LeBron James announces his decision on ESPN

I wasn’t alone.

Millions tuned in on ESPN at 9 p.m. to see where King James would take his basketball talents. We all know, now, that he chose the Miami Heat. One could spend hours analyzing and debating the merits of that choice. Personally, I don’t have a problem with it, being that I am still a fan of South Florida despite having lived there. But I won’t take up space here discussing the basketball aspects of this. I want to talk about the cultural aspects of it. This had the feel of a watershed event; of a changing of the rules of the game — not just the game of basketball, but life and business. It felt like a power shift. Was it just me, or did it seem particularly striking to you that a sports figure could garner so much attention with what he had to say? And not only that, but he could inspire such a range of reactions and debate from it.

In Northeastern Ohio, LeBron is now pretty much hated. In South Florida he is beloved. And elsewhere, the legions fall on both sides, lighting up the airwaves and the blogosphere.

Dan Gilbert, majority owner, Cleveland Cavaliers

It has been fed by the vitriolic reaction of Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert who posted a scathing rebuke of LeBron after the announcement. It was laced with anger and charges of cowardice and abandonment. I wasn’t sure how to feel. Was Gilbert right? Or did he go too far? And, what inspired such a passionate reaction?

I asked my friend Hassan, an educated and well-read observer of culture who tends to take a more radical view on life. We debate quite a bit, each learning from the other. Hassan’s point of view on this one was not completely unexpected, but certainly took this beyond whether the Heat are now favorites to win the NBA championship. He used it to examine the role of race, money and power in our society. Hassan heralded it as an example of a black man being criticized for seizing control of an exploitive system and turning the tide in his favor. Wow, Hassan! That would certainly inspire some reaction from people. So, I decided to share what Hassan had to say.

Here goes:

Once again, Hassan made me look at things from a different perspective. What do you think? Any merit to Hassan’s point of view?

He is also a good teacher, especially when it comes to how to deal with the issue of race. I think he provides an excellent blueprint for African Americans who seek leadership positions and overall increase in their lives. He has shown that perhaps the best way to overcome the issue of racism is to refuse to become caged by it. It’s as if the President believes that acknowledging racism’s power and prevalence will thereby feed its existence, making it an even more powerful and prevalent monster.

And you know what? I think he’s right.

It is interesting how much energy we have put to Representative Joe Wilson’s outburst during the President’s speech to Congress. It  has been talked about quite a bit on the airwaves and in print. I’ve even addressed it on The Batts Report, my radio show on BlogTalkRadio. (Check us out at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thebattsreport). But in doing so; in giving so much focus to this, we have diverted Wilson’s lack of decorum has been held up as a byproduct of the racism that exists in America and the heartburn some have about a black man being in the White House. This despite the fact that President Obama is actually half white. I guess that is insignificant to some of his venomous detractors who spew vitriol laced with racial overtones.

Yet, President Obama has refused to jump or be pulled into the fray, despite pleas from his supporters that he do so. Some have even accused him of being delusional and weak. I would argue to the contrary. I would say that it actually takes a great deal of awareness and foresight to see that this is a battle that he cannot win, though it is indeed worth fighting. Yet, when I think about it, he has defeated it. He has overcome it. Afterall, it was the white vote that pushed him over the top in the election. He has crossover appeal and is not defined by the amount of melanin in his skin. And he knows that there are other pressing issues to deal with such as the economy, our broken health care system and public education.

Why is it that black folks, to a very large degree, don’t put the same amount of energy into things they can change like these issues? Why is it that the issue of racism continues to get so much attention? Think for a minute…Have you ever cared deeply for someone, but knew those feelings were not reciprocal? Ever been dumped in a relationship? All of us have or will at some point, unfortunately. And we know that despite all the talking we might do, nothing can change  what the other person has in their heart.

We will never be able to change the hearts of those who dislike black people, even if they are only 50 percent black. So why waste the time? Put that energy elsewhere. Refuse to be overcome by race. Detour around it on the road to success. That’s what President Obama did. And I think we can learn a lot from the route he has taken.

