Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Where is the outrage over anti-Semitism in Sports and Hollywood?

[Waluigi's World]

I hate having to explain this to my friends. Black people are not liberal like folks think of us. We would be as conservative as the Cuban population if the republicans would stop being racist for just a tiny bit.

Honestly, I don't claim to be super Marxist, communist, as twitter tries to paint everyone these days. Some of my ideals would ring centrist if our conservative party wasn't literally insane.

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This is what I've been trying to tell people about the hispanic community. People need to stop assuming someone is an ally because of their skin color, sexual orientation, religion, etc.

I constantly see white liberals talk about hating conservatives because they are anti-LGBT and/or abortion rights then they will turn around and champion the hispanic community because we're an "oppressed" group and in my head I'm thinking, if we were white, you would hate my community for its general view on things.

 

[Evo Shandor]

Thank you for posting this, OP. It's greatly appreciated.

 

[GYODX]

Jewish persecution is in this weird place where it's obviously extremely prevalent all over the world these days, but because the face of judaism is a "white" one to a lot of people, especially in North America, and then you layer in the tropes that they are the opposite of persecuted (all powerful etc.), and it's easy to see why those feeling it are afraid to speak up without looking like they're trying to compete in the oppression olympics vs the BIPOC community, and why those enabling it (or straight up doing it) are oblivious to the impact of what they're doing, or what it means, or that they're even doing it to begin with, etc. That's in addition to blatant discrimination.

That's my super simplistic reductionist take on why it continues to rage on despite the woke-ness of today's vocal world.

Everyone gotta join the same side that Kareem is preaching.

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I don't think that's reductionist at all. Jewish people tend to be wealthier, better educated, and generally excel in most metrics that we think of as conferring "privilege." Combine that with how common it's become to base one's entire worldview and moral barometer on power dynamics (i.e., "punching up vs punching down"), and it's not hard to see how antisemitism can take root and go unchallenged.

 

[Mekanos]

People dont seem to know how bad anti semitism is right now. In France for example there are a lot of synagogue's that are hidden from the public. Meaning they have no signs and the building looks exactly like its neighbours. Just to avoid being targeted. In a lot of countries in Europe Synagogue's are guarded by police or army. From France to Denmark.

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This happens in America too. Every high holiday service my synagogue had police surrounding the front.

 

[Deleted member 26039]

Great article by an amazing man. I can't believe there hasn't been more about this in the news.

 

[Deleted member 61909]

I think another part of the issue is that a lot of black communities tend to be deeply religious, and while this has many benefits in terms of strengthening community bonds and the like, it also has a habit of making a lot of social views in those communities skew very conservative

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this.

Religion is still a pretty dominate force within black communities and is often used to enforce negative views. I keep having to tell this to white liberals. I still remember how shocked this board was when there was an article pointing out that support for the LGBT community amongst blacks was not as high as they thought it would be. If you understand how deeply religious blacks are it should not be shocking.

 

[TheHunter]

One of the common links seems to be Farrakhan. He needs to be put in the dumpster.

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[Poodlestrike]

This recent trend of very prominent celebrities expressing openly anti-semitic sentiment seems to be a new development. Or maybe I just haven't been paying attention.

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It's definitely not new - it's just that we've had a few prominent celebrities in a row broadcast this stuff in quick succession. Chalk it up to timing more than anything else, it'll go back to the regular background noise and occasion Gibson-esque flareup in time.

Fuck that's depressing.

 

[StayMe7o]

Well written article and I hope people at least try to see why they're wrong. The silence from big figures makes me realize that antisemitism is huge.

 

[WascallyWabbit]

Amazing that one of the greatest basketball players of all time happens to be one of the most insightful athletes in regards to social matter, lucky to have this guy

 

[Cuburger]

Good on KAJ for being vocal about the issue when so many others in sports and the media just seemed to be silent.

It's really something when only a few years ago in Charlottesville, literal Neo-Nazi's were marching in a large coming out party with tiki torches chanting, "The Jews will not replace us" and people don't recognize the rise/resurgence of antisemitism as the growing alongside the outward embracing of fascism and white supremacy in the U.S.

 

[Neo C.]

