Or is he just a rich Forest Gump? According to his explanation to the media (Paraphrasing), he just saw a crowd and stuck his head in to see what was happening. He said he had no idea what all the commotion was about. So, like any 14-year-old boy, he was just curious. That was Jerry’s explanation for his image showing a group of White students standing in the way of Black students entering their school.
By A. Govea
In the 1994 movie, Tom Hanks is the slow-witted, kindhearted man-child who appears to be a witness to history or an unknowing participant. It is an entertaining fictional movie, and his character is very believable. While some may describe Jerry as dim-witted at times, I have not heard him described as kindhearted. That is not to say he has been generous sometimes with his players. Some would argue to a fault. Pero that goes back to his G.M. duties, and that is something that has been written about and discussed to death. Jerry is not letting go, so it is a dead issue.
Now is for his new fun-baby, excuse me, that was earlier in the year, his racist stroll in history. That he was not aware of what was going on before he appeared in the picture, I Call B.S. on that. I’m’ sorry if you were alive back then and had some level of consciousness you knew! He went on to say he was sorry that he did not help the Black students feel welcome. And do what he could to make them feel part of the school. Jerry added that he did not know the significance of the moment and wished now he had. That I can believe.
No one should expect a 14-year-old boy to know it all. I know I didn’t. Pero, I believe that he, like all of us, must have learned right from wrong by then. Unless he learned from his parents that only applied when dealing with White folks. Which even though not right most of generally believed what our parents told at least at a young age. And as far as wishing he had done something to help black students, I believe that most White kids or maybe kids in general would have done as he did, nothing.
The people that would have stood for those students or anyone that is being discriminated against are special people. They can see life beyond their own nose and are willing to act to ensure fairness for all. That is not Jerry he is not special he is just rich. To be clear I am not saying that is bad, who wouldn’t want to own the Cowboys. And to be clear, I do believe that given the hindsight of history he might have at least not been there.
In closing I really do not believe that Jerry is a conscience racist. But like all the people that want to throw out any references to racism in schoolbooks denial does not make it go away. In fact, by doing so just reinforces why it happened in the first place. All that said “Go Cowboys”