Alabama Senator Teaches Charles Barkley How Bad Slavery Was In Epic Open Letter

Last month, Charles Barkley referred to Ferguson protesters as “scumbags” who “aren’t real black people.” After being called out for his offensive remarks by TNT colleague Kenny Smith in an open letter, the pair confronted each other during an episode of “NBA on TNT.” That’s when Barkley made an asinine statement about slavery.

“I don’t think anytime anything bad that happens in the black community we have to talk about slavery,” Barkley said. “Listen, slavery is, uh, well, I shouldn’t say one of the worst things ever, because I don’t know anything about it other than what I read or what my grandmother told me.”

According to Barkley, slavery wasn’t so bad. It’s a statement that many white supremacists are probably pinning to bulletin boards in glee. But Alabama Senator Hank Sanders was deeply hurt by what Barkley said, and composed an epic open letter to teach Sir Charles just how bad slavery was and how it still affects us today.

Here’s is the full letter as published by AL.com:

Brooklyn Nets Clinch Playoff Berth

Last night the Brooklyn Nets clinched a berth in the Eastern Conference playoffs with their 14th consecutive home win at Barclays Center, setting the stage for Jason Collins to add a another item to his list of first-ever accomplishments when he enters a playoff game with his Matthew Shepard-honoring jersey. 

Most of the hubbub about the NBA's first openly gay player died down within a week or so of Collins returning to the game in February, but a couple of sportswriters have pleasantly joked this week that Collins has been a good luck charm in light of the team's surprising comeback. The playoffs begin on April 19th.

NBA to Donate Proceeds from Jason Collins Jerseys to LGBT Groups

The NBA will donate proceeds from sales of Jason Collins jerseys to LGBT causes, specifically GLSEN and the Matthew Shepard Foundation, the Guardian reports:

The league said on Friday that donations would total no less than $100,000, and it will also auction off Collins’s autographed, game-worn jerseys to benefit the same organisations.

Collins says he is thrilled to help the organisations that “work tirelessly to ensure LGBT youth get the resources and assistance they need to be successful in life”.

Jason Collins Signs Contract With The Brooklyn Nets; Becomes First Openly Gay Player In The NBA

It's official. Jason Collins is the very first active, openly gay player not only in the NBA but also in any major US sport.

The Brooklyn Nets announced over Twitter that they have signed Collins to a 10-day contract. They also tweeted out a photo of the actual signing.

ESPN reports:

"The decision to sign Jason was a basketball decision," Nets general manager Billy King said in a statement. " We needed to increase our depth inside, and with his experience and size, we felt he was the right choice for a 10-day contract."
The Nets moved quickly to make the historic signing of the 35-year-old free agent center to have another big body available against the Lakers. Brooklyn had been contemplating signing Collins for the past week and the need for Collins became greater after the Nets dealt rebounding specialist Reggie Evans to the Sacramento Kings last week.

Both Michael Sam and Robbie Rogers sent their congratulations out to Collins.

There'll be no time wasted getting Collins on the court. He'll make his debut this with the Nets this evening in LA in a game against the Clippers.

NBA Commissioner David Stern Denounces IOC's Silence on Russia's Anti-Gay Laws

NBA Commissioner David Stern said a lot on Wednesday even though he said he wasn't going to get into a discussion about the Sochi Games and Russia's anti-gay laws, swiftly and briefly denouncing the new President of the IOC and the organization for not stepping up against human rights abuses. Stern spoke at a panel at the Beyond Sport Summit:

“I’m gonna behave myself, for the record here, which is unlike me,” NBA commissioner David Stern said Wednesday, speaking as part of a panel that included Ed Rendell and was moderated by ESPN anchor and Philly native Kevin Negandhi. “But you know, the first phone call to the new head of the Olympics [was] from President [Vladimir] Putin, and everyone wants to talk about the Russian law on homosexuality. Think about the opportunities that sports have to make a continuing statement, and the only thing that we’re saying in that context is ‘Shhhh! No one say anything!’”

The phone call Stern spoke about took place on Tuesday, from Putin to the newly-anointed IOC President Thomas Bach, who appears to be toeing former IOC President Jacques Rogge's line when it comes to dealing with the issue, Philip Hersh reports:

“We did not discuss the law,” Bach said, laughing, after his brief conversation with Putin.

