LeBron James responds to Laura Ingraham on Trump comments

[TomSea]

LeBron James responds to Laura Ingraham on Trump comments
New York Daily News DANIEL POPPER
Fox News’ Laura Ingraham told LeBron James to “shut up and dribble” after the three-time NBA champion criticized Donald Trump in a video earlier this week.

James responded in no uncertain terms Saturday at All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles.

“We will definitely not shut up and dribble. I will definitely not do that,” James told reporters. “I mean too much to society. I mean too much to the youth. I mean too much to so many kids who feel like they don’t have a way out and need someone to help lead them out of the situation they’re in.”

Read more at: https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/lebron-james-responds-to-laura-ingraham-on-trump-comments/ar-BBJgeHL

I hope Laura said that generally speaking, blacks are doing better under Trump, perhaps a little less violence in the large cities.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Of course he won't shut up.

In-coherency and lack of intelligence is a guarantee the rant will remain.

[goatprairie]

Ingraham is wrong that James, as an athlete, has to shut up.  James has the same right as any citizen to make remarks about the president or whomever.
What James is not free from are the repercussions of his statements.  Just because he's black does not make him immune from criticism from white people or anybody else.

[the_doc]

Ingraham is wrong that James, as an athlete, has to shut up.  James has the same right as any citizen to make remarks about the president or whomever.
What James is not free from are the repercussions of his statements.  Just because he's black does not make him immune from criticism from white people or anybody else.

Actually, Laura was not wrong.  She never said that he has no right to spew out junk.  She is merely suggesting that he is a fool who shouldn't be speaking.  And she was correct about that.

[driftdiver]

Ingraham is wrong that James, as an athlete, has to shut up.  James has the same right as any citizen to make remarks about the president or whomever.
What James is not free from are the repercussions of his statements.  Just because he's black does not make him immune from criticism from white people or anybody else.

@goatprairie

Unlike you and me he gets on national TV to spout his nonsense.   He's abusing his fame to make a political statement.

[goatprairie]

@goatprairie

Unlike you and me he gets on national TV to spout his nonsense.   He's abusing his fame to make a political statement.

So do conservative celebrities. That's their right as  citizens.
But rights also have responsibilities. What James says is not only wrong, it's counterproductive.
What people like Ingraham should be doing is blasting James for putting out false information like he did after Trayvon Martin got himself killed by assaulting George Zimmerman.
James, and many other black athletes and celebs, do great damage when they claim blacks are mostly killed by racist cops and that America is racist.  And James, who never went to college, has made close to half a billion bucks bouncing a basketball in awful, racist America that is so unfair to black people. That he has to be called out for. 
Nevertheless, he has the right to make an ass out of himself...which he often does.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Even Wikipedia and the NYT knows MSN and LeBron James has lied about his attempt to leave high school early for the NBA draft, as Ingraham correctly pointed out.


With averages of 29 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 3.3 steals per game, he was again named Ohio Mr. Basketball and selected to the USA Today All-USA First Team,[6] and became the first junior to be named boys' basketball Gatorade National Player of the Year.[2]:117 St. Vincent-St. Mary finished the year with a 23–4 record, ending their season with a loss in the Division II championship game.[2]:114 Following the loss, James unsuccessfully petitioned for a change to the NBA's draft eligibility rules, which required prospective players to have at least a high school diploma, in an attempt to enter the 2002 NBA draft.[10] During this time, he used marijuana, which he said was to help cope with the stress that resulted from the constant media attention he was receiving.[11][12][13]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LeBron_James

He and Mr. Bissinger leave things out, like the fact that James considered petitioning the N.B.A. to change its rules and let him enter the draft after his junior year of high school.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/09/books/09garner.html

[goatprairie]

Again, James, as an American citizen, has the right to criticize the president and make as many stupid remarks as he wants to. What upsets all the libs is other people responding to James's dumb comments. They shouldn't be allowed to do that. No one in the sports commentariat has the guts to say James is full of fecal matter. They're all cowards.

[the_doc]

Again, James, as an American citizen, has the right to criticize the president and make as many stupid remarks as he wants to. What upsets all the libs is other people responding to James's dumb comments. They shouldn't be allowed to do that. No one in the sports commentariat has the guts to say James is full of fecal matter. They're all cowards.

