Nice to Hear from You Again, Jesse
I knew there had been something missing in my life the moment I heard the report on ESPN about Jesse Jackson’s comments on the LeBron James circus.
“Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you got till it’s gone” goes the old Joni Mitchell song, and with Jesse Jackson, his recent media low profile has engendered a longing for those glory days when it seemed like every time you turned around, the race-baiting, professional grievance monger was lecturing white America — usually in near perfect iambic pentameter — about some perceived sin against his sensitive constituency. I write, of course, of the national press and their über delicate sensibilities regarding race and their penchant for granting unquestioned “moral authority” to crooked charlatans like Jackson and Al Sharpton.
Jackson burst back on the national media scene with a vengeance when he weighed in on the LeBron James controversy. His response to this excellent rant from Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert proved that, while a little rusty with his racial metaphors, Rev. Jesse had lost none of his talent for over-the-top, exaggerated, bombastic remonstrances.
I will not rehash the entire LeBron James episode. Wagner operas are shorter. Norse sagas are more interesting. However, a bare-bones summary for those who may have hidden in a cave expecting the return of the Hidden Imam might be in order.
LeBron James is an NBA superstar who, following a seven-year-stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, became a free agent on July 1. Since the end of the NBA season, ESPN, Fox Sports, Comcast SportsNet, and every other national and regional sports network, website, blog, and magazine tracked the story of LeBron’s decision making process as NBA teams lined up like obedient little children for the chance to sign the self-proclaimed “King James” to a gazillion-dollar contract.
James made his free agency quest into a spectacle that even the Romans would have been ashamed to put on. At stake: a possible NBA championship for the lucky team — if they didn’t go broke signing the mega-star to begin with. In the end, there appeared to be four or five teams with a chance to land him. The long-suffering fans of his hometown Cavaliers did everything save sacrifice a virgin to keep him in Cleveland.
Cleveland has not won anything in any sport since forever. They have also been victimized (if you hear them tell it) by a series of spectacular and serendipitous occurrences that have regularly denied their professional franchises a shot at immortality (“The Drive,” “The Shot,” and “The Hit“) As the hype went beyond the stratospheric and assumed Olympian proportions, the city of Cleveland began to, well, lose it. When the frenzy reached its peak over the 4th of July weekend, there were actually prayer vigils to keep the superstar in a Cavaliers uniform, as if God would take pity on the city and allow the bitter cup of being reminded of their past failures to pass from their lips. Ordinary people let on that if James left the city, they would be bereft of hope.
James finally went on national TV for an hour to make his ten-second bit of news: which team had he chosen? Having been adored, worshiped, and cheered to the rafters by fans, as well as pampered, catered, and deferred to by management, James announced his decision to play in Miami for the Heat.
This set off owner Gilbert, who was informed of the decision by James just a few minutes prior to the rest of us mortals:
As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier.
This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his “decision” unlike anything ever “witnessed” in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment.
Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to all of us.
The good news is that the ownership team and the rest of the hard-working, loyal, and driven staff over here at your hometown Cavaliers have not betrayed you nor NEVER will betray you.
There is so much more to tell you about the events of the recent past and our more than exciting future. Over the next several days and weeks, we will be communicating much of that to you.
You simply don’t deserve this kind of cowardly betrayal.
Now, one could argue that Mr. Gilbert is a classless git who can’t take losing gracefully. Others might say that this rant, which deserves to be read in its entirety, is the best missive from an owner of a sports franchise in the history of professional games. It captures the essence of fan rage over their feelings of loyalty being tampered with by an egotistical athlete who toyed in the most spectacularly cruel fashion with their emotions right up to the last possible minute.
Race hustler Jesse Jackson still winds up as a winner. He merely desires to keep his name occasionally in the headlines to make it easier to financially shakedown the next corporation. I hate to say it—but he often wins. Jackson is an expert at exploiting the race card. Corporations have a certain amount of tax deductible income to spend on an annual basis. They cowardly give in to his unjust demands and therefore hope to stay out of harm’s way.
Jackson is an illiterate fool. A part time court jester. He stumbled into the race-hate extortion racket years ago and that enables the mainstream media to stir the waters during slow news times. He’s the NAACP Send in the Clown poster boy. It would be best to ignore his thoughtless mutterings.
The real slaves in this situation are the slavish fans, who get played for suckers in their adoration from their heedless idols. What will surely ensue from this brouhaha are increased ticket prices to pay the kingly sums for this transaction.
