So Russell Wilson isn’t “Black Enough” for some of his fellow black teammates according to a Bleacher Report article released Wednesday afternoon. When this story was released, it was met with quite a bit of confusion (on my behalf) and a good amount of public discourse because, “I’ve never understood what that means?”.
As an African-American male, brought up in the 21st century, I’ve experienced almost every racial and socioeconomic situation that there is (generational gap excluded). Attending a predominately white high school, while playing AAU and club sports with kids from every walk of life has provided me with a wide array of stories and experiences, ranging from Bar mitzvahs to that of “Free Lunch” and everything in between.
All things considered, I was still confused by the reports about Russell Wilson’s “blackness” being called into question, and it got me thinking. What would make Russell Wilson “Black Enough” in his teammates eyes?
Wilson is a talented, well spoken, clean cut, openly devout christian, born into an all black household in Cincinnati, Ohio and raised by his late father Harrison, a lawyer and his mother Tammy, a legal nurse consultant in Richmond, Virginia. Wilson has never been accused of nor convicted of a serious crime (to our knowledge) and up until recently was married to his longtime sweetheart Ashton Meem, a white woman who has been close to Wilson since high school.
All of these factors, including Wilson’s on field play, earning rookie of the year honors in 2012 and winning a super bowl in just his second year as the Seahawks QB, have led to numerous endorsements, including: Nike, Microsoft, Pepsi and Bose to name a few. Wilson is also one of the more openly philanthropic professional athletes, known to frequent children hospitals throughout the Seattle area to brighten the days of young people in need of hope.
At this point you’re probably wondering (as I was), “what’s not to like?”, any parent in the world, regardless of color or creed would love to have a child that has reached the level of success that Russell Wilson has reached. Yet for some odd reason, he doesn’t measure up in the eyes of some of his black teammates.
Some would argue that his popularity stems from the same place as the current divide in the Seahawks locker room, that Wilson is beloved “for being black…but not too black”. As if there is some imaginary line that is set between being an acceptable amount of black, and… well you get it. Is this true?
A question the famed comedian Chris Rock would ask is “Who is more racist, white people or black people” to which he answers “black people, because we often HATE other black people too”. If Russell Wilson spoke broken english, had suffered a tumultuous childhood or recently had string of Marijuana suspensions, would he be closer to being “black enough” for the sect of teammates who view him otherwise? If the answer is no, then what would? If yes, thats more depressing than anything.
Alternatively, would brands such as United Way and Levi’s choose him to represent their brands if he wasn’t as well spoken and articulate as he is? Which in turn would lower his earning power throughout his career. These are hypotheticals but it brings the real issue to light. Why is a young man’s “Blackness” called into question when he seemingly does all the right things, why would teammates want to disparage a fellow black man FOR ANY REASON. It seems to be a bit “Blackwards” to me.
In a world where racially divisive issues in sports are seemingly popping up by the hour (See Donald Sterling, Adrian Peterson and Bruce Levenson), why is this story one of them. Our world is changing and the African American community has become a driving force behind that cultural shift, there are also more reinforced stereotypes than ever before thanks to the explosion of social media. However, when stories such as these come to light, it reminds me of the “Crabs in a bucket” theory, which centers around the black community wanting to see change but dragging down any member who seeks to rise up and embody that change.
Instead of questioning if Russell Wilson is “black enough” why not applaud him as an example of what ALL of our youth should strive to embody: respect for your God, your family and community, excellence in your profession, and ultimately carrying yourself in a way that would make others want to follow or be associated with you.
This isn’t entirely about the way Wilson speaks, wears his clothes or styles his hair, its much, much deeper than that. This is about the stereotypical prejudice that most people (including some blacks) hold about how black people SHOULD carry and conduct themselves. The attempt to try to box in what it means to be black has to be eliminated. For the sake of ALL people and future generations. Why not raise the standard on what it means to be “black enough”?
– JB
Product Of Society 