Editor’s note: This article contains social media posts that some may find offensive.
When some black celebrities and athletes reach a certain plateau in their lives, they seem to put on rose-colored glasses and see the world in a different light. A different colorless light. And Cam Newton has proved to be one of those "I don't see color” people.
During a recent interview with ESPN, Newton was of course asked about the Colin Kaepernick controversy over the national anthem, but he went "We are the world" on us and said, "We're all the same inside" and that one-eighth of a piece of skin shouldn't matter.
“What I can’t fathom is how does one-eighth of an inch, something so small, be the difference in such a big commodity in our whole lifetime, and that’s the thickness of our skin,” said Newton. “And under that, we’re all the same color. And that’s the big picture.”
OK, Uncle Cam.
The football player then went on to say that athletes will come under scrutiny when they start to talk about race.
“A lot of scrutiny happens when the athletes start talking about race, but the truth of the matter is, we just gotta do right by each other,” said Newton. “No matter what color you are. Certain things that have happened in our life, in our lifetime, is kind of embarrassing to be affiliated with, but it still happens. Who am I to say, 'Colin. you’re wrong'? And who am I to say, 'You’re right'? We all have the right to think whatever we want to think.”
So, great, say a lot of mumbo jumbo now, but that one-eighth of an inch of skin makes a lot of difference when it's black. Some of these athletes need to take a stand or either sit down and shut up when they can't come up with something relevant to say.