Yahoo Sports :Adrian Peterson : NFL is like "Modern day slavery"

[SonnySide]

We have another one folks...:doh:

Leonard Weaver agrees with Adrian Peterson

“We love you guys very much, but at the same time we need to see some equal opportunity here and stop treating us basically like Adrian Peterson said, like slaves. . . .

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/03/22/leonard-weaver-agrees-with-adrian-peterson/

Lock the idiots out, I'm over it.....

[pjfootballer]

1st collective bargaining agreement - Players do the work = Owners collect the cash = Owners pay the players

2nd collective bargaining proposal -Players do more work=Owners collect more cash= Owners pay players the same as before or even less.

How can you not see this? Just read his quote for goodness sake.

Didn't the players receive 57% or 59% of the pie on the last CBA? Better check your figures.

[Brotherz]

See...this is what I'm talking about....

#1.Why must you judge me personally simply because I chose not to pile on AP.

#2. " divisive racist, moronic, insulting comment "

What did AP say that specifically had to do with RACE???

AP being black has nothing to do with this debate. You think I'm giving him a pass because he's black? Where in my post did I ever mention anything about race? I'm speaking facts jack! Its a fact that AP has not had a history of saying ignorant things in the media. Its a fact that Limbaugh says ignorant things all the time, even personalizing them to specific races, genders and classes of people. Now if you chose to debate these facts you most certainly will lose! So instead you attempt to paint every insidious comment under the same brush as if all ignorant comments have the same connotation. WRONG! But since you wont argue facts lets go where you took it!

What AP said had nothing to do with WHITE PEOPLE! or Black people, Asians or gays! Its not racist language unless you yourself believe the NFL belongs to white people. And if you beleive that then maybe your the racist not AP. To be clear, AP was not denigrating a group of people. He was criticizing a company for their practices (The NFL..a billion dollar company). But by your comparison he's just as bad as Don Imus? A man that called a girls college basketball team " nappy headed hoes"??? So let me get this straight, if AP would've said "Walmart is modern day slavery" that's the same thing as Michael Richards yelling the "N" word at a guy in his audience?? If he would've said "AIG is modern day slavery" It's the same thing as Louis Farakan saying "Jews represent the mark of the beast"? If he would've said Enron is modern day slavery" It's the same thing as Rush Limbaugh mocking the Japanese Earthquake victims??

Pahleez My "Brotherz" ... you dont have a clue! and neither does your little amen choir. They're so ready to prove a point that nooone on here is even debating! I haven't read one person's comment suggesting that AP's comments were fine. Yet there are people saying, hey the guy has never made comments like that before maybe he simply used the wrong analogy to state his point and maybe he's not really a jerk or reverse racist like some of you are claiming. But I forgot people who criticize billion dollar oil companies are just as bad as people who degrade women right? C'mon.. This thread has nothing to do with race or gender, yet we have the "reverse racism theorist" hijacking it!

BTW I'm sure Brotherz wasn't outraged when Michael Richards used that racial slur...

(Yea.. I think I get it now too)

Whoa, first of all when did I attack you personally? Second of all you couldn't be more naive if you think invoking slavery isn't racial. You can choose to bury your head in the sand on that issue if you want but it just makes you look foolish. I am all for a debate but let's at least speak rationally about the facts. If a white guy said those words what would have happened? Seriously. Answer that for me.

As far as me being racist, im not the one who thinks AP should be treated like a child at 25 years old when he is a multi-millionaire. You are the one who claims he is a kid and I have to wonder why a 25 year old man should be treated like a child to you.

I didn't defend Michael Richards. I didn't defend anyone. I pointed out the utter hypocrisy of people like YOU who rush to defend Adrian Peterson (who obviously needs defending because he is just a child). His comments were divisive (as evidenced by this thread, sports talk radio, pundits etc who have referenced it). His comments were completely wrong (any day you want to debate how the NFL is modern day slavery you know where to find me Mr. "Facts"). And yes, his comments were racist. Slavery (at least in the United States which is where he said his comment and to whom he directed his comment) is the foundational event of our entire civil rights jurisprudence look it up while you are getting all your "facts" together. While we are speaking about "facts" here are the facts of your original post:

"Ok how bout we stop piling on the guy... We all know that AP misspoke, and he's not supposed to use those types of references in the media especially considering his stature as the face of the Vikings franchise. Most of you are attacking without actually trying to understand what he was saying.I mean do you really think he was likening his privileged to play in the NFL to slavery? C'mon!! "

- Ok, if he was correct in his statement why exactly did he mis-speak? If whhat he said was not racist why can't he say it as the face of the vikings franchise? I am confused as to what he did wrong exactly since you appear to agree with his brilliant statement. You talk about how we aren't debating that the statement itself wasn't "fine". Well WHY wasn't it fine?

Oh, and I do think he was "likening his privileged to play in the NFL to slavery". Ya know why? Because he said "IT'S MODERN DAY SLAVERY YA KNOW?" That's a quote man. Its a QUOTE. He didn't even say its "like" slavery. He said it IS slavery. THAT my friend, is a FACT.

Which brings us to the next part of your post:

"People term the phrase "working us like slaves" or "treating us like slaves" all the time."

But that isn't what he said. FACT. What he said it "ITS MODERN DAY SLAVERY, YA KNOW?". Again, I understand why someone so blindly defending AP for his own liberal agenda like yourself would want to paraphrase that QUOTE and water it down but its just not a FACT. (And I thought you liked facts). He said it IS slavery.

As for people saying your baseless paraphrases "all the time"- Please tell me the celebrity who is being paid 10 million a year to do a job completely voluntarily who has said that on a national stage? (Youu can take a break from quote Farakahn to do this research if you want).

"They dont really mean that their job or who ever is telling them to do something is actually treating them like blacks were treated 400 years ago, or jews 2,000 years ago. Its a term to describe how you feel about being told to do something or being denied something that you want to do."

