Hank Aaron gets a new ton of racist hatemail, proving his point

[ghostsinthemachine]

This isn't from the 1960s. It is from this week.

"Hank Aaron is a scumbag piece of (expletive) (racial slur)'' a man named Edward said in an e-mail to the Braves front office and obtained by USA TODAY Sports. "My old man instilled in my mind from a young age, the only good (racial slur) is a dead (racial slur)."

Because baseball great Hank Aaron had the audacity to say that racism still exists and things haven't really changed that much over the last few decades. So the racists responded by entirely proving his point and sending a deluge of racist hatemail to the Atlanta Braves.

Now, over at Fox or on Right Wing AM radio you can listen to any number of white people who will totally agree that racism is over and the New Black Panther Party is scary, scary, scary. In reality all it takes to prove that racism is alive and well is for a black man to say that racism still exists.

When Aaron broke the record in 1974 set by Babe Ruth at 715 home runs, he received death threats and was on the receiving end of a torrent of hateful messages. During a recent interview with USA Today on the 40th anniversary of the event, he said he not only said he keeps the messages as a reminder that America still has a ways to go in race relation, but he lambasted Republicans for the way they treat this country's first black president.

Those comments have apparently set off a new torrent of hate mail for Aaron, USA Today reports, full of racial epithets and accusations of Aaron himself being a racist.

"Hank Aaron is a scumbag piece of (expletive) (racial slur)'' a man named Edward said in an e-mail to the Braves front office and obtained by USA TODAY Sports. "My old man instilled in my mind from a young age, the only good (racial slur) is a dead (racial slur)."
MORE HERE: https://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/04/15/1292235/-Hank-Aaron-gets-a-new-ton-of-racist-hatemail-proving-his-point?detail=facebook%3Fdetail%3Dfacebook

Absolutely sickening. "I'm not black but there's a whole lotsa times I wish I could say I'm not white...” (FZ) from "More Trouble Every Day"

[packman]

1. "My old man instilled in my mind from a young age..."

And that says it all. In the movie, 42 - the story of Jackie Robinson, I remember a scene where a young boy was with his father in the stands. The excitement and the joy of being at a game with his dad was evident. Then Jackie came out to bat and the father stood up and began to rant . The boy looked at his dad, getting clues as to how he was to act and a few seconds later, he too started out with the hate. A very telling moment.

[gelsdorf]

11. That was a key scene to me also

perhaps one of the best in the movie. That's how it starts, very chilling indeed

[LWolf]

14. This is why

it's so hard to eradicate racism; that kind of conditioning doesn't "stick" with everyone; some manage to leave it behind to one degree or another.

But it perpetuates racism through generations.

[Elwood P Dowd]

2. I saw Hank play in person dozens to times from 1966-1974.

Never heard any racial slurs from fans at the games, but the nasty letters he received during the chase to beat Ruth's record were sickening. Those letter writers are like the Free Republic racist punks that set in their mom's basement and play Billy Bad Ass on a computer.

[SusanCalvin]

3. Again? Hasn't this happened to him before in the last year or so?

I think so - I have a vague recollection of sending a supportive email then. Why are some people such jerks?

[bucolic_frolic]

4. what did these racists think

of Chief Nokahoma?

I suppose that was OK with them? As long as the home team won?

Chief Nokahoma was the Atlanta Braves mascot who emerged from his
teepee in the bleachers to celebrate home team home runs.

[heaven05]

5. Go Hank!!!!!

same thing I said when he started closing in on Ruth's record......still say it, right now!!!!! Make it clear and without doubt as to what you might mean. Nicey, nice is over. Sandra Bland's funeral will keep reminding me, that is the case both on the Left and the racist right. #Black Lives Matter.............stenciled all over the place.........

[marble falls]

6. "I'm not black but there's a whole lotsa times I wish I could say I'm not white...” Sez it all.

just for you:

[90-percent]

12. More Trouble Comin Every Day

This version was performed during the ten years of the Mothers of Invention tour around 1976.

The "I'm not black, but...." is from the Mothers first album Freak Out, in the song "Trouble Comin Every Day"

At 2:57 FZ sings the verse you're pointing out. I don't think the verse was included in the later version.

Trouble Comin Every Day is also referred to as "the Watts riots song"

-90% jimmy

[marble falls]

13. Nice rebound. My first Zappa Album. My folks never did see that cover. $2.99 in mono at Shopper's...

Fair in Parma Hts, Ohio.

Saw them in 72 in Providence, RI and in 76 at Kent State

Jeez what fun days the 60's were!

[Warren DeMontague]

7. Hank Aaron has always been a class act. I remember when he broke that record.

I wish I could say I was surprised by this, but I'm not.

[TNNurse]

8. When I was in high school

our band played the national anthem before a Braves game. We were waiting on the field to play as they were warming up. I recognized him as he trotted over to pick up a ball and gave a surreptitious wave. We had been warned to be on our best behavior so it was a low hand down brief wave which he returned. It has been over 40 years and still one of the thrills of my life.

Racism is such a waste of time and energy. And it is a horrible waste of human life.

[edhopper]

9. A man may be know by his enemies

a great player and class act always.

[itsrobert]

10. This is over a year ago

Is there an update?

[SusanCalvin]

15. Oh, is this what I'm remembering? (see above) nt

[PufPuf23]

16. One can argue that the Designated Hitter is a racist artifact.

The designated hitter is now ubiquitous in baseball.

The American League was slower to integrate than the National League.

The American League instituted the designated hitter to keep aging sluggers in the game and keep offensive (hitting) pace with the National League.

One could argue that racism is an element in the scorn of Barry Bonds in the steroid issue.

There are many white baseball players that did not play against blacks and other people of color or that used "greenies" (speed) that are in the MLB HOF.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

17. And yet many people believe that a parent always has the absolute right to raise a child as

they see fit.

"My old man instilled in my mind from a young age, the only good (racial slur) is a dead (racial slur)."

How could anyone know better what's best for a child than the parent?