Charles Barkley has had it up to here with “unintelligent black people.”
The NBA Hall of Famer turned commentator was livid following a report that some Seattle Seahawks players felt quarterback Russell Wilson “wasn’t black enough.”
The article, posted last week by Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman, suggesting one of the reasons wide receiver Percy Harvin was traded to the Jets was his “increasing animosity” towards Wilson. Part of the root of that animosity, Freeman writes, is that Harvin and several other players felt Wilson was “too close” to the front office and — yes, not “black enough.”
Freeman draws parallels between what is allegedly happening in the Seahawks locker room with what happened in the mid-2000s between Terrell Owens and Donovan McNabb.
Barkley can’t stand any of it.
As a guest on Philadelphia radio station 94 WIP, Barkley slammed the idea that Wilson should be penalized by other black players for being who he is. He joined WIP’s Anthony Gargano and Rob Ellis to voice his displeasure:
It’s a dirty dark secret in the black community. One of the reasons we’re never going to be successful as a whole because of other black people. For some reason, we are brainwashed to think that if you’re not a thug, or an idiot, you’re not black enough. If you go to school, make good grades and speak intelligent and don’t break the law, you’re not a good black person.
Last weekend, the Seahawks traded Harvin to the Jets in exchange for a “conditional draft pick” in 2015. Other reports, detailing alleged locker room fights between Harvin and teammates, also led to his dismissal.
Barkley said the “not black enough” conversation is too prevalent in African-American communities.
We’re the only ethnic group who say ‘Hey, if you go to jail, it gives you street cred.’ It’s your typical BS that goes on when you’re black man. Don’t waste a lot of time on it please.