- Oh great, thanks for the translation. Too bad "the kid" (who is 25 years old and worth more than everyone in this thread combined) needed a translator. Maybe we don't give "the kid" a microphone if he needs you to explain to us what he means?

" In AP's case he feels he's being locked out of the NFL because billionaire owners want an extra billion dollars. Was it the right term to use?? Of Course Not!!!! But sensible adults should know how to interpret a 25yr old kid's off the cusp statement."

So you really think this "kid" didn't know what he was saying when he invoked slavery into a collective bargaining issue as a black celebrity athlete? Really? You can't possibly be this naive can you? I think the problem with you and me here is simple - I don't think AP is a mindless child - you do. I am treating him like a man who is accountable for the words he chooses to say. As for what term he could have used - How about "They are being greedy". How about "We think its unfair." How about "they have anti-trust exemption and are taking advantage of it because they know its not like another employee-employer relationship where we can just go to comparable employer elsewhere." No, He says "ITS MODERN DAY SLAVERY".

" Now if he develops a history of making dumb statements about feeling like an actual slave then by all means pile on. But cut the kid some slack. Save the vitriol for the Rush Limbaugh's of the world who make stupid comments everyday for a living! "

Ok, so are we allowed to put this in the Adrian peterson "dumb statement" column or not? I am confused. Did he make a dumb statement and you say we need a few more before we can call him ignorant? If it is a dumb statement would you mind telling me why again because you are defending this "kid" for calling his 10,000,000 a year JOB that he can leave at any time, that he actively sought out, MODERN DAY SLAVERY. So was it a dumb statement or not? And if so why since according to you it wasn't actually a racist comment at all, he didn't actually mean what he said, and what he meant to say is absolutely true - so why is it a dumb statement at all?

Nice try man but I will tear you up all day in this debate so by all mean bring it. Not because I am so scary smart or you aren't by the way (I do respect you, I don't respect your argument here) - but the reality is saying you like "facts" doesn't mean you are actually using them. You actually have absolutely NO facts and I have them all. I have his quote, I have what he said and you have guesses as to what it meant and opinions about Rush Limbaugh (and now farakahn). You literally can't win a debate on the facts in this one, that's why you are internally inconsistent in your own argument. You are trying to say his comment was completely fine because its not what he meant and the underlying intent was true (even though you have absolutely no FACTS to support your contention that that was actually his intended intent mind you) and then in the same breath he is just a "kid" and he didn't mean it, and its only his first "dumb statement" etc. You are trying to excuse his behavior and justify it at the same time. Sorry but my "amen choir" will be able to quickly see through that. And I'm sorry you think that anyone who agrees with my point and disagrees with your should be belittled like that.

---------- Post added March-23rd-2011 at 12:39 PM ----------

Did Adrian Peterson say " The only slavery that has occurred, that affects me, is the slavery against blacks in America" ?????

When did he say this?????

This is his entire quote:

"It’s modern-day slavery, you know? People kind of laugh at that, but there are people working at regular jobs who get treated the same way, too. With all the money … the owners are trying to get a different percentage, and bring in more money. I understand that; these are business-minded people. Of course this is what they are going to want to do. I understand that; it’s how they got to where they are now. But as players, we have to stand our ground and say, ‘Hey — without us, there’s no football.’ There are so many different perspectives from different players, and obviously we’re not all on the same page — I don’t know. I don’t really see this going to where we’ll be without football for a long time; there’s too much money lost for the owners. Eventually, I feel that we’ll get something done."

My point is stop reaching and assuming he meant anything about blacks or whites. He said "we the players" not we the black players..

he said "the owners", not the white owners. Stop assuming he meant anything likening himself to being lynched and murdered. He used a poor metaphor to make the point. But if you read the entire comment he is clearly talking about labor and how the NFL owners ensure their profitability by collaborating and limiting labor costs.Its like this..

1st collective bargaining agreement - Players do the work = Owners collect the cash = Owners pay the players

2nd collective bargaining proposal -Players do more work=Owners collect more cash= Owners pay players the same as before or even less.

How can you not see this? Just read his quote for goodness sake.

Why was it a poor metaphor?

[Mahons21]

Fair enough. I re-read his post and you appear correct. I do apologize for mis-characterizing why he was calling me ignorant.

No need for an apology, simply pointing out how obvious his point was. As I said before he did put it in bold for you.

And lest we forget he is a young 25 year old black "kid".He should know better quite frankly. Its like a jew saying his working conditions at his multimillion dollar job is akin to the holocaust.

There's a big flaw in this argument, literally every race/religion etc has been enslaved at one point in the history of the world, and today there are still slaves of every race. The holocaust happened to a much smaller, less diverse group.

You're making slavery black v white on your own accord, when it in fact is not.

Maybe we should all excuse young black men from accountability when they step up to a microphone or a twitter or any other mass media instrument that they INTEND to communicate TO THE WORLD with because of their celebrity. Maybe we should just say they are 25 year old children and their opinions shouldn't be taken seriously. We shouldn't get insulted by them because they don't know any better.

Who's excusing him of accountability, the comment was dumb, mainly because it allows people to go extremely overboard with it. In my opinion, it would be very smart of him to back off his comments, but the ensuing hatred is a little bit of overkill.

I find it hard to take the position of those disagreeing with me on AP here. I find it hard in 2011 to regress to the point where I don't hold a young black MAN accontable for knowing his own history. I have a hard time treating him as a child like those against me would here in this thread and I have to ask why they want to?

No, I'm sorry, I will treat Adrian Petersen like a man. A man who has a national spotlight. A man who actively went out and sought that spotlight. A man who with conscious deliberation took to a mass media outlet of his own choosing and chose the words he would send to the world. I respect AP enough to treat him like a man.

He's not a child. He's also not a slave.

