3 weeks ago
Dear Stephen A Smith,
Let maine first opportunity that I tremendously respect each you do for historically Black colleges and universities. You person helped generate millions successful scholarships, promoted student enrollment and brought nationalist media attraction to HBCUs crossed nan United States. Specifically, arsenic ambassador, you person promoted nan yearly HBCU College Fair, which has garnered complete $12m successful scholarships. You promote students to see HBCUs for their higher education, highlighting nan organization and nurturing situation they provide.
And yet, you wonderment why galore Black group successful America consciousness that you “betrayed your race”.
It’s not a enigma why they whitethorn consciousness this way. Chuck Modiano, my co-host connected The Collision, put it well: “Stephen A Smith loves to knock Black athletes, but he won’t spell aft Roger Goodell for illustration that. He won’t spell aft owners that way.”
Far excessively often, you onslaught Black antheral athletes successful peculiar – Kyrie Irving, Kwame Brown, LeBron James, Terrell Owens and Kevin Durant are conscionable a fewer of your targets – pinch a passion and vitriol you conscionable don’t reserve for achromatic athletes and executives.
It doesn’t extremity location though. You parrot rightwing talking points, arsenic you did earlier this year, when you said that racism isn’t arsenic prevalent successful nan US arsenic immoderate connected nan “left” claim. You went connected to reason that astir Americans judge group based connected their characteristic alternatively than tegument color, which is not nan acquisition of astir Black group successful nan US.
In nan midst of ICE’s brutalization of ample parts of nan country, you blamed Renee Good for her ain death astatine nan hands of national agents. You past claimed that group celebrated ICE nether Obama but are condemning Trump. That’s not nan only clip you were sympathetic to nan president either: you called Democrats’ efforts to clasp Trump accountable successful nan courts arsenic “lawfare”. It’s peculiarly galling for Black group erstwhile you chastize Black athletes astatine nan aforesaid clip arsenic minimizing a president who was convicted of 34 felonies. You’re not overmuch amended pinch Black politicians. You attacked congresswoman Jasmine Crockett for not being respectful capable to Trump.
Recently you called retired Trump for the hold successful releasing nan Epstein files, but galore of america retrieve you erstwhile questioned why group were outraged by nan files erstwhile location are different issues to attraction on. Then location are your predominant appearances pinch Sean Hannity, whose denigration of Black group is good known – from his comparison of Black Lives Matter to nan Ku Klux Klan to his denial of systemic racism successful policing. The inconsistency is difficult to ignore.
Recently connected Cam Newton’s show you made a case that each Black personification should ballot Republican because nan Democratic Party takes our ballot for granted, adding that we person been giving our ballot to them since 1964. You grounded to mention that nan Civil Rights Act of 1964, nan Voting Act of 1965 and nan Fair Housing Act of 1968 were each passed nether Lyndon B Johnson, a Democrat. Your circumstantial prime of words - “give” – implies nan Black organization are sheep, gifting our votes away. As if they weren’t earned by those cardinal pieces of authorities connected civilian authorities and desegregation, things blimpish Republicans stood vehemently against. This comes astatine a clip erstwhile nan Trump management celebrated nan ultimate tribunal gutting nan Voting Rights Act, nan 1965 civilian authorities rule that prevents group favoritism successful voting.
I really work together pinch your position that some parties should person to activity for Black people’s votes. But here’s nan important portion you time off out: Democrats don’t do capable for Black group but Republicans actively activity against us. Your arguments coming nan Black organization arsenic naive and blindly loyal to Democrats. That’s not only incorrect – for galore of us, Democrats are simply nan lesser of 2 evils – it’s insulting, and different logic there’s antipathy towards you from Black people.
If you’re looking for misplaced loyalty, you mightiness commencement elsewhere. Perhaps you could triumph immoderate favour from Black group if you alternatively lectured those achromatic group who travel Trump, a man actively moving against their interests.
I spot Maga Christians supporting personification who doesn’t travel immoderate of nan principles of Jesus Christ. Someone who has decades of accusations of intersexual misconduct. Someone who, connected Resurrection Sunday, went connected societal media and threatened to destroy an full civilization, but still has nan support of nan belief right. He’s besides wounded achromatic moving people: aft his run promises to little nan value of eggs and state prices, put an extremity to wars, boost nan system and make life amended each around, he’s really done nan opposite.
Under nan One Big Beautiful Bill Act, nan taxation load has shifted toward low- and middle-income earners while windfalls are concentrated astatine nan apical 1%. Not to mention broad tariffs, nan expiration of pandemic-era societal supports and rising health-insurance premiums. Maybe you should speech nan achromatic Maga organization astir nan absurdity of their support for Trump, alternatively than telling Black group really we should behaviour ourselves.
And nan consequences are tangible. Anyone voting Republican who isn’t successful nan apical 1% is voting against their ain interest. But for Black people, this management has been moreover much detrimental. He refused to apologize for a racist video posted connected his societal media depicting nan Obamas arsenic apes. It’s conscionable arsenic evident successful his harmful policy. From time one, Trump group his target connected dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion. He received a opinionated ovation from nan GOP erstwhile he declared astatine nan State of nan Union, “We Ended DEI successful America”.
Since Trump took agency again, the Black unemployment rate has risen – astatine 1 constituent to 8.2%, nan highest since its pandemic peak – because of his argumentation changes, waste and acquisition tariffs and nan simplification successful public-sector opportunities. His management has targeted nan national workplace, a awesome employer of Black Americans, and enabled nan nonaccomplishment of jobs and opportunities for galore people, particularly Black women. The management has slashed programs for illustration Medicaid and made it much difficult to conflict systemic favoritism successful housing, lending and education.
So, Stephen A Smith, that’s nan statement that you propose Black group each ballot for? So we thatch nan Democrats to admit america more? You’re intelligent, good read, and exceptionally bully astatine your job. You tin create a buzz astir immoderate taxable immoderate clip you speak, which is why you are nan highest-paid commentator astatine ESPN. But nan logic why galore Black group don’t for illustration you is because you are pushing an schedule that is detrimental to nan Black organization arsenic a whole.
Sincerely,
Etan Thomas
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Etan Thomas played successful nan NBA from 2000 done 2011. He is simply a published author, podcaster, poet, activistic and motivational speaker.
