I have been shaking my head at all the hype and commentaries concerning the Barry Bonds and Michael Vick sagas. Usually I don’t weigh in on these topics because I find that they are dishonest moments in media (and society at large) ingenuity. Yes Barry Bonds did steroids (allegedly). So did many other baseball players and MBL and the media knew about it, condoned it and turned a blind eye to it. The long ball, re: McGwire, Sosa, Giambi and Bonds resurrected baseball after the 1994 – 1995 strike. So I say put an asterisk* by his name…. after you put one right beside Babe Ruth’s. Ruth got the record when African Americans weren’t allowed to compete in the MLB. He never faced pitchers like a Satchel Page, nor did he have to compete with the likes of slugger Josh Gibson for the home run title. And back then, just like when steroid use was rampant in the 90′s, the ownership and the media went along with the status quo.
Then there’s Michael Vick. This multi-million dollar player got caught up in the world of dog fighting and the illegal gambling which goes along with it (allegedly). He apparently owned a house where the dogs were being trained and executed for poor performance. He has been indicted and offered a plea deal which expires Friday, when more charges will be pending.
Now the reason I bring all this up, especially in this forum, is that I was listening to a couple of sports talk radio shows today. I found that all the Black callers were not only supportive of Bonds and Vick, but expressd that were indeed obvious victims of media bias, FBI conspiracies and societal racism. I know that Bonds has used the “race card” many times himself. One radio host, who was Black, stated that Vick shouldn’t accept the plea deal, because as everyone knows, as a part of any plea deal you will have to ”snitch” on other participants and the code of the street is that you don’t snitch! Are you freaking kidding me!? This from a grown, mature man! A professional sportscaster!
This leads to my take on this whole deal and it’s connection to a larger issue within our community. I don’t demonize Bonds and Vick for their (alleged) illicit activities. There are a lot of co-conspirators and blame to go around, and no ONE action completely defines a person. However I don’t see them as victims! These are grown azzz men. They made choices. Wrong choices, regardless of what others may have been doing. It’s no excuse that others were doing the same (or similar) things. So as grown men…. and as a people, we need to take responsibility and be accountable for our choices and actions. Until we do this, we will never move forward.
So we need to get over this crutch of always blaming the “white man”….. of “filtering” our own self-inflicted misfortunes through the murky waters of self-denial to emerge as self-appointed victims. We need to move beyond the all too familiar scheme of self-righteous polarization, which at one end of the spectrum: claims that those who demand that our sports and entertainment figures act with responsibility and accountability, are “race-traitors who are blaming the victims” (who are by the way mainly millionaires); while at the other end: point a finger at those who do see the deeper dynamics at work (let’s call it racism/white-supremacy), “as apologists condoning and facilitating the self-destructive behaviours and activities of our people.” Both perspectives bring essential pieces needed to understand and develop effective strategies to counter this culture of self-hate.
Which leads me to values. I have never been one to focus my energies to work towards the goal of being “equal to white people”…. in any way! There is nothing about them in particular that I desire to be equal with or to, especially when it comes to their moral and/or value system. The individualistic, materialistic and egocentric premise upon which “western” morality and values have been built, are the seeds of our own self-destructive behaviour.
Wouldn’t it be a triumphant feat to conceive our own value based system based on the pillars of cultural integrity, community responsibility and personal accountability. Wouldn’t it be an innovative paradigm to hear a Barry Bonds say “Yes I made a wrong choice and did steroids for financial and other personal accolades. I am sorry that I let my community, my family and baseball fans down. I ask for your forgiveness.” Or what about a Michael Vick claiming: “Yes, what I did was wrong. I made a wrong choice. My participation in dog fighting is shameful and unforgivable, but please find it in your heart to forgive me…. and I will be co-operating with the police with identifying and testifying against those who were also involved with me.” How about a 50 Cent holding a press conference and stating: “My Sisters, I apologize for the hurtful lyrics in my songs which referred to you as bitches and ho’s…. I will stop using them and please forgive me. My Brothers, I am also sorry for my lyrics which dehumanized you by my using the “N” word and also the songs which glorified your death. I will no longer make my living by being complicit in your genocide. Forgive me and I ask you now to assist the police in identifying and testifying against those who are murdering our people.” This is not the answer to all what ails us…. but it’s a start.
I have a friend who is a Muslim from Africa. When he was 8 years old, his parents bought a house in Canada and left him and his two brothers, one 17 and one 14, to attend school here in Canada, while they returned to the Middle East to work. They had no other family members here and knew no close family friends from their ethnic community. Canada was completely foreign to him and he couldn’t speak, read or write English. In spite of all this, he has never gotten into any trouble, has acquired a couple of degrees and has a good job. He is deeply religious and practices his religion faithfully. He is the nicest guy you could ever meet and a great role model. I asked him how, without any “hands-on” parental guidance and the many difficulties (such as: racism and religious indifference) he must have faced, especially the peer pressure which comes as a teenager…. how he was able to stay out of trouble, to stay focused and dedicated to being successful in school, work and remain committed to his religious convictions.
To summarize his answer, he believed that he owed it to Allah and his family, to be the best person that he could be. They provided him with the opportunity and the tools, to acquire a good education and live in a safe, secure and stable society. He considers himself fortunate as he is aware that there are numerous others from his country of origin and religious community who will never have these opportunities. So he never took it for granted and felt obligated not to waste the opportunity afford him. He in turn is now able to give back to his community.
For me, my friend embodies the values of cultural integrity, community responsibility and personal accountability that we as a people need to adopt. The Bonds, Vicks and 50 Cents of our people can learn a lot from his example about making conscious choices, which will lead one to be responsible and accountable citizens, and positive role models to all in our community.
