Reggie White dies suddenly at 43

[db44]

Cause of death is currently unknown.

White was one of the more controversial athletes we've seen in a while, making comments suggesting he may have been racist and an anti-Semite. I guess that's part of the reason even FOX right now seems to be downplaying the death.

I only just saw it when I signed into AOL.

[pinky]

I don't think Reggie was anti-Semitic. He WAS an ordained Christian minister, and some of his comments may have been misinterpreted.

While he was with the Eagles, he lived in my town (my son was supposed to be in kindergarten with his son, but he and Sara opted for a private Christian school instead), and his neighbors had nothing but good things to say about him.

[db44]

Not to question you about Reggie, but are Falwell and Robertson - ordained Christian ministers - misinterpreted?

[pinky]

No, they're idiots. :tongue:

I guess I'm not recalling any of the things Reggie was quoted as saying that were interpreted as anti-Semitic or racist. Can you enlighten me?

Besides, around Philly, Reggie is pretty much considered damn near perfect.

[db44]

He has a few things to say about racism and homosexuality.

A list of sports low-lights: http://washingtontimes.com/sports/20030709-121007-9584r.htm

Blacks "like to sing and dance." Whites "know how to tap into money." Hispanics "are gifted at family structure. You can see a Hispanic person and he can put 20 or 30 people in one home." Asians can "turn a television into a watch." American Indians "have been gifted in spirituality."
— NFL player and ordained minister Reggie White, 1998.

I can't attest to the validity of these, but take a look at this: http://members.aol.com/willack/con3.htm

Some of the notables:

Jainists: I think they are as confused as homosexuals. Life is about pleasure and they celebrate pain. Perhaps they are half Black. They are good at celebrating too.

Jews: We need Jews they are the most structured and organized of the White Race.

Also: That's Jew guy Seinfeld, is funny. I like his show. Jew's are funny looking on TV.

Buddhist: They make funny fat dolls. They are nice and fun to look at. Plus if you rub the belly they give you good luck.

on Mexicans: When I went there they showed me how [to drink] and they were good at it. Who say's these stereo types are not true.

On Smithers from The Simpsons: A good homosexual is a homosexual like Smithers. He loves Mr Burns but respects him enough not to sleep with him.

More on homosexuality:

http://www.hatecrime.org/subpages/hatespeech/claremont.html

" 'Homosexuality is a decision, it's not a race,' White said. 'People from all different ethnic backgrounds live in this lifestyle. But people from all different ethnic backgrounds also are liars and cheaters and malicious and back-stabbing.' " - Reggie White, Associated Press, March 25, 1998.

"White said he stands by his remarks regarding gays. `I am going to speak the truth and I am going to speak out against things that's hurting our children, that's killing off our people,' White said. `If people think that's a contradiction and that's hate, they need to take them up with God, not with Reggie White.'" Associated Press, April 26, 1998, quoting White's 20/20 interview.

[pinky]

Well, the Washington Times wasn't considered a good, unbiased source in October or November, so I'm not even going to bother going there now.

As for the other link, I see a few quotes from Reggie, taken out of context, that may be considered racist....the one about whites tapping into money could certainly be taken that way, were it not for the fact that the Third World is almost exclusively non-white. In a way, it was a rather clumsy, but accurate, political statement. The Japanese ARE quite inventive in technological areas, so that's also accurate. Reggie was raised in a southern black church, where music and dance was probably integral to the worship experience, and that's all he's saying there. Native Americans ARE tuned in to spiritual experience, so there's nothing wrong there. In fact, the only one that confuses me is the one about Hispanics. I'm not sure what he was trying to say.

I certainly don't agree with what he had to say about gays. But I do understand his point of view, since he was using the Old Testament as his guide. I think he was in tune with what many Americans believe, and what most conservative Christians would say. And I think he was incorrect.

As for the other "notable" comments, if you look carefully at the site, it doesn't say the he actually said any of those things. They are just "What Reggie might say about it" so I'm taking them as commentaries by someone who didn't like Reggie.

[db44]

The Washington Post article uses the Reggie White quote as part of an archive, it wasn't from a WP article itself, it was a widely-known quote.

[pinky]

You didn't cite anything from the Washington Post, Dave. But I checked the Washington Times link, and it has the same quotes as the other link, only shortened to make them look worse. For example, the one about blacks singing and dancing was apparently part of a comment on worship services in black churches, not a general societal comment. But to look at the Times article, you wouldn't know that.

Basically, I think Reggie was not a particularly eloquent speaker. As an athlete, he was always good for an entertaining comment. When speaking on serious issues, I don't think he was considered a great orator. But if you look at his life and his work, I believe you'll see a huge difference between Reggie and people like Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, and other televangelists. Unlike them, Reggie never used his ministry to make money for himself, or to wield political power. His ministry was about helping people in need, and helping other athletes avoid many of the pitfalls of the lifestyle of most professional athletes.

I'd rather judge someone by his or her actions than by words alone. And on that basis, Reggie White was a good man who lived according to his beliefs, not a hypocrite who preached one thing for others, but exempted himself from what he claimed to believe.