Again, Laura never said that James has no right to say what he said--but this what you intimated (inadvertently, I guess).  Laura was ultimately just pointing out that what he was saying is not right.  We must never let the libs attack us as though we are violating James's rights.  We have every civil right and every moral right to say he should "shut up and dribble."

So, what did you mean when you said "They shouldn't be allowed to do that."  Are you saying Laura and people like her should shut up?  I certainly hope you're not.  That wouldn't be right.

Go, Laura!  (She's one of our best pundits, in my opinion.)

[Free Vulcan]

“I mean too much to society. I mean too much to the youth. I mean too much to so many kids who feel like they don’t have a way out and need someone to help lead them out of the situation they’re in.”

And he's such a darn humble messiah.

[WingNot]

“I mean too much to society. I mean too much to the youth. I mean too much to so many kids who feel like they don’t have a way out and need someone to help lead them out of the situation they’re in.”

I did not  know Old Lebron is a regular pied piper of the ghetto.

[goatprairie]

Again, Laura never said that James has no right to say what he said--but this what you intimated (inadvertently, I guess).  Laura was ultimately just pointing out that what he was saying is not right.  We must never let the libs attack us as though we are violating James's rights.  We have every civil right and every moral right to say he should "shut up and dribble."

So, what did you mean when you said "They shouldn't be allowed to do that."  Are you saying Laura and people like her should shut up?  I certainly hope you're not.  That wouldn't be right.

Go, Laura!  (She's one of our best pundits, in my opinion.)

I guess you might have forgotten the title of one of Ingraham's books "Shut Up And Sing"...which I admit that I didn't read, but I gathered the general tone of the book was that people like James, celebs, should not be vocal/outgoing about their political beliefs.
I never said I believe Ingraham or others should not respond, I specifically said James and other loudmouths can say what they want, but they are liable for what they say.
I have no problem with people skewering him for his stupid remarks. That's my problem...there are people who are implying because he's a dumb jock, he shouldn't be allowed to say stupid things instead of debunking his dumb remarks.
I'm more concerned  about people being afraid of being called racists and refusing to engage James and other black celebs on their race-baiting statements.

[the_doc]

I guess you might have forgotten the title of one of Ingraham's books "Shut Up And Sing"...which I admit that I didn't read, but I gathered the general tone of the book was that people like James, celebs, should not be vocal/outgoing about their political beliefs.
I never said I believe Ingraham or others should not respond, I specifically said James and other loudmouths can say what they want, but they are liable for what they say.
I have no problem with people skewering him for his stupid remarks. That's my problem...there are people who are implying because he's a dumb jock, he shouldn't be allowed to say stupid things instead of debunking his dumb remarks.
I'm more concerned  about people being afraid of being called racists and refusing to engage James and other black celebs on their race-baiting statements.

Thanks for that clarification, my friend.  Laura Ingraham never said he shouldn't be allowed to say stupid things.  She was just saying that he shouldn't be saying the stupid stuff.  To use your phraseology, we all need to find a more-or-less civil way to say he is full of fecal matter. 

[TomSea]

James, was at that rally or whatever it was, for Hillary in Ohio, I'm sure he's a pretty solid Obamaite or Democrat; probably about all I need to know about him. If there were a bunch of people booing him somewhere or maybe even not, I might boo him though, I agree he has a right to express himself, so do I.

[goatprairie]

Thanks for that clarification, my friend.  Laura Ingraham never said he shouldn't be allowed to say stupid things.  She was just saying that he shouldn't be saying the stupid stuff.  To use your phraseology, we all need to find a more-or-less civil way to say he is full of fecal matter.

If Ingraham is saying libs shouldn't say stupid things out loud, well good luck with that. To be an arch lib is to say virtually nothing but stupid things endlessly.  But that is their right.
What I would like Ingraham to do on her next tv show is take all of James stupid statements and debunk them in detail.

[goatprairie]

James, was at that rally or whatever it was, for Hillary in Ohio, I'm sure he's a pretty solid Obamaite or Democrat; probably about all I need to know about him. If there were a bunch of people booing him somewhere or maybe even not, I might boo him though, I agree he has a right to express himself, so do I.

