Similar to Roy Jones Jr, I understand what Stephen A. is trying to say even if the wording doesn’t come across the best.
Smith spoke to some college students at University of South Alabama and had this to say.
“Racism doesn’t exist. Obviously, I’m lying. Of course it exists, but not for you. See, you don’t have to go to the back of the bus. You’re not denied the opportunity to eat at restaurants, or to enter night clubs, or to patronize businesses. You have the right to vote. You’re not being lynched. You’re not being hung,” Smith said, according to USA’s student newspaper, The Vanguard which recorded the speech.
“You’re older, you know I’m not talking about you. But youngsters, you need to understand that white folks got problems, too. Some of them can’t pay their bills. Some of them are struggling. Some of them are being denied opportunities. And you need to understand that, because when people are going through their own problems, they are not going to lament what your trials and tribulations are.”
What I believe he is trying to say is that while racism obviously still exists and there are some serious issues going on in our country, it certainly isn’t as bad as it was for our parents and grandparents.
I think we can all agree on that, but if you are 21 years old and you keep seeing cops shooting unarmed black people, black women dying in police custody, Donald Trump becoming very close to being president and the subtle and not so subtle racism that still goes on in our society, you don’t want to hear someone telling you it doesn’t exists.
Stephen A. might be a little tone-deaf to the issues that young black people are dealing with in our society right now. It’s better than the 60s, but still not a safe or comfortable place. You can still get lynch just for walking down the wrong street and spit on at a political rally. It appears to me he is just saying, yes it is happening, but you can’t let that stop you from doing whatever you want to do. It also isn’t a catch-all if you aren’t putting in the work to be successful.
Stephen A. just gets his words jumbled up some time and this is what happens.
My MESSAGE to the youngsters: You don't get to use racism as an excuse why you can't succeed.
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) March 3, 2016
Stephen A. clarified his remarks.