LeBron James is a man at the pinnacle of his profession, the top player in his sport, and, before it is all over, likely to be hailed as the best player ever to take to an NBA floor. But LeBron is also a black man in America. To our continued shame, perhaps uniquely among nations, being black in America means no matter how much you achieve, you, as a black man will never feel that you are regarded as an equal.
On the eve of the NBA finals, with his team the Cleveland Cavaliers set to face off with the Golden State Warriors, LeBron had to take time out of his preparation to address the racist graffiti that some jerk had spray painted on the Gates of his home in L.A.
He acquitted himself thoughtfully and with class.
"As I sit here on the eve of one of the greatest sporting events that we have in sports, race and what's going on comes again. On my behalf and my family's behalf, but I look at it as this - if this is a shed of light to continue to keep the conversation going on my behalf, then I'm OK with it. My family is safe. They're safe and that's the most important.
"But it just goes to show that racism will always be a part of the world, a part of America. Hate in America, especially for African Americans, is living everyday. And even though it's concealed most of the time. We know people hide their faces and will say things about you when they see that smile on your face. It's alive every single day. I think back to Emmett Till's mom actually and the reason that she had an open casket is because she wanted to show the world what her son went through as far as a hate crime and being black in America. No matter how much money you have, no matter how famous you are, no matter how many people admire you, being black in America is tough. We got a long way to go for us as a society and for us as African Americans until we feel equal in America."
I’d dearly love to twist this around and blame it on Donald Trump, but I can’t. This crap is too deeply embedded in the soul of our nation, and no matter how we labor, how we strive, we can’t seem to even make modest strides in removing it.
God Damn it.