Weeks after he said he thinks race plays a role in some of the criticism he faces, NBA star LeBron James retweeted a racially charged Twitter message that someone sent him.
The message was one of three critical tweets that the Miami Heat player retweeted Tuesday for the public to see.
"U r a big nosed big lipped bug eyed n*****. ur greedy, u try to hide ur ghettoness," the message read. The apparent sender’s Twitter account no longer exists.
ESPN.com reported that after the Heat's practice Wednesday in Miami, James said he just wanted people "to see what type of words that are said toward me and towards us as professional athletes."
"Everybody thinks it is a bed of roses and it’s not," James said, according to ESPN.com.
Accompanying the retweets was a tweet from James himself: "U see world how people feel! Just use it as extra motivation in whatever u do best! No one can stop your dreams from becoming reality!"
In an interview earlier this year, CNN’s Soledad O’Brien asked James whether race played a role in a backlash over “The Decision,” an hourlong July special on ESPN in which he announced he would leave the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat.
"I think so, at times," James responded. "[There's] always a race factor."
Many columnists, bloggers and fans had criticized the Akron, Ohio, native over the way he handled his departure from the Cleveland Cavaliers, James’ team for the first seven years of his NBA career. Some bemoaned what they said was his lack of loyalty to his hometown, and others said that although they felt James could go where he wanted, the manner in which he announced the move was too egotistical and an embarrassment to Cleveland.
Some commentators later criticized James over his answer to O'Brien's race question.
"With his self-aggrandizing, narcissistic one-hour TV exit - 'The Decision' - LeBron James ruined his public image, not racism," FoxSports' Jason Whitlock wrote in early October.
ESPN.com's J.A. Adande wrote, however, that James "didn't claim to be a victim of racial persecution" and just noted what is "a simple, fundamental truth in our society and, in particular, the NBA.”
"As long as the NBA features predominantly black athletes playing for predominantly white owners who are selling their sport to predominantly white ticket buyers, there will be a race factor. It's an ongoing quandary, usually left unsaid,"Â Adande wrote.
The two other two critical tweets that James made public Tuesday did not have any racial slurs. One said: "hey good game last night, too bad you're a fraud, BITCH." The other said: "no one wants to hear u speak. Why dont u speak by laying ur head under a moving car."
Am I the only one that finds it sad that this topic has created an uproar from both sides.
Everyone can bad mouth one another all they want. Blacks aren't better than whites, white aren't better than black or anyone better than anyone based on race.
And making a racist statement in retaliation to a racist statement isn't any better than the one who started it.
The fact is regardless of your color at some point in your life you will be judged and treaty unfairly. Everyone.
I was the white boy who grew up in the hood. There were those of different ethnicities who judged me and threatened me to the fullest. You know what though, there were also those who had my back to the fullest and who I now consider family.
Point is quit letting a select few turn us against one another. We are all brothers and sisters in this crazy world and the moment we start putting petty nonsense behind us is the moment we will all rise, as human beings. Don't fuel the fires people. Extinguish them.
Oh and GO LEBRON!!!!
mean while somewhere out there in this god foresaken planet an innocent childs about to die due to the lack of food and water..and Lebron James (with all the millions he got)..should take valuable time on CNN to rant about a small comment that someone made on his socila network page?...homie needs to grow up..if Obama had to cry over every nasty word that was a said bout him..he would have not been president...consider yourself lucky James..atleast you got a job
I wish I could meet all of you racist cowards in a dark alley somewhere. None of u would talk that junk in person.
CNN yall some Haters! Dont get mad cause I said ya boy Brock Lesnar got KNOCKED OUT last night.
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