Are you done with your pointless rant yet about treating AP like a man?

The guy's a man he made a stupid analogy, he should back off it immediately. Only because racial implications can be made, even when he's referring to a group of players that are a mix of all races, and that he follows it up with other people in the work place are treated the same way. Note nothing about "black" people in the work place.

I agree with your overall argument Brotherz, but I think you're going a little bit overboard.

[Brotherz]

No need for an apology, simply pointing out how obvious his point was. As I said before he did put it in bold for you.

There's a big flaw in this argument, literally every race/religion etc has been enslaved at one point in the history of the world, and today there are still slaves of every race. The holocaust happened to a much smaller, less diverse group.

You're making slavery black v white on your own accord, when it in fact is not.

Who's excusing him of accountability, the comment was dumb, mainly because it allows people to go extremely overboard with it. In my opinion, it would be very smart of him to back off his comments, but the ensuing hatred is a little bit of overkill.

Are you done with your pointless rant yet about treating AP like a man?

The guy's a man he made a stupid analogy, he should back off it immediately. Only because racial implications can be made, even when he's referring to a group of players that are a mix of all races, and that he follows it up with other people in the work place are treated the same way. Note nothing about "black" people in the work place.

I agree with your overall argument Brotherz, but I think you're going a little bit overboard.

No, your absolutely right. Black people would NEVER see the modern day business of sports and make analogies to slavery as a racial issue and anyone who would is obviously a racist themselves. Or to quote you directly:

"You're making slavery black v white on your own accord, when it in fact is not."

Oh by the way take a look at the following quote:

“His feelings of betrayal personify a slave master mentality…”

“He sees LeBron as a runaway slave. This is an owner employee relationship — between business partners — and LeBron honored his contract.” - Jesse Jackson on Lebron James leaving Cleveland

I am sure the good reverend is referencing Slavery in Southeast Asia.

As for my "rant" about him being a man that offends you so much I wasn't even talking to you. I was responding to Redskins 55 calling him a "kid" and saying he needs "slack" as a result.

"Who's excusing him of accountability, the comment was dumb, mainly because it allows people to go extremely overboard with it. In my opinion, it would be very smart of him to back off his comments, but the ensuing hatred is a little bit of overkill."

Redskins 55 is and that's who I was addressing my comment to. And as you so astutely point out it would be incredibly smart of him to back off of his comments. BUT, (again with the facts) not only has he NOT backed off of them, he has two idiot players now joining him and going into the national media to endorse his statements that he refused to back off. Which is EXACTLY why Adrian Peterson saying those things is different than the guy in the cubicle next to you in your office saying "they are working me like a slave".

Its not a dumb comment because people are over-reacting to it. Its a dumb comment because its just a dumb comment. I know people like you want to make it everyone else's fault that AP said something idiotic and now a bunch of his crony friends are jumping in saying "Amen" to it, but at the end of the day AP said what he said. It was wrong and dumb and someone should call him out on it instead of making a myriad of ridiculous excuses about how we have misunderstood him, he's a kid, it has nothing to do with racism as AP is obviously referencing slavery throughout history in every corner of the globe as a metaphor for bad collective bargaining. I mean really, give me a freakin break guys.

[Mahons21]

No, your absolutely right. Black people would NEVER see the modern day business of sports and make analogies to slavery as a racial issue and anyone who would is obviously a racist themselves. Or to quote you directly:

"You're making slavery black v white on your own accord, when it in fact is not."

Why would I be talking about all black athletes? This is FOOTBALL forum, and the piece were talking about relates to Adrian Peterson, pointing out what other black men have said is entirely irrelevant. I sure hope black people don't encompass me with anything a white person says, I hope I can be judged solely on what I personally say.

Oh by the way take a look at the following quote:

“His feelings of betrayal personify a slave master mentality…”

“He sees LeBron as a runaway slave. This is an owner employee relationship — between business partners — and LeBron honored his contract.” - Jesse Jackson on Lebron James leaving Cleveland

I am sure the good reverend is referencing Slavery in Southeast Asia.

What exactly does this have to do with Adrian Peterson

As for my "rant" about him being a man that offends you so much I wasn't even talking to you. I was responding to Redskins 55 calling him a "kid" and saying he needs "slack" as a result.

It didn't offend me at all, it's just irrelevant like many of your points. I had assumed since you quoted me in the post, and no one else that you were debating what I had said.

Its not a dumb comment because people are over-reacting to it. Its a dumb comment because its just a dumb comment. I know people like you want to make it everyone else's fault that AP said something idiotic and now a bunch of his crony friends are jumping in saying "Amen" to it, but at the end of the day AP said what he said.

You know nothing about me, you simply lump people into large categories to make your poorly thought out argument have some credibility in your eyes. I've never said this is anyone's fault but AP.

It was wrong and dumb and someone should call him out on it instead of making a myriad of ridiculous excuses about how we have misunderstood him, he's a kid, it has nothing to do with racism as AP is obviously referencing slavery throughout history in every corner of the globe as a metaphor for bad collective bargaining. I mean really, give me a freakin break guys.

No one's giving him excuses. But you're making it black on white based on your own inferences, you're not doing it based on anything that AP actually said. You have no idea what slavery AP was referencing when he said modern-day slavery, nor do I.

[Dan T.]

Did Adrian Peterson hire Dan Snyder as his public relations man?

[Brotherz]

What exactly does this have to do with Adrian Peterson

You know nothing about me, you simply lump people into large categories to make your poorly thought out argument have some credibility in your eyes. I've never said this is anyone's fault but AP.

Really?

Who's excusing him of accountability, the comment was dumb, mainly because it allows people to go extremely overboard with it. In my opinion, it would be very smart of him to back off his comments, but the ensuing hatred is a little bit of overkill.

