Do you remember grade school teachers telling you to check your work? I can recall some of my math teachers reminding the class to test each answer to make sure it’s correct. That piece of advice applies to much more than math class these days. In the aftermath of George Floyd’s death while in police custody on May 25 — officially ruled a homicide — the stakes have been raised exponentially when it comes to public comments landing properly.
This is the time for us to ask ourselves, “Does this help?” Does my comment, action, lack of comment, or lack of action actually help in the fight for social justice and racial equality? If your answer is no, then your math problem needs to be reworked. Anybody with a functional brain and without racist bones in their body can acknowledge that black people need to be treated a whole lot better in this country. The police brutality and racial mistreatment needs to end. This should be our primary focus and goal.
President Trump tweeted on Sunday, “Could it be even remotely possible that in Roger Goodell’s rather interesting statement of peace and reconciliation, he was intimating that it would now be O.K. for the players to KNEEL, or not to stand, for the National Anthem, thereby disrespecting our Country & our Flag?”
Be completely honest with yourself and ask the question, “Does this help?” Is this a step in the right direction toward racial harmony, or is President Trump focused on a secondary issue? You should know the answer.
One of the images stuck in my mind is George Floyd’s brother, Terrence Floyd, laying flowers at the site of George’s death. I don’t have a brother, but I can’t imagine feeling the anger of watching one of my nephews — who I adore — being murdered by an officer who had his knee on my nephew’s neck for nearly nine minutes. I can’t imagine the pain my sister would feel if she watched me die the way George Floyd did. Oh, and then instead of my death being the main focus with ideas of how to make the country a better place, the takeaway is, “Yeah, but what about this issue of kneeling during the anthem?”
Sports radio hosts have the power to make listeners feel emotions. We have a platform that involves a certain trust, and the consequences of betraying that trust can be damaging to both hosts and listeners. Which emotions do you want the audience to feel? I’m not going to prioritize potential ratings at the expense of black people feeling like their vital message is being overlooked or disregarded. I’ll figure out another way to get numbers.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees recently told Yahoo Finance, “I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country.”
Former San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman made an interesting point. “You have to come out and address what’s going on right here before you say anything else,” Merriman told FOX Sports Radio’s The Jason Smith Show. “It’s not what he said was all wrong, it’s just you didn’t even talk about the problem and that’s why people are so pissed off and frustrated.”
FOX Sports Radio’s Clay Travis expressed a different point of view. “I believe many of you out there feel stifled because of the conversations that you see on Facebook and Twitter and social media and maybe at your jobs as well, where you feel like, ‘I can’t say what I would like to say, because I am afraid if I say it, I’ll lose my job, or I’ll create larger issues,’” Travis said on Outkick the Coverage. “I think that goes to the fundamental heart of the cancel culture and why I was disappointed that Drew Brees apologized. There’s a difference between disagreement and a disagreement that requires an apology. We’re not all going to have the same opinions on all different sorts of issues. Just because you disagree with my opinion and become upset by it, doesn’t mean that your feelings trump mine. Why should I be required to say something I don’t agree with in order to avoid hurting your feelings?”
I understand what Travis said, but timing matters. Having the freedom to tell a dirty joke in church doesn’t mean it’s also appropriate to do so.
Consider this — I once worked with a great guy named Bob Mulheren in Albany, New York. My friend had a rare form of cancer. I went to visit Bob in the hospital the day he died. I was in the same room minutes before he passed away. It was an incredibly heavy scene as family and friends said their final goodbyes to Bob while he was suffering greatly. I headed back to work and did a radio show. You can imagine how fried I was by the end of the day, but I had a meeting scheduled with a manager before I could leave.
After talking about Bob for a few minutes with that manager, he went on to conduct an hour-long meeting while giving me a number of tasks to complete. I’ll never forget thinking, “This dude doesn’t get it.”
I normally don’t have a problem with meetings — well actually, meetings are horrid if I’m being honest — but it’s fine for managers to give me a checklist. Just don’t give me a giant to-do list in an hour-long meeting immediately after I watched a friend die. Timing is important. Black people just watched another member of their race suffer and die and the focus is on kneeling and the freedom to openly express opinions? Like former NBA player Stephen Jackson said, “Bad timing, Drew Brees. Bad timing, bruh.”
I’m a diehard Miami Dolphins fan. Growing up in South Bend, Indiana I have no idea how this happened, but it did. Like many fans in general, I’ve disagreed with plenty of things the team has done over the years including trades, draft picks, contracts, and play calls among roughly 19 other things. Just because I openly disagree with the team doesn’t mean I no longer support the Dolphins. I want the best for them. I hope we can one day get to the same place as a country — where we can diagree with each other, but still be on the same team. I hope we can understand that a disagreement doesn’t automatically mean we’re on opposite sides.
I can’t blame black people for thinking the country doesn’t have their back because far too often it hasn’t. Having an anthem debate must feel like another chapter in the book of, “I’m Still Fighting Against You.” It isn’t true in some cases, but I can understand that feeling.
Michael Jordan made a powerful statement, “We [African Americans] have been beaten down for so many years. It sucks your soul. You can’t accept it anymore.”
Man, what a description — it sucks your soul. George Floyd was laid to rest on Tuesday in Houston. If a friend of yours watched someone close to them die, would you start a debate with that friend or show support? Of course you would be there to try to comfort your friend. This isn’t the time for a debate or another disagreement. That doesn’t help. This is the time for support and unity.
To the black people in this country, I’m not here to debate you. I’m here to say that I love you. I care for you. I want the best for you. You matter.
Brian Noe is a columnist for BSM and an on-air host heard nationwide on FOX Sports Radio’s Countdown To Kickoff. Previous roles include stops in Portland, OR, Albany, NY and Fresno, CA. You can follow him on Twitter @TheNoeShow or email him at bnoe@premierenetworks.com.
