Lebron calls Celtics fans racist

[liam]

Uh, what? The implication being you're going to stop caring about claims of racism if they're made too often without satisfying some criteria you have?

At least from Lebron, that sounds like a reasonable approach until he gives examples of actual racism.

Isn't this the same LeBron that said Morey shouldn't speak out for Tibet? He's a justice warrior as long as it makes him money. Such a phony.

[gouki88]

Uh, what? The implication being you're going to stop caring about claims of racism if they're made too often without satisfying some criteria you have?

At least from Lebron, that sounds like a reasonable approach until he gives examples of actual racism.

I'm sure if you opened LeBron's instagram messages you would thousands of examples of racist abuse, stemming from probably all franchises. In fact, I would put money on that.

I just don't think he opens his messages from randoms.

[ozgod]

Interesting comments from someone who is a part owner of the Red Sox. Certainly our city needs a lot of work. But so do many others.

[KG Living Legend]

 I'm so mad at LeCon right now. He is the epitome of a Sellout.  China Sellout.  Corporate Sellout.  Anything to be a billionaire for this chump.

 Screw you lebron.  You ring chasing NBA catered to punk. Your in reality nothing compared to MJ, Kobe, Larry, Magic, Kareem, even Steph Curry is better than you. 

 The fact that anyone considera him the second greatest ever is hilarious.  You Suck Lebron.

[ozgod]

Something must have happened to LeBum in Boston between 2017 and today to change his mind.



Full article and video interview with LeBum at https://amp.tmz.com/2017/05/04/lebron-boston-racism-adam-jones/

Certainly not denying that racism exists in our country, including in Boston. As someone who is biracial, whose mother is a minority, I haven't experienced it myself but I know others who have. But odd for him to single us out on the basis of having a beer poured over his head. Maybe we could look at statistics to see how disadvantaged minorities are in our city compared to others, or incarceration rates for white vs non-whites, or other metrics rather than fans wearing "F--- LeBron" shirts"

[PAOBoston]

There are definitely racist Celtics fans in Boston just as there are racists everywhere. But not sure how his examples are examples of it (beer throwing, F Lebron shirts). Those examples just seem like “normal” d****baggery. It’s sad behavior to throw something at players.

Then again, I grew up with European soccer so slightly used to players being used abused (lasers in eyes, coin/bottle/flare throwing, verbal abuse (I learned swears I had never even heard of as an adult). When I was younger I thought it was funny but I told myself if I ever had kids, I’d never bring them to a soccer match in Greece. Some of the stuff people say and donate vile. I enjoy American sports because 1. You get to see the best of the best in the NBA, and 2. It’s a pleasant fun experience going to games.

It is incredibly sad that in 2022 we are talking about racism. We should be better than that, especially when watching athletes perform their craft.

[Chief]

Good Morning America covered the story today.

[ozgod]

Good Morning America covered the story today.

Wonder if he's going to double down or walk it back.

[RJ87]

So on my bingo card I have
“Boston’s not racist, you’re racist.”
“LeBron is the real racist.”
“It’s just as bad somewhere else.”
“Why is it always about race.”

And
“Well actually there’s very little overlap between people who are talking about this issue online and the problematic parts of the Celtics fan base. There’s also the fact that Boston has been outrageously redlined forever but you probably wouldn’t notice it unless you drove down the wrong street. Really this is a multifaceted problem that comes up often enough that it might make more sense to support players and fans calling this stuff out for being unacceptable than get mad because I, personally, am not a racist.”

Oh no, my last one is actually
“What a snowflake.”

TP.

The thread really should've ended here.

Why?

Because these are the excuses posters are going to make instead of really confronting the issue. Why does racism keep coming up for Boston fans? Because there's truth to it. Whether it's Celtics fans or Red Sox fans, there's been enough incidents that it's become a talking point for players of all sports. Are all fans racist? No. But there's clearly enough bad eggs that they're what's representing us as a fanbase.

[RJ87]

Something must have happened to LeBum in Boston between 2017 and today to change his mind.



Full article and video interview with LeBum at https://amp.tmz.com/2017/05/04/lebron-boston-racism-adam-jones/

Certainly not denying that racism exists in our country, including in Boston. As someone who is biracial, whose mother is a minority, I haven't experienced it myself but I know others who have. But odd for him to single us out on the basis of having a beer poured over his head. Maybe we could look at statistics to see how disadvantaged minorities are in our city compared to others, or incarceration rates for white vs non-whites, or other metrics rather than fans wearing "F--- LeBron" shirts"

Not to make this a political issue, but people who have racist inclinations have been emboldened to voice those views since 2016. Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if Lebron had a few incidents in Boston in the past 5 years.

[Neurotic Guy]

Good Morning America covered the story today.

Wonder if he's going to double down or walk it back.

All he really should say is that he generalized and that it’s a few fans doing unacceptable things.

Am interested to know what you all think you’d do if someone near you in a crowd threw bottles or shouted racial epithets at a player?  Does the likelihood that we’d probably do nothing indicate complicity?  Would it seem to indicate complicity if you were the person on the receiving end of the attack?

[Roy H.]

Something must have happened to LeBum in Boston between 2017 and today to change his mind.



Full article and video interview with LeBum at https://amp.tmz.com/2017/05/04/lebron-boston-racism-adam-jones/

Certainly not denying that racism exists in our country, including in Boston. As someone who is biracial, whose mother is a minority, I haven't experienced it myself but I know others who have. But odd for him to single us out on the basis of having a beer poured over his head. Maybe we could look at statistics to see how disadvantaged minorities are in our city compared to others, or incarceration rates for white vs non-whites, or other metrics rather than fans wearing "F--- LeBron" shirts"

Not to make this a political issue, but people who have racist inclinations have been emboldened to voice those views since 2016. Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if Lebron had a few incidents in Boston in the past 5 years.

