Dr. Dolen Would Like To Air Herself A Grievance
A guest grievance courtesy of my homegirl Dr. Dolen:
So James Blake won last night! Congrats to him for pulling out a grueling 5 setter. It was hard to believe that he's a top 10 player and is just now winning his first 5 setter. As he said, he finally "got that monkey off his back."
But this is what I want to know: James, why is your J-Block all white? Sure, I've heard all the arguments. You grew up in Connecticut so most of your friends are white. You went to Harvard so most of your friends are white. You grew up in the tennis world so most of your friends are white. I say, Whatev! You say that these are 25-50 of your closest friends. Are you going to tell me that you don't have a single friend of African descent to join your J-Block crew?
I mean, am I asking too much for Mr. Blake to have one black friend in the box? Just one?
He is from Fairfield. It is a pretty homogeneous place. And its tennis for Pete's sake. Not the most integrated sport overall.
Posted by: Ocho Ocho | August 31, 2007 at 01:39 PM
All the African Americans are writing letters to Goodell for leniency in the Michael Vick case
Posted by: Ocho Ocho | August 31, 2007 at 01:41 PM
"All the African Americans are writing letters to Goodell for leniency in the Michael Vick case.
Not to mention all that waiting by the mailbox for the O.J. Prize.
As for the J-Block, insofar as Blake has any black friends, perhaps they're embarrassed to sit there. If you've ever been to one of his matches at Arthur Ashe, and had the misfortune of sitting anywhere near the block, I'm sure you know of what I speak.
Posted by: jackie | August 31, 2007 at 01:44 PM
Maybe I should have spelled African with a k (Afrikan) to reveal my nationalism.
Posted by: Dolen | August 31, 2007 at 01:58 PM
Heh. I was thinking the same thing while watching that. What is that 5th set thing about anyway? He's been around forever. Perhap's he should adopt Aaron Krickstein's old posse.
Posted by: Art Vandelay | August 31, 2007 at 02:11 PM
I blame his black father. He should have given that young man more of a sense of his black identity. The sad thing is, there will probably come a time where he will feel just how black he is and wish he had soem black friends.
Posted by: E-Boogie | August 31, 2007 at 02:17 PM
Yeah, but if he added some friends who were black just so he could say he had them, wouldn't that be even shittier? I'd rather he just invite the folks that're his friends, all white or not, rather than have racial quotas.
Posted by: Assman | August 31, 2007 at 02:49 PM
Yeah, but if he added some friends who were black just so he could say he had them, wouldn't that be even shittier? I'd rather he just invite the folks that're his friends, all white or not, rather than have racial quotas.
As long as he doesn't start taking all the white women, I'm fine with it.
Posted by: Art Vandelay | August 31, 2007 at 02:51 PM
that're
Is that legal?
Posted by: jackie | August 31, 2007 at 02:54 PM
That's true, Assman. I'd hate for him to go around saying, "Hey will you be my black friend?" like (some) white folks do.
Posted by: Dolen | August 31, 2007 at 02:58 PM
I'd hate for him to go around saying, "Hey will you be my black friend?" like (some) white folks do.
You mean like these guys?
Posted by: jackie | August 31, 2007 at 03:01 PM
Maybe the problem isn't that Blake won't befriend other black folks. Perhaps blacks don't want to be his friend (aside from Jackie). Who knows, he could be just a turd. Wouldn't be a first from Connecticut.
Posted by: Jack Klompus | August 31, 2007 at 03:03 PM
Classic. Not too many things funnier than blackpeopleloveus.
Sally's always saying: "You go girl!" while "raising the roof" to mainstream hip-hop tracks at cheesy bars. That's fun! I relate to that.
Posted by: Art Vandelay | August 31, 2007 at 03:05 PM
Can James just be James? Without any pre-conceived notions of what should or should not be?
Posted by: Ocho Ocho | August 31, 2007 at 03:26 PM
"Can James just be James? Without any pre-conceived notions of what should or should not be?"
No. Plus, he's a celebrity -- so there's absolutely no chance of that. And, people would still be judging him if he had an all-black entourage. They'd be wondering why, since he grew up surrounded by whites. That's just the way it is.
Posted by: Jack Klompus | August 31, 2007 at 03:41 PM
I feel like I've made some black friends from this site. If I'm ever cornered, can I name Jackie and Assman as friends and feel safe if its checked for confirmation?
Posted by: M. Butler | August 31, 2007 at 03:45 PM
"I feel like I've made some black friends from this site. If I'm ever cornered, can I name Jackie and Assman as friends and feel safe if its checked for confirmation?"
Hey Butler:
You're good.
Cyber Black People Love You Dot Com, brutha.
Posted by: jackie | August 31, 2007 at 04:15 PM
"If I'm ever cornered, can I name Jackie and Assman as friends and feel safe if its checked for confirmation?"
Well what if it's Assman and Jackie who are cornering you? What then, genius?
Posted by: Jack Klompus | August 31, 2007 at 04:16 PM
"I feel like I've made some black friends from this site."
And I feel like I've made a lot of cyclist friends on this site.
Posted by: Jack Klompus | August 31, 2007 at 04:18 PM
"As for the J-Block, insofar as Blake has any black friends, perhaps they're embarrassed to sit there. If you've ever been to one of his matches at Arthur Ashe, and had the misfortune of sitting anywhere near the block, I'm sure you know of what I speak." -- Jackie Chiles
I saw James play at the Pilot Pen in New Haven a few years ago, and I completely agree with you. Those guys are intolerable.
Posted by: Joe | August 31, 2007 at 05:58 PM
There are black people in Connecticut and even if he grew up in an all white environment, which it sounds like he did, it is up to the parents to expose their children to people like themselves. It can be done. I've seen it. My niece and nephew attend an mostly-white high school in a suburb of Atlanta and they have they have friends who are both white and black. They are even considering (God-forbid) going to a black college. Again, his father sucks for not making sure he was exposed to more than just white people. An Asian, Latino, bi-racial, something. James is who he is now, but that's because of his parents.
Posted by: E-Boogie | August 31, 2007 at 07:59 PM
They are even considering (God-forbid) going to a black college.
Why God forbid? Did you go to a HBCU and have a less-than-pleasant experience?
Posted by: Shawn | August 31, 2007 at 10:08 PM
Welcome back to the Airing of Race Cards.
And Butler...everybody knows that when confronted by a group of intimidating black men, you don't mention Assman and Chiles. You have but one choice...suck your way out.
Posted by: SL22 | August 31, 2007 at 10:10 PM
I think you may be asking too much- how black kids have ever heard of Arthur Ashe?
Posted by: Eli | August 31, 2007 at 11:17 PM
That is how 'many' black kids.
Posted by: Eli | August 31, 2007 at 11:19 PM