Out-Rage

Trump on February 5 to Fox News: “This thing’s (COVID-19) going away. It will go away like things go away”

Trump on February 7 to Bob Woodward: “You just breathe the air and that’s how it’s passed. And so that’s a very tricky one. That’s a very delicate one. It’s also more deadly than even your strenuous flus. This is deadly stuff.” 

Trump on March 19 to Bob Woodward: “I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down,because I don’t want to create a panic.”

Cue the justified outrage at President Trump. Trump lied. Ya don’t say?!?!?! Of course he lied, that’s what he does. Is there anyone on either side of the aisle that is truly shocked by the fact that Trump lied? I’m not sure why we expect any more of this man at this point. I must admit, the desire to prevent panic is the most presidential statement I have ever heard from Mr. Trump. And let’s be completely honest, there is absolutely no way that Donald Trump has the capacity to speak candidly on any subject, much less about the biggest public health crisis in our lifetime and create ANY sense of reassurance. His entire platform is based on hyperbole and inciting extreme reactions. 

However, if behind closed doors he knew this was a serious problem, why did he do nothing? That’s the egregious issue here. Not that he downplayed it with words, but that he downplayed it with actions. He could have minimized the issue verbally and still taken preventative actions to mitigate the spread. Why did he continue to have rallies where mask wearing was optional? Why did he encourage people to ‘LIBERATE’ their states knowing the social distancing measures were warranted to combat this ‘deadly stuff’? He knew how contagious and deadly this virus was and instead of lessening the impact, he actively exacerbated it. 

 “Woodward said he believes his highest purpose isn’t to write daily stories but to give his readers the big picture — one that may have a greater effect, especially with a consequential election looming.”  

The outrage at Trump should be universal, but I was also going to join others and go in on Bob Woodward for withholding this information when lives were at stake. However, the more I read his rationalizations on saving the information the more my mind slowly changed. Now, it is possible that public pressure from this information could have forced Mr. Trump’s hand to put actions in place, but is it likely? Does Donald Trump strike you as the type to cave to public pressure or is he the type to double down on his convictions regardless of consequence or merit? If attacked, Mr. Trump rarely acts rationally and he doesn’t change his mind, he instead aims to change your reality. Fact is, we have no idea how Mr. Trump would have reacted, and his followers have shown us they will go along with anything. Mr. Woodward’s initial goal was to do a series of on-the-record interviews and write a book to present an overall picture of the Trump presidency before the election. He has said if the book release date had been after the election saving this information would have been “unthinkable.” I initially planned to argue that there is no higher purpose or greater effect than saving lives, but we cannot be certain it would have made any difference. If Mr. Woodward had gone public, Mr. Trump most likely cuts off communication and the book to paint the picture of the presidency is never written. We don’t get Trump’s true views on race, on the military, or on his relationship with foreign leaders. There is so much more information that would have stayed in the shadows.

While we will never know the impact Mr. Woodward’s interviews could have had in the early stages of the pandemic, we do know that in times of crisis, journalism is not the key, leadership is. Mr. Trump’s response to the pandemic has been irresponsible, but these new revelations make his response downright reprehensible. Make no mistake, his inaction was not because he didn’t believe COVID was a threat, it’s because he doesn’t care. It’s because, as he so eloquently said, “It is what it is.”

Sources:

NYTimes.com

USAToday.com

WashingtonPost.com

SPEAK Up...AND Dribble?

On March 11, 2020 Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID and NBA suspended the season. The following day my alma mater St. John’s was leading #7 Creighton at the half when they went into the locker room. They never came out. On that day, all American sports shut down. It shocked the country; It shocked the world. Life as we know it really has never been the same. On May 25, 2020 George Floyd was pinned face down by police for 8 Minutes and 46 seconds resulting in his death in Minneapolis, Minnesota and widespread protests ensued. Countless black people have been murdered by police, but this time it felt different. This time it felt like there was real momentum for change and progress. Fast Forward to July 31. The NBA returned, in a “bubble” in Disney World to limit exposure to COVID. It was great to have sports back. Part of our lives became quasi-normal again. Then on August 23 Jacob Blake was shot in the back seven times by police officers while leaning into his car in Kenosha, Wisconsin as three of his children sat in back. He is currently paralyzed from the waist down. An overwhelming reminder that any momentum we had for change would be a Marathon, rather than a sprint (we still see you Nipsey). On August 27, the Milwaukee Bucks boycotted their playoff game against the Orlando Magic and all NBA games were suspended. Other sports followed suit, again the world is in shock. Later on, we find that in an informal poll the LA Lakers and Clippers both voted to discontinue the season. I think that would be a mistake….

