------------------------- Via Workers World News Service Reprinted from the Dec. 5, 2002 issue of Workers World newspaper -------------------------
THE RACIAL PROFILING OF ALAN IVERSON By Monica Moorehead "I want to be in Philadelphia, but I'm scared now to be in Philadelphia. I've heard about police officers toasting to Allen Iverson's next felony conviction... It scares me because I know that if there's any crooked cops out there, they can do anything... Allen Iverson can end up dead tomorrow if a crooked cop wants him dead. It's as simple as that. "I have news cameras following me everywhere, following my wife, following my kids, following my friends, just to see what type of activity is going on. It really scares me, man." (philly.com, Nov. 19, 2002) These quotes are taken from a recent interview with Allen Iverson, the 27-year-old brilliant basketball player with the National Basketball Association's Philadelphia 76ers. Iverson has been heavily scrutinized by the big business media, the Philadelphia police and courts ever since he was drafted by the 76ers in 1996. Iverson was charged with several felonies this past July by the Philadelphia criminal justice system over alleged domestic abuse. All the charges were dropped. His wife, Tawanna Iverson, said in the same interview that they did argue, but denied that her husband had hit her. The charge of domestic violence is very serious. But there is a racist double standard in how the media portray a Black athlete who stands accused of spousal abuse. The media soft- pedaled their treatment of a legendary white football coach like Joe Paterno at Penn State, who publicly bragged about how he systematically beat his wife. RACISM ON AND OFF THE COURTS Even though the NBA players are over 80 percent African American, no player has been demonized more than Iverson. He is young, heavily tattooed and wears braids. More than any other player, he is identified with the African American- inspired hip-hop culture that has reached over the racial divide and affected diverse social strata, especially among young people. The press has called Iverson a "thug" on more than one occasion because of his anti-establishment image among Black and white youth. WHO IS ALLEN IVERSON? Iverson grew up poor in Hampton, Va., where he became a basketball star at Bethel High School. He then played basketball at prestigious Georgetown University until his talent drew the attention of the 76ers. What has made Iverson such an outstanding basketball player is not only his talent but his tenacity and fearlessness. He is a six-foot guard playing in a game where being seven feet tall has become the norm. In 2001, he won the "Most Valuable Player" award as he led his team to the NBA finals, where they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. Professional basketball, like most sports under capitalism, is viewed as blood and guts entertainment. On the court, the players are looked upon by those who can afford the best seats as gladiators who are handsomely paid to run up and down the court to make spectacular dunks and cause a skirmish or two. Basketball arenas are usually located in the white and wealth-dominated suburbs while the players originate from oppressed, working class neighborhoods. Off the court, this social relationship can change dramatically. Black basketball players, notwithstanding their multi-million-dollar salaries, are just as likely to be targets of racial profiling as Black people in general. This is especially true of Iverson, who dresses in the tradition of hip-hop youth. Recently, Iverson's hip-hop CD came under fire for its anti- woman and anti-gay message. Iverson made a public apology, stating that he did not mean to offend anyone and reportedly met with the NAACP and representatives of the gay and lesbian movement. This meeting got far less air time and press coverage. Once again, the media took advantage of an unfortunate situation in an attempt to paint a broad, reactionary brush against all hip-hop music. Where is the coverage of the politically conscious hip-hop artists who use their music to demand no blood for oil and an end to police misconduct, or call for the freedom of Mumia Abu-Jamal, a political prisoner and victim of a police frame-up? >From 1986 until 1991, 580 complaints of abuse were made against off-duty officers. Out of the cases brought to court, only two were found guilty. Until the Los Angeles police scandals erupted a few years ago, only the Philadelphia police department had come under investigation by the federal government--because of its heinous record of police brutality during the tenure of Mayor Frank Rizzo. Philadelphia has seen the police murders of Erin Forbes, Charles Matthews, Moises DeJesus, Donta Dawson, Kenneth Griffin and Phillip McCall. The police involved in these killings have never been brought to justice. The press is either denouncing or dismissing the fear Iverson feels for himself and his family regarding the police. Reviewing the record of the Philadelphia police over the decades shows that Iverson's fear is more than justified. - END - (Copyright Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but changing it is not allowed. For more information contact Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe [EMAIL PROTECTED] Support the voice of resistance http://www.workers.org/orders/donate.php) ------------------ This message is sent to you by Workers World News Service. To subscribe, E-mail to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, E-mail to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Send administrative queries to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