Do you even read your own posts or do you just vomit up non-sense? I bolded it for ya. I don't need to know you to know that your opinion for why Ap's comment were dumb is because OTHER people might go overboard. You and Skins 55 love to blame other people for this guy making a moronic analogy. I don't understand how you can do that with a straight face. No, it is not anyone else's fault this guy make a ridiculously stupid analogy which MINIMALLY invokes racist sterotypes.

I quoted Jess jackson merely to demonstrate that this isn't the first time the analogy has been made by a black man nationally relative to white owners in the business of professional sports and I believe its socially irresponsible. We can dance around the issue and pretend we live in a world without thoughts of racial differences culturally, socio-economically etc but it is unfair to suggest that a black man saying that the NFL is Modern Day Slavery is not intentionally invoking racial connotations. This is particularly true where in the entire history of the league every single owner has been white while over the past two decades upwards of 85% of the players are black. Jesse Jackson came out and said it in the dispute between Cavs ownership and Lebron and now AP is saying it relative to the NFL ownership (and now has followers in this little racist cult). It is beyond naive if not outright delusional to suggest that this is not invoking racial hurt in our history to gain some cheap PR points in a collective bargaining fight.

No one's giving him excuses. But you're making it black on white based on your own inferences, you're not doing it based on anything that AP actually said. You have no idea what slavery AP was referencing when he said modern-day slavery, nor do I.

Cmon man. You gotta be kidding me. I suppose I will have to admit that I don't know the inner workings of AP's mind (although I think I can deduce it pretty well) so I guess you got me. Neither one of us know what he meant by "ITS MODERN DAY SLAVERY" when referring to NFL and all its white owners as a black athlete who makes $10,000,000 a year to do a job he can quit at anytime because the owners want to change the collective bargaining argeement. I guess he could have been referring to the current sex slave trade in asia or something. I suppose since we were in the United States of America who has its own sorted history of racial discrimination between whites and blacks that was borne directly from white slave owners owning black slaves less than 150 years ago I am ASSUMING it has a connotation toward THAT slavery but I suppose since I can't read AP's mind I can't say that for sure anymore than I can say that's who Jesse Jackson was referring to in his rant on the EXACT same subject a few months earlier or the black athletes (and only black athletes ironically) that are coming out now to endorse AP's comments).

For you to ever get to the point of actually sayin AP was wrong (as opposed to people over-reacting or misunderstanding or being unable to translate his statements into english that isn't utterly offensive) you would need him to come out and say "The White owners own us like slaves in the 1800's in the United States of America and I feel like a slave and that they own me and they are white and we are black and its slavery". He needs to say that for you to see how absurd and racist his statements really are. Well ok, I can't argue with the level of proof you require. I wonder if you and everyone like you would need as much proof if Jay Cutler said the same thing AP said. I also wonder how many other athletes endorse Jay's comments too.

[Tweedr01]

Really?

Do you even read your own posts or do you just vomit up non-sense? I bolded it for ya. I don't need to know you to know that your opinion for why Ap's comment were dumb is because OTHER people might go overboard. You and Skins 55 love to blame other people for this guy making a moronic analogy. I don't understand how you can do that with a straight face. No, it is not anyone else's fault this guy make a ridiculously stupid analogy which MINIMALLY invokes racist sterotypes.

I quoted Jess jackson merely to demonstrate that this isn't the first time the analogy has been made by a black man nationally relative to white owners in the business of professional sports and I believe its socially irresponsible. We can dance around the issue and pretend we live in a world without thoughts of racial differences culturally, socio-economically etc but it is unfair to suggest that a black man saying that the NFL is Modern Day Slavery is not intentionally invoking racial connotations. This is particularly true where in the entire history of the league every single owner has been white while over the past two decades upwards of 85% of the players are black. Jesse Jackson came out and said it in the dispute between Cavs ownership and Lebron and now AP is saying it relative to the NFL ownership (and now has followers in this little racist cult). It is beyond naive if not outright delusional to suggest that this is not invoking racial hurt in our history to gain some cheap PR points in a collective bargaining fight.

Cmon man. You gotta be kidding me. I suppose I will have to admit that I don't know the inner workings of AP's mind (although I think I can deduce it pretty well) so I guess you got me. Neither one of us know what he meant by "ITS MODERN DAY SLAVERY" when referring to NFL and all its white owners as a black athlete who makes $10,000,000 a year to do a job he can quit at anytime because the owners want to change the collective bargaining argeement. I guess he could have been referring to the current sex slave trade in asia or something. I suppose since we were in the United States of America who has its own sorted history of racial discrimination between whites and blacks that was borne directly from white slave owners owning black slaves less than 150 years ago I am ASSUMING it has a connotation toward THAT slavery but I suppose since I can't read AP's mind I can't say that for sure anymore than I can say that's who Jesse Jackson was referring to in his rant on the EXACT same subject a few months earlier or the black athletes (and only black athletes ironically) that are coming out now to endorse AP's comments).

For you to ever get to the point of actually sayin AP was wrong (as opposed to people over-reacting or misunderstanding or being unable to translate his statements into english that isn't utterly offensive) you would need him to come out and say "The White owners own us like slaves in the 1800's in the United States of America and I feel like a slave and that they own me and they are white and we are black and its slavery". He needs to say that for you to see how absurd and racist his statements really are. Well ok, I can't argue with the level of proof you require. I wonder if you and everyone like you would need as much proof if Jay Cutler said the same thing AP said. I also wonder how many other athletes endorse Jay's comments too.

Sorry need to say something lol, the proof he is looking for is very similar:

http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?title=celebrity-trial-jury-selection&videoId=11926

At least Dave Chappelle is honest about it, lol

[Mahons21]

reading comprehension, mainly does not mean solely.

From the get go I have said AP is the only one to blame.

And you continue on with your irrelevant points. White males have said stupid things in the media as well, I sure hope no one judges me personally on what they said just because we have a few common dna markers.