Let me preface this; I will support the players in any decision they choose to protest injustice. There is more than one way to fight inequality* and we should never discourage anyone from following the method they choose. However, I believe this is a unique opportunity. The bubble is the only chance for the NBA season to continue so if you leave the bubble, that's it, the season is over. The NBA being active has given the players, and the league for that matter, a voice that didn’t really exist before. Prior to entering the bubble numerous players were out joining, and in some instances, leading protests. Truth of the matter is, I didn’t really know this until the league returned and the NBA helped deliver that information. I’m sure I am not the only one who was ignorant to the players’ efforts. Slogans of equality were on the back of the jerseys, the court reads Black Lives Matter. We are seeing these messages every single night. The bubble is the biggest megaphone the players will ever have. If they leave now, they are just another protester on the street. I’m not saying that’s not a noble or worthy cause, but the opportunity to do more is right there in Orlando. In the bubble, they have leverage. Americans love their sports and the NBA has given us a taste of that normalcy we had been craving and we're clamoring to watch the playoffs. This is the perfect opportunity to invoke real change. No march will be as widely seen as where the NBA is right now. Get on Zoom calls with team owners, civil rights and social justice advocates. Be the experts’ microphone and work WITH them to come up with a list of demands and give a realistic timetable. Let the bubble be the pulpit. Use the team owners’ power and political influence to enact those petitions. If the requests are not being taken seriously, players can always boycott again because they wouldn’t have given up the leverage they have right now. The deeper we get into the playoffs, the stronger that leverage becomes. If the game schedule interferes with meetings, then work with the NBA to adjust the schedule. If the NBA relents, THEN leave. If players leave now it sends a very powerful message, but then what? Did anything really change? If players leave now, they leave without having demanded any specific changes. Asking for “change” only goes so far, we need substance. Hearts and minds of those who don’t “get it” will be a much longer struggle, but systematic legislative change can happen immediately. If efforts come up empty, the option for players to leave is still there in a month and might even have a greater impact than if they left now. They would have at least attempted to use the influence they have and at the very least would have exposed to the world the ugly truth that outside of changing the name of syrup and rice, the powers that be don’t actually aspire for progress. Players have the power right here and right now…so use it.

*A2D’s Sam Ballah inspired that line.

Edit: Source tells ESPN's Adrian Wojnrowski that the players have decided to resume the playoffs

Image from SBNation by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images 

Dear Kobe

Dear Kobe,

From the moment I saw you with the sunglasses on your forehead joking about taking your talent to the NBA, I could tell you were going to be something special. A little later you took Brandy to your high school prom. You were a star before anyone knew you.

ABC30.com

It wasn't really arrogance, but it was more than confidence. It was faith. Faith in yourself. Faith in your will being deeper and stronger than everyone else. Faith that you would get where you wanted to be simply because you wanted to be there. Outside distractions, outside influences would not be an impediment. You never hid your intelligence or thirst for knowledge but you did it with a bravado and edge that we had never seen before. While Allen Iverson was always loved for keeping it real because of the hard life he had come from, you were able to keep it real in a different way, but no less...real.

The Presumption

“Innocent until proven guilty.” It’s a concept we learn at a very young age. Maybe as young as when we learned about the freedom of speech. If you’re like me, you’ve probably even jokingly used the phrase when being reprimanded by parents or teachers. It’s ingrained in us as Americans. But the term does not apply to the system of bail. In reality, the bail system is “guilty until proven innocent…unless you have enough money.”