Creighton basketball coach, Greg McDermott apologizes for “plantation” comment
Racism Score: 2.7
Creighton basketball coach, Greg McDermott is under fire for a poor choice of words he used to align his players.
“Guys, we got to stick together. We need both feet in. I need everyone to stay on the plantation. I can’t have anybody leave the plantation.”
Hyperbolically explaining to a group of young Black men they cannot leave the plantation, is uhh, not good. Perhaps a Freudian slip. Even if he meant the other less offensive idiom ‘off the reservation.’
To McDermott’s credit, he realized instantly his words were a no-no and highly offensive. McDermott acknowledged the “egregious mistake”, and he issued an apology.
Creighton University also issued a statement.
Words matter. Context matters. Actions matter. All those factors should be considered when determining if someone deserves the benefit of the doubt. Words should not always define a person; however, they can be revealing.
Should McDermott be labeled a racist? Absolutely not. What type of world are we living in if we cannot forgive someone for what seems to be an honest mistake? Everyone wants to tweet a Dr. Martin Luther King quote, until it is time to use a Dr. King quote.
“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.” – Martin Luther
People like Shalise Manza Young would choose to hate in this situation. Hate the coach. Fire the coach. Cancel the coach.
McDermott’s apology will satisfy some people while others will need more time. He should NOT be fired or cancelled. People are imperfect and this seems like an honest, albeit avoidable and terrible mistake.
Assistant Coach Terrence Rencher expanded on the situation as well.
One former player seemed to be especially distraught by the coach’s words.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion like Patton. Our opinion, is that his opinion, is an overreaction. Praying for the players?! C’mon. Emotions run deep; we get it. That just seems over-the-top.
Then you have this emotional dramatic take from Carron J. Phillips from Deadspin.
Give. Me. A. Break.
There was an excellent exchange about forgiveness in the movie Starsky & Hutch, between Hutch and Huggy Bear (played by Snoop Dogg).
Huggy Bear : Dig this man. Someone once said: “To err is human, to forgive is divine.”
Hutch : What idiot said that?
Huggy Bear : I believe that was God – the greatest mack of all.
McDermott offered to resign. However, the players wanted him to stay. Good for the players for keeping an open mind and choosing to educate the coach and grow with the coach – because to forgive is divine.