For you to ever get to the point of actually sayin AP was wrong

I'd venture to say that 75% of my posts have said AP was wrong he should back off what he said and he's the one to blame.

hen referring to NFL and all its white owners as a black athlete

So if anyone other than a black athlete in the NFL had said this it would be completely different in your eyes.

[Tweedr01]

reading comprehension, mainly does not mean solely.

From the get go I have said AP is the only one to blame.

And you continue on with your irrelevant points. White males have said stupid things in the media as well, I sure hope no one judges me personally on what they said just because we have a few common dna markers.

you are and will be

I'd venture to say that 75% of my posts have said AP was wrong he should back off what he said and he's the one to blame.

they have, but you did kinda started off excusing it

So if anyone other than a black athlete in the NFL had said this it would be completely different in your eyes.

not necessarily, but the media would have ripped them a new one, especially if they were white, lol

I didn't make the rules, this is just how it is man

[Brotherz]

reading comprehension, mainly does not mean solely.

From the get go I have said AP is the only one to blame.

Yea yea I know "mainly" because of how us idiots will all overblow it. I get it.

And you continue on with your irrelevant points. White males have said stupid things in the media as well, I sure hope no one judges me personally on what they said just because we have a few common dna markers.

I get what you are saying but you are asking me how I come up with the idea that any of this is racist because I can't literally read AP's mind. You acknowledge that you can't either and as a result you fall on the side of he didn't mean it, which is just as bad quite frankly as assuming he did. The difference is I have a context - circumstantial evidence - to support that he knows exactly what he is saying and that the guys who are now tweeting that he was right in his analogy know exactly what they are endorsing.

I will have to agree with you that I have to make assumptions about my circumstantial evidence. I am going to assume that AP knows what slavery is. I am going to have to assume he knows the owners are all white. I have to assume he knows he is black. I have to assume he knows that in the past white slave owners owned black slaves. I have to assume that he is in tune with general media outlets and might be familiar with the Lebron thing for example. I might have to make an assumption that he in fact already heard and knows the analogy between white sports owners and their black athletes. I have to assume he knows about racial struggle and guys like jesse jackson and Al sharpton.

I have to assume he knows about Don Imus and Michael Richards and maybe even the story of Jimmy the Greek, Jalen Rose and his uncle tom comments, the historical evidence of discreet racism against black quarterbacks. I have to assume that maybe he saw the movie "Any Given Sunday" where the same analogy is made. I have to assume that he is a 25 year old man with a television in the United States of America. You have to assume that none of the above is true. Because if it is - he's a racist and he made a racist comment. But I suppose you could qualify that as an "irrelevant point". We don't live in a freakin vaccuum. Its adorable that to defend AP you are willing to pretend he doesn't know ANY of the things I just referenced but quite frankly, I think I am probably closer to reality than you on that.

I'd venture to say that 75% of my posts have said AP was wrong he should back off what he said and he's the one to blame.

I know, mainly because of how we will all overblow it. I get it. Its sorta his fault for saying he is a slave. I get it.

So if anyone other than a black athlete in the NFL had said this it would be completely different in your eyes.

Not in my eyes. But the response from the media certainly would have been and I guarantee we don't have other players coming out to endorse such a statement if Cutler says this. So yea, I guess I am saying it would be different. I think it was a racist comment. We can dance around it but I do. I think AP demonstrated his racism with that comment. I can't get into his head so I suppose I can't prove it and like I wrote above, I have to assume he is paying attention to the world we live in but if you do you can only come to two conclusions - he is a racist who is willing to openly say something racist to get his own personal agenda in a business dispute across to the public in an absurd attempt to gain some support (and ask yourself who he will get such support from with a comment like that?) OR he is just an idiot.

[ATLredskin]

What are some examples of slavery in the US....

[DarrellsMyHero28]

What are some examples of slavery in the US....

The NFL, duh.

Where the players aren't paid, are subjected to horrible working conditions, abused by their owners, bought and sold without consulting them, have no ability to leave their forced work, can be shot on sight, have no rights....

Oh wait, nevermind.

-------------

I don't think AD is that stupid as to really think of the NFL as literally being modern day slavery but its such a stupid and inappropriate comment to make.

[Brotherz]

sorry need to say something lol, the proof he is looking for is very similar:

http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?title=celebrity-trial-jury-selection&videoid=11926

at least dave chappelle is honest about it, lol

hysterical!!

[Koolblue13]

What are some examples of slavery in the US....

Next to the illegal trades in drugs and arms, human trafficking is the third-largest and fastest-growing criminal enterprise in the world, according to government figures. The departments of Justice and State, as well as anti-trafficking groups, estimate there are about 27 million people worldwide in modern-day slavery.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=2981327&page=1

[Brotherz]

Next to the illegal trades in drugs and arms, human trafficking is the third-largest and fastest-growing criminal enterprise in the world, according to government figures. The departments of Justice and State, as well as anti-trafficking groups, estimate there are about 27 million people worldwide in modern-day slavery.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=2981327&page=1

Plus the 1,800 that play professional football.

[SirClintonPortis]

Hmm, does All Day have to pay a grandfather tax, get stuck in a "credit trap" and have to sharecrop for a long while in the burning heat with no air conditioning.

Is All Day unable to go to court, at risk for being lynched willy-nilly if he falls out of line, unable to own property of any sort.

BTW, does the NFL have a "slave code".

[redskins55]

Whoa, first of all when did I attack you personally?

Im sure redskins 55 was saying the exact same thing when Michael Richards went crazy in his stand up routine.

I didn't defend Michael Richards. I pointed out the utter hypocrisy of people like YOU who rush to defend Adrian Peterson

These are your quotes. You claim that you haven't personally attacked me, but what do you call that? You've called me a hypocrite without knowing anything about me! You've taken my stance on Adrian Peterson's comments and made a sarcastic assumption about my thoughts about Richards! I never even mentioned Richards so why would you assume you knew my stance on his incident. Then on top of it call me a hypocrite without even knowing my stance. You also stated that I am defending Adrian Peterson's comment when clearly I am not. Several times I have said AP's comments were wrong.

