A Question of Blackness?

After an intriguing discussion during my last Women's Studies class, I wanted to comment on something that seems very apropos in this space.

According to a January 9 Huffington Post article, "During an episode of "First Take" in December, [Rob] Parker asked his fellow panelists if RG3 [Robert Griffin III] 'was a brother or a cornball brother.' Parker went on to cite aspects of the 22-year-old rookie's personal life and his rumored political leanings as he questioned his authenticity and connection to the African-American community. Griffin had previously spoken with USA Today about race, with those quotes seeming to spark Parker's commentary."

So in my all-female class, we questioned how a professional football player could come under fire for what amounts to "not being black enough." I was mystified by this accusation. Never in my life have I been accused of not being "white enough," or "female enough," or maybe even "mother" or "student" or "employee" enough. I have been accused of not being "Christian" enough, so I guess in a very limited way I can use this experience of religious prejudice to attempt some kind of understanding. In order to belong to any group, in my case a religious order, it is necessary to align one's performance with the expectations of that group. Any deviations from this behavioral code can lead to punitive correctives, accusations, exclusion and, depending upon how invested the rest of the group is in forcing the issue, violence (whether psychological, emotional, social or physical). In the interesting case of Parker, my class members and I talked about how there is this desire to "claim" members for the race, especially successful individuals like pro football players. Thus it is Parker, and not the actual performance or non-performance of RG3, who has first "claimed" the NFL star for his own and then voiced criticism when his perceived performance did not match what Parker considers to be "black."

In my recent readings, this particular phenomenon is brought up a great deal, particularly as it pertains to white supremacy and the way in which (white) invaders, conquerors and other oppressors create an idealized image of native or aboriginal or somehow "othered" peoples, then punish them for not living up to this fantasy of an expectation. Is racism, then, simply a matter of the subjugated living up to the violent expectations of a dominant, oppressive governance? Not sure. Whatever it is, though, it is not simple, in any way.