Dwight Phillips vs. Lauren Fleshman and Nick Symmonds on Twitter

By Deception wrote:

Al Pilker wrote:

That's all I can see as well. How could Dwight possibly find that as the best response to such a tweet by Lauren? This blows my mind. How is he the chair of the AAC with the leadership he is demonstrating with a tweet like that?

Something is missing here

No, that's the correct order of the Twitter conversation. Perhaps Dwight mans the AAC twitter account, and thought Fleshman was tweeting at his personal account, not just AAC? I hope it's something like that, otherwise it's really hard (and troubling) to think of how he could immediately jump to the conclusion he did. Definitely not professional/appropriate behavior from the head of the AAC.

agip wrote:

to be fair to Phillips, this happened recently - ugly racial emails to Siegel:

http://www.3wiresports.com/2016/04/01/usatf-target-racially-charged-emails/

I'm developing a race theory that says basically black people have some trouble taking normal criticism - we all get criticised...many black people automatically think it is race based. Very hard to work with them when this happens.

Just a heads up, making blanket statements about how black people take criticism (or do anything, for that matter) doesn't make one look like the most un-prejudiced person around. Be careful, overreaching assumptions about a whole swath of people like that say a lot about how a person divides others up into "us" and "them."

ITT, a lot of overreactions to an (apparent) overreaction. People need to be careful not to let accusations of racism lead to resentment which subconsciously becomes actual racism. Think about how absurd it would be to think "a black person called me racist, but I'm not racist, therefore all black people are too sensitive, taking advantage, etc."

Well, that's Dwight's problem, not Lauren's or Nick's. Nothing either of them has ever said indicates that they "have never had any meaningful interactions with Black [sic] people" or that they are "filled with stereotypical opinions." So, either Dwight is a mind-reader, or he has his head up his a**. What's more likely?

fair

The Mandarins wrote:

In 2016 this still has nothing to do with skin-shade-defined-racism. Even when Doug (a Hispanic) was CEO, the corruption in USATF was mastered by Nike, a Red Chinese company.

This is the argument I have been trying to make. It really isn't about skin shade. However, I believe you mean a Yellow Chinese company.

Why is Nick even involved in this? To impress Lauren?

Dwight Phillips accomplished more in any championship year from 2011 than Nick or Lauren did in their entire career.

/thread

This is not a greater cultural issue or racism issue, this is fully a Dwight issue. Very few people who read Lauren's quote would ever have thought it was Black or White thing even those who feel blacks in leadership positions get unfair criticism. If you can't respond better to a tweet like Lauren sent out you shouldn't take a leadership position. Maybe Lauren wouldn't be making tweeting this if Dwight spent more time doing his job rather accusing the athletes he's supposed to represent.

There is real discrimination and racism that exists in our country. But when someone plays the race card in situation like this it does nothing to help those issues.

Dwight Phillips accomplished more in any championship year from 2011 than Nick or Lauren did in their entire career.

Ah, I see, so that excuses him from acting like an a$$$ole.

Know your niche wrote:

This is ridiculous. Why should Oiselle or Pickybars be serving a "diverse" market? You don't think they can sell Pickybars to people who eat at McD's and KFC do you? The Oiselle crowd isn't loud 300 pound black women wearing gold Gucci necklaces, it's white women with refined tastes.

Good point. There is no such thing as an athletic black person, really.

In 2016, screaming "racism!" is the ultimate cop-out. Just last night, I watched ten's of thousands of white people, cheer for shots made in one of the most exciting finishes to a basketball game, that most people have ever seen. The people who took and made those shots, were black. Those gentlemen will be high-fived, congratulated, and be even bigger men on campus' that are a majority white.

One of the fans of the game that was shown very often, was the biggest and richest athlete of our time... a black man by the name of Michael Jordan. A billionaire who has made a majority of his money by white people admiring him. Thirty years ago, white kids were wearing shoes that were inspired by this black man... white parents paid for those shoes. Many of those same kids were hanging posters of black men on their walls... again, white parents were predominantly responsible for paying for those posters, not to mention, allowing their white kids to hang posters of black men on their walls.

Everyday in the United States, there are arenas and stadiums that are full of people watching/cheering/admiring black men as they showcase incredible feats of skill that are ingrained into the minds, and often times hearts, of the fans... the majority of those fans, are white. Everyday, those same white fans stand around the watercooler to talk about the previous day's heroics and physics-defying displays of awe. Many of those same people travel home from work, only to sit down and turn on ESPN to follow the day's action, and to again, live in awe of black men. Let us remember too, the richest female athlete on the planet, is black.

To add to the god-like status of many American black men and women, we turn on our radio/iPod, etc. to listen to music inspired and performed by black men and women. We watch late-night talkshows and groove to the beats produced by house bands that highlight black musicians.

