- Joined
- Apr 7, 2013
- Messages
- 122,616
Reporter’s “Lynch to English Translation” Tweet Speaks to Culture Disconnect by Robert Littal | Posted on Thursday, January 29th, 2015
Marshawn Lynch is an intelligent individual, but he fits a lot of the negative stereotypes of what a lot of Americans think of young black males. Besides the actual physical stereotypes, he does one thing that I know annoys many in mainstream America, he doesn’t conform.
A lot of people like to separate African-Americans into two categories.
Safe & Dangerous.
There isn’t a lot of middle ground, not a lot of room to just be yourself. You are either the safe black or the one they are afraid of. They feel at times that African-Americans have to make them feel comfortable. It is a burden that a lot of black people especially black males have to deal with, because the threat level is up anytime we walk into a room. Then we are responsible for disarming and breaking the stereotypes they have about us.
It isn’t fair, but life isn’t fair, so you have to deal with. Someone like Marshawn Lynch simply isn’t going to conform to make you feel comfortable and that is where we have the culture disconnect.
Bart Hubbuch has been a long time critic of Lynch’s behavior toward the media. I don’t have an issue with that, because no one is above being critique, but I do have an issue with this.
I know exactly what Marshawn Lynch is saying, it isn’t so much because I am black as much as I was raised in a culture, where you are leery and distrustful of white people and their motivations. I understand his point that they want Lynch when they want him, but he doesn’t see them when he is doing good in the community. Marshawn Lynch doesn’t have a problem speaking, he has a problem speaking to people he feels are exploiting him. Is that paranoia? Probably, but as a black man you live with a healthy dose of paranoia everyday and it is justified.
Hubbuch in my opinion hears the accent, the slang and immediately sees it as gibberish. I don’t think Hubbuch is racist, but when you are dismissive of a culture, it only deepens the resentment and trust of black people. Instead of trying to understand what Lynch is saying he just lashes out in an ill advised and frankly ignorant tweet. Just because someone doesn’t sound like you or uses the words you use, doesn’t make them dumb. Hubbuch says he’s a Texan, I’ve been to Texas many times and they don’t speak like Rhodes Scholars and they use “Y’all” more than anyone else on the planet, but there is only one race that your dialect, language and accent has people immediately questioning your intelligence.
We are the ones who have had to deal with coded language for pretty much are entire existence in America. Even if Hubbuch didn’t mean it that way, he has to be more sensitive to the fact it can be perceive as a polite way of saying I don’t know what this nigger is talking about. If you don’t like Marshawn Lynch that is fine. If you disagree with how he conducts himself to the media that is fine too. But don’t say things that will make people think your issue isn’t so much with what Marshawn is doing, but the color of his skin, the way he speaks or dresses.
Hopefully, that was clear enough english for everyone to understand.
-----------------
Hubbach doesn't get the urban slang. Should he? Is there a educational course he should take in order to be more sensitive?
Sorry to point it out, but jeez, to suggest that black subculture doesn't isolate itself from Joe Whitey is just asinine.
Honestly, I don't give a shit what Lynch has to say or not say.
I already know he's not going to say anything typical and it is about self promotion.
He's going to do his thing, whether it be wearing gold cleats, grabbing his nuts when scoring a TD or anything else.
But to act like the evil white media is badgering this poor black male to make him speak is hilarious. Just cut it with the victim routine. Thing is, he's playing them like a fiddle, then there are others in the black media, who suggest he is some crusader.
Marshawn Lynch is an intelligent individual, but he fits a lot of the negative stereotypes of what a lot of Americans think of young black males. Besides the actual physical stereotypes, he does one thing that I know annoys many in mainstream America, he doesn’t conform.
A lot of people like to separate African-Americans into two categories.
Safe & Dangerous.
There isn’t a lot of middle ground, not a lot of room to just be yourself. You are either the safe black or the one they are afraid of. They feel at times that African-Americans have to make them feel comfortable. It is a burden that a lot of black people especially black males have to deal with, because the threat level is up anytime we walk into a room. Then we are responsible for disarming and breaking the stereotypes they have about us.
It isn’t fair, but life isn’t fair, so you have to deal with. Someone like Marshawn Lynch simply isn’t going to conform to make you feel comfortable and that is where we have the culture disconnect.
Bart Hubbuch has been a long time critic of Lynch’s behavior toward the media. I don’t have an issue with that, because no one is above being critique, but I do have an issue with this.
I know exactly what Marshawn Lynch is saying, it isn’t so much because I am black as much as I was raised in a culture, where you are leery and distrustful of white people and their motivations. I understand his point that they want Lynch when they want him, but he doesn’t see them when he is doing good in the community. Marshawn Lynch doesn’t have a problem speaking, he has a problem speaking to people he feels are exploiting him. Is that paranoia? Probably, but as a black man you live with a healthy dose of paranoia everyday and it is justified.
Hubbuch in my opinion hears the accent, the slang and immediately sees it as gibberish. I don’t think Hubbuch is racist, but when you are dismissive of a culture, it only deepens the resentment and trust of black people. Instead of trying to understand what Lynch is saying he just lashes out in an ill advised and frankly ignorant tweet. Just because someone doesn’t sound like you or uses the words you use, doesn’t make them dumb. Hubbuch says he’s a Texan, I’ve been to Texas many times and they don’t speak like Rhodes Scholars and they use “Y’all” more than anyone else on the planet, but there is only one race that your dialect, language and accent has people immediately questioning your intelligence.
We are the ones who have had to deal with coded language for pretty much are entire existence in America. Even if Hubbuch didn’t mean it that way, he has to be more sensitive to the fact it can be perceive as a polite way of saying I don’t know what this nigger is talking about. If you don’t like Marshawn Lynch that is fine. If you disagree with how he conducts himself to the media that is fine too. But don’t say things that will make people think your issue isn’t so much with what Marshawn is doing, but the color of his skin, the way he speaks or dresses.
Hopefully, that was clear enough english for everyone to understand.
-----------------
Hubbach doesn't get the urban slang. Should he? Is there a educational course he should take in order to be more sensitive?
Sorry to point it out, but jeez, to suggest that black subculture doesn't isolate itself from Joe Whitey is just asinine.
Honestly, I don't give a shit what Lynch has to say or not say.
I already know he's not going to say anything typical and it is about self promotion.
He's going to do his thing, whether it be wearing gold cleats, grabbing his nuts when scoring a TD or anything else.
But to act like the evil white media is badgering this poor black male to make him speak is hilarious. Just cut it with the victim routine. Thing is, he's playing them like a fiddle, then there are others in the black media, who suggest he is some crusader.