Huge Fax: Dark Gable, March 27, 1996

Dark Gable

Huge Fax of the Day, March 27, 1996

Good afternoon Jim:

All kidding aside, sometimes there are issues that we can clown and joke about, yet do have serious undertones. I thought it, but a caller today articulated first what many African-Americans such as myself also think. Situations such as Bam Morris and Michael Irvin can be funny in and of themselves, but on a deeper lever are most distressing. Granted from a humanity standpoint, it is just horrible how anyone can conduct themselves in these inexcusable ways. But as a Black man in the 90's, I engage in a more pointed fight every single day to contradict the stereotypes of Black men who are depicted as violent, felonious, inarticulate, uneducated, or E, all of the above. A little bit of strength leaves me each and every time one of my visible (I.e. famous) "brothers" does not act with simple intelligence or common sense. Unfortunately in today's society, these athletes are all the necessary exposure and only reference point that many in White America will formulate their racial opinions around. You and I may look at these two individuals as just that...two individuals. But reality is more than you and I. Reality has shown us that many times the actions of one African-American is misconstrued as a representation of a race of people.

I know why drugs are sold in the inner-city. There is a larger problem at hand. I don't condone it, but I understand it. I don't need idiots like Darryl Henley and Bam Morris to convolute this issue. I understand why the prison population make-up is not representative of the nation's population. There is a larger problem at hand. I don't need Michael Irvin and Bam as part of those statistics. I get tired of having my car searched for ordinary traffic stops. I am insulted each and every time a woman (White or Black) clutches her purse as I pass, out of conditioned fear of the Black man as a felon lying in wait. I am disgusted at having to continually pick up slack for idiots who, although make plenty of money, make it plenty hard for young Black children to find positive images to emulate. So Rome, I agree that from a humanity standpoint that what these idiots do is a human disgrace. But at the same time, society does not evaluate African-Americans from a purely human standpoint. Bam, Michael, Darryl, et. al. do more than a disservice to themselves. They reject a responsibility that was given to them thanks to the likes of Jackie Robinson. And they represent ALL that I fight against. Me very mad.

Dark Gable

City of Palms, Free Clinic