I know it’s been a while…
For those who have followed me in the past, I’ll be working on being a little more regular.
If you’ve stumbled onto this for the first time—here’s a little background—and my hope that you will continue to follow.
On a day that celebrates a game with Roman numerals—I’m reminded of something:
Symbols Matter.
If you don’t think so, remember the construction, destruction and control of symbols have been a way for some people in American society to mark their territory.
It’s why the return of the failed game show host to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave has focused not on actual legislative action, but on the elimination of symbols that celebrate the diversity of American story.
From the ham-handed attempt to eliminate the stories of the Black men who helped protect to the skies over Europe, to the removal of the name that even the residents of the state call the tallest peak in North America, to the shouts of returning the names of traitors onto military bases, there are some who are cheering the return of the supremacy of the White Man.
It’s not that we don’t recognize the secondary achievement of certain races and genders, but it was the White Man who made America what it is and we should be celebrated for all our work in making America Great and you colored folk and women should be thankful for that!!
Again—Symbols Matter.
That’s what makes this week so amazing and amusing.
It’s going to start with a BLACK MAN being the face of biggest sport in America.
And it’s going to end with an 85-year-old symbol of America going onto the big screen as a BLACK MAN.
Legacy
Super Bowl LIX is going to feature a rematch between two quarterbacks that carry the legacy of when the league they are part of made Black Quarterbacks wide receiver, running backs and defensive backs.
They carry the legacy of Condredge Holloway and Warren Moon, who had to take the Underground Railroad to Canada to play the position.
They carry the legacy of Tony Dungy, an all Big 10 QB, who was told he was a defensive back by the coach that had already had a Black QB and didn’t want another one.
They carry the legacy of after losing the NFC title game in 1980, Doug Williams was mailed a rotten watermelon with a note using that very special word in describing why he would never be a winner.
They carry the legacy of when a few years later, the same Doug Williams was asked during the media day for the XXII edition of the game how long he had been a Black one.
They carry the legacy of the Heisman Trophy winning QB of the national champion Florida State football team that said he was not even going to join the league and honestly Charlie Ward probably made way more in his 10 years in the NBA than he would have riding the bench in the NFL.
WaPo (and former Seattle Times) columnist Jerry Brewer mentioned the first time these two QBs met that today’s game, and the two QBs playing were a glimpse of the future…and that their skills…are NOW THE NORM and not the exception.
Jalen Hurts is looking to join Doug Williams, Russell Wilson and Patrick Mahomes in a very privileged subset of a very privileged club.
And Patrick Mahomes is looking to do something that no other Super Bowl QB has ever done:
–Not Bart Starr
–Not Bob Greise
–Not Terry Bradshaw
–Not Joe Montana
–Not John Elway
–Not Troy Aikman
–Not “Flat Ball” Tom
Hmmm—wonder what those seven have in common….
Good QBs—and there have been bad QBs who have won the Super Bowl—become the face of the league. Which means it’s going to be very interesting to see how Racist Orange will react when having to congratulate a QB he would consider (off the record of course) as a “DEI QB.”
On Sunday, a Black QB will hoist the Lombardi. On Friday, the Red, White and Blue shield of Captain America is going to be hoisted by a Black Man!!
I expect those of you who don’t follow comic books—which is probably most of you who are reading this—to know that in the comic book world, there was a period when Captain America was a Black Man. If you’re interested, here’s the background.
Raising the Mighty Shield
Know you’re wondering what’s the big deal about a fictional character being Black.
Once again: Symbols Matter.
Captain America came onto the scene literally slugging Hitler…
Which is amusing because almost a century later there was a reworked image of Captain America slugging another dictator—but I digress…
The idea of Captain America being depicted as anything other than a White Man tends to raise the hackles of some of my melanin-lacking friends because— it was the White Man who made America what it is and we should be celebrated for all our work in making America Great.
The irony is just like another fictitious hero—the one faster than a speeding bullet—Captain America was created by a couple of Jewish nerds who wanted to celebrate America’s fight against fascism NOT ITS SURRENDER TO IT.
There are already those who are objecting to the movie—which won’t premier until Friday—and are using the standard words of those who object to any hero not being a White Man:
“I’m not racist, (which 99 and 44/100 percent of the time mean they are), I’m just not comfortable with this fictional hero being Black.”
“It doesn’t matter to me, but isn’t Cap a White Man?”
“I just don’t think Anthony Mackie can pull it off the way Chris Evans did” (and when asked why not, their faces flush and they say “‘cause he can’t!!”)
And these people will of course celebrate when it doesn’t meet the financial expectations that come with the $200 million plus cost of this movie by using the word “woke.”
You know, I hate to say this but go ahead and use that special word—you want to anyway—and that way I will know if I want to continue dealing with you in any way/shape/form.
It could be a bad movie—the last few Marvel movies have been—but it’ll be likely because of a poor plot and a tired genre than the fact that it’s starring a Black Man.
Again—why are a fictional character on the big screen and a person that when they’re a certain hue are accused of playing a “kid’s game” so important?
Because Symbols Matter.
Because the young men who are watching the game who look like Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts, if they are talented enough—and lucky enough—to make it to the NFL, can realistically know they will be able to play Quarterback, and not be told to go to the receiver’s room or to meet with the coach of the defensive backs.
Because much like a young Caryn Elaine Johnson, who decided she was going to become an actor because she saw Nichelle Nichols on her TV screen and shouted to her mother “come look! There’s a Black Woman on the screen and she’s ain’t playing a maid!” some black child is going to look up at the movie screen and believe, that if they’re talented enough—and lucky enough—to achieve stardom on the big or small screen, they can tell Anthony Mackie how he was an inspiration to them in the same way Caryn—better known as Whoopi Goldberg—was able to tell Nichell Nichols that she was an inspiration to her.
Because in a period when there is going to be an orchestrated effort on the highest levels of government and businesses to redefine America as the place that wouldn’t exist without the White Male:
Symbols Matter.
And those who look like me need to celebrate those symbols as much as possible in as many ways as possible, because we know if we don’t, they can disappear as quickly as a signature can be affixed on an Executive Order.
Until next time—and I promise this next one will be soon!!
Thoughts From A Short Round Black Man 