Players’ silence in case caused by the sport, not ‘culture’
Let me begin by saying that the Graham death and the resulting criminal charges are unfortunate.
It was horrible that someone, particularly a CMU student, died at the hands of others. It is almost incomprehensible that some otherwise decent people are now facing murder (!) charges.
This whole incident is tragic for the university, the community and the athletic department.
It is also tragic that some more black males, particularly, are now caught up in the criminal justice system and that in all likelihood one or more of them will do prison time.
I know a lot of people wish they could have that night all over again. The whole thing is so sad.
On the other hand and with all due respect, I am offended by Coach Brian Kelly’s blaming the black community and “black culture” for the national fiasco this will become (See Friday’s edition of CM Life, “Kelly: Race played role in silence”).
Coach Kelly has ventured into a field of race relations of which he has little knowledge.
His comments are stereotypical to the point of making “violence” and “silence” on the part of the players involved a function of their “culture.”
I think the coach has turned reality on its head.
While I am a fan of football, let’s be clear; it’s not black culture that teaches violence.
Except for the brutality of boxing and hockey, American football has no match for teaching violence. Football is a culture of violence. As the venerable Vince Lombardi was accustomed to say, “Football is not a contact sport, it is a collision sport.”
If one plays football, there must be a commitment to doing violence to others. It is taught. It is expected. It is fundamental to the culture.
Football players at the Division I level have internalized the violence to the point that it is routine. Football players who were not willing to mete out violence were cut long before they got to college.
As to the silence, that is not a “black” thing so much as it is a “team” thing.
These players from grade school on have had drilled into their heads that theirs is a “team” sport.
Teammates “watch the backs” of other teammates.
According to the Detroit Free Press, this was reinforced in a team meeting in which the team was INSTRUCTED to be “truthful but not forthright.”
One could argue that “team” is more the reason for the silence of these students than their so-called “black culture of violence.”
Evidently, Coach Kelly was not aware of the “silence” in the cases of Enron, Tyco, Adelphi and numerous other corporations that committed crimes and then maintained their silence in hopes of not being charged with those crimes.
To be a good corporate employee, you must be a team player. Are we to assume that the Ken Lays, Dennis Koswolskis and others learned their silence from black communities all across America?
I find Coach Kelly’s comment to be offensive. An apology and retraction are in order.
There appears to be enough racism already in this case without insensitive charges that attempt to shift blame and responsibility to “it’s where they come from.”
