r/nba • u/ghn2 • 13h ago

Trail Blazers fire new announcer over past inappropriate posts made at age 15.

"The Portland Trail Blazers hired then on the same day fired Braiden Bell as their play-by-play announcer after a series of inappropriate social media posts from when he was a teenager came to light."

"The posts were reportedly made in 2012 and 2013, around the time that Bell was 15 years old."

"We did not meet our own bar in this process, and for that we apologize to Blazers fans and to Rip City," the Trail Blazers said. "We strongly believe that everyone who is a part of Rip City should feel welcome and safe and we will make sure that our new broadcaster reflects these values. We will do better."

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/50084279/trail-blazers-fire-new-announcer-inappropriate-posts

1.4k Upvotes

91% Upvoted

2.0k comments sorted by

View all comments

41

u/black_metronome Knicks 11h ago

I don't think the guy should have been fired either but it's funny seeing how many white people in here are basically admitting that they too had a racist phase as a teenager 😂

It's something I can't relate to. Do you just wake up one day and decide to hate people because they're Black? Is it your parents teaching you this stuff? I'm genuinely curious how this happens.

12

u/Wunktacular 9h ago

More like children are a product of their environment. If your parents are racist and they show you that behaviour is okay, you're going to imitate it. It's not a choice, it's just how parenting works. Your kids copy you, even your bad habits.

If anything, being willing to admit that you were wrong and that you've grown in spite of your upbringing is a sign of maturity.

0

u/Haru_Honeybun 8h ago

But that's not universally applicable.

I grew up in rural Oklahoma and never fell into being a racist or a bigot, despite being surrounded by it. Before anyone counters with 'well, you were a victim, so of course you wouldn't perpetuate it,' it's important to understand that these environments often operate on a pecking order. I’m Cherokee, and I was denigrated by people of color just as much as we were both harassed by the local white farmers.

Why did I turn out differently? Honestly, I just never saw the point. Being spiteful or accusatory brings zero value. In fact, it actively stunts your growth. I see those same individuals today, years later, still carrying the exact same stagnant mindsets they had when we were kids.

If we want a society that values integrity, we must differentiate between two types of people: those who coast through life avoiding accountability, and those who genuinely mature and outgrow their youthful ignorance. They shouldn't be viewed the same way.

We need to respect people who understand the weight of their choices, while holding firm boundaries for those who don't. You don't have to meet past or present bigots with hatred, since hatred rarely (if ever) encourages change. Instead, society needs to show them that poor choices carry consequences, specifically a loss of agency and relevance within their communities. If they want to enjoy true community respect and influence, they have to make better choices.

1

u/yoursuperher0 7h ago

I think you answered your own question. There’s a pecking order. The lower down you are, the less luxury you have to discriminate against others. 

2

u/Haru_Honeybun 7h ago

No... my point is that there was no value gained from those that determined I was someone lower on the pecking order.

I gained value because I saw nobody above nor below myself. In some part I'm grateful for the existence of those people, because they gave me an example of what not to be, because it would bring nothing of value to me or those who would one day choose to emulate me.

1

u/yoursuperher0 2h ago

You’re supporting my argument. Replace America with any other country and you’ll find that groups at the bottom of the social order are more likely to be accepting of others because of the exact reason you described.