Stephen A. Smith Is Making The “Invisibility of “White Privilege” and “Racial Injustice” Impossible!

Recently Stephen A questioned the decision to name Nash as Nets Head Coach calling the action whiteprivilege. Click Here to view Stephen's Comments

Many of his peers lashed out at him for doing so saying Nash was a fellow player, and a friend of the owner; as if nepotism and connectionism nullify any indication of special treatment and privilege... or as if being “blackfriendly” disqualifies one from being racist or participating in it (such as whiteprivilege). 

I argued that he was right to publicly raise this issue as the optics suggested white privilege. White privilege, privileges one race over another; it allows one set of people (race) to jump or skip line at another racial group expense or cost. And this exactly what seems to be occurring here where Nash, an “hall of famer” who has no coaching experience whatsoever and has never even indicated an interest in coaching, who is now gonna coach the Nets with superstars like Irvine and Durant, passing up several better prospects who happened to be black. And by the way Steve Nash is great but not that great, not part of the GOAT conversation at all. Steve, who is white, has even come out publicly to confirm that he “skipped the line”. 

But I want to offer an important perspective here regarding how Stephen A’s actions helped and will help to deter and minimize discrimination, abuse and unfair practices. Stephen A and I and others who lashed out with heavy criticism against Nash as coach could have been wrong. Nevertheless, we could have been right as well, as evil is subtle and injustice and discrimination are easily hidden so that whiteprivilege may be occurring and we don’t even know it. We are quick to believe the police when they demonize blacks and justify their violence because we believe the police are just and fair. These blind beliefs preclude us or blind us from seeing the real realities on the ground on abuse. So it serves us well to inquire about actions like these. 

Indeed, the impact of the Idea of American Capitalism and democracy embedded in our psyche that we are better than others - that all are free and that life is a perfect competition with equal opportunities for all - is an illogic or false truth which is integral to the American Economy, and is grossly understated and overstated because of its ‘invisibility’, is necessary for profit for the privileged. 

This invisibility seems like a fairy-tale story, thus blending fact with fantasy. But it’s not, the slave trade enjoyed years of protection under the blessing, prayer and banner of the church who justified the slave trade with scriptures they hijacked from the religious book to sanctify their wickedness and cover their sins so that this evil went on for centuries. The world stood by and watched and the status quo destroyed a race under the cross which blinded their deprivation of other human life. 

Similarly, the Capitalist American Human eyes are blind to some of the most intricate and inhumane realities of this post-modern world. We are oblivious to the mechanical economic order that has created ‘invisible people’ usually of color and from the global south and as a consequence they are susceptible to economic and other exploitation. Moreover , if an action is suggestive, then the corresponding reaction will be and should be suggestive especially when an action suggest unfair and unjust practices of race. 

So, it is by having these conversations, pointing out instances of discrimination that we can slowly and eventually put an end to the perpetuation of systemic racism. By being vigilant and attacking (nipping in the bud) and probing those suggestive actions that provide an optic of racism we will deter by precluding and minimizing future actions. Present and past consequences and effects can determine how bosses will hire. For if people or the status quo think that there will be a backlash and or a negative reaction from a decision based on past experiences, then they will process more deeply any decision that leads to positive actions and reactions if the cost of the reaction is determined to be more costly. 

I feel certain that employers will do more costs-benefits analysis, weighing the possibility of the optics of race and equity or inequity and injustice and in so doing will become more racially aware when conducting business, even when it involves family and friends as this may result into nepotism/connectionism that fuels racism and unfair labor practices. 

Undoubtedly, the Steve Nash story regarding the decision or action to name him as coach of nets proved to be a great opportunity for those fighting for change to jump on readily and explore or investigate. Instead they retreated thinking easily that its normal and free of privilege and racial injustice as Nash is good and this the NBA it’s not racial, leaving Stephen A and a few to bear the burden of doing the “scrubbing” as part of their strategy to STOP racial injustice. For Stephen A like myself, it was a chance to shed light on an action that needed to be pushed to its logical conclusions leaving nothing to chance. This was indeed a productive strategy or warranted response to question this optics given the temperature and mood of the country when black people are clamoring for change amidst police violence on them. 

Nets and other NBA owners will now have to hurt their brains some more in order to ensure that due process and fairness is applied when selecting an head coach. I bet that more black coaches will be considered after this and I can assure you that Nets will never make the same mistakes in terms of how they select personnel. 

Certainly, It is by investigating, questioning and highlighting instances of inequity and race that we can stop it. Let us continue to be vigilant in looking for those instances and bringing them to the fore for scrubbing and debate so that we can satisfy ourselves and our fellowman that justice is being done and guard against injustice and privilege.