I get the thrust of what you’re saying. Quick question with respect to Bonds: if ‘roids were not banned in by the game of baseball when he was alleged to have taken them AND there is no conclusive medical/clinical evidence that steroids taken by healthy men under medical supervision is dangerous – how does his use of steroids fit into this paradigm of irresponsibility and the like? Thanks.
Temple3,
‘roids weren’t banned then, so that is not the issue as far as I see it. I concur that the baseball owners, players union, players themselves, media and fans knew that there were some players taking them. It was acceptable. That is why I don’t condemn or demonize Bonds and those who do in the sports world are being hypocritical. I can’t comment on the health issue. I can’t speak to what is dangerous or not when taken under “medical supervision”.
However Bonds needs to be honest with everyone (and himself) and admit to his steroid use. Why lie? That is where responsibility comes in. Being truthful and defend his actions, if he feels that due to the “climate” at the time, legal stature of the drug(s) at the time and it’s acceptance at the time, he shouldn’t be ostracized in this way. And further more, regardless if others were taking ‘roids and were benefitting from their increased performance, via financially or status wise, if Bonds had a different value system at play in his life, he wouldn’t have taken them… he would know that it was a form of cheating and he would have taken the high road and not done them.
Asa: Good post. I agree that focusing on black responsibility is not relieving whites of culpability, rather it is accepting that what we control ourselves, and would be making a good use of our energy to clean up ‘inside’ our houses. External challenges will always be there but our progress would certainly get a big and immediate boost if we ceased our self-torturous behavior. Thanks.
Asabagna:
With all due respect, I believe you’ve missed an important point. There is no benefit to Bonds admitting an INTENTIONAL USE of steriods. He has stated, under sealed grand jury testimony, that he never knowingly took steroids. Your position would essentially subject him to charges of perjury – AND – allow MLB to avoid the deeper scrutiny would should attend this case.
MLB certainly does not want to look deeply into this. There are a number of “steroids era” players who will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in a few years. Neither the league nor the media wants to go digging to assess whether this “thing” transcends the lone gunman (Bonds).
I don’t know how familiar you are with the game, but when players like Roger Clemens, Mike Piazza and Jeff Bagwell are eligible for consideration, I’ll bet the ranch the media looks the other way. I can’t say whether or not they used steroids, but the same tests applied to Bonds would be failed by these large-headed, inflated numbers generating players of a different persuasion.
I believe, in some respects, your position represents a capitulation to the notion that Blacks can improve their lot by improving their character. This same specious argument has been used for more than five centuries to justify cultural conversion for Black folk. I doubt that was your intention – and it is certain that moral rectitude has its place.
However, that place is not among the den of thieves which own and operate major league baseball.
T3,
1. You are correct that if Bonds decided to tell the truth and admit that he did knowingly take steroids, he would be subjected to a perjury charge. So like you, I do understand why he is sticking to his “lie”…. however that doesn’t mean that I too need to believe or condone it! BTW… the “benefit” for telling the truth is well… “telling the truth”… Simple-minded as it may sound, “honesty is always the best policy.”
2. I agree that MLB doesn’t want to pursue this too deeply. As I stated a number of times above, MLB and the media are complicit, which is why I don’t demonize Bonds like others have.
3. My concern is not for players like Roger Clemens, Mike Piazza and Jeff Bagwell…. or MLB for that matter. My concern is for our community. As I stated above, regardless of what others are doing, have done, or what is considered “normal” and/or acceptable behaviour in the wider (“whiter”) society, it time that we as a community create our criterion and set of values!
4. It is not my belief that morals, values, responsibility, accountability etc., are cultural or historical based phenomenons. The values of telling the truth, being responsible and accountable for your actions transcends all cultures (re-read the last 3 paragraphs of the post) and eras. I am not interested at looking to the past to condone, justify and/or minimize our “bad” behaviour. I am however interested in digging deeper and expanding our horizons, as we focus on the present in an effort to set firm and substantial building blocks for our future.
You have made some interesting comments. I appreciate your perspective.
[...] by Jack Stephens on August 23rd, 2007 Asabagna blogs on the Bonds and Vick controversies surrounding the sporting world: Which leads me to values. I [...]
The only problem with your paradigm is that Black folk need to be perfect to participate. We’ll get fitted for sainthood and everything in the material world will be left to others.
Taking the example of baseball, your advice to Bonds would land him in jail EVEN THOUGH HE NEVER BROKE A RULE and THERE IS NO PROOF HE ACTUALLY USED STEROIDS KNOWINGLY. The problem with “telling the truth” is that “we as a community” with our own criteria/values, etc. are still SUBJECT to the criteria, values, immorality and inconsistencies of folks who represent the Clemens’ and Bagwell’s of the world.
Now, if you like to begin by killing off all the Clemens’ and Bagwell’s and ALL of their supporters, fine. I can agree with you. Bonds should be honest and admit exactly what he did or did not do. Until then, however, I find your proposition “real-world absurd” because it posits morality as a determinant for our success while granting a pardon to violations of that same moral code by whites in a white supremacist society.
That has to sound just a little bit odd to you – just a little.
I don’t give two shits about white folks either – but I DO NOT believe that we should be subjected to their justice or moralizing when they are absolved. Bonds does not live in an exclusively Black or ethical world any more than you or I. The easiest way to get BLACK players like Bonds to be legit (to your satisfaction) is to create a league of your own.
by the way, please excuse the caps…not “yelling” just trying to emphasize particular points.
bottom line: I think you’re trying to have it both ways.
very interesting, but I don’t agree with you
Idetrorce