I can continue, but the point should be clear enough.

Yes, there are problems in American society, but the vast majority of those problems, are NOT race related. And when an issue comes across as being race related, it is most-often discredited after a thorough investigation. In other words, crying "racism!" is a complete cop-out that is only serving as a tool to create divisive environments... much of which, we are witnessing as a growing trend. And most unfortunate of all, is being used intentionally.

In 2016, it is virtually impossible to not 'make it' for one's self. The wonderful world of the internet has allowed a platform for ANYONE to set up an LLC and produce/trade a product that another party desires. The internet does not know the color of your skin... it does not know your gender, or sexual orientation, or religious belief. Create a business, sell a product, and ANYBODY can be living a life of happiness and respect.

Don't make excuses wrote:

If you can't respond better to a tweet like Lauren sent out you shouldn't take a leadership position.

+1. His behavior in this incident clearly demonstrates that he is incapable of leading.

TrackCoach wrote:

Thank you very much, I could not have explained it better myself. Most Blacks who are leadership positions feel that White people are going to automatically be critical of them because they are Black. Whether you are a coach, administrator or cooperate executive, some Blacks see criticism from Whites through the lens of race. While this is certainly not always the case and probably not so with Lauren since she is critical of a lot of people and things. And, it does not help that Dwight probably sees Nick and Lauren as the type of White people who have never had any meaningful interactions with Black people and are filled with stereotypical opinions. With all of the that said, I think Dwight owes Lauren an apology for prejudging her, but nevertheless, I understand where he is coming from.

Are you suggesting Dwight automatically negatively prejudges white people beliefs based on a prejudice he has. I think Dwight would take offense to your accusation of racism sir and I'd hate to see his twitter response if you had tweeted this at him or the AAC account.

QFE

There is real discrimination and racism that exists in our country. But when someone plays the race card in situation like this it does nothing to help those issues.

So he gets a free pass? wrote:

Dwight Phillips accomplished more in any championship year from 2011 than Nick or Lauren did in their entire career.

Ah, I see, so that excuses him from acting like an a$$$ole.

Seems to work pretty well on this board for white people accused of doing anything wrong!

Dwight Phillips was more relevant as an athlete, year after year, than Symmonds or Fleshman have ever been for a single day of their career.

In fact, the only way they can get the attention of fans is their uncreative business ventures or social media tiff with an actual accomplished athlete. Talk about hanging on someone else's coattails. Don't be jealous, Nick and Lauren, just ask him for a job already!

re; racial awareness -

here's a tip for the white people: read either the Autobiography of Malcolm X or Ta-Nehisi Coates' Between the World and Me.

Those two books do a good job at showing how front and center race is in the minds of many African Americans. Race is the lens they view the world through. Almost everything that happens to many A-A's is interpreted through the lens of race. For many it is certainly their first attempt to understand something.

White people don't really understand the primary nature of race in the minds of many A-A's.

and

Many Black people assume that white people ALSO interpret everything through the lens of race.

And I think that Black people who think this way err.

Many conflicts are better understood if you know this

agip wrote:

re; racial awareness -

here's a tip for the white people: read either the Autobiography of Malcolm X or Ta-Nehisi Coates' Between the World and Me.

Those two books do a good job at showing how front and center race is in the minds of many African Americans. Race is the lens they view the world through. Almost everything that happens to many A-A's is interpreted through the lens of race. For many it is certainly their first attempt to understand something.

White people don't really understand the primary nature of race in the minds of many A-A's.

and

Many Black people assume that white people ALSO interpret everything through the lens of race.

And I think that Black people who think this way err.

Many conflicts are better understood if you know this

Thanks, Professor. But the issue here is not that we don't understand the conflict. The issue is that Dwight is simply wrong in this instance. End of story.

agip wrote:

re; racial awareness -

here's a tip for the white people: read either the Autobiography of Malcolm X or Ta-Nehisi Coates' Between the World and Me.

Those two books do a good job at showing how front and center race is in the minds of many African Americans. Race is the lens they view the world through. Almost everything that happens to many A-A's is interpreted through the lens of race. For many it is certainly their first attempt to understand something.

White people don't really understand the primary nature of race in the minds of many A-A's.

and

Many Black people assume that white people ALSO interpret everything through the lens of race.

And I think that Black people who think this way err.

Many conflicts are better understood if you know this

I am not familiar with the second book but I think the Malcom X book is a little dated when it comes to this discussion. I know it is from just a couple generations back but race relations and racial equality have come a long ways since the days of Malcom X and continue to progress. Even how race is perceived by those in their 50's and those 20's and 30's today in America.

exactly. No effort should be made to understand Dwight's error or try to avoid this sort of racial conflict in the future. Good!