License to abuse

By Dr. E. Faye Williams
TriceEdneyWire.com Columnist

When Sir Ian Fleming wrote his first Bond novel, I doubt that he thought of creating a character whose name and image would so permeate contemporary culture. It’s doubtful that anyone in the world within the effective radius of a television or theater screen does not know the name James Bond. Along with general knowledge of his character is the knowledge that his agency number, 007, comes fully-loaded with a “license to kill.” What’s clear is that he takes his job seriously. Thus, the never-ending path of corpses that follow him around the globe.

Unfortunately, and without a connection to Fleming’s character, there are many in the public discourse who obviously believe that their “White Privilege” gives them a “License to Speak” and say anything they wish, however injurious, about anyone they choose with impunity. Like Bond, their purpose is to kill, wound or maim as many egos and psyches, and crush as much self-esteem as is possible.

A recent case-in-point is illustrated by the actions of members of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity at the University of Oklahoma. Presented as evidence is a nine-second video from a bus in which SAE members declared in revelry and song that no “Nigger” would ever be an SAE. It is clear that those engaged in the singing allowed the arrogance that frequently accompanies “white privilege” to support their belief that all whites accept and condone racist behavior. Fortunately, they were mistaken about, at least, one passenger on their bus and David L. Boren, President of U of Oklahoma. They have been kicked off-campus.

More recently, the name Joey Casselberry emerges. Casselberry was a baseball player at Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania who took it upon himself to tweet that Mo’ne Davis, the 14 year-old little league pitching phenom, was “a slut.” Based upon news reports, the only logical reason for the disparaging remark was that Casselberry was jealous of the acclaim and notoriety accruing to Ms. Davis subsequent to her performance in the Little League World Series.

In addition to being one of two young women to play in the 2014 Little League World Series, Mo’ne was the first to win a game and pitch a shutout in Little League history. She recently launched a new sneaker line that will donate 15% of its profits to impoverished girls.

What seems to have set Casselberry off was the announcement that Disney planned production of a biopic of Mo’ne for the Disney Channel. Resentfully, Casselberry tweeted, “Disney making a movie about Mo’ne Davis? WHAT A JOKE. That slut got rocked by Nevada.” Casselberry was rocked by his coach and fired from his baseball team.

Because I know that “forgiveness” is more beneficial for the abused rather than the abuser, I will not critique the eager willingness to forgive by either the Oklahoma NAACP or Mo’ne Davis. My greater concern is the seeming growing trend in the belief that no one really cares how African Americans are disparaged in the public discourse – that it’s alright to say anything about a Black person unless public opinion demonstrates otherwise.

We should not be surprised. Documentation of disparaging comments exists in quantity enough to condemn police, politicians, judges, teachers and others holding public trust. Why should the rants of the general public be any more shocking?

While some who offend us might wish for a time past when their socially engineered white privilege would shield them from criticism, we must assure them that that’s no longer the case. We can no longer passively ignore insults to our personhoods. Our voices must ring resolute from the position that we will no longer allow our images to be distorted by the racist rants of social Neanderthals. We revoke their license to verbally abuse!!!

This article originally published in the April 13, 2015 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.