ESPN The Magazine has recently sparked blogosphere debate over a column about Michael Vick this week that features the NFL quarterback as a white man, while asking the question: ” What if Michael Vick was white?“
The piece was labeled, trashy, racist, disgraceful and distasteful amongst many other things.
Author Touré penned the piece to discuss the race and class issues surrounding Michael Vick’s story, but has claimed he asked ESPN to not use the picture of Michael Vick.
Touré says that picture is both inappropriate and undermines his entire premise, which is that Vick’s story is not possible without all of the circumstances (race, class, community, family) that have made up his life.
Here’s an except from the column:
The problem with the “switch the subject’s race to determine if it’s racism” test runs much deeper than that. It fails to take into account that switching someone’s race changes his entire existence. In making Vick white, you have him born to different parents. That alone sets his life trajectory in an entirely different direction.
If Vick had been born to white parents, you wouldn’t even be reading this right now. That Vick would have had radically different options in life compared with the Vick who grew up in the projects of Newport News, Va., where many young black men see sports as the only way out.
Was ESPN wrong for this? Sue Me, But I think it’s a great piece and got people talking, which is the exact point of an article.. The photo was genius! What I really want to know is What Does Michael Vick have to say about this?
26 Comments
Only in the land of the free, Oh and White mans fear…
"FREEDOM OF SPEECH?"
How are you going to turn Mr. Dark Chocolate into White Chocolate and think we are not going to say anything? Big Time Fail!
Nope…legitimate question! If he was white he would be praised for now until enternity as something we have never seen before…but since he's black, they'll find the flaws. But such is life…people love to nitpick.
This article that Toure wrote is pathetic. I thought it was going to go in another direction,some will look at it as some thinly veiled piece on how white is better
I'd like to know Michael Vick's thoughts about this.
haha
Nope it was a damn good article. They won't compare him with "Big" Ben, and we know all the sh** he has done….
You mad late krissy lol
Not wrong at all, I respect the author for having the heart to even write an article like this
What was good about the article?
wow
Is there some new Vick drama, or is this about the dogs?
Beyond tasteless…
Thank you for posting the article.
Reminds you of what they did to jesus lol
READ THIS Well, hate to be the few to not be offended but how could I be? "what if he was white" <– only means he was criticized about being the stereotype of a Black scrambling QB. they questioned Vick in the past, and now about him, but called Tebow the best leader in the NFL on ESPN without even starting.
No one has explained what makes this a good article huh. Yeah ok.
If he were it would have never been publicized..
The good thing about the article?…ummmm…free of grammatical errors…LOL…smdh…*if mike vick was white…dog fighting would be america's most popular pastime*…ijs.
I've said this time and time again..Vick would have NEVER,NEVER made it to a jail cell if he was caucasian.
Michael Vick's Tall, Dark & Handsome Looks Instill Fear In The White Man Cuz They Desire To Be Him… I'm Highly Offended & He Should Sue. Racist Bastards
@Abner King ~ O, O, O, O, Abner ~ I LOVE YOU For The Comment… Truth Being Told…
@L A Got Skillz ~ You Off The Chain… LOL
Well, I agree that if Michael Vick was white, we wouldn't be reading this story. I don't agree with Mr. Toure's implication that a white man would not have done what Michael Vick did. That's BS. We wouldn't be reading this story because a white man would not have gone to prison for killing dogs. Period.
Did you actually watch the video?? Did you see Katt beating on his chest??