Jamele Hill article on black athletes.

Sep 6, 2019, 11:43 AM

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/black-athletes-should-leave-white-colleges-jemele-hill-writes-in-controversial-op-ed

Jemele Hill's call for black athletes to leave 'white' colleges draws charges of 'pro-segregation' and racism

Former ESPN host turned Atlantic staff writer Jemele Hill wrote a controversial first piece for the October issue in which she says black athletes should leave white colleges.

Let me say up front that this in no way upsets me. Of course Jamele Hill is going to write about race and class warfare. Of course she’ll frame it in an exploitive fashion. She is what she is, and today I don’t have much energy around expecting otherwise.

AND...I only read the attached article, not her actual article, so take it for what it’s worth (or, if you’re feeling magnanimous, explain how she’s being misrepresented).

BUT...a few points:

1) referencing Harvard’s endowment is right out of the 21st century school of journalism. Harvard’s endowment is enormous. If she objects to that, tell black athletes not to go to Harvard. Clemson’s endowment is less than 2% of Harvard’s.

2) A black athlete going to Clemson or Michigan or Notre Dame is going to a school. Not a “white school”. And the best athletes (the ones that she’s probably concerned about) do so to best position themselves for future success. Has there ever been a first round pick from an HBCU? I can’t find one. The difference in exposure is staggering. The credibility of handling top competition, getting the best resources and coaching, etc, is huge for an aspiring pro player (football). But she doesn’t care about that. She cares about her agenda. So these kids’ futures can be diminished in her eyes. She perceives that they serve white schools as they are really putting themselves in the best position for their futures. But she wants them to serve her agenda, not their own best interests.

3) is this mindset really in the best interest of anyone? Wouldn’t a far healthier approach be that more black students should feel comfortable in schools that aren’t HBCU?

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Swarley said:

made me read up on The Atlantic’s history. It did have an abolitionist slant to begin with, according to Wikipedia. But yes, exactly. It’s hardly a bastion of black journalism. Why didn’t she go write for publication like Jet or Essence? Of course she made the decision that The Atlantic gave her the best overall deal for her career and (I am just guessing?) financial situation. Good for her.

I agree...I sometimes grudgingly acknowledge some of the stuff that comes out of Hill's mouth because I'm not big on ducking from hard truths but this article seems wrongheaded from scratch for exactly the reason you mentioned.

The Atlantic is also usually some of the hardest of hard journalism, they usually have a higher standard than this. I'm surprised they let this one fly. I've chewed on this one from every angle I can consider and I still don't know how Hill resolves the contradiction between I-want-absolute-equality and yet here I also am advocating for separate-but-equal-when-it-suits-me in her head.

Also, she's coming at things from that tired athletes-are-exploited-young-black-men angle. I...disagree, and I have a horse of my own in the race. My own son's a scholarship football player at an FBS school (don't bother asking me which one, I ain't saying!) and he's white. His friends are already tens of thousands of dollars in debt with student loans...whereas he will emerge from school debt-free, with a diploma - potentially diplomas, plural, if he gets the full five years, which he intends - and certifications in hand, and along the way he gets the best meal plan, the best rooms, and enough free swag he shouldn't have to buy clothes until he graduates from college. He also gets a living expense stipend of well over $4K a year.

Total value of all this? Probably upwards of $250K when you add it all up. It's hard to think of him as "exploited", whatever. As a dad I of course do worry about him taking one of those life-altering injuries, granted, but for us it was still an absolute godsend and an incredible opportunity. If not for football he'd have had to go to the Marines and go play tag with the Taliban in Afghanistan to get his college money...which is a lot more potentially "life-altering", if you follow.

Jamele Hill article on black athletes.

Jerry Rice, Walter Payton, Michael Strahan, Shannon Sharpe

Lol. Oh, those slackers?

Rice and Payton were 1st rounders. Strahan was a 2.

Wonder if she is also in favor of Black Athletes

she should quit espn and only work on BET. its only right

Can only think of one HBCU player chosen in the first round

She's free to advocate as she sees fit, and black

Re: Jamele Hill article on black athletes.

Re: Jamele Hill is a racist - and I’ll go on record to say

Idiot....and she went to work the The Atlantic...all white

Re: Idiot....and she went to work the The Atlantic...all white

Well that was weird. Anyway, interestingly, your comment

Re: Well that was weird. Anyway, interestingly, your comment

Would one be considered racist if they asked her

Making noise for attention.***

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