I hate having to explain this to my friends. Black people are not liberal like folks think of us. We would be as conservative as the Cuban population if the republicans would stop being racist for just a tiny bit.

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Yeah, it's always strange to me how people assume that the growing number of minority voters is automatically a win for the progressives. Well, it is - for now. In the not so distant future, I can see how conservatives could regain some percentages in those groups.

 

[Waluigi's World]

this.

Religion is still a pretty dominate force within black communities and is often used to enforce negative views. I keep having to tell this to white liberals. I still remember how shocked this board was when there was an article pointing out that support for the LGBT community amongst blacks was not as high as they thought it would be. If you understand how deeply religious blacks are it should not be shocking.

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This applies to conservative white people as well. Bigotry is more a product of religion than race, imo.

 

[Waluigi's World]

Double post.

 

[Emergency & I]

KAJ is a personal hero of mine. He absolutely nailed this.

 

[Blackie]

Kareem might be my favorite Laker ever from an all around lifetime output perspective. Loving his articles and wisdom.

 

[LilScooby77]

Always love to hear his input on social issues.

 

[TheMadTitan]

Or isn't even aware of it. I didn't know "poisoning the well" was an anti-Semitic thing until very late in my teens, so I can see a lot of the stuff that Ice Cube was posting in particular going over people's heads.

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I dIdn't know it was anti-Semetic until right now.

Never something I said regardless, but still. There's just so much shit we say on a day to day basis that's racist, it's ridiculous. People still say "jipped" (chose said spelling on purpose) not knowing that it's connected to Romani people and stems from them always being seen as conniving thieves.

 

[TheCthultist]

This is 100% on point and yet I don't expect anything to change. it'll keep getting mentioned here and there, dismissed, and ignored just like always.

 

[Mekanos]

I dIdn't know it was anti-Semetic until right now.

Never something I said regardless, but still. There's just so much shit we say on a day to day basis that's racist, it's ridiculous. People still say "jipped" (chose said spelling on purpose) not knowing that it's connected to Romani people and stems from them always being seen as conniving thieves.

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I'm Jewish and this is also my first time hearing this. Wild.

 

[Humidex]

KAJ with the truth-bombs as always. Great and timely piece.

 

[Messofanego]

Great article by Kareem. I gotta check out his other writing.

 

[Deleted member 16876]

Great article.

One of the common links seems to be Farrakhan. He needs to be put in the dumpster.

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Yeah I am still suprised this asshole is still operating just fine. Fuck him.

 

[Deleted member 6230]

Great article.

Yeah I am still suprised this asshole is still operating just fine. Fuck him.

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He's been essentially blacklisted from major media outlets and even banned from social media sites. Youtube is a big problem though as there's a lot of uploads of his speeches there. Fucking Youtube won't even bother banning the nazis.

 

[Pand]

It's one of my biggest frustrations to see people who are capable of critical thinking, empathy and compassion somehow shut all those down when it comes to certain groups they have a problem with.

In the end it's not that difficult to grasp: all groups contain a wide variety of people who should be judged on their personal merits. Done.

 

[Deleted member 16876]

He's been essentially blacklisted from major media outlets and even banned from social media sites. Youtube is a big problem though as there's a lot of uploads of his speeches there. Fucking Youtube won't even bother banning the nazis.

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Fucking youtube. Seems like a lot of evil these days gets around due to the site.

I wonder when this trash site will reform...

 

[Artdayne]

It's really nice to see KAJ say that. The reality is that most people have blind spots when it comes to some social issue unless they've made significant effort to become aware and knowledgeable. Antisemitism is one of the very oldest prejudices and the same tropes from several hundred years ago get repeated today.

 

[Deleted member 5865]

Anti-semitism, really any bigotry, is just frightening. Not a fun feeling to know that people you stand with one day may turn on folks for issues not yet confronted (see: The whole emphasis we had on "All Black Lives Matter" when anti-LGBT messages reared its head again)

 

[Trafalgar Law]

Kareem might be my favorite Laker ever from an all around lifetime output perspective. Loving his articles and wisdom.

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my personal goat

 

[Trafalgar Law]

This is 100% on point and yet I don't expect anything to change. it'lol keep getting mentioned here and there, dismissed, and ignored just like always.

