Land of the free because of the BRAVE…

On November 11, 2014 By kassienetteIn HeroesLeave a comment

(Originally posted on 11.11.12. It has been updated, slightly)

This post has absolutely nothing to do with sports.

On today, November 11, people all across the country will celebrate the great men and women of our Armed Forces. They will be honored with parades, free meals, handshakes, standing ovations and endless thank yous. They are worthy of each and every act of gratitude that is bestowed upon them on that day. The members of our armed forces are known for their strength, determination, resilience, heart, work ethic, faith, courage, dependability, endurance, integrity, loyalty, the list goes on. I admire them for all these things but what impresses me the most is their humility.

All of my life I have been surrounded by men and women who were in the military. My grandfather was a Marine who served in World War II. He also served as a Post Commander in our hometown at one of the American Legion posts. My grandfather was a very humble man. Over the years, I had numerous conversations with my grandfather about his time in the Pacific and I can not recall him ever initiating those conversations. He was not one to brag. He would just simply say, “I was serving my country.” For all the times we talked, I had no idea I was talking to a man who made history. Not long before my grandfather passed, my mother found out that when he entered into the Marines he was among the first wave of African-American men to ever be admitted into the Corps. Come again? My grandfather? My daddy? The man who I call “The Epitome of a Man” was living history? Imagine our surprise. We knew he was stationed at Camp LeJeune but we had no idea about Montford Point which is where the African-American Marines were trained. The more my mother researched the story, the more we grew to understand just how huge this discovery was. When asked about the recent information that was discovered about him, my grandfather simply replied, “Yes, I was at Montford Point.” That was it. No tooting his horn. No sticking out his chest. No bragging about what he had done.

My grandfather’s response to what he accomplished is what I have always encountered with our soldiers. No boasting. No reminding you of what they did. No expectations of handouts. I am always humbled when I meet soldiers and I tell them thank you. A lot of times, I am given a “thank you for your support” as a response. I typically have that “you do not need to thank me” look on my face. It is not necessary but I get it. They fight for us. They serve for us. Many have given their lives for us. They do it selflessly. They do it knowing the risks. They do it because they love their country. Often times, I feel like our military heroes are forgotten. We see praise all over the place for reality stars, athletes(I managed to tie sports in), musicians, YouTube sensations, etc. Being a soldier is not just about November 11. It is about a commitment they made to “…support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic…” As humble as our soldiers are, I know that acknowledging them solidifies that what they have sacrificed was worth it. So do me a favor, the next time you encounter a veteran or a current member of our armed forces, tell them THANK YOU. Then allow yourself to experience the feeling that truly makes them who they are…humility.

In honor of Veteran’s Day, I would like to publicly acknowledge some very special men and women who have served and are currently serving in our armed forces…my grandfather, the late LM Lockhart, the late Mr. Dewey Hill, Owen Mitchell, Brandon “Peanut” Parker, Danyell Horton, Tommy Parker, Johnny McKeithan, Adam Horne, Carlos Spruill, Leonard “Boogie” Williams, Cedric Payne, James Roberts, Jr., Lena Godfrey, Keith Hargrave, Tim Jones, Bernard Carter, Sheri McDowell, Jimmel Anderson, Quenya Borders Glenn, Tom Wiegand, Danielle Moses, Leon Marsh, Tracy Marsh, Marlaina Beaty and the late Josh Harris(I did not know Josh but he was a Navy SEAL Team Six member from my hometown who sacrificed his life during a combat mission in 2008). THANK YOU all for your sacrifice and service!! You allow me to proudly say, land of the free because of the BRAVE!

History. Montford Point Marines. My grandDaddy is on the last row, second from the left.

Land of the free because of the BRAVE…

On November 11, 2013 By kassienetteIn HeroesLeave a comment

(Originally posted on 11.11.12. It has been updated, slightly)

This post has absolutely nothing to do with sports.

Riley Cooper, the n-word and my grandfather

On August 21, 2013 By kassienetteIn Football, NFL, Sports, Uncategorized10 Comments

I am sure you all have been wondering if I would address this particular incident. Almost three weeks have passed so I am assuming most of you thought that I would not. Wrong. here it goes…

My grandfather was one of the first blacks in the United State Marine Corps(a true piece of American history that I love to talk about). He served in the Asiatic Pacific Theater during World War II from May 1944 to March 1946. In May 1944, he was honorably discharged from the corps. Upon his return home, this American hero was subjected, indirectly and sometimes directly, to the ugliness of a particular six letter word.

The n-word.

Riley Cooper went there. With no hesitation. He parted his lips and uttered arguably the most offensive racial slur known to man. Big deal? No big deal? I will let you decide for yourself. Was Cooper wrong? Of course. Did he deserve to be punished? I believe fining him was an appropriate consequence. Does he deserve a second chance? Sure, he does. Do I understand if teammates and friends especially those who are black refuse to offer him that chance? Yes. Actions have consequences.

I have heard many analysts and journalists express shock over the fact that this incident was considered “newsworthy.” According to some of them the fact that incidents like this happen on a daily basis, this particular incident should be no big deal. They left out the part where Cooper was caught on video using the slur. They left out the part where in the last 10 years, the sports industry has not had to deal with this type of incident, publicly, not that I can recall. They left out the part about Cooper being an NFL Player, a professional athlete in the most lucrative professional sport in the United States and perhaps, the world. That alone is bound to get you on SportsCenter.

