Although, I can see how at first glace such a lengthy reply can be seen as an assessment of the article as a whole – this is not the case. Please take a look back at my reply. In the first two sentences I state that I thought this was a very well written article and I liked many of your previous articles. The quote following the first paragraph was intended to set the scope of my argument. Perhaps I should have explained the limits of my reply at greater length, but I was trying to be brief in an already lengthy response. The main point of my reply is that the one statement is inherently racist (not you personally, nor the article, nor any other extrapolation you can derive.)

I am sorry that I missed the ironic good ol’ boy redneck accent it was suppose to carry. As we all know only good ol’ boy rednecks are the type of people who would start such a league. Whoop! There you go again! So, really? Only dumb people from the country “rednecks” would start this kind of league?

You make a interesting point that you felt needed to be stated twice – you are white. Can a white person be racist against whites? Surely we are both intelligent enough to realize the error in that. I better question would be can person of any race use language that is inherently demeaning to their own race. I feel that they can. For me I could use the words honky, cracker, whiteboy, redneck, hillbilly because I am white. I choose not too. Words are powerful in of themselves. Even if the manner in which those words are spoken is in jest or with good intention on a large scale the use of such words evoke negative feelings that perpetuate stereotypes.

Lastly, Let me quell your ‘fear’ by restating that I do not think you are critical of your own race. I think you wrote a great article. My objection was that one comment. I too find the proposition of a single-race league abhorrent, and I certainly don’t think such a barrier exists that would justify one. However, I still felt that the comment needed to be addressed because it is offensive and takes away from a great article.

You do realize I’m white, don’t you?

I understand that you may have read that single sentence and thought that I was somehow disparaging white people. I suppose I was, but ironically so. The sentence was meant to be read with the same type of good-ol’ boy (there I go again) redneck perspective that would have come form the type of person promoting a whites-only basketball league.

Let me restate: I’m white. Also, I sometimes play basketball. I certainly don’t feel that I would write anything about myself that was emasculating or demeaning. I fear that my presence on a this page, which frequently lends its voice to predominantly Hispanic issues, in conjunction with the one sentence that you find offensive, may have led you to the incorrect conclusion that I am somehow critical of my own race. That couldn’t be less true.

I think a look back at my other articles would show an intolerance for those who make negative divisions based on race, income, or social position. This article does the same. I find it abhorrent that any one would suggest a single-race sports league unless faced with a clear discriminatory barrier against that race. No such barrier exists.

I am sorry if my words offended you, but I must say that you appear to have overlooked the greater context.

“That’s right – basketball for white boys.”

This quip is an inherently racist statement that perpetuates negative stereotypes against whites. Upon reading it, I can’t help but feel the disdain in these words. I would like to point out two inferences of this statement 1. white people can not play basketball and 2. that whites regardless of age are considered less masculine than other races i.e. by using the term boy for the potential professional athlete who would be above the age of 18, you deprive him of his inherent worth.

Expanding on the first inference. If we apply the logic that because the NBA is primarily made up of Black athletes, whites are not good enough athletes to in the NBA. If we take this logic to other realms and flip the races it would be a classic example of racism. Because there are more whites in college in the United States than Blacks. Blacks must not be intelligent enough to go to college. One would swiftly dismiss that argument as racist and based fallacious logic. Most educated people would attribute the difference on socialization and inherent disparity in our society.

No adult should be refereed to as “boy.” I am aware that it is most sensitive to Blacks who were called it as a racial slur – and still are. This does not mean that the term boy has not become a pejorative term alone and racist term when coupled with any race. I personally have heard the term white boy from the time I played pick up games as a kid, to Jr. high and high school, and even while playing college sports. It has rarely been used as a term of endearment.

I think we should all be more aware of each other and the weight our words carry – written or spoken. Let me finish with a question:

What came to your mind when you wrote that statement, and what comes to your mind when you read it now?

Note – I chose to use Black over African American and White over Caucasian because they are more inclusive terms.