If he has, he should name them, rather than attacking the entire fan base as being extremely racist.  The examples he gave just aren't inherently examples of racism. 

[Neurotic Guy]

Something must have happened to LeBum in Boston between 2017 and today to change his mind.



Full article and video interview with LeBum at https://amp.tmz.com/2017/05/04/lebron-boston-racism-adam-jones/

Certainly not denying that racism exists in our country, including in Boston. As someone who is biracial, whose mother is a minority, I haven't experienced it myself but I know others who have. But odd for him to single us out on the basis of having a beer poured over his head. Maybe we could look at statistics to see how disadvantaged minorities are in our city compared to others, or incarceration rates for white vs non-whites, or other metrics rather than fans wearing "F--- LeBron" shirts"

Not to make this a political issue, but people who have racist inclinations have been emboldened to voice those views since 2016. Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if Lebron had a few incidents in Boston in the past 5 years.

If he has, he should name them, rather than attacking the entire fan base as being extremely racist.  The examples he gave just aren't inherently examples of racism.

He’d be better off trying to get some acknowledgement that we all make judgements based on physical attributes, one of which is a person’s skin color. People can deny it I suppose but I think the denial is more a lack of self-awareness than truth.  That doesn’t mean that I believe we are all racist - but it does mean that I believe we all make judgements prior to getting to know the content of a person’s character.  Most of us non-racists are willing to accept that we are imperfect and that we draw conclusions (sometimes sub conscious notions) that we are more than willing to overlook once we know something about the person.  Racists cling to their judgements, justify their judgements, and act upon their judgements even in the face of contrary evidence.

[kraidstar]

So on my bingo card I have
“Boston’s not racist, you’re racist.”
“LeBron is the real racist.”
“It’s just as bad somewhere else.”
“Why is it always about race.”

And
“Well actually there’s very little overlap between people who are talking about this issue online and the problematic parts of the Celtics fan base. There’s also the fact that Boston has been outrageously redlined forever but you probably wouldn’t notice it unless you drove down the wrong street. Really this is a multifaceted problem that comes up often enough that it might make more sense to support players and fans calling this stuff out for being unacceptable than get mad because I, personally, am not a racist.”

Oh no, my last one is actually
“What a snowflake.”

TP.

The thread really should've ended here.

Why?

Because these are the excuses posters are going to make instead of really confronting the issue. Why does racism keep coming up for Boston fans? Because there's truth to it. Whether it's Celtics fans or Red Sox fans, there's been enough incidents that it's become a talking point for players of all sports. Are all fans racist? No. But there's clearly enough bad eggs that they're what's representing us as a fanbase.

Nobody is saying there aren't racists in Boston. But what do you propose to do about it? If you yell slurs at a Celtics game you're getting banned. If you throw a beer you're gone. What else should we do?

As a white Celtics fan i don't like getting lumped in and stereotyped by statements like LeBron's.

Do you think LeBron's comments are helping us reach some sort of racial harmony?

It's funny to me that in 2017 he said he hasn't experienced racism in Boston, but now, with his career in decline, with his franchise in decline due to his meddling,  he's lashing out at his perceived arch-enemy, a franchise with young stars who just reached the finals. We are the yeam of the present and future. I think LeBron is sad and desperate, and I'm not inclined to give him credibility.

[Roy H.]

Something must have happened to LeBum in Boston between 2017 and today to change his mind.



Full article and video interview with LeBum at https://amp.tmz.com/2017/05/04/lebron-boston-racism-adam-jones/

Certainly not denying that racism exists in our country, including in Boston. As someone who is biracial, whose mother is a minority, I haven't experienced it myself but I know others who have. But odd for him to single us out on the basis of having a beer poured over his head. Maybe we could look at statistics to see how disadvantaged minorities are in our city compared to others, or incarceration rates for white vs non-whites, or other metrics rather than fans wearing "F--- LeBron" shirts"

Not to make this a political issue, but people who have racist inclinations have been emboldened to voice those views since 2016. Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if Lebron had a few incidents in Boston in the past 5 years.

If he has, he should name them, rather than attacking the entire fan base as being extremely racist.  The examples he gave just aren't inherently examples of racism.

He’d be better off trying to get some acknowledgement that we all make judgements based on physical attributes, one of which is a person’s skin color. People can deny it I suppose but I think the denial is more a lack of self-awareness than truth.  That doesn’t mean that I believe we are all racist - but it does mean that I believe we all make judgements prior to getting to know the content of a person’s character.  Most of us non-racists are willing to accept that we are imperfect and that we draw conclusions (sometimes sub conscious notions) that we are more than willing to overlook once we know something about the person.  Racists cling to their judgements, justify their judgements, and act upon their judgements even in the face of contrary evidence.

I agree with you.  Every human has prejudices, stereotypes, biases.  Those can be conscious or unconscious.

Lebron may have his own bias, believing that any criticism of him coming from white fans is rooted in racism.  Particularly hostile criticism -- like he gets in Boston -- may mean particularly hostile racism in his mind.

But, I'm willing to bet that isn't true outside of Lebron's head.  The statement "some Celtics fans are racist" is undoubtedly true.  As are some Knicks fans, some 76ers fans, some Mavericks fans, some Lakers fans.  But, singling out Boston fans as "racist as f---" requires an in-depth conversation with examples, in my mind.