Over the next two weeks, you best opportunity to watch racism on t.v. will be the US Open tennis championship, televised on the USA television network. The commentators, analysts, and announcers will regale us with how wonderful the straight white tennis players are, and how the lesbians and the black players are struggling and can’t commit to their game. Venus and Serena may be the most popular tennis players in the nation, but you won’t be able to tell that by listening to the coverage. You’ll have wonderful queries like the one today in which the announcers wondered why Mauresmo isn’t talked about more. If they want to here her talked about more, why don’t they talk about her more. They are the ones on national t.v. We’ll here tons about how pretty Maria Sharapova is, in reference to her new Nike commercial. But Serena Williams, who designs her own clothing, will be doubted at every opportunity. Have fun!
You are so right, Trevor. Tennis is crazy that way. What jumped out at me while reading this story (http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/08/31/D8JRLMBG3.html) is the fact that the two venues for this tournament are named for Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong, two of our nation’s most well-known African-Americans. Weird.