NWSF Bullet: The Real Jordan Legacy

When someone speaks of "Jordan's" legacy, he usually mentions NBA championship rings and slam dunks.

But in this case, I'm not talking about the legacy of Michael Jordan, the basketball player but the legacy of the overpriced sneakers that bear his name.

Tomorrow marks the release of Air Jordan XX3. According to news stories people have been camping out for days in frigid temperatures just to pay $230 for a pair of sneakers, in the midst of a recession.

http://www.ajc.com/business/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2008/12/17/air_jordan_release.html


"Tonight on Channel 23 News we have a report that 200 people were laid off when the local shoe manufacturing plant shut down. And in our next segment, we are going to interview Bob, who is spending the night in this tent next to a homeless man, waiting to be the first in line to get the new Jordans..."

While some people are viewing the release of "Jordan XX3" as a cause for celebration, we must never forget that the tale of Air Jordans is one written in blood.

http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1136895/index.htm

During the 80's and 90's, you would often see headlines about some poor kid who was killed because he rather had taken a bullet to the head than part with his beloved Jordans.

Even today, kids are being robbed over a sneaker that hasn't even come out yet.

http://www.cbs42.com/news/local/36570169.html

Should the basketball great be held responsible for the children who were robbed or killed just to own a pair of shoes with his jersey number on them?

To some extent, yes. It is a shame that our children have to find a sense of self worth in a pair of shoes but that is the grim reality that we face.

Paying $230 for a pair of sneakers that it cost well under $23 dollars to make in 2008, during a recession doesn't make sense. However, paying $100 for sneakers 20 years ago didn't make sense either.

Could Michael Jordan have promoted a less expensive shoe?

He had the power to do so.

Maybe, a less expensive shoe would have saved at least one kid who literally died to be like Mike.

Don't Believe the Hype 2008!!!

Public Enemy had a song back in the day about the treacherous nature of the media called "Don't Believe the Hype."

They must have been rappin' about the Durham Herald Sun.

A few weeks ago, I posted a piece here called "Prelude to a Race War" where I exposed the Herald Sun's promotion of "Black on Brown" violence by running two stories that blamed Black males for targeting Latinos with robbery and some murders because of "racism." In which, not one member of Durham's Black community was interviewed to refute the claim.

Well, guess what.

In an article, today it says that the two men arrested for one of the murders were Hispanic...

http://www.heraldsun.com/durham/4-929069.cfm

Now, if you look closely at the article this contradiction is not mentioned (and only briefly) until more than half way through the article. However, when the perpetrators were thought to be Black, it was headline, front page news...

Also, there is another article in the same paper that talks about the community forum that Durham Police Chief Jose Lopez held last evening.

At the meeting, I congratulated Chief Lopez because of his not caving in to media hype and promoting the idea that blacks were targeting Latinos because of race. Although he gave a well though out and rather lengthy response, this exchange does not appear in the article.

I guess the elders were right "believe none of what you hear and only half of what you see....

Especially if it is in the Herald Sun.

Min. Paul Scott's blog is http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com/ He can be reached at (919) 451-8283

Black Racism???

For the second time in less than a month, the Durham Herald Sun is promoting the idea that black people are robbing Latinos because of "racism."

Now, I'm gonna say this one mo' time for people who are a little slow....

Black folks, cannot be racist!!!

Bigots, yes...

Prejudiced, yes...

But racists, heck to tha naw!!!

Racism means that you have the ability to deprive someone of their rights to Life, Liberty and all that other stuff that black folks have never had... We do not, collectively, have the economic-political power to deny "nobody nuthin'."

We, as a community, should be concerned that the Herald Sun is quoting members of the Latino community as saying that black racists are targetting them for crimes.

I doubt if the Spanish equivilant of that word "racism" has the same connotations that it has as the way the word is used in America with her history of lynchings, discrimination, etc

So, I can see the reporter rollin' up on Pedro Gomez....

"So, I hear you folks are being targeted by the neg...I mean, colore..I mean African Americans..."

"Que?"

"You know the black people..."

"Oh, si, el negros !!!"

"So would you say that they are dispoportionately targeting people of the mexi..., I mean, Hispanic persuation because of your economic vulnerability, based on color? "

"Que ?"

"I mean, they are being racist right ?...'

"Um, si ???"

It is dangerous that the Heald Sun is promoting this in the community..I guess they must be runnin' out of good Crip and Blood stories...

Shouldn't the city council, human relations commission, boys in the barbershop or somebody be addressing this issue before it gets outta hand ?

So far, Durham has been spared the Black and Brown tensions of, say, Los Angeles...

But give the Herald Sun a few more weeks to hype this misinformation...

To borrow from that great Hip Hop philosopher, Jay Z....

"Black folk's got 99 problems but a Mexican ain't one."

Yet, anyway....

Min. Paul Scott's blog is http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com/ (919) 451-8283