By Michael Schwarz September 6, 2024 at 8:45am
Diabolical Western leaders have taught young people to divide the world into oppressors and victims.
Thus, it should come as no surprise when those same young people eagerly cast themselves in the latter role.
On Thursday’s debut episode of her new podcast, “Unapologetically Angel,” WNBA star rookie Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky, who is black, expressed no animosity toward her on-court rival and fellow star rookie Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever, who is white, but Reese did blame Clark’s fans for what the Sky rookie characterized as racially-motivated harassment, including death threats.
Reese made those comments in response to a question from co-host and cousin Maya Reese, who asked the Sky rookie about her connection with Clark.
“Caitlin is an amazing player,” Reese said in a clip posted to the social media platform X.
After paying her rival a compliment, she turned to Clark’s fans. On that subject, Reese had less flattering things to say.
“So I think it’s really just the fans — her fans, the Iowa fans, now the Indiana fans — that are like, they ride for her, and I respect that respectfully,” Reese said of those who have supported Clark since her days as a college star with the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Then came the caveat.
“But sometimes it’s very disrespectful. I think there’s a lot of racism when it comes to it. And I don’t believe she stands on any of that. But when it comes to death threats, like, I’m talking about people who have come down to my address, follow me home, like it’s come down to that,” Reese said.
Do you like Caitlin Clark?
The Sky rookie also complained that people have sexualized her, for instance, by making AI photos of her naked. She did not, however, make it clear whether or not she regarded that particularly ugly form of harassment as racially-motivated.
Still, when it came to victim-mongering, she cast a wide net.
“It’s really hard that I have to go through that. And now seeing other players even having to go through that,” Reese said before reiterating her amicable relations with Clark.
Angel Reese on her relationship with Caitlin Clark 👀
Watch full episode here: https://t.co/PRkTaOQ3PO pic.twitter.com/VXGafURpvk
— Unapologetically Angel (@angelreeseshow) September 5, 2024
Of course, wider exposure to a person’s ideas can sometimes provide useful context.
With that in mind, readers who hope to learn more about Reese’s broader perspective may view the entire podcast episode below.
Reese’s comments about Clark’s fans drew a sharp rebuke from veteran sports commentator and conservative Christian Jason Whitlock.
“This is ridiculous. Blaming Caitlin Clark fans because you have critics. You have critics. It would be like me saying my critics are ‘Stephen A Smith fans.’ No, they’re Jason Whitlock critics. Grow up,” Whitlock tweeted.
This is ridiculous. Blaming Caitlin Clark fans because you have critics. You have critics. It would be like me saying my critics are “Stephen A Smith fans.” No, they’re Jason Whitlock critics. Grow up.
— Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) September 6, 2024
Indeed, “grow up” seems an appropriate response to anyone — particularly any celebrity — who plays the victim card.
Moreover, when the victim card doubles as a race card, the situation requires an even stronger rebuke.
In this case, Reese described reprehensible behavior on the part of people who have harassed her in various ways.
She did not seem to recognize, however, that to blame Clark’s fans at Iowa and in Indiana was also reprehensible. Nor did Reese show any shame in attributing that behavior to racism.
Perhaps the Sky rookie has experienced racially-motivated harassment. But the specific incidents she described — death threats and sexualization — need not involve or even imply racism.
Worst of all, Reese appeared to suggest that she and other black players should enjoy exemption from charges of racism. In fact, as it does in the broader political sphere, real racism nearly always comes from woke liberals, and the WNBA has plenty of those.
To an extent, of course, we cannot blame those young people. After all, decades of woke-Marxist propaganda have conditioned them not only to reflexively claim victim status, but to do so with pride.
Best, therefore, to call out the race- and victim-mongering where it appears most obvious, as it did here.
Michael Schwarz holds a Ph.D. in History and has taught at multiple colleges and universities. He has published one book and numerous essays on Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and the Early U.S. Republic. He loves dogs, baseball, and freedom. After meandering spiritually through most of early adulthood, he has rediscovered his faith in midlife and is eager to continue learning about it from the great Christian thinkers.
Michael Schwarz holds a Ph.D. in History and has taught at multiple colleges and universities. He has published one book and numerous essays on Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and the Early U.S. Republic. He loves dogs, baseball, and freedom. After meandering spiritually through most of early adulthood, he has rediscovered his faith in midlife and is eager to continue learning about it from the great Christian thinkers.
