And before i introduce the men of the hours give jackson and to the organizers and spencers want our sponsors such as goo jackson naomi klein. We need bold radical ideas right now and then to do that in three ways. And by joining haymarket books and three no matter how small and post that in the chat as well. Does a be recorded please subscribe to the channel i like this video and share with as many people as possible and follow haymarket on the social media channel. Haymarket has events lined up and is not just a slogan in the age of coronavirus and other haymarket events in the youtube channel. And with that forbearance and then to reduce the mah quality. And then to navigate back to the book page in case of interruption. And we will have time for q a please dont answer any questions so please post your questions on the live video feed so just comment on the stream and on the video and we have the haymarket books and we tweeting at right now know its my pleasure i call him the coal train of the sports page he is wearing a coal train shirt ever following them over ten years because i used to read scoop on the new york city subway and there was thought that was called the coal train of the sports even before i knew he wasnt just figure the National Senior writer for espn raise culture and sports over 25 years and editor and slam magazine and with that which i absolutely love is called the game is not a game power protest in politics. And his name is scoop jackson. I know how far we go back and how much love we are brothers from different mothers. On to show everybody my hat and explain. And from the 1968 olympics he gave me this had and the shadow and there and the artwork of the australian runner so just showing off my hat. And with that white backdrop and with the legacy and to take the script to put in the backdrop. So it means a lot to me. So those two around the country and around the world who may not necessarily know about you and your background. About your parents or politics and how that translated into your life . Mother and father were both members of the black panther party. And the black newspaper reporter and my mother was a social worker. And as a part of black activist. And then and that phrase under that mentality. And that came with it that has been my foundation. And with that black selfesteem and not only that and always at the south shore chicago we were both raised in south shore. And says you been together 20 years, 26 years married and inside the south shore like mohammed its where islam is. So my mother and father not necessarily claiming any religion and growing up in a household with black panther ideology not necessarily religiously that culturally. So with have black empowerment and black entrepreneurship so how that dying slave mentality that exist throughout my career to navigate not as a lead but as a balance. Anyone who reads this book with the idea of black empowerment using sports as a platform as the antiracist platform given the fact without black labor or bodies you dont have this complex and we are reminded that more than we are. And sometimes in the time it had risen to a level and then almost forget and collectively they still dont hold the power. And that cultural and business side. In that prison that lends itself distinctively understand that rule and i tried to consolidate that person. And what is so impressive and with this appearance of power without the actuality and some of the news today with the National Football league and with that coronavirus is just a distraction and with those and thinking about the lack of power in this scenario because the typical career only last three years and the nfl ownership they need the game to play to get those billions of dollars of broadcast funds and the athletes themselves are in a position where frankly the American Workers are work or go home. No black owners in the nfl. Michael bennett said to me once. And on a temporary basis. And the importance for what you bring to the table for the sports dialogue. And with that dynamic as far as he of the lack of black executives. Nobody in the nfl to further the conversation lets not do it because of this so just from that executive standpoint to use that proverbial term at the take the seat at the table and to sit down as an equal or a partner for the nfl owners and commissioner and other executives in that Business Model that we call the nfl that we need to think about this can we not treat this virus as the aside . Maybe that someone in the room looking for those societal effects or the role to play in these decisions and the effect nfl has and to what it does without having any executives or real think tank to have that discussion to push back that agenda so maybe there is some hesitancy . And my mind went straight to the fact no black executive or executive with color. And then to make you think about Something Different. And then to reopen the Sports Committee and the committee it would be shocking if we didnt do this for four years with those sports commissioners and is a group of owners owner of the cowboys the owner of the patriots mark cuban owner of the mavericks make a committee about sports and no Health Experts no black people know women, given how diverse you have to consciously make that effort to create Something Like country club. This is just not specifically and looking at the people as a nation to say this is a bad time not to trust white people. [laughter] you know what im saying . And that doesnt trust white males thats a bad time not to trust americans. Everything that is happening