Acting impulsively without all the facts seems to be what is fashion these days. I will by example look at the Kate Smith controversy.
From the Federalist, “It was announced this week that both the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Flyers would stop using their traditional recorded version of Kate Smith singing “God Bless America” during their games. This happened after it surfaced that Smith had performed songs now considered racist during during her hey day in the 1930s. The Flyers, with whom Smith is more closely aligned as the good luck charm for their 1974 Stanley Cup run, even removed a statue of her from the Philadelphia sports complex.”
The problem with the actions of the above team’s management is the following, “the song “That’s Why The Darkies Were Born,” recorded by Smith in the 1930s, was satire that was also performed by black civil rights legend Paul Robeson. I hope Robeson, one of the most important black figures of the 20th century, won’t have to meet this same fate.” Furthermore, “Amidst the controversy, Stephen Smith of ESPN chimed in to try to explain why banishing Kate Smith is acceptable. His co-panelist Will Cain argued that if we go down this road of dragging everyone who did something inappropriate nearly a century ago, who will be left? He even pointed out that maybe Barack Obama should be cancelled for his bigoted views on gay marriage, and that was only a decade ago.”
Stephen Smith is right and the Yankees and the Flyers are jumping to a conclusion without all the facts. Plus they are taking things out of historical context and this is something that should never be done, but too many idiots do it all the time these days.
From NJ101.5, “Now more than 35 years after her death, comes the news that someone discovered that she recorded two songs out of the 3,000 in her career that contained racist language. Language that barely got a notice in the 1930s when she made them, but in today’s hyper-connected, hyper-sensitive world, it’s a bombshell.” But what about the fact that Paul Robeson also sang one of the so called racist songs? And the fact that Robeson also sang this very song also! Did anyone ever hear of satire? That is what both Robeson and Smith were doing, pointing out the absurdity of how black people were viewed back then. There is no racism here and both the Yankees and Flyer need to restore Kate Smith to here former status.
Both teams and anyone else who thinks that Smith was a racist needs to stop acting impulsively and learn all the pertinent facts before coming to any kind of conclusion. It is far too easy to judge without all the facts and that has happened in the past, ever hear of Senator McCarthy? He falsely accused many of being communists when they were not, it took a very brave man to stand up and call McCarthy’s bluff. So get all the facts before condemning someone and remember that historical context is all important.
That is my opinion- Jumpin Jersey Mike
