Scrapbook Item 8: Race and Ethnicity; Are They Important

Here is the link to the article dealing with this topic: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2011/03/warren-moon-criticism-of-cam-newton-is-blatant-racism/1.

We discussed the issue of race and ethnicity in sport on April 5, 2011, and this topic is covered in Coakley's text on pages 278-284.  This article is an example of the role of racism, discrimination, and stereotypes in sport and that they still exist today.  Cam Newton is being compared to other black quarterbacks who have failed in the past due to lack of work ethic, and being all about themselves.  The other white quarterbacks in the draft are not receiving the same criticism even though fellow draft prospect Ryan Mallet has tested positive for cocaine, but his character is hardly questioned. 

Jemarcus Russell, former quarterback
who Newton is being compard to.

This way of thinking is a result of stereotyping an individual on his or her race or ethnicity.  As we discussed in class a stereotype is a fixed idea about a group.  The reporter who wrote this article has a fixed idea that all black quarterbacks are lazy, fake, and can not be a leader.  This same reporter came down hard on Tim Tebow last year, but he did so on his football ability and not his character.  This individual is stereotyping Cam Newton since he looks like former failure Jemarcus Russell, and other black quarterbacks who have failed. 

This idea is also mentioned in Coakley's text on page 281 in which he discusses racial stereotyping.  He says that people judge all individuals into from one group the same way (which the reporter from this article has done).  He goes on to say on page 282 that these stereotypes are used by people who do not have an opportunity to get to know someone, so they just go ahead and generalize them based on race.