COMMENTARY: Racism has to stop

 COMMENTARY: Racism has to stop

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

MASSILLON--This week, a very unnerving situation occurred and an evilly hated specter reared it's head once again.

It is atrocious enough that racial mistreatment happened back in it's day. I thought we were past that. However it is 2026 and regrettably, this gentleman was mistaken.

As I was scrolling on Facebook, I saw a Massillon family post a picture of a demeaning slur that was written on their sidewalk. The slur was written in chalk four times. Immediately, a huge feeling of disdain overtook me. It was just three months ago that I was here writing about the Massillon Washington boys basketball team winning the first ever state basketball championship in their illustrious history. Now here I am having to write about an unnerving situation that happened in a city that I have the utmost respect for, a respect spanning 21 years dating back to my senior year at the University of Mount Union, formerly Mount Union College.

The N word is a slur that spans back to many decades when black individuals were degraded with that contemptible word. And sadly it is still being used. I thought were were past that in terms of ascending from black and white to color television. But this week took a sickening turn back to black and white television.

I don't care whether it is Massillon, Canton, Cleveland, Warren, or wherever the city is, no family has a right to be subjected to vile rancor. It is pretty clear the offending person who committed the flagrant transgression hates blacks. And the family to no one's surprise that was victimized is black. I felt the anger of the mother who posted pictures which will not be displayed out of respect for them and the sadness of her children who were unable to enjoy the happiness of summer vacation because a single perpetrator decided to revert back to the old days of racial inequality.

Bottom line, racism has to stop. 

Earlier this year, I was on the end of that myself as I was called a racial slur while I was out taking care of errands. It's bad enough to be called a traitor and that's bad enough. I get that as a part of the local media being a McKinley graduate and with my ESPN 990 basketball duties for the state champion Tigers basketball team. Being called a traitor is one thing (I don't agree with it) but what happened was shocking to me.

A person yelled out to me "Keno, you're a coon!"

I didn't get a good look at the individual and it surprised me. I only hope it wasn't someone who I personally know. But that's for a later discussion. Being called a "coon" isn't as bad as the N word but it still possessed a powerfully demeaning message. The offender who denigrated me isn't any better than the one who wrote the N word on the sidewalk of that Massillon family. 

Racism wasn't ever allowed under the watch of legendary coach Paul Brown. I was reminded of an anecdote during his tenure as Massillon's football coach that he had a black athlete who was a part of his team and the rest of his teammates were white. When a waitress told Brown that his black athlete was not allowed to eat at the restaurant, Brown made it clear if his player did not eat, no one would eat there. He took his team out of the restaurant and never returned there the rest of his remaining 82 years of his life.

That brings me to another legendary athlete, Willie Spencer Sr. He was mostly noted for being the only high school player to be drafted into the NFL after high school. Spencer Sr. also was noted for how he treated women with respect. An anecdote I was informed of won me over with him. 

As a senior at Massillon after a football practice, a sophomore player that was white had a long walk home from football practice and Spencer observed this player walking home. In a moment that showed humanity, Spencer Sr. pulled over and urged his teammate to get in and took him home.

Where is the humanity today? That is the question. Why are there people still committing racially charged actions today? I cannot imagine how the affected family feels about the action that truly became a feeble attempt to belittle them and quash their path in life. Calling me a "coon" is one thing. I can handle that. I am an adult. But calling a family a word which has no place for it in today's vocabulary, especially the N word is highly reprehensible. And there is no question my feelings will be such as strong if a white family were offended.

Going forward, I don't want to see any child younger than 44 years of age experience that type of pain. I don't want to have to see any family experience that kind of pain. Parents and family relatives should be having discussions about the future of their child, not about racism.

I thought we were past racism. Sadly I was greatly mistaken. Let's get back to what humanity is about. Let's get back to the days where we as black and white human beings can love each other. Let's get back to the days where we could have a good time. Let's get back to the days where racism was forbidden.

To the Massillon family who had to experience that shameful atrocity, you are strong. Be strong for your children. Be strong for each other and know that there are humans that are in your corner. And to the person who wrote the slur on that family's sidewalk, take responsibility. Take the time out to seek out the family and apologize. Take the time to learn from that family and to educate yourself.

The evil specter of racism reared it's ugly head again. Let's switch that channel like the human beings we are today and live in fluorescent television color, not the black and white television days. 

Keno Sultan is a writer for Stark County Prep Press. He can be reached at 330-445-4575 or email at KenoSultan@hotmail.com.