Cheers to LeBron James For Being An Activist For Obama - Jeers To PD Editors For Being Bad Losers, At Best

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Sat, 11/08/2008 - 02:07.

I happened to stumble across the Plain Dealer "Cheers and Jeers" feature, today, and was mildly amused by item #2 - "JEERS . . . to anyone with a yard sign still standing. It's been a long, long campaign. Everybody's had enough. Get them down. Candidates, the same goes for the billboards." The PD "Editors" have shown their tacky Republican colors in Day-Glow since they got their asses kicked November 4th, so I'm not surprised to see such petty venting there. I reply "CHEERS . . . to anyone with an Obama yard sign still standing". I still have my signs proudly displayed in my yard, and so do most of my neighbors in East Cleveland and on the East side, in general. Unlike the neo-Cons, who were too cowardly to show any support for their lame candidates, in the first place, and certainly don't want to be associated with them now, people who supported Obama are proud of that and will be forever.

I'm sure LeBron James still has his Obama signs up, and doesn't appreciate being "Jeered" for that, in the PD.

So it should really piss him off the PD also JEERS him directly and personally - and with contempt - for supporting Obama. They write:

"JEERS . . . to political activist LeBron James, who
is also a pro basketball player, for missing a historical lay-up. He
said he was asking people "in their 50s and 60s" how Barack Obama's
victory felt to them, "going through what they went through when they
were younger, and going through slavery times, going through
desegregation times." For the slavery question, he needed to be talking
with people in their 140s.
"

I believe, put another way, the PD Editors are calling LeBron James a stupid basketball player... saying "get back in your field... er, in line... errrr, on the court".

I picture a playground, and a skinny white kid yelling at a young James... "hey LeBron, you're so stupid you don't know anything about slavery"... and pow.

I wonder what happened to the last person who called LeBron James stupid.

The PD Editors need to know, 'cause they are in for a world of hurt. Perhaps LeBron's attorney Fred Nance may give them a clue.

Their insult of James first brings to mind Ralph Nader's "Uncle Tom" reference to Obama, but even more so makes me think of PD Supremacist-in-Chief Kevin O'Brien's conclusion about Obama - "His election should end the utter nonsense about this being a racist country. (It won't, of course, because "racism" will be such a convenient reason to dismiss any criticism of him.)"

I'd say the cluelessness of that comment pretty well proves there is one racist left... and the recent election exposed about 48% of the nation more.

What LeBron appears to have been saying makes complete sense to me, and I more than cheer him for being an activist for Obama - I celebrate him!

And I don't even like basketball, nor do I depend on LeBron to sell my newspapers.

"Our union can be perfected" - Obama

A good editorial on this subject was published in the PD today -

We still aren't in a post-racial society

 

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Norm Roulet's Blog

I can't think of a more mean-spirited, ignorant blog as this one.  "PD editors have shown their tacky Republican colors" - the Plain Dealer endorsed Obama, and Peter Jones, and etc.  ALL DEMOCRATS!!! And you give a Cheers to keeping your signs in your yard? That anyone is a Republican is a "neo-con" and a coward?  Are you nuts?  Way to be a graceful winner and bring people together.  Sounds like you hate quite a bit.

And then you accuse the PD of being racist because LeBron opened his mouth and messed up his facts, which he deserves.  He messed up facts that are taught to kids in high school regarding American History.  He messed up on facts that concern is own personal backround.  And you say there should be a threat for legal action?  You say that this is a Uncle Tom reference?  LeBron is a 24 year old kid that plays basketball for a living.  That's what he should stick to.  Who is the real racist here?  You think any short-coming, any ignoramous action that an individual commits, that it's the white man's fault, that atheletes and black people deserve special treatment?  You want standards lowered, you want to take other peoples property, all in the name of racism.  How will we have equality when the other side hates so much?  How will we have equality when one side gives and the other side does nothing but take?  How? Quit taking and give.  That will make us equal.  As John Kennedy stated, "ask not what you country can do for you....but what you can do for your country."

Obama got elected by white people.  The majority of people who voted for him did so because they wanted change....change that would make the country better.  Blacks represent roughly 14% of the population of the U.S. and more than 95% of them voted for Obama.....mostly because of race.

I support Obama, even though I didn't vote for him.  He is our President-elect and I want what's best for America.  I want him to succeed!  I didn't vote for him, not because he was black.  I didn't vote for him because he was in only his third year in the senate.  He lacked experience and I feel his spending tax cuts would hurt the economy and my family.  That doesn't make me a racist!  That makes me a proud, free-thinking man!  You should be the same.

 

Not mean spirited or ignorant... or a Dem, really

I grew up in a solidly Republican family - a great uncle was a Republican mayor of Toledo - but there has not been an acceptable Republican candidate for President in my lifetime - and few Democratic or Independent candidates I've liked. And what most politicians who have been elected, from both sides of the aisle, have brought citizens is a mess.... a huge, hyper-extended, war-mongering, mean-spirited government and society in America and a collapsing ecosystem world-wide. About that, I am mean spirited, but far from ignorant.

