From 'Hero' To Zero In 60 Seconds
[col. writ. 7/9/10] (c) '10 Mumia Abu-Jamal
The national mania over which team basketball star Lebron James would choose, and the reaction to his choice, shows us how singular sports is to American culture, and how shallow we can be.
Lebron James was, and is, a player of such unique talents that there was scarcely a team in a major U.S. city that wouldn't have wept with gratitude at his joining.
With a height of 6'11" and a wingspan of 7 feet, any team he joins immediately acquires a 75% chance of making the finals, and perhaps the championship.
But when James chose Miami for a shot at the ring, some teams and some cities went coo coo.
Fans in Cleveland burned James' Cavalier jersey, and the team owner called his former star "cowardly" and "disloyal" to the city.
The red-eyed turnaround had all of the venom of a spurned lover.
It revealed, better than an X-ray, how shallow is our adoration of our sports heroes, and how little we really see and respect them as people - especially if they are Blacks.
There's also an element of envy at play at a wealthy athlete who pursues his interest rather than "ours" - the fan's.
Yet wasn't James a "free agent?" Hadn't he the right to choose?
Wasn't he "free" to do so?
Well, he was free - as long as he did what they wanted him to do - promote Cleveland.
Now, he's a member of Miami's Heat, a franchise that he doesn't have to carry, but which with several stars, can contribute to the chase.
The choice of city, of team, and of teammates was his to make.
It's not about loyalty (especially to a billionaire who spits on him moments after he leaves); it's about winning.
His chances just went up significantly.
--(c) '10 maj
==========
The Power of Truth is Final -- Free Mumia!
URGENT Need for Petition Signatures at: http://www.iacenter.org/mumiapetition/
Audio of most of Mumia's essays are at: http://www.prisonradio.org
Mumia's got a podcast! Mumia Abu-Jamal's Radio Essays - Subscribe at the website or on iTunes and get Mumia's radio commentaries online.
Mumia Abu-Jamal's new book -- JAILHOUSE LAWYERS: PRISONERS DEFENDING PRISONERS V. THE USA, featuring an introduction by Angela Y. Davis -- has been released! It is available from City Lights Books: http://www.citylights.com/book/?GCOI=87286100448090
If you are planning to organize an event or would like to order in bulk, you can also receive a 45% discount on any bulk orders of 20 copies or more. The book retails for $16.95, for orders of 20 copies or more the discounted price would be $9.32 per book, plus shipping and handling. Prepayment would be required and books are nonreturnable. If you or your organization would like to place a bulk order, please contact Stacey Lewis at 415.362.1901 or stacey@citylights.com
Let's use the opportunity of the publication of this brilliant, moving, vintage Mumia book to build the momentum for his case, to raise the money we desperately need in these challenging economic times, to get the word out – to produce literature, flyers, posters, videos, DVD's; to send organizers out to help build new chapters and strengthen old ones, TO GET THE PEOPLE OUT IN THE STREETS … all the work that we must do in order to FREE MUMIA as he faces LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT PAROLE OR EXECUTION!
Please make a contribution to help free Mumia. Donations to the grassroots work will go to both INTERNATIONAL CONCERNED FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF MUMIA ABU-JAMAL and the FREE MUMIA ABU-JAMAL COALITION (NYC).
Please mail donations/ checks to:
FREE MUMIA ABU JAMAL COALITION
PO BOX 16, NEW YORK,
NY 10030
(CHECKS FOR BOTH ORGANIZATIONS PAYABLE TO: FMAJC/IFCO)
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
215 476-8812
212-330-8029
Send our brotha some LOVE and LIGHT at:
Mumia Abu-Jamal
AM 8335
SCI-Greene
175 Progress Drive
Waynesburg, PA 15370
WE WHO BELIEVE IN FREEDOM CAN *NOT* REST!!
Subscribe: mumiacolumns-subscribe@topica.com
Subscribe ICFFMAJ email updates list by e-mailing
No comments:
Post a Comment