Dear Cam: It IS Racial…. sort of

Cam Newton
BobLee
August18/ 2016

Cam Newton sulksI think Cam Newton was incorrect. I think much of the criticism of his choreographed celebrations and related highly-publicized actions last season IS “race-related”.

Cam Newton Comments re: His Critics – LINK

I define “race-related” differently than the legions of beady-eyed knee-jerkers already mis-over-reacting to that first paragraph.  “Race-related” or just “racist” as every good little liberal LOVES to scream at the top of their sandpapered throats has been co-oped, as has the word “gay”, to suit a partisan political agenda. We will stay out of the “gay” minefield today for lack of time, space and personal give-a-damn.

I don’t “care for” pre-choreographed HEY-LOOK-AT-ME celebrations of sports achievements. Spontaneous celebrations are spontaneous and in-the-moment. Spontaneous celebrations are totally consistent with the intensely emotional, pressure-packed nature of athletic competition.

Walk-off homers…. Hail Marys…. Buzzer-beaters…. 60’ putts on 18…. A Golden Goal in soccer …. They all DEMAND spontaneous emotional responses from athletes, teammates, coaches…. and fans. That is not what is at issue here.

Didn’t The Great Hate Cam Newton National Brouhaha come about due to his post-touchdown “dabbing” and other overt choreographed actions last season as the Panthers began their journey to The Super Bowl?  Whenever Cam scored a TD he would go through a Cam pantsseries of choreographed gyrations which grew to include giving the football to a kid in the End Zone stands. …. Then there was the baby-mamma thing later on…. And the Versace pants…. And

NOTE: I am still, I assume, the only human being on Earth who does not “get” dabbing. Where did it start? Did a certain entertainer invent it like Michael Jackson created “moonwalking”? Does it signify anything good, bad, sexual, unlawful ??

NOTE TO NOTE:  We have now learned via Reader “JR” that “dabbing” comes from the marijuana culture.  Ones coughs in one’s elbow as he/she/it passes “the joint” to the next partaker.  So… all those coaches (like Dabo Swinney etc) who are “dabbing” to try and relate to their black players are emulating the drug culture.  99% chance they have no clue whatsoever what they are doing.  Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts and her HB2 cronies were also photographed “dabbing” to show their support of Cam and the Panthers.  Likewise totally clueless AGAIN.  A LOT of Cluelessness going around these days…. 

I don’t “get” all the hand signals that seem popular. I get “shooting the bird” with the middle finger. I’m not THAT old! But the ones with various fingers extended in some sort of Wuffie-thing on steroids secret Masonic signal or some such. No clue.

Just because I don’t “get” something certainly does not make it “bad” or socially unacceptable. Unlike one frequent commenter here, I do not consider myself the Judge / Jury of acceptable behavior or opinions. I just don’t “get” Cam Newton’s “dabbing”.

Brace yourself. I am a white guy. I know that is a shock. Been one more than half a century. We now have gender-bending technology. I doubt race-bending will be an option I would consider in my remaining years. I will never be able to dance, dunk, wear “dreads” or walk thru Harlem without keeping my head on a swivel. I was raised in an overtly “white culture” during the 50-60s.

FWIW, I don’t ascribe to all the mores of “white culture” either. I can’t “shag” to beach music…. and I was well into my 50s before I saw a NASCAR race.   I think I watched Lawrence Welk once.  Those Lennon Sisters – Hubba Hubba!

Most racial-ethnic groups have distinct cultures that they observe. I don’t “get” bar mitzvahs or drinking green beer on St Pat’s day or that prayer rug facing Mecca stuff. None of it “offends me”. I don’t advocate outlawing any of it or penalizing those who practice those customs.

Back to Hating Cam…. One, I’ve never expressed “hatred” for Cam. I have said I am not “a fan” of his choreographed antics…. Nor was I positively impressed by his post Super Bowl actions. I am not a Cam Newton fan. That does not leave “hate him” as my only option.Matheny

I am no longer a Carolina Tar Heels fan either, which as nothing to do with “dabbing”. I am, of course, a St Louis Cardinals fan. Stan Musial never “dabbed” nor has Brendan Moss or Steven Piscotty…. yet. “Manager Mike” Matheny has yet to smile…. much less “dab” or tear open his shirt in some “I’m Superman” gesture.

There certainly are “people out there” who Hate Cam for whatever reasons. There are “people out there” who Hate Me…. Hate “my buddy Art”…. Hate Skip Bayless. I have a friend who millions of people have Hated for going on 28 years. People Hate Trump…. People Hate Hillary…. People Hate Bully Barber and Billy Graham and Eastern NC barbecue.

Back to Cam…. It is 2016. Black athletes dominate the NFL and the NBA. That’s a fact. How that came to be gets deeper into genetics and human husbandry than I can understand.

I’m told LOOK-AT-ME celebrations are “a black thing”. I understand “don’t be disrespecting me” is “a black thing”. “Popping jerseys” was/is “a black thing”. I think black athletes should “do their thing” especially in a situation where they are the dominant culture.  Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift do not appear at The Apollo.  There’s a reason.

It’s gets tricky when 50-60 black athletes (gladiators) are performing in front of 70,000 predominately not-black spectators. Whose “culture” gets priority? Can a black athlete “act black” in a stadium full of not-black fans and a multi-cultural TV audience?  I’m not qualified to make that decision.

I don’t expect “blacks” to appreciate my culture. I don’t expect anyone to appreciate my culture. I’m a bastardized hybrid of Phoenician, Apache and Mayberry Redneck. When I was convincing myself I had no future as a stand-up comedian, I learned how very very few other humans appreciated my culture especially in Rapid City, South Dakota.17th fairway

I am not much of an NFL or NBA or Big Time College FB / MBB fan any more. Plenty of folks are. I don’t feel my apathy puts any jobs in jeopardy.

As I trod Life’s 17th and 18th fairways (or use my Ice Floe analogy), I expect I will be discarding other aspects of America 2016+ culture in addition to “dabbing”.  Who knows what else?  A year ago I’d never heard of “dabbing”.

Dear Cam; My “not caring for” your on-off-field behavior WAS RACIAL in that it involved a conflict of our respective cultures. …. Bring back Billy White Shoes…. And Icky…. And Neon Dion…. And Terrell Owens. Perform Rockette routines involving mini-tramps and trapezes and have The Harlem Boys Choir singing R-E-S-P-E-C-T / Mammy’s Little Baby Loves Shortin’ Bread. Go for it.

I can’t speak for anyone else, but certainly DO NOT modify your behavior because of BobLee. I’m not your, or The NFL’s, target audience.

###

BUT WAIT

LINK

PS:  I broke my No Olympics Boycott on Thursday afternoon.  I watched a two hour documentary on The Karolyis.  My BFF Nadia Comaneci was featured.

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