#1 Was it the right term to use?? Of Course Not!!!!

#2 He used a poor metaphor to make the point

#3 I haven't read one person's comment suggesting that AP's comments were fine.

But just because I think the comment was wrong doesn't mean I cant use common sense to deduct what he was trying to say. I don't have to paint him as a racist or a moron like you and others have especially if he hasn't said racial comments before. There's an old saying that goes " let the works I've done speak for me" . I'm a firm believer that people will ultimately show you who they really are and we wont have to assume. Well AP has many years ahead to prove to me that he is indeed a moron and a racist. So lets move on

They let Don Imus have it. They let Rush limbaugh have it. They let white guys have it. Its BS. Its the worst form of affirmative action left out there.

If a white guy said those words what would have happened? Seriously. Answer that for me.

As far as me being racist, im not the one who thinks AP should be treated like a child at 25 years old when he is a multi-millionaire. You are the one who claims he is a kid and I have to wonder why a 25 year old man should be treated like a child to you.

Once again IRRELEVANT!! You can attempt to compare AP's comment to Don Imus or Rush Limbaugh. You can invoke Affirmative Action, You can bring up AP's millions, his popularity, his age or even the hypothetical question "what if he was a WHITE MAN"? You can bring all that up as supporting points, but in the end none of that is relevant. Just because you think 25 is a grown enough age to refrain from misspeaking doesn't mean it is. Just because you think his millions of dollars should entitle him to use better judgment doesn't mean it will. Just because you think that if a white man had said the same thing that it would've been a **** storm, doesn't mean that it would've been. But to answer your question I can honestly say I think the response would be exactly the same. And I believe black players would rally around the white player for saying it, just as some are defending Peterson. But like I said before, none of that even matters. Because we are injecting our own biased prejudice thoughts into this argument.

Last quote...

Oh, and I do think he was "likening his privileged to play in the NFL to slavery". Ya know why? Because he said "IT'S MODERN DAY SLAVERY YA KNOW?" That's a quote man. Its a QUOTE. He didn't even say its "like" slavery. He said it IS slavery. THAT my friend, is a FACT.

This again is your own SPECULATION not a fact. You are speculating what he meant by saying " IS SLAVERY". But slavery has a broad definition. It encompassed more than just lynchings, rapes, and murders. It also entailed loss of rights, loss of pride, and loss of dignity as well. Slavery is not just whips and chains, slavery is also mental. There were many black slaves that did not want to leave their master's homes because they thought it was good. These were called "House Negros". They were slaves but had it pretty good living in the master's barn so they wanted to remain in slavery.So you are assuming that AP is referring his NFL job to whips and chains of slavery and not the mental aspect of it. But if you think AP is likening his playing in the NFL to whips, chains, murders and rapes you are entitled to your opinion ok. Just be mindful that when we are so quick to condemn without attempting to understand we are no better than slave masters! But I guess I'm calling you a slave master right?

You seem like a lawyer and I happen to know a little something about that after many years myself. But with all do respect if you are a lawyer, you sound like a tax attorney arguing a murder trial. You are not arguing or debating the relevant facts, you are making them up as you go based off what you have observed in your life (affirmative action, reverse racism, bigotry) This debate should not be about what you think, it should be about what you know. And we know that Adrian Peterson for the first time on camera made a controversial comment about a billion dollar company the NFL. (BTW you never answered my question about what if AP would've said Walmart or AIG is like modern day slavery, would you be as mad?)

I will say that I have enjoyed this little debate even though we are both saying the same thing that AP's comment was wrong. You think it was wrong because he is a moron and I think it was simply metaphorically wrong. I'll leave you with this article to read. You dont have to agree with it, but maybe you can get a better understanding of what myself and some others on this board are trying to say. BTW you do make excellent points, just not in this thread ..Hey its ok to be wrong sometimes brothaz! :cool:

HTTR!!!!

http://thebiglead.com/index.php/2011/03/16/adrian-petersons-modern-day-slavery-metaphor-was-awful-but-not-entirely-off-base/

[Brotherz]

These are your quotes. You claim that you haven't personally attacked me, but what do you call that? You've called me a hypocrite without knowing anything about me! You've taken my stance on Adrian Peterson's comments and made a sarcastic assumption about my thoughts about Richards! I never even mentioned Richards so why would you assume you knew my stance on his incident. Then on top of it call me a hypocrite without even knowing my stance. You also stated that I am defending Adrian Peterson's comment when clearly I am not. Several times I have said AP's comments were wrong.

Hmmmm. Ok, I can see your point here. I apologize for the personal attack. I did make assumptions about you based on your "stop piling up on the kid because he didn't mean it" thing. That being said, I did NOT say I defended Michael Richards or Don Imus (although I didn't think Imus should have been fired). I am making conclusions about you based on your position and I can see how that comes off as personal and unfair. At the same time i do the same thing for AP but as I explained in my debate with the other poster in this thread I think the assumptions are reasonable and to assume the other way is to give way too much benefit of the doubt to AP. I think he knows his position is racially motivated or at least smart enough to be taken that way and he went ahead withthe analogy anyway and didn't back off it later.

