To walk down the street and hear footsteps and start thinking about robbery — then look around and see somebody white and feel relieved.
Who would speak such racist words? Rancher Cliven Bundy? Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling?
In fact, the words are from the Rev. Jesse Jackson, speaking at an Operation PUSH meeting back in 1993. In a moment of candor, Jackson bemoaned his own reaction to crime in many inner-city neighborhoods.
Jackson’s brutal honesty comes to mind in light of Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban’s remarks this week in an interview: “If I see a black kid in a hoodie at night on the same side of the street, I’m probably going to walk to the other side of the street.”
Cuban admitted to having certain “prejudices” — and made clear they are not limited to race.
What he seems to be saying is that many factors go into our reactions to others: “If I see a white guy with a shaved head and lots of tattoos, I’m going back to the other side of the street. If I see anybody that looks threatening, and I try not to, but part of me takes into account race and gender and image. I’m prejudiced.”
We all live in glass houses, he said, so he’s reluctant to throw stones.
So he confessed to feeling hypocritical if he ends up voting next week to remove Donald Sterling from ownership of the Clippers because of remarks asking his half-black mistress not to bring African-Americans, including Magic Johnson, to his team’s basketball arena.
After his remarks were reported, Cuban came under fire for his reference to hoodies.
He has since apologized to the family of Trayvon Martin, the African-American youth shot dead in Florida while wearing a hoodie.
Cuban says he could have used a better example but added that he stood by the substance of his remarks.
Good for him.
If America truly wants to have an “honest conversation about race,” we have to stop jumping on people when they try to start one.