is in their hands. Everything. It is something. There has to be built on a sense of trust and accountability. Exactly. And that makes the time like now all the more dangerous as why its in the place that its in. Im sorry i got off topic. So be call this the road to freedom and then to get some history a little bit. When youre conscious of the person behind you mohammed ali and so to explain the affiliation of the black social movement and then Jesse Jackson back in the day but then within our society i cannot deliver a to him some of his presence and practice at the forefront as an example to simplify i cannot remember the exact line but but a lot of people didnt get that. But Jackie Robinson did break the color barrier. And then to become a part but there is Something Different about someone who makes an entire race and then to go much further to be accepted by somebody else to have somebodys approval to feel this way and how we feel and on that global stage has ever done before. There are a lot of ways and black society being what it was for the most part and theres nothing without it and 64 i was born 63. And one year after i was born less than a year after i was born mohammed ali. And then from where i was living and then at the foot of all of that happening from one years old so to answer your question theres never been a time in my life and then to play a role. And then to be something more than sports. And to use it for something bigger than sports. Do you see people like lebron james . I do they build their own thing where do you see lebron and a continuum . But then specifically to reach audiences and send messages that were not have worked 50 years ago because of various reasons. So i also think there is a spirit there that mohammed ali may have not existed he has very grounded in what mohammed ali stood for without saying those words he carries that with them in very smartly and not recklessly and at the same time im not an individual that looks at lebron james expects him to be the next mohammed ali or Michael Jordan or serena williams. I understand that this man is unique that we may never see him again. And we may never see it again. And then we go down the line with individuals and mohammed ali is in that conversation and not to put that another athletes. And then in order to have a social or political or economic impact. That is not healthy thinking. Hearing about this the other day on the show that we as black people when it comes to sports we have it staying at looking at absolute blackness. It almost becomes harmful. They cannot have flaws. They have to do everything. Is not lay ali is follis or lebron is flawless or serena or Michael Jordan or steph curry. And then to find flaws and black politicians are black activist down the line that we have to nitpick and to be important let him do a thing and not doing any harm and then to be caught up in a lot of that. So i believe that mohammed ali did things that such a level to think he was flawless and never make any mistakes. To what he did. There is a great quotation by ken burns the documentary filmmaker who said the greeks understood that he rose have flaws. It is a very specific part but putting people on pedestals and another process to tear them down instead of recognizing part of what makes somebody a hero is how they negotiate the positive and negative parts of the character and as they go into combat with one another. That makes mohammed ali a hero not because he was perfect but when it came time to stand up he became 12foot tall. Exactly. Thats what makes it special. If everybody will be like that then to take away that talk about entertainers Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder everybody has to be like that. Those that the superhuman people cannot do. And then to put that greatness within them. Im not saying its wrong but it definitely helps and as black individuals dont have that luxury to have so many he rose. We only get a few at a time we need to be careful about bringing those people down. And to be a that tradition one of the things he did not have to do and the tremendous amount of publicity speaking and then to be hunted down with a former Police Officer and his son is in a case that has so many echoes of the traver martin case. This is what lebron sent out literally hunted every day every time we step foot outside the comfort of our homes cant even go for a damn job. Are you kidding me . Know. You kidding me cracks rest in paradise. What does that do i have the reason im happy to share. But what does that do when someone like lebron james notices the injustice like this to amplify . What does that do . Doesnt do anything in my overthinking it makes an impact . It resonates so we didnt have twitter four years ago so to have an outlet voice i you feel to have a press conference. And then to be broadcast globally and then have the power and lebron has use that this is how he feels and theres those that understand that feeling that dont agree with him having that feeling. So that lebron understands with that Section Society globally that cannot publicly convey feeling that way but still does it matter a lot about him. But how important he feels it is and then to support other voices and he understands theres a lot of people and then to try to find everything but these two individuals that lebron is putting out a tweet to use twitter or facebook or instagram and they put their own message out there . That helps and i hope it plays a small role of privilege you have white people who are fans of lebron but have the privilege not to care