I have also been made mean spirited in response to the nasty campaign run against Obama by many "Republican" factions... my Republican mom daily curses the evangelicals and NEOCONS... all I know is the candidates offered by the Republicans were less exciting to me than George W.

When I look for new leadership, to fix the problems caused by the old leaders - dem and gop - I see few smart, trustworthy, accomplished politicians in action or on stage.

Yet, years ago it became clear Obama was special - and that had nothing to do with race. I could care less what color he is. 

He is clearly a genius, by any definition of the word, and he has put himself through great learning experiences in school and life - he has more worldly knowledge than most people, taking him well beyond what you may learn at Harvard.

Most important, he is astoundingly successful. I keep reading about how Obama doesn't have executive experience yet he is probably the most successful entrepreneur in world-history. From very humble beginnings, he created the most successful and innovative political enterprise in history and was able to hire 10,000s of the smartest young people in America, and enlist $ billions worth of volunteer support, in addition to raising nearly a $ billion in gift money, all to become the most powerful person on Earth - all in a couple of years - by his mid-40s.

Please... name anyone who has done better in life and shown better "executive" experience than that, ever.

I suppose LeBron is in the same league.

Yet minor intellects at a small-world newspaper, daily becoming smaller, dare to "JEER" them, for being great people and proper Americans.

As some at the PD still seem obsessed with the race.

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PROUD, FREE THINKING, MEN and COFFEE

Knowing Norm for a number of years now, and all the civic work he has committed himself to in NEO, as his friend it would be remiss if I didn’t jump in here to re-butt.

Freedom32, I appreciate your taking the time to energetically comment on Realneo.

Quality civic debate rests on honesty, and anonymity hampers in that regard… blog posts and comments that are made above the names of real persons in our community tend to avoid wasteful confrontation and at the same time lend credibility and persuasiveness to the opinions posted.

For example, when you write that you are “a proud, free thinking man” – without logging in to Realneo as a user with your own true name – how are you demonstrating your pride, or your freedom of thinking ? (no need to get to manliness).

Challenging Norm “to be the same” (free thinking proud man) as you, smacks of brick bat blogging, which is what folks like J. Murray (over on Fresh Brewed Daily) does, and which I sense you might be swaying towards here on Realneo.

On the other hand, don’t you think that Norm going after the Plain (Dirty) Dealer for their editorial positions, and signing a real name to his free speech (as Norm always does), is what fair and equitable civic debate is all about?

Productive discussions towards a quality, connected, civic space have a positive tone - allowing all the participants in the discussion a way and a willingness to “sit down together for coffee”.

You’re invited!

I never accused Norm of

I never accused Norm of being a bad guy.  I just don't like his divisive, inaccurate and presumptive comments.  The PD endorsed Obama.  I am not partial to them either.  They abandoned Downtown for the burbs and that bothers me immensely.

I excercise my proud, free thinking views at the voting booth.  I picked Democrats, Republicans and Independents.  I am not force-fed my political picks and I pick them based upon their merits and my perception of how I think they will perform.

I am not "brick bat blogging."  I am just calling him out for his misconceptions, that's all.  I don't think calling anyone who voted for people he didn't vote for, "neo-cons," is appropriate.

 I never called LeBron stupid either.  Rather, I think to accomplish what he has and to perform on SNL as well as he did requires an intelligence that is above many.  I am his biggest fan.  But when professional atheletes open their mouth in public, they should be held accounted for just like everyone else.

Well said

Whatever our opinions, we need to keep an OPEN mind and LISTEN to others. That is the point of this OPEN forum.

 

I will exercise my FREEDOM of speech and my opinion here to say your comment is very well said. Thank you for saying it out loud, here at REALNEO.

give LeBron some credit ...

I don't think LeBron James is stupid. I have been watching him since he gained fame in High School. I am not a basketball fan at all but someone who cares about kids. I felt concerned for him, a young boy plunged into super celebrity status, with wealth and fame and all the tragedy they can lead to. I have been impressed, in general, with the maturity he has shown for his age. He has not only managed to stay out of serious trouble, but he has shown a desire to be a good citizen with the election. I am confident he knows that slavery ended in the 19th century, not 50 years ago, as his comment was interpreted to mean, but I think he was referring to slavery as it is part of all African American's heritage.

Unfortunately, I don't have time to address other aspects of this posting and comments.

Excellent comic actor, too

It was when I saw LeBron on SNL I realized he is far more than a B-ball star - he is a revolutionary entertainer at the top of many fields, with the most powerful other re3volutionaries in entertainment.

When I saw LeBron host the Russell Simmons Rally I realized he has stepped up as an activist for a better world as well! 

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Heard on RealNEO

Welcome Freedom (but, please use a close approximation of your name)!!!  To avoid monologues, we need the other side of the coin.  Thanks for logging on. You make some valid points, and I appreciate that you can make yourself heard at RealNEO.

But,remember, the SNL skit :) Dan Ackroyd's regular reply to Jane Curtin? At least, we are still talking, but name-calling does get old and I've had my share of it. Please leave the eggs and stink bombs at home.