ESPN Rob Parker asked if RGIII is a brother, "“He’s not really"

[Swedish Extrovert]

I haven't gone through all the posts in this thread, but I will say this.

RGIII was raised in a military officer family, and he acts like the son of a military officer: responsible, respectful, polite and hard-working.

I wonder if those are "non-black" qualities as per Rob Parker.

[Swedish Extrovert]

One of my roomates from back in college is black. He was raised in the hood, but was constantly made fun of for "acting white." He got a basketball scholarship to Kent, and his father worked his ass off to pay the rest of the tuition. He got into DU on a basketball scholarship. His fiance is white. Now he's a big shot financial accountant in Toronto.

I did get pissed off at him once when I brought home KFC and he ate all of it before I had a chance to get any - in a purely racist, stereotypical sort of way, that was the "blackest" thing I ever saw him do. But he's got a pretty good life now, and it's mostly from "acting white" (as per Mr. Parker).

I always told him he kinda reminded me of Tiger Woods:

[bombay]

Originally Posted by Requiem

Robert Griffin III. Obviously he has two brothers.

Yeah. George Foreman and George Foreman.

[Beantown Bronco]

The only reason Mrs Bean ever agreed to go out on a date with me was because I convinced her I was black from the waist down.

[Br0nc0Buster]

Originally Posted by Beantown Bronco

The only reason Mrs Bean ever agreed to go out on a date with me was because I convinced her I was black from the waist down.

You braid your pubic hair?

[huh??]

It seems to me that Rob Parker should change his name to a more "brutha" sounding name, since he's concerned about "blackness".

[Irish Stout]

Originally Posted by huh??

It seems to me that Rob Parker should change his name to a more "brutha" sounding name, since he's concerned about "blackness".

Now that you mention it, Robert Griffin the Third is about the whitest sounding name you could have. Any time you toss a numeral onto the end of your name you sound like some uppity white rich a-hole.

[bronco militia]

Originally Posted by Irish Stout

Now that you mention it, Robert Griffin the Third is about the whitest sounding name you could have. Any time you toss a numeral onto the end of your name you sound like some uppity white rich a-hole.

man...I wish I was rich

[huh??]

Originally Posted by Irish Stout

Now that you mention it, Robert Griffin the Third is about the whitest sounding name you could have. Any time you toss a numeral onto the end of your name you sound like some uppity white rich a-hole.

Yeah, he should have gone the way of George Forman, George Forman, George Forman, George Forman (his daughter), George Forman, and... damn; I can't remember how many kids he has. Five?

[Jason in LA]

I know a lot of black guys named Robert. I know black folks with the last name Griffin. You know, we all don't have names like Tyrone, or names that start with "La" lol

[broncocalijohn]

Originally Posted by Jason in LA

I know a lot of black guys named Robert. I know black folks with the last name Griffin. You know, we all don't have names like Tyrone, or names that start with "La" lol

I thought if someone was from the hood, they had to have a prefix to start off their name.

[Lestat]

Rob Parker is a gigantic moron and yet somehow he continues to be gainfully employed by major companies.

[Kaylore]

The Tiger comparison is interesting. Really, RG3 saying he doesn't want his race to be an issue is kind of what we're going for, right? But then you see comments like these where the Black community takes pride in their racial distinctiveness and believes a certain set of behaviors and dress equate to being part of that community.

Shouldn't it not matter? I kind of get what Jason in LA is saying - that there is a perception that Tiger eschewed his black heritage seemingly out of disdain or embarrassment - like he was rejecting it because he was too good for it now. But really how is that different than what Rob Parker is doing just on a more extreme scale? He has more criteria, but the overall message is the same: To be a black person you need to do "whatever" and that has to be consistent with how we are or you're a sellout/uncle Tom.

I think it cuts both ways. Successful minorities have to ballance being succesful and fighting for a world that doesn't see race as anything other than a genetic marking, but then if they don't tout their herritage enough the way the community thinks, they are criticized. You can't have all these things that make you a distinct people and then complain about not being accepted.

[bombay]

I don't blame Griffin for not wanting to be compared to every black QB who ever played, which is what always happens. He's more Steve Youngish than than Vince Youngish.

[Lestat]

the problem with most African Americans like Rob Parker is that they want every successful African American to trumpet being a African American who is successful rather than a person who is successful.

RGIII,Tiger,Obama are the main examples they use as not being "black" enough.
i am told constantly by other African Americans that i am not "black" because i'm not as stereotypical as they are.
that's one of the issues with seeing things in terms of race instead of in terms of being a person.

[Jason in LA]

Originally Posted by broncocalijohn

I thought if someone was from the hood, they had to have a prefix to start off their name.

John, you must be an honorary negro, because if you weren't I'd slap you through your computer screen. lol

We ain't all from the hood.

[Chris]

Originally Posted by Lestat

the problem with most African Americans like Rob Parker is that they want every successful African American to trumpet being a African American who is successful rather than a person who is successful.

