By Walter L. Hilliard III
Can you believe that LeBron James would even consider going back to Cleveland (Cavaliers) after the owner, Dan Gilbert, called him a “coward, a quitter, and a traitor” in a published letter and disparaged LeBron as a role model for children? What’s really evident here to me is that Black people are always too forgiving of everyone else, or every other group of people, but their own people. Just look around and you can see how much we “hate on” and even kill one another.
But how could LeBron even associate himself with an owner – and let’s not forget the jersey burning fans in Cleveland – who, as far as we know, still hasn’t apologized to him for writing such a hateful letter four years ago? And Gilbert only recently removed the letter from his website, saying he forgot the letter was still on the site. Sure he did.
And too many media “talking heads” are giving LeBron too much credit by saying he’s “about his business” and can separate business from personal issues and forgive the Cavs owner. You see, Black people are expected to forgive — even for slavery.
As far as I’m concerned, the supposedly new, more mature LeBron, now a two-time NBA champion as a Miami Heat player, is not much different than the LeBron I’ve always known, which is he cares too much about what other people think. It’s a sickness most Black athletes and entertainers have because they’re so afraid of the media and mainstream folks not liking them.
And so here LeBron is again, being overly sympathetic and trying to make some sort of amends with Cleveland for leaving the first time. But he better be cautious because if continues to drag his decision out again and he decides not to return to Cleveland, just watch how badly these vultures attack him, again, for leaving them the first time and now stringing them along a second time.
Man up! LeBron and move on. Get Cleveland out of your system and stay in Miami where they welcomed you with open arms and supported you enough to help you get to four straight championships and win two – that’s two you never won in Cleveland.