Indeed, President Obama could have chosen to stay on the sidelines in this matter. That would have been the safe choice. It is what every other president before him likely would have done. In fact, I have to even question whether other presidents would have even been asked their opinion on the matter. I’m sorry Michelle Malkin, I’m not buying the assertion that this was all orchestrated. And by taking on this issue, Glenn Beck, the President should not be labeled a racist. How stupid.

We have the first African American in the White House. And though Mr. Obama should not be judged merely by the color of his skin, we have to recognize that his ethnicity and experiences bring a perspective unseen before by anyone who has held the office. Bill Clinton was given the title of being the first black president, but he is, still, a white man. Mr. Obama could have withheld his feelings, but he was being true to himself and sharing his honest feelings.

As a result, an issue that was controversial, but might have dissipated by now, has dominated our conversations for two weeks. By President Obama offering his take, we have had many discussions about race and the prickly relationship between blacks and the police. I don’t think George W. Bush would have had a summit meeting over beer at the White House with Gates and Officer Crowley. That would have been the safe approach. But we are charting new territory with Mr. Obama. And though it is forcing us to deal right now with an issue that we probably wish would go away, I would argue that we might all be better for it in the end.

And though some might say it isn’t the President’s place to get involved in a local issue, I would differ. Race relations is not a local issue. It’s a festering problem that we need someone to provide us leadership to help overcome or at least address.

By stepping into this, I don’t think that President Obama has overstepped his boundaries. No, I think he has stepped forward and accepted his role as a leader with a different perspective. And for having the courage to do so, I think he should be applauded. But I worry that I am cheering by myself.

Henry Louis Gates' arrest brought an impassioned response from President Obama

When it comes to issues of race and the debates surrounding it, I typically take the approach that President Obama uses. While cognizant of the problems and aware that they impact me in a profound way, I do not wear my opinions on my sleeve. I am not quick to call something an act of racism, choosing, rather, to analyze it from both sides first and then give a ruling.

This approach is borne out of several factors in my background; the first being that I spent most of my formative years at a predominately white Catholic school and, secondly, I have been a journalist for nearly a quarter century. I see things from both sides and I am trained to analyze objectively. I’m pleased to say in that respect I share something in common with the president, besides a funny name as he teased me about when we met.

It’s not that I avoid the issue of race, I just don’t allow myself to be defined by it. Neither does President Obama. It’s worked for me. It’s certainly worked for him.

Nevertheless, this week has made the issue of race difficult to avoid, even if one wanted to.

First, you have CNN pushing its program Black in America 2, which examines issues related to the experience of black people. And there’s this controversy over the arrest of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates at his home. I must say that Gates’ arrest has brought the issue front and center more than CNN could have. During his press conference Wednesday night on the health care legislation, President Obama wasn’t asked what he thought about CNN’s program, but he was asked about Gates’ arrest. It brought a passionate response.

“Now, I don’t know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played in that, but I think it’s fair to say, number one, any of us would be pretty angry; number two, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home; and, number three, what I think we know, separate and apart from this incident, is that there is a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately. And that’s just a fact.” He added later that the incident was “a sign of how race remains a factor in this society.”

Given that he is the first African American President, when Obama speaks about issues of race, it’s news. His comments touched off a flurry of debate in the blogosphere. And that is why you are reading this column here.

I am not sure how I feel about Professor Gates’ arrest, having not been there to witness the incident. However, it does appear from this vantage point that something went horribly awry. And if I were asked to give an opinion, I’d say that the police went too far, especially after learning that it was indeed Gates’ own home that he was spotted breaking in to. That should have led the police to be understanding regarding the level of anger that Gates displayed. If nothing else, it seems that the police should have known who he was and that an incident such as this would blow up into a massive controversy. I have to ask if arresting and detaining him for four hours was worth the outcome and scrutiny the Cambridge police department has received in the wake of what happened. It’s a public relations nightmare, especially since the area has a reputation of not being friendly to blacks.

So, now I haved stepped into the debate, too. Pulled in by President Obama, inspired by CNN and using Professor Gates’ incident for analysis.

We’ll be talking about it this weekend on the radio show: The Batts Report. Listen live on Blog Talk Radio on Saturday morning from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thebattsreport. Call in at 347-308-8111.