Jesse Jackson continues his quest to line his pockets.
Chicago (CNSNews.com) - Jesse Jackson says NASCAR should feature more African-American drivers because "negroes can drive cars fast."Apparently Jesse saw me hauling it down I-5 a week or so ago.
"One thing I know, negroes can drive cars fast," Jackson said to laughter. "I mean, we go through red lights, even [drive] at night with our lights off. We can drive cars fast," he asserted from the podium.Oh, yeah, sure. Get NASCAR to sponsor an annual gang-banger race. Gang-bangers and Good Ole Boys living together. Sounds like prison. I wonder who will be the better armed.
[NASCAR's vice president of marketing George] Pyne left no doubt that NASCAR was currently supporting Jackson.
"To the extent that Rainbow/PUSH is committed to making NASCAR more diverse, we support them," Pyne said in an interview with CNSNews.com following the luncheon.
Pyne was unequivocal in his defense of NASCAR's decision to support Jackson.
"I would point out that there are a number of Fortune 500 companies that support Rainbow/PUSH and every other major sport America supports, or a number of major sports entities, support Rainbow PUSH," Pyne said. [SNIP]
"We certainly would think that we would want to be in step with the other sports and corporations in America, and it's consistent with how we approach the business," he added.Whose problem is Jesse Jackson? As I previously stated, he is the problem of white America, specifically “white” corporate America. That Fortune 500 companies in large numbers have fallen for Jackson’s scam does not justify NASCAR’s support. Their support merely indicates that they’re just as cowardly (and guilt-ridden, rightly or wrongly) as the the other companies.
However, I can understand why NASCAR, in particular, would go this route: the sport is perceived to be the province of southern white men, whose reputation as racist has long outlived their actuality in numbers and effectiveness. Look at the comments of Rainbow/PUSH Coalition board member, Bill Shack, from last year, playing on this history:
Chicago (CNSNews.com) - A board member of Jesse Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH Coalition says auto-racing organizations such as NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) are "the last bastion of white supremacy" in professional sports.(Personally, I’ve experienced all my racially-charged incidents from whites right here in California; northern California is lousy with such knuckleheads.)
I’m betting that this perception played a large part in NASCAR’s decision to bow to Jackson’s pressure. It’s a reasonable, real-world decision, if an unfortunate one.
And I have a few questions: what if not enough “bruthas” want to become NASCAR drivers? Will NASCAR be vilified for that? And what’s next? Will the NHL be forced to have a quota? There’d have to be one for the NBA also. (By the way, my oldest nephew plays some serious hockey. I think that he might become one of the few black NHL players in upcoming years. However, since he’s only half black, will he only fill half of the quota slot? My head hurts.)
Back to the article:
I wonder if NASCAR cares more about its endorsements than its fans (actually, I don’t wonder):
"Despite the expression of opposition from thousands of NASCAR's fans last year to NASCAR's support of Jackson, it looks like NASCAR is now fully embracing him" [President of the National Legal and Policy Center Peter]Flaherty, the president of the Virginia-based legal group, told CNSNews.com on Wednesday.But NASCAR’s executives have folded. Check out these subsequent comments from Shack:
"[NASCAR] appear[s] to be moving in the right direction. They appear to have an attitudinal shift. I think that they are making progress," Shack said following Tuesday's luncheon.Attitudinal Shift: very telling verbiage this is. NASCAR’s executives have shifted their attitude to the politically correct one. Too bad for them.
Feel guilty for your corporations’ past or, maybe, your personal past, “White” Corporate America? Fine. But there are better ways to assuage it than to throw money at a charlatan who claims to speak for Americans of African descent. Try holding us to the same standard as yourselves. That is true anti-racism: believing that blacks are just as intelligent, self-disciplined and accomplished as your white peers are and expecting us to be your equals, not your bought chattel.