But just because I think the comment was wrong doesn't mean I cant use common sense to deduct what he was trying to say. I don't have to paint him as a racist or a moron like you and others have especially if he hasn't said racial comments before. There's an old saying that goes " let the works I've done speak for me" . I'm a firm believer that people will ultimately show you who they really are and we wont have to assume. Well AP has many years ahead to prove to me that he is indeed a moron and a racist. So lets move on

You blast me for making assumptions based on reasonable conclusions about the media world that AP lives in coupled with what HE ACTUALLY SAID, and then fly to the assumptions about what he "really means" being benign and without racial undertones with absolutely zero proof other than you wanting to give a "kid" the benefit of the doubt and yet you call that "deduction". Sorry but THAT isn't even a tax lawyer arguing a murder trial its a janitor arguing a murder trial. As for your pithy saying about letting works so the speaking, this guy said the NFL is modern day slavery. That is an act. That is why we are having this conversation. It isn't guilt by association. It came right out of his mouth and by the way, where is his clarification? Where is his explanation? You are doing a better job of explaining what he "meant" with absolutely NO facts than the guy who actually said it and could have easily explained it himself or minimally softened the blow with a little mea culpa. Instead he offers us nothign and lets his compatriots endorse his statement. You CAN deduct from that. Deduction requires some alternative indication of intent other than "I like people and think they never mean harm"

Once again IRRELEVANT!! You can attempt to compare AP's comment to Don Imus or Rush Limbaugh.

Please go back through the thread and see who first invoked the name of Rush Limbaugh.

Just because you think 25 is a grown enough age to refrain from misspeaking doesn't mean it is.

Again, maybe he should lay off the microphone if he is too young or immature to make an apt analogy that doesn't wreak of racial insensitivity. And again, you tell me that me saying he is 25 and old enough to be accountable for his actions and statements doesn't make it so, yet, you call him a "kid" and excuse his statement because of his age. So you know he is too young but I can't know he is too old. You tell me I can't make assumptions and my points are irrelevant and then in the next breath you make a conclusion based completely on assumption without even qualifying it. Similarly, AP's statements are racially insensitive minimally and full blown racially exploitive at worst and he did nothing to clarify his comments so I deduce he is either racist or ignorant.

Just because you think that if a white man had said the same thing that it would've been a **** storm, doesn't mean that it would've been. But to answer your question I can honestly say I think the response would be exactly the same. And I believe black players would rally around the white player for saying it, just as some are defending Peterson. But like I said before, none of that even matters. Because we are injecting our own biased prejudice thoughts into this argument.

So just because I say it would be different doesn't make it so but just for the record based on nothing, you can opine it would be the same. Seriously? And you attack my logic?

This again is your own SPECULATION not a fact.

No, I quoted the guy. That is a fact. That is what he said. To the contrary you saying "well that's what he said but he meant something else even though I have absolutely no proof he meant something else and even he hasn't tried to explain what he meant" THAT is SPECULATION. We may not have as a big a disagreement as we think, you just don't know what these terms mean. I quoted him verbatim. That is the textbook definition of a fact. He said that. That's a FACT. You saying he meant something else without any evidence is speculation.

You are speculating what he meant by saying " IS SLAVERY". But slavery has a broad definition. It encompassed more than just lynchings, rapes, and murders. It also entailed loss of rights, loss of pride, and loss of dignity as well. Slavery is not just whips and chains, slavery is also mental. There were many black slaves that did not want to leave their master's homes because they thought it was good. These were called "House Negros". They were slaves but had it pretty good living in the master's barn so they wanted to remain in slavery.So you are assuming that AP is referring his NFL job to whips and chains of slavery and not the mental aspect of it. But if you think AP is likening his playing in the NFL to whips, chains, murders and rapes you are entitled to your opinion ok.

So you think he meant he likes being a slave? You think maybe in the context of an interview about the owners locking out the players AP meant that he misses being a "house negro"? You aren't serious are you man? That isn't actually your argument is it? I can't even wrap my mind around your point here. So even though you have repeatedly said you disagree with the statement and it was wrong etc etc here you are defending his statement. So please explain to us how AP's analogy was even remotely apt. You can't argue that you don't agree with the statement and then try to argue he meant something different when he used the term slavery (again with absolutely no evidence). Either he made a good analogy or he didn't. You are talking out of both sides of your mouth and you've been doing it for 3 pages in this thread now. That's why I have asked you about half a dozen times to tell me WHY the statement was wrong or inappropriate or unfortunate or whatever phrase you want to use. You keep saying it wasn't racial. It wasn't insensitive. It wasn't invoking old south slavery. It wasn't nefarious in any way. We are piling on by saying it was and he should be accountable. Then in the next breath you distance yourself from "defending him" and say his statements were wrong. I have told you exactly why i think they were wrong. Why don't you tell me why you think they were wrong because you are very quick to tell us all what AP actually meant and the gazillion permutations on what "slavery" could mean etc etc and yet you out of the other side of your mouth still say the statement was wrong. Well which one is it? If the statement isn't racial than defend the statement. If the statement was invoking the pre-civil war slavery then defend the statement. If the analogy to slavery is to house negroes then defend the statement. If the analogy between being a modern day slave and a collective bargaining dispute about how to share revenues is apt then defend the statement. You blast those that disagree with the statement and have the guts to risk being called a bigot in subtle and overt ways while at the same time keeping one foot in "it was a misstatement" and the other in "you are misunderstanding poor AP". I understand the concern that you look like you side with AP and the majority of this thread disagrees with him but take a stand if you believe he didn't say anything wrong. Its intellectually dishonest at worst and cowardly at best to argue both however.

You are not arguing or debating the relevant facts, you are making them up as you go based off what you have observed in your life (affirmative action, reverse racism, bigotry) This debate should not be about what you think, it should be about what you know. And we know that Adrian Peterson for the first time on camera made a controversial comment about a billion dollar company the NFL. (BTW you never answered my question about what if AP would've said Walmart or AIG is like modern day slavery, would you be as mad?)

