Sandy GholstonConsidering the direction our country appears headed it should surprise no one to hear some of the latest news from the basketball hardwood.
Well, maybe it should surprise a little.
A new whites-only (yes, “whites-only”) league is in the works for white guys to come together and get their hoop on without being around a bunch of “people of color” who are playing a “street ball” brand of basketball. Besides, “Fans have spoken to the AABA asking to restore on court sanity to the game of basketball. Their pleas are our mission.” Those are the messages of Don “Moose” Lewis, who is commissioner of the All-American Basketball Alliance.
Look out, baby: the Moose is loose.
Here is an excerpt from an Augusta Chronicle story:
Lewis said he wants to emphasize fundamental basketball instead of “street-ball” played by “people of color.” He pointed out recent incidents in the NBA, including Gilbert Arenas’ indefinite suspension after bringing guns into the Washington Wizards locker room, as examples of fans’ dissatisfaction with the way current professional sports are run.
“Would you want to go to the game and worry about a player flipping you off or attacking you in the stands or grabbing their crotch?” he said. “That’s the culture today, and in a free country we should have the right to move ourselves in a better direction.”
The Atlanta-based league, which will operate as a single-entity owning all of its teams, is looking for local contacts to pay $10,000 to become a “licensee” in one of 12 cities throughout the Southeast. Lewis said he has already received threats from people opposed to the roster restrictions and several cities have told him to stay out of town. Lewis said he has yet to hear from any one in Augusta.
Lewis emphasized that the whites-only roster restriction is not racist. No sir.
More from the same Augusta Chronicle story:
The All-American Basketball Alliance announced in a news release Sunday evening that it intends to start its inaugural season in June and hopes Augusta will be one of 12 cities with a team.
“Only players that are natural born United States citizens with both parents of Caucasian race are eligible to play in the league,” the statement said.
Sure, there’s nothing racist there (if you support Moose Lewis).
Moose Lewis is attempting to start this 12-team league (based in the South), and it will be interesting to see what kind of support he can drum up for this ridiculous effort.
It would be absurd if it weren’t all too real.
But, the efforts of Moose Lewis did make me think of how he would compare to another famous and self-appointed pioneer for the rights of whites, David Duke.
I will take a few minutes here to compare some quotes:
MOOSE LEWIS: Only players that are natural born United States citizens with both parents of Caucasian race are eligible to play in the league.
DAVID DUKE: Our clear goal must be the advancement of the white race and separation of the white and black races. This goal must include freeing of the American media and government from subservient Jewish interests.
Seems we have some similarities there between the messages of Duke and Lewis.
MOOSE LEWIS: Would you want to go to the game and worry about a player flipping you off or attacking you in the stands or grabbing their crotch?. That’s the culture today, and in a free country we should have the right to move ourselves in a better direction.
DAVID DUKE: European-Americans now have the National Organization for European American Rights, to actively defend their rights and heritage in the United States.
More similarities above and below between Duke and Lewis:
MOOSE LEWIS: White basketball players are essentially ‘shut out’ of conventional professional basketball due to the proliferation of non-organized play on the court.
DAVID DUKE: The civil rights of European Americans are being violated by affirmative action, forced integration and anti-European immigration policies… . We face cultural discrimination in the media and education.
It’s all about the discrimination being faced by white guys playing basketball.
Here is another quote about this new league from a related article:
He pointed to White professional players – i.e., “guys like Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash, (Dirk is the last great White hope)” – who he said exemplify the characteristics he’s talking about.
Of course, Nash was born in Canada and Nowitzki was born in Germany. So, neither would be eligible for Moose’s league. But, as a consolation, they are pretty much white as far as I can tell.
Who’s going to pay (assuming Moose can find ownership backing and assuming he will charge fans) to watch minor-league basketball (in a league founded on flat-out racist and xenophobic principles) in this tough economy? I guess we will find out.
This effort by Don “Moose” Lewis is little more than a modern-day racist version of “A League of their Own.” I realize that is sort of a slur on an excellent movie, but then again, Don “Moose” Lewis is a slur on a great society.
What a way to cash out your 15 minutes of fame.
Augusta Chronicle:
http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2010/01/19/nba_563760.shtml
BET:
http://www.bet.com/News/Sports_Promoter_Pushes_All_White_League.htm