Yes, Cleveland fans are upset, but do you think that the Miami fans are thrilled with this situation? They KNOW their new super-star has short-lived loyalties and can be bought by the highest bidder… that will be in their minds every time “King James” is holding court (pun intended).
The “runaway slave” analogy was a sound bite designed to propel Mr. Jackson into the headlines – and it worked. People like Mr. Jackson are empowered mainly because there is an endless supply of guilty white liberals who empower them.
It was my understanding the annunciation of The Obama signaled a new era of postracial harmony. Apparently Jackson/Farrakhan/Sharpton/Holder/Wright/ et all were left out of the loop. Go figure. As always, follow the money.
ps: Michelle seems to be doing her bit to stir the pot.
Jackson is doing nothing more than blowing a Vuvuzela in our ears to distract us from what is important.
One of the best responses ever to a question came when William F. Buckley Jr was being sued by an anti-semitic group called the Liberty Lobby. Attorney Mark Lane asked:
“Have you ever referred to Jesse Jackson as an ignoramus?”
Buckley responded, “If I didn’t, I should have.”
This says it all.
He is no fool, sadly, Carla. He is the “bloody shirt” guy, the opportunist who arranges for a photograph of himself to be taken holding up the body of MLK, having artfully smeared King’s blood onto his own shirt as a metaphorical way of passing on the torch of political power. King didn’t like Jackson back then, as Jesse was always advocating violence and King refused to sanction it.
Jesse is a thug, a morally flexible fellow, self-interested first, last and always. But he is no fool. I wish he was. King Shabazz appears to be such a fool, who cannot control himself in public and sanctions violence and reveals intellectual lack with every interview. Jesse is cleverer. It is why he has prospered.
But this nation is SICK AND TIRED OF BEING CALLED RACISTS. the new NAACP resolution will only raise our level of outrage and at some point the charge of racism will become, already very nearly HAS become, an occasion of snorting laughter and no more. Even the black people of the NAACP don’t believe this hoke. They are in on the game, knowing it is used to lever political power into their hands, to give them the clout to divvy up the spoils, not because anyone really thinks the KKK still exists or that Republicans are de facto racists. The bending and twisting of logical thought to get there is just too severe.
It’s a game, they know it’s a game, we know it’s a game, and I hereby resolve to stop playing.
Jesse who??
The single funniest news-clip of the year has the old black extortionist protesting stiffly that he is the Reverend Jesse Jackson not the reverend Al Sharpton.
Bloody shirt indeed. MLK will be long remembered. Jesse Jackson is already forgotten.
Hey moderator! Consistency would be appreciated.
This whole circus became even more revolting when NBA Commissioner David Stern held a press conference yesterday saying that Cavs owner Dan Gilbert would be fined $100,000 for his comments, regarding Lebron James. It’s hard for me to believe that Race Pimp Jesse Jackson did not have a hand in this fine:
1) Lebron James holds a self-aggrandizing special to announce his departure from the Cavaliers.
2) Dan Gilbert calls out James, labeling him a narcissist and selfish in the process (all true).
3) Jesse Jackson accuses Dan Gilbert’s letter of having a “slave master mentality” and that he will be talking to the NBA league offices shortly.
4) A couple of hours later, David Stern is holding a press conference, announcing that he will fine Dan Gilbert for his comments.
This is just disgusting and sick. It is hard for me to believe, knowing Jackson’s reputation, that he didn’t have a hand in this punishment. Why people like David Stern continually give into Jackson’s race baiting is beyond me? Jesse Jackson is anti-White and anti-Semitic. Yet, he is always given a forum through the media. It is absurd. Jackson knows how to prey on those who suffer from “white guilt” (usually Democrat voters and committed Leftists), and nobody stands up to challenge this racist in the sports media.
Gilbert needs to set up a web site so people can donate to help him pay this “fine”. I wouldn’t be surprised if he raises several hundred thousand in just a couple of days.
I’m still trying to figure out which branch of Christianity Jesse Jackson is a member of, let alone how in all heck he has a “Reverend” in front of his name. Martin Luther King Junior WAS a Christian, a Reverend AND a man of G-d.
As to why Jesse Jackson self-inserted himself in this controversial issue — follow the “smell” of the money…
jackson is a shakedown artist! sports stars and celebrities should have limited compensation and be forced to pay more taxes.
