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Breaking News: 9/7/10 - 11:47 a.m.: Dan Hampton apologizes for comments about Hurricane Katrina
NFL Hall of Famer Dan Hampton has a great deal to apologize for this week. During a broadcast of an NFL game between the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints, Hampton thought it would be funny to bring up that little thing called "Hurricane Katrina." Making reference to the fact that the Vikings needed to show up with their A-game, Hampton said, "The Vikings need to go down there and hit that town like Katrina."
Bad move, buddy, bad move.
There isn't much to say about Dan Hampton other than the obvious: It didn't take him long to realize that it might be inappropriate to make jokes about an event that led to the death and displacement of tens of thousands of people. Hurricane Katrina affected lives in a very real way, and Hampton needs to understand that.
Additionally, invoking Katrina into the fantasy world of professional football is only productive to the extent that the success of the Saints has helped to heal the hearts of New Orleans residents who've lost everything. So if you can't bring Hurricane Katrina up in a positive and uplifting way, please don't bring it up as a joke.
Even going further on that point, for Hampton to make a joke about Katrina would be like making a joke about 9/11. Katrina was our 9/11, and although our nation doesn't talk about the pain of New Orleans residents anymore, the struggle continues. In fact, the suffering is likely magnified in light of recent numbers showing that black unemployment rose 700 percent more than white unemployment during the month of August.
Many of the faces of Katrina are black, and the suffocating grip of racial economic oppression is rarely stronger than it is in New Orleans. While Dan Hampton is not responsible for all the world's agony, he should realize that his platform should be used to support and uplift NFL fans and not remind them of the most horrible experience of their lives.
Dan Hampton, I forgive you, but you should certainly be suspended and encouraged to get some sensitivity training. You also owe the people of New Orleans a sincere apology. Football might be a game, but Hurricane Katrina is not.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. 
Comments: (29)
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By: JC MAC on 9/07/2010 11:03AM
Not shock,so what else is new from white folk!
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By: jeromequigley on 9/08/2010 3:18PM
Well Thank You for your contribution to racial harmony JC MAC. Way to go, making your point about some thing Dan said(which was thoughtless) by making an OVERALL RACIST STATEMENT!! Way to be low brow!!!!
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By: David Forde on 9/07/2010 12:08PM
If it were a Giants game I'm certain no annoucner would use that same analogy with regard to 9/11 ... it's a uniquely American shame that in 2010, that Americans cannot have meaningful dialogue regarding the implications of race (or any other "isms" for that matter).
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By: Jewel on 9/07/2010 2:09PM
I think part of the problem with media personalities is too many of them are trying to be comedians or entertainers instead of being professionals who think before they speak.
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By: joed on 9/10/2010 2:09PM
Boyce, because blacks were forced into intergrating and assimilating with whites. They don't own anything culture because whites have claim to it. Therefore, our unemployment will always be higher than anyother race in america. They didn't force asians to assimilate they still have their culture through common languages, their mother countries etc. This same goes for hispanics. But, blacks were the only ones forced into intergrating and this is what they got for it. A community in shambles. They should have never trusted that white man to be equal. Bull-shit.
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By: Michael on 9/12/2010 9:58PM
Ignorant nonsense and it sounds like the stuff I see latino/hispanics post all the time.
Joed - you know not what you speak about US culture. No one has influenced US culture more than it's black citizens. Black WILL NOT always, as you contend, be at the bottom. The country is 400 yrs old and CR/VR Acts were less than 50 yrs ago (oh yeah, it benefits you latinos/hispanics and asians too).
It's not over by a longshot chico. You crimigrants will never be accept as US citizens, only parasitic border jumpers.
Don't you forget that.
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By: bob on 9/10/2010 8:52AM
There are floods,earthquakes,fires,tornados,hurricanes,that cause death and destruction all the time. Why is katrina always the one that is talked about? Why is it so offensive to refer to katrina? Is katrina the new N word? Is it because NewOrleans is considered a black State? Why is it you cannot say anything negitive about something related to black people? You can't say Watermelon,chicken,orange soda,maltliqour. You can't say the Nword,katrina,black,negro,nappy headed ho, etc. Are black people the most sensitve people on the earth? I thought you were supposted to be a race of warriors? Tuffen up!
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By: Judy on 9/14/2010 12:33PM
It was NOT an offensive comment at all. That is just a bunch of victim wannabe racist nonsense to even say that it was offensive. Grow up people. God bless America.
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By: spkalittleldrpls on 9/23/2010 1:52AM
Respect, I think is the missing aspect. How often do you hear about honkies, crackers, rednecks,poor white trash or any other disrespectful references to the white race? When do Blacks get a chance to whip out the "C" word (Cracka, Crackers, etc.) unless you Dave Chappelle? So, it's not that we're not being tuff, why is it that we feel stiffled in our reactive racial references. I don't cause I think these "cracka ass crackas" should go make comments on the tea party blogs. How's that?
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