I made a post on a message board recently about ECU’s new head coach, and that he is the first black head football coach at a D1 school in NC. This is a point of pride for me, even if I am not the typical affirmative action proponent.
I was crucified for bringing this up! I was asked why I had to make a post about it. I was told that “this” (i.e. bringing up past wrongs) is what keeps America from moving forward in race relations. I was asked why it mattered what color the coach is.
I could see the issue if I claimed that Coach McNeill got the job simply because he is black. What I said, however, was “Lost in all the coverage is the fact that McNeill is ECU’s 1st black HC!” (actual post title). I see nothing wrong with this.
I also see no reason why we can’t talk about race relations, good and bad, in this country. It boggles my mind that something that consumes so much of our national conscience is so hard to discuss openly. Ladies and gentlemen, like it or not, white people have historically repressed and discriminated against minorities. Minorities, like it or not, there are just as many opportunities available to you today as there are for white people, and the blame for failure no longer rests on whites. We all need to get over ourselves and start to talk about this. If we do not we are all doomed to repeat every indiscretion.