Interestingly enough, although James is a great player and maybe one of the top ten greatest players ever, he not especially liked by many fans.
On bb forums I frequent he is disliked by many posters even though I would bet the posters themselves are largely liberals.
That's in contrast to Michael Jordan who was loved by so many bb fans even though he was a total jerk on and off the court to his teammates. Meanwhile, James seems to treat his teammates much better and not engage in the abuse and violence Jordan visited on his own teammates.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Interestingly enough, although James is a great player and maybe one of the top ten greatest players ever, he not especially liked by many fans.
On bb forums I frequent he is disliked by many posters even though I would bet the posters themselves are largely liberals.
That's in contrast to Michael Jordan who was loved by so many bb fans even though he was a total jerk on and off the court to his teammates. Meanwhile, James seems to treat his teammates much better and not engage in the abuse and violence Jordan visited on his own teammates.

Brute talent on a basketball court does not deserve to call one 'great' in my book aka Dennis Rodman or OJ Simpson or Pete Rose.

Using the talent in a manner that draws respect from others in exemplary behavior off and on the field of sports is what I call 'great'.

[goatprairie]

Brute talent on a basketball court does not deserve to call one 'great' in my book aka Dennis Rodman or OJ Simpson or Pete Rose.

Using the talent in a manner that draws respect from others in exemplary behavior off and on the field of sports is what I call 'great'.

Okay, we'll agree to disagree. It's just that many great players from many sports in past history were not the nicest people on or off the playing field or arena.
They were still great in what they did on the field or in the arena. I don't like James. He's a typical spoiled player worth close to half a billion dollars who complains about his lot in life and racist whites oppressing blacks.
But on the bb court he is simply a tremendous player. I won't take that away from him.

[mountaineer]

Jason Whitlock: ‘Laughable,’ ‘Foolish’ of LeBron to Think of Himself as Muhammad Ali or MLK
by Trent Baker
20 Feb 2018

In a Fox Sports 1 video essay for “Speak for Yourself,” Jason Whitlock responded to Cleveland Cavaliers star forward LeBron James likening himself to iconic boxer Muhammad Ali during his feud with Fox News Channel’s Laura Ingraham over her telling him to “shut up and dribble” instead of speaking out on politics.   ...

Whitlock called James’s comparison “laughable” and “foolish,” adding the superstar needs to engage with his critics the way icons Muhammad Ali, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X all did if he “truly wants to be a powerful voice on social issues.”

“It cheapens the boldness and the courage it takes to truly compete in the marketplace of intellectual ideas,” said Whitlock.

“LeBron James is well-intentioned, but if he truly wants to be a powerful voice on social issues, he needs to have his sharpened by competing in the marketplace of ideas,” he continued. “Or he can remain blind to the simple things he clearly doesn’t know.”

Link to Whitlock's video at Breitbart

[goatprairie]

Jason Whitlock: ‘Laughable,’ ‘Foolish’ of LeBron to Think of Himself as Muhammad Ali or MLK
by Trent Baker
20 Feb 2018

In a Fox Sports 1 video essay for “Speak for Yourself,” Jason Whitlock responded to Cleveland Cavaliers star forward LeBron James likening himself to iconic boxer Muhammad Ali during his feud with Fox News Channel’s Laura Ingraham over her telling him to “shut up and dribble” instead of speaking out on politics.   ...

Whitlock called James’s comparison “laughable” and “foolish,” adding the superstar needs to engage with his critics the way icons Muhammad Ali, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X all did if he “truly wants to be a powerful voice on social issues.”

“It cheapens the boldness and the courage it takes to truly compete in the marketplace of intellectual ideas,” said Whitlock.

“LeBron James is well-intentioned, but if he truly wants to be a powerful voice on social issues, he needs to have his sharpened by competing in the marketplace of ideas,” he continued. “Or he can remain blind to the simple things he clearly doesn’t know.”

Link to Whitlock's video at Breitbart

Whitlock is about the only black ESPN talking head who doesn't automatically parrot all the idiocies spewed forth by the other black ESPN talking heads.  He's more reasonable i.e. saner than a number of the white ESPN talking heads of whom most are as reliably liberal in their opinions as the black THs.

[mountaineer]

ESPN fired Whitlock, as I recall. I believe he's now on FOX Sports.

[goatprairie]

ESPN fired Whitlock, as I recall. I believe he's now on FOX Sports.

Well, there you go. ESPN can't stand dissenters from the liberal orthodoxy. Colin Cowherd is another ex-ESPN sports guy who has authorized unpopular i.e. not necessarily liberal statements in the past. He's at FOX too.