Angry Trayvon Martin Supporters Call for Boycott of Kobe Bryant
NBA superstar Kobe Bryant is in hot water for comments he made to the New Yorker magazine about slain Florida teenager Trayvon Martin.
Kobe seemed to sympathize with the teen’s killer, George Zimmerman, when he used Trayvon as an analogy to explain his belief that American blacks choose their battles based on skin color rather than studying the merits of a situation before reacting irrationally.
“I won’t react to something just because I’m supposed to, because I’m an African-American,” Bryant said. “That argument doesn’t make any sense to me. So we want to advance as a society and a culture, but, say, if something happens to an African-American we immediately come to his defense? Yet you want to talk about how far we’ve progressed as a society? Well, we’ve progressed as a society, then don’t jump to somebody’s defense just because they’re African-American. You sit and you listen to the facts just like you would in any other situation, right? So I won’t assert myself.”
The reaction from the black community was swift.
From Fox News:
Although the 35-year-old Bryant, who spent much of his childhood in Italy, where his father was a professional basketball player, did not take a position on the merits of the case against Zimmerman, critics came down hard. Hall of Fame NFL running back Jim Brown told the article’s author Bryant doesn’t understand the African-American culture.
“[Kobe] is somewhat confused about culture, because he was brought up in another country,” Brown said.
On Thursday, self-described civil rights activist Najee Ali, director of Project Islamic H.O.P.E., angrily called for a boycott of all things Bryant.
“African American youth should no longer buy Bryant’s jerseys or shoes and should boycott all products he endorses,” Ali said in a statement. “Bryant doesn’t identify with the struggle that our African-American youth face nationally. So why should we continue to support Bryant who has never truly identified with the African American experience.”
The last time Bryant was dragged this unmercifully by the public he was brought to tears. This is a young man whose only connection to the black community are his black parents.
In response to the backlash, Bryant tweeted, “Travon (sic) Martin was wronged THATS my opinion and thats what I believe the FACTS showed. The system did not work #myopinion #tweetURthoughts.”
But others, such as BET contributor and best-selling author Keith Boykin, tweeted their support of the besieged superstar athlete:
Just found out @kobebryant posted this on Instagram on July 15 last year, 2 days after Zimmerman was acquitted. pic.twitter.com/5Dqt8gsROo
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) March 28, 2014
Thanks to loyal reader Ernest Ortiz for the tip.
29 Responses to “Angry Trayvon Martin Supporters Call for Boycott of Kobe Bryant”
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African American youth should no longer buy Bryant’s jerseys or shoes
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I’ve never seen anyone walking around with a pair of Kobes on. On second thought, I don’t even know what they look like
I’ve never seen anyone walking around with a pair of Kobes on. On second thought, I don’t even know what they look like
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They sell those at Ross/Marshall’s/TJ Maxx and the like
Is he supporting Georgie Porgie b/c he and his wife resemble a little? Both have horrible widows peaks :corner:
They sell those at Ross/Marshall’s/TJ Maxx and the like
I was thinking more along the lines of Wal Mart. You know that’s the grave yard for once hot brands.
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I was really hoping his reaction was more so directed at the Heat (a rival team) and had been taken out of context to make it appear that it was in reference to Travon, BUT, his statement (“if something happens to an African-American we immediately come to his defense?”)
so belittles Travon’s wrongful death, I just can’t find any reasonable/acceptable “out” for him on this one. This is sounding real ‘house-niggrish’ to me.
A.J. says:
I’ve never cared for Kobe myself.
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Me neither!!
It’s sooo ironic too, when you consider that had it been Kobe wearing a hoodie that night, Zimmerman would have reacted in the SAME EXACT MANNER and Kobe would have been gunned down same as Travon. The fact that he does not realize this is absolutely astounding. This is what happens when we don’t teach our children about the history of this country AND use that to explain the present day challenges we are STILL trying to overcome because of that history. Wow… just, wow.
