What Racism?

Apparently it is racist to complement someone if, in doing so, you make mention of their race. This became clear to me during last week's media buzz over the allegedly racist comments made by Air Force's football coach, Fisher DeBerry. On Tuesday, in discussing last weekend's 48-10 loss to TCU, DeBerry said it was clear TCU "had a lot more Afro-American players than we did and they ran a lot faster than we did." "It just seems to me to be that way," he said. "Afro-American kids can run very well. That doesn't mean that Caucasian kids and other descents can't run, but it's very obvious to me that they run extremely well."

DeBerry first discussed the topic Monday, telling the Gazette of Colorado Springs the academy needed to recruit faster players and noting, "you don't see many minority athletes in our program." Can you believe he said that? What a hate-filled bigot! How can we allow someone who so obviously despises black people to keep coaching at the United States Air Force Academy?

This is what the issue of race in America has become. If you are Caucasian, It is becoming taboo to even mention the subject of race at all, even if you think that what you are saying is obvious or even complementary. As if everyone didn't already know that on average, blacks seem to possess superior athletic ability. DeBerry was only saying what every coach in America knows. To win at that level you need speed, and that means you need black athletes. This is easily observable by turning on the TV. on Sunday and looking at what percentage of the players who are successful at the NFL level are black. As DeBerry so eloquently put it, "it's very obvious to me that they run extremely well." What is obvious to him is obvious to everyone.

So what is his crime? What was it in his comments that was so vile that it aroused such a violent frenzy from media pundits? (An ESPN columnist even went so far as to call for DeBerry's resignation, saying that he should retire before he completely destroys the legacy he has built.) Where is the racism? In his groveling, overly contrite "apology", DeBerry even went so far as to "thank the administration for the opportunity to make this apology." Seeing an accomplished, respected coach who has done nothing wrong, being forced to act in such a demeaning manner makes me sick.

His sin is that he is white and that despite that fact, he had the audacity to make mention of race; to acknowledge that some differences exist between people of different ethnicities. DeBerry himself revealed what the real problem was when he said, "If I offended anyone by using the term 'Afro-American,' or 'minorities,' then I certainly did [not mean] to offend anyone." There you have it. The mere words are enough to land you in deep water, regardless of what context they are used in.

But never fear. To the rescue comes the champion of equality, the bane of bigotry, Athletic director Hans Mueh. His first task is to make us realize how serious the situation is. He explained that the academy "has a zero-tolerance policy for any racial or ethnic discrimination or discrimination of any kind." He then puts DeBerry's transgression in context by declaring that "It was a seriously, seriously inappropriate comment." In case you aren't convinced he further clarified the issue. "...it was a serious, serious inappropriate comment."

Seriously though, this is serious. And serious problems require serious measures. Like formally reprimanding the coach and making him give a groveling, sheepish "apology." Then, just in case you thought he was getting off easy, Mueh lays your fears to rest by referring to the apology as "a great first step." Wonderful. I'm glad we have such a serious man in charge of this serious debacle. We'll all look forward to the continued punishment of this most vile of offenders. America is no doubt a much better place when no one is allowed to speak their mind.

I've written about this kind of thing previously. The racial climate in America is troubling. I think we already realize by now that the forces of political correctness are way out of control. It doesn't seem that there is much that can be done about it, but stuff like this seriously, seriously gets on my nerves. Seriously.