Charles Barkley is sick of the way black people are portrayed in the media. He is particularly concerned that the people who were looting in Ferguson after the controversial grand jury decision last week will be seen as representative of black people in general.
“Them jackasses who are looting,” Barkley said in an interview last week, “those aren’t real black people, those are scumbags. The real black people, they’re not out there looting. I just watched a on CNN where a bunch of folks, really amazing folks wouldn’t let them burn down an establishment. it was a great story. I was in Philly this summer when I saw four black kids who left money in a store when there was nobody in the store. … We only put the negative black people on television. We don’t put the good, hard-working black people.”
Barkley’s refrain that some black people ruin it for the rest is not new for him.
“There’s a perception among some black people that if you’re not a thug or hood rat or if you don’t wear your pants around by your ass, you’re not black enough. They’re always holding us back, plain and simple.”
Barkley’s comments about race were lauded by conservative commentators, particularly when he declared that he had no problem with the grand jury’s decision because he believes that they considered facts that the public didn’t hear before making a decision.
“The true story came out from the grand jury testimony,” Barkley said. “I can’t believe anything I hear on television anymore. And, that’s why I don’t like talking about race issues with the media anymore, because they [the media] love this stuff, and lead people to jump to conclusions. The media shouldn’t do that. They never do that when black people kill each other.”
One Fox News host said that he thought Barkley was right, but that Barkley should not be the one saying it.
“Let me say something about Charles Barkley: He has not seen a poor neighborhood in 20 years!” Bob Beckel said. “He’s running as a Republican for the Senate. … I thought his message was good … I just think other people than Charles Barkley should say it. . . . There’s something about Charles Barkley, every time I see him talking about this stuff, starting [to] talk black, that bothers me.”