We Are All Witnesses...

To Genocide In Darfur.

In case you missed it, there's genocide going down in Darfur. Much of the liberal world has rallied for this cause much as it does with all of its causes du jour. However that famous NBA star in the NBA Finals who longs to become a "global icon" has remained silent in the face of a growing tide of intolerance to the government of Sudan and its international supporters.

Now I'm not so naive too think that LeBron James is one-of-a-kind here in his lack of social compassion or interest besides what goes down on hardwood floors and or in muncipally built and financied stadiums. Michael Jordan famously didn't support Harvey Gantt's failed campaign for Senate against the evil Jesse Helms. And who could forget Charles Barkeley's bold "I am not a role model" commercial. Even though athletes run in the same superstar universe as say entertainers, actors and artists, I feel that even with main stream entertainers their job- if you boil it down-is to share a piece of life with their audience. A reasonable person would argue that the piece of life shared ought to be a responsible one. But an athlete's job is to perform his or her game and to excel in his or her sport. For me when athlete's step out of that and go beyond expectations and say come out, fight for the revolution, or whatever, I give them props for going above and beyond the call of duty. Maybe this explanation conviently allows me to justify my Sports Center, NBA, NFL, and Longhorn Football addiction. This could very well be the case. But I doreally, I mean REALLY feel like we all as humans have great responsibilities for and with each other. Then again this implies that I would look to athletes to actually be role models, because before they were NBA Superstars, they were first humans.

My indecision I feel like is indicative of how society just isn't sure what they want: Athletes who are role models, activists? Or Athletes who are athletes?

What happens though when these athletes become Global Capitalist Icon's with contracts and paychecks coming from nefarious business interests across the world? Like Jordan and LeBron's Nike (think sweatshops)? Or all of the countless # of sports and entertainment spokespeople for Coca-Cola (think purveyors of 3rd World water supplies)? Are they just athletes then?

No. They're not.

Okay, let me pause for a second. I've never really been too big a fan of LeBron James, especially after his guarded, yet homophobic remarks re the Former NBA player John Amaechi after he came out:

"With teammates you have to be trustworthy, and if you're gay and you're not admitting that you are, then you are not trustworthy," James said. "So that's like the No. 1 thing as teammates -- we all trust each other. You've heard of the in-room, locker room code. What happens in the locker room stays in there. It's a trust factor, honestly. A big trust factor."

So the ferocity to which I'm aiming my frustration at him should be read knowing all of that too.

That being said activists, conscious consumers, and anyone who gives a rat's tail about human life, should employ the age old tactic of the consumer's power of the purse: boycott the mofo. The products that he endorses, whether they be Nike Sweat(shop)shirts (okay so I hear there practices have improved some... but for all I know Anita Bryant is still pushing OJ!) or NBA Playoffs games. Yes, gasp! Nowall I gotta do is act like a Catholic during lent, honey, and give it up!

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