Monday morning I was bumming around my apartment trying to get something accomplished before I had to go to class. There was a book in my lap, a cup of coffee on the table and "Sportscenter" on the TV. Needless to say, I was not getting very far in my goal to get something done.
While I stared blankly at the words on the pages before me, my ears half-listened to ESPN broadcaster Stuart Scott's voice tell me, and probably millions of others, what happened in Sunday's Patriots vs. Chargers game.
Normally, I could care less about either team. Even though, since both teams were undefeated, it was a rather interesting matchup. But something Scott said caught my attention.
Scott described an amazing play in which San Diego's second-year running back LaDainian Tomlinson was sprung free for a touchdown by a block thrown by speedy Charger receiver Tim Dwight, who was coming from well behind the play.
The play certainly deserved special attention. It was the form of special attention that Scott gave it that perked my ears.
Scott said that Dwight was breaking the stereotype that "white guys aren't fast." As the play progressed, he pointed out "all the speedy black guys" that Dwight, a former Big Ten 100-meter dash champion from Iowa, caught from behind.
I do not think Scott's remarks were racist, but I still find them troubling.
Why did Scott, a black man, not focus simply on the brilliance of the play and the incredible athletic feat performed by Dwight? Was it really necessary to mention that he was white? This was TV and anyone watching could see what the color of Dwight's skin was.
In high school, I had a teacher that often said, "Stereotypes are stereotypes because they are usually true." I agree that many stereotypes are based on some kind of pattern or normalcy. But just because it may be true, does not make it right.
As long as we recognize stereotypes such as "white guys are slow and black guys are fast," we will never get rid of them. While these thoughts linger in our minds and spill from our lips, we are doomed to be separated because of ideas that are implanted in us by...well, us.
We are the ones that have created these convenient, over-simplified images. We are the ones that accept them by going along with them and not making waves. We are the ones that pass them on generation after generation through our speech, our writings and our media.
But above all, we are also the ones that can stop them.
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