I’m just fucking tired of people using disconnected facts to prove things that are not true. Just listened to CNN and Kamau Bell do this Larry Bird, the Celtics, Magic Johnson thing about racism. Tired. Yeah, Larry was white. Still is, near as I can tell. But a white guy on the Celtics to prove racism? Pay attention to the FUCKING HISTORY.
The first Black drafted by an NBA team was Chuck Cooper. 1950. Boston Celtics. The first all Black starting five? 1964, Boston Celtics. Red Auerbach, the coach and GM, later on said he wasn’t even aware of it. He saw talent and winning. And they did. Eleven titles in thirteen years. The first Black coach in any of the major American sports? Bill Russell, 1966.
Tired. Lots of ugly shit happens in this country. Lots. Boston is often called “the most racist city in America”. I don’t know. Ugly shit happens here. But painting it like that shits on those of us who are anti-racist. I’m OK if you say “more racist shit happens in Boston than anywhere else”. That points out behavior, it doesn’t paint with a brush of “all” anything are. But? Stop shitting on the Celtics. A white, Jewish guy came to a mostly white Catholic city and was told “do it, win”. And he did. He found talent. He saw race, we all do. He got beyond the hate and said be and do, Ill trust you. And? If we ever find a “post-racial” America? It’s what Red did with the Celtics. Find talent. Believe in people. Set them free to achieve.
Shit on racism. Stop shitting on the Celtics. They did it first. They showed it can work.