(Don’t worry, YourBoro isn’t going to keep posting about Obama-related stuff forever. This is just too important to pass up.)
Everyone is befuddled after Pittsburgh Steelers’ Super Bowl MVP James Harrison has publically come to to tell the world that he hates President Obama.
James Harrison, seen here dodging a tackle from President Obama, now finds him dodging attacks from the media who have called him out for disrespecting the President, our country and his own race.
Well, he didn’t actually say that. But that’s the way everyone has interpreted it. Typically I like WTAE-Pittsburgh, and their coverage is hardly ever sensationalist. But this time, the headline of the story reads “NObama: Steelers’ Harrison Says He’ll Skip White House Visit”, and the subhead quietly adds “Also skipped 2006 visit”. If it were up to them, I don’t think that part would have been included. In the article, Harrison says…
“This is how I feel — if you want to see the Pittsburgh Steelers, invite us when we don’t win the Super Bowl. As far as I’m concerned, he [Obama] would’ve invited Arizona if they had won.”
Immediately, news outlets picked up the story and pinned Harrison for an Obama hater. Here’s a list of headlines I found that I think indicate how the media is blatantly spinning this:
Steelers’ James Harrison Disses Obama, White House Trip – BlackVoices.com
Mr. Harrison isn’t going to Washington; Steeler spurns Obama – Yahoo! Sports
Steelers’ Harrison won’t visit Obama – ESPN.com
James Harrison won’t visit Obama’s White House with the rest of Steelers – Chicago Sun-Times
James Harrison Snubs Obama, America – Deadspin.com (I thought about using this for the title of my article, but then realized this guy is serious).
While it may not make sense to most people, it seems to me that Harrison just isn’t interested in politics. All of the articles above mention that Harrison didn’t go in 2006, either, but only briefly. Harrison doesn’t hate America, and he definitely doesn’t hate Obama. But even if he did – WHO CARES?
I’m the last person in the world to play the race card, but I’m playing it now. I love Obama, but does everyone have to? Of course not. Yes, he’s the first African American President of the United States. Does not liking him make someone racist automatically? And lastly, would James Harrison be a disgrace to his race/ethnicity if he DID hate Obama? Of course not. But that doesn’t seem to be the general consensus.