Post the whole article. I wanna see what the question was, and how he answered THAT question
People need to get over the uproar when statement are made by certain entertainers who do not identify themselves as black, or think they are a special breed despite their genetic and ethnic makeup. They have always distanced themselves from the culture, people etc so why people get surprised when they are unable to sympathize is beyond me
I’m trying to peruse the web for this story, and folks keep bringing up his rape charges
Ok, somebody correct me if I’m wrong
Ok, they asked him how he felt about the Heat hoodie pic, and he stated the above, right?
but nothing from up top… Where’s the story? 
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I go over to the New Yorker, and they have a Kobe article by Ben McGrath dated March 31st
My conclusion is (since I can’t find the whole article) that he didn’t answer right, and if that’s how he thinks, he should
zip his lips 
“So we want to advance as a society and a culture, but, say, if something happens to an African-American we immediately come to his defense? Yet you want to talk about how far we’ve progressed as a society? Well, we’ve progressed as a society, then don’t jump to somebody’s defense just because they’re African-American. You sit and you listen to the facts just like you would in any other situation, right? So I won’t assert myself.”
I suppose if I try to view things from Kobe’s perspective, I’d have to agree that we’ve “progressed.” I mean, if we hadn’t, when he was accused of raping that yt girl in the hotel, we could have all ‘asserted’ ourselves and ‘jumped’ to his defense til we gave clean out, and ‘they’ STILL would have been ready to “Emmett Till” his arse “facts” be damned. Let’s hope he doesn’t over “assert” himself and become the next Orenthal James Simpson and get his ‘pass’ revoked.
Doesn’t Talk To Strangers says:
Post the whole article. I wanna see what the question was, and how he answered THAT question
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“I won’t react to something just because I’m supposed to, because I’m an African-American,” Bryant said. “That argument doesn’t make any sense to me. So we want to advance as a society and a culture, but, say, if something happens to an African-American we immediately come to his defense? Yet you want to talk about how far we’ve progressed as a society? Well, we’ve progressed as a society, then don’t jump to somebody’s defense just because they’re African-American. You sit and you listen to the facts just like you would in any other situation, right? So I won’t assert myself.”
@DTTS, try this link, minus the spaces
http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2014/03/28/kobe-bryant-takes-shots-for-comments-on-trayvon-martin/
sorry Sandra
I thought I’d removed all the dots… 
Ok, they asked him how he felt about the Heat hoodie pic, and he stated the above, right?
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Doesn’t Talk To Strangers says:
I go over to the New Yorker, and they have a Kobe article by Ben McGrath dated March 31st
but nothing from up top… Where’s the story? 
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Unlike web-based magazines, The New Yorker publishes full articles in print, not online. So run out and buy the magazine.
UH-OH! she in ‘taser’ mode…
Sandra 
Nancy Drew says:
sorry Sandra
I thought I’d removed all the dots… 
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no problem @ Nancy Drew
But when they were suupporting his rapist azz that was ok huh? Man if he don’t have a seat somewhere before his career is completely shut down.
And here is why I stand by NOT being a Laker fan until this fool retires. So its ok for us to support YOU just because you are black when that girl said you raped her, but it is not ok to come together to seek JUSTICE for a child whom was slain just because he was black. I hope when he retires he moves the hell away from here. I think Colorado would be a great place for him.
Thanks for the post Sandy
Can someone tell the village idiot to STFU
Draya said “that’s what strippers do” puppylove says:
And here is why I stand by NOT being a Laker fan until this fool retires. So its ok for us to support YOU just because you are black when that girl said you raped her, but it is not ok to come together to seek JUSTICE for a child whom was slain just because he was black. I hope when he retires he moves the hell away from here. I think Colorado would be a great place for him.
Amen and agreed
Funny he should say that considering black America jumped to his defense when he was accused of rape. ..He needed the same support the Martin family needed. He is entitled to his opinion but sometimes ppl need to utilize that 5th ammendment
Where are your friends?
WHO are your friends?
What kind of friends to you have?
How often do you have friends over?
WHY don’t you have friends
I personally think that for the interviewer to even ask him about a picture taken by the Miami Heat a year ago was a set up to goad his stupid ass into making a stupid comment. As a parent, he simply should have deflected to not wanting to lose a child. That could have been something he addressed. He’s an ASS……in my President Obama voice.