In a wide ranging interview with New Yorker magazine, Kobe Bryant was asked about the widespread displays of solidarity in reaction to the Trayvon Martin shooting in 2012. In fact, the Miami Heat posed in hoodies in homage to the slain teen domicilled in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Bryant’s reticent reaction to the iconic Miami Heat hoodies pose is in sharp contrast to the politically correct groupthink amongst African American activists just weeks after the incident and even before George Zimmerman was charged.
Bryant’s insistence of thinking for himself and not jumping to conclusions based upon group identity shows prudence in the traditional sense.
Unfortunately, in this American Wonderland, such judicious and independent thinking is unacceptable for celebrities who seek to profit from popularity in these politically correct times. For instance, The Urban Times alleged:
Over the span of Kobe Bryant‘s career….we’ve seen him do and say some very smug, cavalier and even cornball things at times but the comments that he made regarding the Miami Heat‘s support after Trayvon Martin was killed…by far takes the cake!
So unity must overcome all. The piece progressed to pummel Bryant for not appreciating how he appealed to racial solidarity when there was the Colorado rape allegation from “a less than African American female.”
As the social media firestorm blazed, the career Laker seemed to walk back his diffidence. Bryant tweeted:
That assertion has tries to have it both ways in buttressing his not jumping to conclusions as well as asserting solidarity that the judicial system did not work. This retort may well have been public relations prudence to protect Byrant's multi-million investment in BodyArmor, an emerging sports drink. While Bryant will not be used in Body Armor’s marketing campaigns, this Trayvon controversy could tarnish the brand among basketball enthusiasts, thereby risking Kobe, Inc’s at least 10 percent stake in Body Armor.
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| Kobe Bryant and Body Armor product line. |
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