Philadelphia Eagle wide receiver Riley Cooper is in some serious hot water after being caught on camera using the N-word during an angry outburst at a recent Kenny Chesney concert. Cooper has since apologized and accepted a fine from the NFL, but this is not the end of the issue as some people are calling for his days in the NFL to be over.
“He's a Philadelphia Eagles player, he went to a Kenny Chesney concert, apparently got in a fight out in the parking lot a little bit potentially, went inside, had an altercation with a black security guard and was angry and on a camera phone used the N word in his anger,” Stu explained on radio this morning. “Obviously horrible and nobody's happy about it, including seemingly him who has, you know, been very apologetic about it.”
Considering Cooper has apologized and taken full responsibility for his actions, you would think this story would be over and done with– but political correctness has once again run amuck with many calling for Cooper’s head.
Stu, however, was able to share a remarkably refreshing piece of audio from the NFL Network. While flipping channels last night, he was treated to this commentary on “race relations” from Dr. Harry Edwards, a sociology professor at the University of California.
NFL NETWORK: If you had a chance to talk to Riley Cooper right now, a chance to advise him, what would you say?
EDWARDS: Well, I would wish him well. I would be more interested in talking to the Eagles team because it is they who will determine the outcome of this thing more than anybody else. They have a choice now between becoming frayed and divided and confused and falling apart as opposed to choosing not to be offended any longer by this situation. This is something that African Americans do quite frequently. They choose not to be offended when the N bomb comes up in a personal conversation between blacks. They choose not to be offended when they hear it on rap records. They choose not to be offended when black comedians use it in some of the most vicious and degrading types of scenarios. We simply choose not to be offended. And I think that that's the choice that this team is confronted with, the team leaders. African American team leaders have to step up and accept that apology which seems to be heartfelt, which seemed to be sincere and we have to move on.
Watch the NFL Network segment HERE.
“Thank you. This guy is in Berkeley,” Glenn asked. “How did he get in? He's going to lose his job. I hope he has tenure.”
“You want to talk about taking power back from that word,” Stu said. “That is how you do it. You sit there and you are not offended by it. You let it go. You don't let it change your life and make you angry.”