is that people of all races share the same problems assuming similar socio-economic status.

 

Of course individual racists and racism exist, and always will, but they are outliers in today's America; and that means the default should be to give people the benefit of the doubt. The Texans players didn't do that. They assumed the ugliest, and the worst, and made public accusations of racism which is not a reasonable position to take.

[GunnerBill]

I'm not sure that it is just about race. I am white, I have never been to prison, if my boss described me in that way I would walk out. Can I understand why some people might draw a conclusion about race? Yes. But even if there wasn't that possibility it is still a totally unacceptable way to describe your employees.

[HappyDays]

 

Change that to aquarium and you would have a more accurate analogy. You are reaching.

Youre right, Im not sure if theres a good analogy for what he said. But it does imply something about what he thinks of his players. Inmates running the asylum is a very common phrase and mixing that up with prison obviously implies something given the circumstances.

 

Im amazed by the number of people trying to say an old white billionaire isnt secretly racist. I mean I think most people are secretly racist, of all ethnicities. When did that become a controversial statement? People are born racist and his racism slipped out in a moment of anger. Its really not a big deal. I find it funny everyone says THE PLAYERS ARE OVERREACTING while getting caught up in dumb little arguments. Rob McNair will apologize and everyone will move on. A few more people will boycott the NFL because of the PLAYERS reaction which is the biggest overreaction of all.

[K-9]

Such as quietly kneeling for maybe a minute before a game?

Great point, but it's gonna be lost on the hypocrites around here.

[GunnerBill]

People are born racist.

Sorry?

[klos63]

The problem is that we are cultivating a culture in which people are being taught that they are victims, and that their problems are due to racism when the truth is that people of all races share the same problems assuming similar socio-economic status.

 

Of course individual racists and racism exist, and always will, but they are outliers in today's America; and that means the default should be to give people the benefit of the doubt. The Texans players didn't do that. They assumed the ugliest, and the worst, and made public accusations of racism which is not a reasonable position to take.

I honestly don't believe this, it seems that the racists(and I mean the 'proud' racists-kkk and the like) are getting a bit more mainstream. We have a president that defended them recently. It's a real issue.

[TakeYouToTasker]

Such as quietly kneeling for maybe a minute before a game?

That's a bull **** example as the stated purpose behind the knee taking was "systemic racial inequality" which is nothing more than calling everyone who disagrees with them racists.

 

When that's what you lead with, you're a piece of garbage.

[Solomon Grundy]

My question to the NFL and ownership is where are the PSAs that target racial/social injustice? They have a BIG cancer and are starting an opioid campaign, why not one that reflect the players concerns? Maybe, just maybe this will pause all the other demonstrations around the league and show the players that the NFL and ownership really care

[Gugny]

What little bitches

 

I actually agree with you on this one.

[klos63]

The problem is that we are cultivating a culture in which people are being taught that they are victims, and that their problems are due to racism when the truth is that people of all races share the same problems assuming similar socio-economic status.

 

Of course individual racists and racism exist, and always will, but they are outliers in today's America; and that means the default should be to give people the benefit of the doubt. The Texans players didn't do that. They assumed the ugliest, and the worst, and made public accusations of racism which is not a reasonable position to take.

Sorry, but that's a total right wing talking point with no basis of fact behind it.

[swnybillsfan]

 

An ex-gf of mine was sent to jail in LA because she had something like 10 unpaid parking tickets. She was white.

and what color is she now?

[Doc Brown]

The problem is that we are cultivating a culture in which people are being taught that they are victims, and that their problems are due to racism when the truth is that people of all races share the same problems assuming similar socio-economic status.

 

Of course individual racists and racism exist, and always will, but they are outliers in today's America; and that means the default should be to give people the benefit of the doubt. The Texans players didn't do that. They assumed the ugliest, and the worst, and made public accusations of racism which is not a reasonable position to take.

Part of the problem is McNair gave 4.5 million to Trump's campaign. A guy that pushed the birther issue for our first black president and called players that knelt SOB's. They're individuals who are entitled to their own opinion and maybe they think he shouldn't be given the benefit of the doubt. They were just compared to inmates.

[Peace Frog]

My 2¢. Racism does/still exists in this country. There are people who overreact to it and others that are insensitive to it. White privilege also does/still exists in this country. Trying to explain white privilege to a white person is like trying to explain water to a fish. As far as protesting peacefully at the game, I have no problem with it. Nobody is getting hurt, nothing is getting vandalized, and attention is being brought to the protester's cause, which happens to be racial inequality in this country. If the players are discouraged from protesting 'at their job' or 'on working time', then I guess that makes every union strike wrong. This opinion was brought to you by a born and raised 'white guy'.

Edited October 27, 2017 by Peace Frog