The scariest thing about news stories like this is that they reveal the inner mind set of too many minorities in America: take any opportunity, and I mean ANY, and distort/pervert/manipulate it into one more example that racist Whites are running rampant in America. The racist Jesse Jackson’s offering is down-right silly–until you realize he felt comfortable to say it and why he’s right that it can only help and not hurt his cause.
Well-explained, Rick. Interestingly, Al Sharpton (aka Jesse’s partner in crime) is here in Indy this week to lead “Black Expo.” The local media is swooning over him. Speaking of the media, while not everyone in the sports media is hailing Jesse, some are. But moreover, especially at ESPN, Lebron is now the victim. That Gilbert letter may have been excellent, but it’s given Lebron a chance to go from narcissistic villain to hero. David Stern surely thinks so, fining Gilbert 100k for his honesty, while Lebron is now a cult hero in the third world paradise of Miami. Ridiculous, but hey, it’s the NBA.
BTW, Stern is one of the biggest donors in America to the Democrat party. He was a filthy rich lawyer in NYC prior to taking over the NBA. I am sure he’s also donated to Jackson’s PUSH coalition, or whatever that racist group is called that he runs (which must need money, hence Jesse’s remarks on Monday)
Thanks Rick for a great article. In the whole grand scheme of things with this James (he ain’t Lebron anymore) crap, I think most Clevelanders don’t begrudge him for pursuing his rings. He gave us 7 fun years. It’s just the way he did it. Classless, clueless, clumsy and low-down. There wasn’t any reason to be so heartless and mean. I hope that his “real fans” still find him appealing enough to suffer through his next few season.
Actually, considering Obama’s handling of racial matters so far, and especially the atmosphere pervading Eric Holder’s Department of Justice, I believe Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and their cohorts, are practically salivating at the prospect of a new era of racial hatred and instability in America. That’s all that keeps them relevant.
I would love to be a slave making that kind of money. Right now, I’m just a slave of the free market.
Jesse Jackson is a cilivian puke with no Honor.
Speaking as a former point guard – admittedly one who never played at LeBron’s level – he’s definitely a slave, the sort many people aspire to be. Er, don’t they have a player’s union?
Rumors had it that Jackson, aside from perfecting the art of the shakedown later used by Al Sharpton and others, was an informant. Who knows about half these public figures and their connections?
“Jackson and other African American racialists like Al Sharpton have been relegated to the background of the American media scene because of the presidency of Barack Obama. Every once in a while they will step forward to accuse Obama opponents of racism”.
I completely disagree with that statement. Race bating has become the favorite pastime of the left liberals and the MSM prior and since the Obama immaculation. Any suggestion that racism is not used as a tool to silence criticism of the ruling regime is patently false.
David Stern was right to fine Dan Gilbert. LeBron James was a free agent, and was not at all beholden to Dan Gilbert for one more penny of his income. Gilbert’s public statements were immature at best, more likely defamatory.
As for Jesse Jackson, he got only one part right: “LeBron honored his contract.” Which is more than one can say about Dan Gilbert and his contract with the NBA.
Great article (as usual). Just one question: other than the fact that there probably are none over the age of 8 in Cleveland, what makes you think they did not sacrifice a virgin?
I found this entire Lebron James saga to be boring and pointless. The media (especially ESPN) was acting like this was the second coming of Jesus. James is in Miami…now what? In his seven years as a pro, he has earned how many championships? Oh yeah…NONE! He managed to get the Cavs to the finals once, where they were promptly swept. James may have been a big shot in high school, but he ain’t playing high schoolers anymore.
As far as Jesse “Hymietown” Jackson goes, who cares what that village idiot says or does?
I’ve gone off professional sports altogether, precisely because of this kind of high level extortion, media feeding frenzy and demented civic angst. My breaking point actually occurred back when the Raiders, failing to extort the desired tribute from Oakland, left for greener pastures. Once Oakland sufficiently debased themselves, the team returned. What “loyalty” does a millionaire jock owe to any city? How is a business franchise owned by a zillionaire or a syndicate an expression of civic virtue?
I live across Puget Sound from Seattle, where Paul Allen tried extorting a new stadium for his pet football team, the voters shot him down, and the city council actually increased the city sales tax to pay for a new stadium, over the citizens’ objections. Then they tried to pass a levy for additional property tax to cover EMS… get that? Screw money from the public for a sports arena and them come, hat in hand, for cash to pay paramedics.
To hell with professional sports and the whores and mercenaries that populate it. May they all die in a fire.