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yuppp i was talking about the dog whistles been thrown and people were like nah

 

[thisismadness]

I hate having to explain this to my friends. Black people are not liberal like folks think of us. We would be as conservative as the Cuban population if the republicans would stop being racist for just a tiny bit.

Honestly, I don't claim to be super Marxist, communist, as twitter tries to paint everyone these days. Some of my ideals would ring centrist if our conservative party wasn't literally insane.

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On social issues, I've always felt the same. I hoped that it was just my corner of the population.. I'm from California but most of my family and the communities I've lived in have not been too different than deep red state republicans. They're ultra religious, anti-abortion, anti-immigration, and anti-lgbt. They're much more liberal on economic issues.

 

[Possum Armada]

Great article. I feel like a lot of white men won't call out black/lgbtq folk or women who say shit like that because, consciously or not, they don't want to be accused of being racist/sexist/trans/homophobic.

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Not going to lie, as a white dude this comment pretty much describes my hesitation to weigh in on these matters.

 

[Wordballoons]

What a great man. Really cool to see him leading the way and writing such a great response

 

[FantasticMrFoxdie]

Kareem is an absolute treasure. How is this man so brilliant and talented.

Perfect article. I have very little to add onto what KAJ has said, but this part in particular I think is important:


I think what we need to realize is that the history of all fights against oppression are intertwined. While for example the desire for an anti-black society is primarily carried by black people, other minorities who can empathize with the struggle through their own pursuits for a society that would allow them to live in peace have always lent a hand or have made use of opportunities for mutual aid. Our fights are not perpendicular; they intersect constantly and always have. Even beyond the purview of just being a good human being, we owe it to our allies to rid ourselves of our own biases and bigotry.

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Holy shit did not know Billie did not write that WOW.

 

[Deleted member 2145]

that's my GOAT 😭

Nailed it.

I always thought this. I remember screaming this at all the woke atheists at the old forum who tried to normalize bigotry towards muslims because it was not "racism". You always have to fight back. The second you stop fighting it becomes normalized and allows some really shitty people to take control of things.

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woke atheists have a reckoning coming if they do care about the marginalized communities they claim to fight for but that'll be further down the line when greater strides towards justice have been made

 

[bionic77]

that's my GOAT 😭



woke atheists have a reckoning coming if they do care about the marginalized communities they claim to fight for but that'll be further down the line when greater strides towards justice have been made

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Everyone has a reckoning coming if they act like stupid assholes.

People are inherently flawed and we have to fight and work towards making ourselves better.

 

[Richiek]

Regarding Farrakhan, it's amazing that people are signal boosting the guy who ordered Malcom X's death.

 

[Jag]

Jewish people tend to be wealthier, better educated, and generally excel in most metrics that we think of as conferring "privilege."

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Here you make a definitive statement that I have no idea whether it is true or not. I know you were not posting it as a negative, but it is
still a dangerous stereotype and puts a target on the backs of Jews. There are other racist stereotypes that can be perceived as a positive, against Asians for example, but are still dangerous when applied to an entire people.

Being perceived as the "other" or "better" is still dangerous to a small minority.

 

[Waluigi's World]

Don't know if it's allowed but I am bumping this for more eyes.

 

[Deleted member 8257]

One of the common links seems to be Farrakhan. He needs to be put in the dumpster.

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100%. So disappointed to see some amazing BLM activists poisoned by this utter dumb fuck.

 

[GYODX]

100%. So disappointed to see some amazing BLM activists poisoned by this utter dumb fuck.

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The Women's March a couple of years ago also had some Farrakhan issues, or at least some of the organizers did. Dude's a scumbag, and anybody who still willingly associates with him has no claim to progressivism.

 

[SpaceCrystal]

Good article by Kareem.

 

[Deleted member 6230]

100%. So disappointed to see some amazing BLM activists poisoned by this utter dumb fuck.

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I mean it's not that hard to see how exactly some BLM activists might be sympathetic to or somewhat influenced by a figure like Farrakhan. It is disappointing but I'm sympathetic tho those folks and will hold space for them to learn and grow.