I think its hysterical that you are arguing that I am making up the facts as I go. I have started and and ended with the quote. YOU are interjecting a ton of "benefit of the doubt" and "he could have meant this" and "maybe he means house negroes" with absolutely nothing to support any of it. Again you indicate the debate shouldn't be about what I think. But then you think it should be about what you think. HAHAHAHA. I agree with one thing. It should be about what we know. We don't know what AP "meant" in the recesses of his brain. What we know is what he SAID. When he said it. Where he said. What he offered as an explanation after he said it. We know its 2011. We know AP probably has a TV and a radio and knows what a statement by him like the nfl is "modern day slavery" is going to invoke in this country. You treat him like he is 4 years old man. You make assumption upon assumption about this guy having no clue where he is what he is saying, to whom he is saying it and in what context and then say I am speculating. Its amazing that you see your argument as logical. You have absolutely nothing to give him "the benefit of the doubt" with but your own guesses (wishes?). I have his statement. His words. The context of those words. The media outlet he said them too. The age we are living in. Cmon you can't possibly be this naive. Then to put the cherry on top, in the same paragraph that you attack me for speculating and not sticking to the facts you ask me a hypothetical about AP working at walmart and saying this. Here's a secret for you, nobody would give two craps what Ap said if he worked for walmart. That is speculation. But I suppose I can take the bait since you took mine. If a black vice president of walmart was in a union and had a nationally televised labor/employer fight and went on the radio and said he is a modern day slave - depending on his skin color he'd probably be utterly criticized. If he was a white guy, yea, I think he'd be in pretty hot water.

I will say that I have enjoyed this little debate even though we are both saying the same thing that AP's comment was wrong.You think it was wrong because he is a moron and I think it was simply metaphorically wrong.

Why was it metaphorically wrong again? You still haven't explained why its wrong to me and I think I might be able to understand how we are saying the same thing if you offered me anything other than excuses for this guy. Why exactly is it metaphorically wrong. Incidentally, I have enjoyed the debate too and no hard feelings. You have taken me from my relatively boring day at work (yes as a lawyer -Oh and I am a trial lawyer - ).

[HailGreen28]

So it's agreed. Peterson's comment was idiotic. Moving on....

[Brotherz]

So it's agreed. Peterson's comment was idiotic. Moving on....

See that wasn't so hard was it?

[HailGreen28]

See that wasn't so hard was it?

Maybe you're confusing me with someone else. That's what I've been saying all along.

[ouvan59]

Did Adrian Peterson hire Dan Snyder as his public relations man?

LOL No kidding!:dunce:

[redskins55]

Why was it metaphorically wrong again? You still haven't explained why its wrong to me and I think I might be able to understand how we are saying the same thing if you offered me anything other than excuses for this guy. Why exactly is it metaphorically wrong. Incidentally, I have enjoyed the debate too and no hard feelings. You have taken me from my relatively boring day at work (yes as a lawyer -Oh and I am a trial lawyer - ).

Ha haaa.... I KNEW IT!! I knew u were a lawyer! Your a good one too I can tell.But I swear you're all over the place though .. I mean following you is like following a dog in a hubcap factory!! But like I said, if you cant understand me, then maybe you can read this and understand my counter argument. Which by the way isn't that AP's comment was ok,but that he was trying to compare the NFL to elements of slavery not actual slavery. But anywayz.. Again great discussion. Go get em!!!

http://thebiglead.com/index.php/2011/03/16/adrian-petersons-modern-day-slavery-metaphor-was-awful-but-not-entirely-off-base/

"Adrian Peterson called the NFL players’ predicament “modern-day slavery.” Obviously, it was a poor metaphor, destined to be processed literally and to provoke manufactured outrage. His word choice was awful, but his point, better articulated, has some validity.

Here’s Peterson’s full quotation. His agent stresses it should be taken in context. The context doesn’t help him much.

AP: It’s modern-day slavery, you know? People kind of laugh at that, but there are people working at regular jobs who get treated the same way, too. With all the money … the owners are trying to get a different percentage, and bring in more money. I understand that; these are business-minded people. Of course this is what they are going to want to do. I understand that; it’s how they got to where they are now. But as players, we have to stand our ground and say, ‘Hey — without us, there’s no football.’ There are so many different perspectives from different players, and obviously we’re not all on the same page — I don’t know. I don’t really see this going to where we’ll be without football for a long time; there’s too much money lost for the owners. Eventually, I feel that we’ll get something done.

Football players are not slaves. No one forces them to play. Most would accept coercion and some form of bondage to receive a $10 million base salary. Peterson, presumably, wasn’t comparing his pampered material condition to that of a slave. He was trying to say there isn’t a free market for his labor, which is true.

The NFL is a trust, not a capitalist enterprise. Owners ensure profitability by collaborating and by limiting labor costs. Adrian Peterson could not choose his place of employment. The Vikings drafted him. Unable to solicit competing offers, he had no leverage to negotiate his salary. His team may “franchise” him to block him from exercising free agency. Even if he does become unrestricted, his earning potential is constrained by a salary cap. Peterson can never obtain the true market value for his work.

Peterson’s work places him at grave risk for catastrophic health issues later in life. His contract is also not guaranteed.

Players accept this system, because many of them make an obscene amount of money. They sacrifice a claim to fair labor practices in exchange for a draught from the treasure bath. Observers let the NFL’s arrangement slide because we must watch football on Sunday.

NFL owners tried to force through a change to this bargain. They opted out of the CBA. They gamed the television revenue so they would get it even if there was no season (overturned by a court ruling). They tried to put players in the position to accept less money for a longer season or enter a lockout they were not positioned to withstand. Not surprisingly, players pushed back by decertifying the union and suing to challenge the NFL’s unfair labor practices.

Adrian Peterson’s word choice was awful. NFL players have nothing in common with slaves. They have little in common materially with ordinary laborers, but it’s only viewing it through that guise that we understand the players’ position. The money involved inspires little empathy, but their labor predicament should.

NFL players aren’t ordinary people, but if ordinary people were treated in the manner NFL owners treat the players it would be profoundly unjust."