So what do I think about this whole situation? I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. Maybe it is because I am such a happy go lucky person but I truly believe that most people are good people. They want to go to work, raise their kids, buy a house and try to make a difference in this world. None of us are perfect and some of us happen to make mistakes that drastically alter our lives. And some of us happen to make mistakes that are magnified because we are in the public eye. What Cooper did was foolish. Unless he has been living in a cave at Mount Rushmore all his life, there is no way that he did not know the type of backlash he could experience from uttering the n-word especially in public.*plays Jamie Foxx’s *Blame It On the Alcohol”* At the same time, I think some people are truly naive when it comes to how deep that word cuts. I am not sure how you can be that naive in 2013 but it happens. A lot of people automatically assume that because someone utters a racial slur, they are indeed racist. I am willing to bet that almost every person on this earth could be qualified as a racist if that is the standard we are basing it off of. Yes, there are some people who are just downright prejudice. And then there are some of utter certain words around people whom they feel comfortable with. People that know them. People who would never think they are racist despite some of the things they say. For them, it is normal.

I do not know which category Cooper falls in to. Only he knows that for sure. However, from the amount of teammates and friends that have spoken publicly to defend him, I am willing to bet he falls into the category of those who are not racist but may utter a racial slur. How can this be? How can a person utter a racial slur and not be racist? Well Merriam-Webster defines racist as a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race. With that definition as a basis, I do believe racial slurs can be uttered by people who are not racist. That might sound crazy but hey, this is my blog therefore I get to voice my opinion. I am sure at some point in our lives all of us have uttered a racial slur and I am sure not all of us are racist. Think about it. Think about the words you have used to refer to blacks, whites, Latinos, Asians, etc. We are all guilty of it. If you say otherwise, then you are not being honest with yourself.

The n-word.

The truth is I wish the n-word could just be eliminated. I wish black people would quit saying it. I wish white people would quit saying it. I wish other minorities would quit saying it. I wish rappers would quit saying it. I wish professional athletes would quit saying it. I wish. I wish. I wish. I wish people would stop defending the word. I wish people would stop saying it is ok to say it because the ending was changed from ‘er’ to ‘a’. I wish everyone had the opportunity or took time out of their busy schedules to talk with an older black man who experienced some extreme racism and let him share his wisdom about using the word as a “term of endearment.” I wish I could talk to my grandfather and hear his opinion on the situation. I am almost certain I know what his thoughts about it would be, he would be wishing for the same thing his first born granddaughter is.

Until next time…TOODELLS.

Thank You Mr. Robinson!!

On April 15, 2013 By kassienetteIn Baseball, Heroes, MLB, SportsLeave a comment

Jackie Robinson signing his contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers {Source: Google Images} — Jackie Robinson signing his contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers
{Source: Google Images}

On this day, 66 years ago, the landscape of Major League Baseball(MLB) was forever changed. On this day, 66 years go, starting at first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers was Jack Roosevelt “Jackie” Robinson. On this day, 66 years ago, Robinson became the first black man to break through baseball’s elusive color line.

I had every intention of going to see 42, the movie about Robinson’s life, on Friday. However, unforseen circumstances prevented me from attending opening night. And I still have not managed to make it to the theater. This is a movie that I have been excited about for months. As a black woman, I am beaming with pride at the fact that a film depicting the true story of an American legend, who happens to be black, is being shown all across the world. 66 years ago, who would have thought that would ever be a reality?

In 1997, in what I think is one of the most significant moments in baseball history, MLB retired the number 42 across the league. No other players, other than the players that were currently wearing the number 42, would ever wear that number again. EVER. The significance of that transcends beyond baseball. It recognizes a man for not only what he did for baseball but what he did for this country. The Civil Rights Movement had yet to begin in the United States and here was a man who willingly put his life on the line, literally. Was it a popular decision? Of course not. Was there outrage? Of course there was. Were there people who thought there were other players in the Negro League more deserving of being the first? Certainly. 66 years later, all of that is a moot point.

On April 15, 2004, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig officially declared April 15 to be Jackie Robinson Day. Often called the most significant moment in MLB history, Selig stated that “by establishing April 15 as ‘Jackie Robinson Day’ throughout Major League Baseball, we are further ensuring that the incredible contributions and sacrifices he made — for baseball and society — will not be forgotten.” At the end of this baseball season, whenever the New York Yankees finish their season, the last remaining player wearing number 42, Mariano Rivera, will retire. It is fitting that Rivera, a Latin American player who is arguably the greatest closer the game has ever seen, will do his final curtain call wearing the number that means so much to not only blacks but Latin American players as well. In 2011, Rivera called it a privilege and an honor to wear number 42 because of what Jackie represents for us(Latin American players). 66 years ago, who knew that Robinson’s impact would not only be felt in North America but on other continents as well.

So here we are, 66 years later and the impact that Robinson has had on MLB and the world is still being felt in 2013. The next generation is learning about him; what he stood for and the tremendous impact he had on race relations. Those already familiar with his story are having their memories refreshed and are often times learning new tidbits about Robinson. And those that were around in 1947 are recalling what that moment was like for American History. 66 years ago, blacks could not drink out of the same water fountain as whites. 66 years ago, black soldiers, who had served their country during World War II, were treated like second class citizens by the country they fought to defend. 66 years ago, there were black men who were beaten, ridiculed, heckled and lynched because of the color of their skin. 66 years ago, a black man stood courageously at first base as his fellow Americans hurled insults at him and questioned his right to play “their game.” 66 years later, a black man’s bold stance against inequality has resulted in him being called a legend. A hero. An American Treasure.

Thank you Mr. Robinson!!! Happy Jackie Robinson Day!!!