RGIII,Tiger,Obama are the main examples they use as not being "black" enough.
i am told constantly by other African Americans that i am not "black" because i'm not as stereotypical as they are.
that's one of the issues with seeing things in terms of race instead of in terms of being a person.

Is this really true? I don't know anyone black that feels this way.

[Jason in LA]

Originally Posted by Kaylore

The Tiger comparison is interesting. Really, RG3 saying he doesn't want his race to be an issue is kind of what we're going for, right? But then you see comments like these where the Black community takes pride in their racial distinctiveness and believes a certain set of behaviors and dress equate to being part of that community.

Shouldn't it not matter? I kind of get what Jason in LA is saying - that there is a perception that Tiger eschewed his black heritage seemingly out of disdain or embarrassment - like he was rejecting it because he was too good for it now. But really how is that different than what Rob Parker is doing just on a more extreme scale? He has more criteria, but the overall message is the same: To be a black person you need to do "whatever" and that has to be consistent with how we are or you're a sellout/uncle Tom.

I think it cuts both ways. Successful minorities have to ballance being succesful and fighting for a world that doesn't see race as anything other than a genetic marking, but then if they don't tout their herritage enough the way the community thinks, they are criticized. You can't have all these things that make you a distinct people and then complain about not being accepted.

I'd say that it is true for any race or group, that when an individual from that group succeeds where that groups usually doesn't, people from that group have a sense of pride. For black folks, we love the Williams sisters. When Tiger Woods hit the scene, we were all in. Obama is damn near a saint.

Think of Jeremy Lin, he was, and probably still is, huge in the Asian communities. So was Yao Ming.

Mexicans are always going to support Mexican boxers.

I'd say that white folks liked seeing Payton Hillis rush for 1,000 yards.

There is nothing wrong with any of that.

A black QB is still huge in the black community. Even though there are more black QBs than ever, and it is far less of an issues as it was in the past, actually, it's not really even an issue anymore, most QBs are still white. It just it what it is, and there is nothing wrong with that. So black folks are loving RG3, and there is nothing wrong with that. I did feel that it was time to get off Michael Vick, even though a lot of black folks stayed on that bandwagon. I never thought he was a good QB, and then the dog fighting. It was time to stop supporting that guy.

With Rob Parker's comments about RG3, I'd say that he was out of line because RG3 has not shown that he isn't "down with us." He's educated and has a white girlfriend. I see nothing wrong with that (the educated part is great, the white girlfriend, to each his own). He wants to be compared to the best, not just other black QBs. I love that. He's a Republican. My pops is a Republican, and all his friends are black.

I feel bad for RG3 that the topic was brought up without him showing that he was trying to separate himself from being black. Parker was wrong for bringing that up on a national show. If he wants to talk about that in the barber shop, or off the airwaves, so be it. But he shouldn't have said that in front of a national audience, whether on TV, radio, or in print.

Now Tiger Woods, the way Kaylor phrased it, "eschewed his black heritage seemingly out of disdain or embarrassment - like he was rejecting it because he was too good for it now," that's the way I see it, and I don't like it. That doesn't mean that I hate the guy, or wish bad things for him. I could care less. I'm just not a fan. I don't need him to act black (certainly don't need him to do the crip walk like Serena did). But if he had some pride in being black (as well as other ethnic groups that he's a part of), I'd be a fan of his on some level.

[TheReverend]

Originally Posted by Lestat

the problem with most African Americans like Rob Parker is that they want every successful African American to trumpet being a African American who is successful rather than a person who is successful.

RGIII,Tiger,Obama are the main examples they use as not being "black" enough.
i am told constantly by other African Americans that i am not "black" because i'm not as stereotypical as they are.
that's one of the issues with seeing things in terms of race instead of in terms of being a person.

^ would've never guessed you were a black dude.

[Chris]

Originally Posted by Jason in LA

I see nothing wrong with that (the educated part is great, the white girlfriend, to each his own).

[Lestat]

Originally Posted by Chris

Is this really true? I don't know anyone black that feels this way.

there are plenty that feel that way. that's why you had so many act as though Obama wasn't black enough after he didn't get a Jefferson's reference correct.
or felt he let them down because he didn't have a "black" agenda when he was in office during his first term.

Originally Posted by TheReverend

^ would've never guessed you were a black dude.

most guess that i'm a cantankerous 51 year old white dude.

[El Minion]

Originally Posted by Jason in LA

I know a lot of black guys named Robert. I know black folks with the last name Griffin. You know, we all don't have names like Tyrone, or names that start with "La" lol

So do I, and his name is Peter

[TheReverend]

Originally Posted by Lestat

most guess that i'm a cantankerous 51 year old white dude.

Haha, that's kinda what I was thinking!

[Agamemnon]

What the **** is that dude talking about? Nutjob...

[Cito Pelon]

So RG4, if he's half-white, what is he supposed to be? My guess is he'll still be considered "black" by some people, supposed to act brotha sometimes, supposed to act Ivy League sometimes. Expected to act like one culture sometimes, like the other sometimes, depending on the situation.

That's some tough expectations to put on a kid.