But how the IOC deals with all the issues related to “the law,” Russia’s recent anti-gay legislation, is a serious challenge Bach immediately faces after becoming the eighth white European man in the IOC presidency...

...Bach, a 59-year-old attorney and 1976 Olympic fencing champion, said this was not the time to discuss the details of how the IOC will handle such incidents, but he clearly sees the need to let athletes and their national Olympic committees know in advance what to expect.

“We will follow our values and the Olympic Charter to make sure the Olympic Games and the participants in the Olympic Games can compete and participate without discrimination,” Bach said. “We have the clear assurances of the highest authorities in Russia, and we trust those assurances.

“The policy of the IOC in more detail will be worked out and communicated with the national Olympic Committee and the athletes.”

Athlete Ally Statement on Roy Hibbert’s “No Homo” Comment

June 2, 2013

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - Please find below a formal statement from Athlete Ally, a leading organization working to end homophobia, transphobia, and anti-LGBT bullying in sports.  These comments are a response to the recent statements made by Indiana Pacers Center Roy Hibbert, where Hibbert used the term "no homo" to describe his close coverage of LeBron James in game 6 of the NBA's Eastern Conference Finals.

"We are disappointed by Hibbert's comments, as that kind of language is disrespectful, has no place in sports and is antithetical to the NBA's policies. As an official partner of the NBA and NBPA, Athlete Ally works closely with the league on delivering trainings and workshops to educate players about LGBT inclusion and respect. The league is undoubtedly a leader in this area, and Roy's statement of apology clearly recognizes the harms of his comments. We are confident that NBA will do its part to rectify the issue to the extent it can, comprehensively educate Hibbert, who seems genuinely apologetic, and make sure that these kinds of comments are soon a thing of the past."
Brendon Ayanbadejo added: "Hibbert's comments show his lack of awareness on this issue. He often talks about love and seems to be a positive and caring person. I think he has potential to be an ally and I hope he takes this moment and learns from it."

Brian Ellner, a leading LGBT advocate and Athlete Ally Board Member said, "Far too many young people look up to our sports stars, especially when on a stage as big as the playoffs.  We can't emphasize enough the need for education, because instances like this are harmful to youth. At the same time, we applaud the NBA's swift action and strong rebuke on this."
Roy Hibbert issued an apology this morning saying the following:

"I am apologizing for insensitive remarks made during the postgame press conference after our victory over Miami Saturday night. They were disrespectful and offensive and not a reflection of my personal views. I used a slang term that is not appropriate in any setting, private or public, and the language I used definitely has no place in a public forum, especially over live television. I apologize to those who I have offended, to our fans and to the Pacers’ organization. I sincerely have deep regret over my choice of words last night."

Why NBA center Jason Collins is coming out now

 

This story appears in the May 6, 2013, issue of Sports Illustrated.

I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black. And I'm gay.

I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, I'm happy to start the conversation. I wish I wasn't the kid in the classroom raising his hand and saying, "I'm different." If I had my way, someone else would have already done this. Nobody has, which is why I'm raising my hand.

My journey of self-discovery and self-acknowledgement began in my hometown of Los Angeles and has taken me through two state high school championships, the NCAA Final Four and the Elite Eight, and nine playoffs in 12 NBA seasons.

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE
via Getty Images

I've played for six pro teams and have appeared in two NBA Finals. Ever heard of a parlor game called Three Degrees of Jason Collins? If you're in the league, and I haven't been your teammate, I surely have been one of your teammates' teammates. Or one of your teammates' teammates' teammates.

Now I'm a free agent, literally and figuratively. I've reached that enviable state in life in which I can do pretty much what I want. And what I want is to continue to play basketball. I still love the game, and I still have something to offer. My coaches and teammates recognize that. At the same time, I want to be genuine and authentic and truthful.

Jason Collins played with the Celtics and Wizards this season, his 12th in the NBA.

Why am I coming out now? Well, I started thinking about this in 2011 during the NBA player lockout. I'm a creature of routine. When the regular season ends I immediately dedicate myself to getting game ready for the opener of the next campaign in the fall. But the lockout wreaked havoc on my habits and forced me to confront who I really am and what I really want. With the season delayed, I trained and worked out. But I lacked the distraction that basketball had always provided.

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/magazine/news/20130429/jason-collins-gay-nba-player/#ixzz2RroGEZ7Z