Racial threats target Eagles wide receiver

Philadelphia Inquirer ^ | 12/6/03 | Phil Sheridan

[randita]

Posted on Sat, Dec. 06, 2003

Racial threats target Eagles wide receiver

By Phil Sheridan Inquirer Staff Writer

Eagles wide receiver Freddie Mitchell is one of six NFL players who received racially motivated, threatening letters in a campaign that is being investigated by the FBI.

"Yes, I got a letter," Mitchell said yesterday after the Eagles practiced. "It doesn't make any sense, but you know, there's racism everywhere. I'm not worried about it. It's not a threat to me at all. I don't live in fear. I just go out and live day to day. If you live in fear, you know your life will be messed up."

Federal law enforcement sources confirmed that Mitchell had been sent several letters, including one in September. The FBI has not officially identified any of the targets of the letters because of the ongoing investigation.

According to Robert Hawk, the Cleveland-based FBI special agent in charge of the investigation, the letters threaten castration, death and being set on fire to African American players unless they "stop establishing relations with white females." Similar letters have been received by prominent black men from other fields, including entertainment, politics and business.

Mitchell apparently was targeted because of an appearance he made last year on a reality TV program called A Dating Story. The program, which appears on The Learning Channel, featured Mitchell and Philadelphia-based model Tiffany Schmid going on a date to Great Adventure Amusement Park in Jackson, N.J. Schmid is white.

Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor is the other NFL player who has been identified as a target of the letters. Taylor's wife, Katina, the sister of Miami linebacker Zach Thomas, is white.

The Eagles had no official reaction to the investigation. Anthony Buchanico, the Eagles' director of security, said the team's policy was to handle any such threats as quietly as possible. If Mitchell or any player were to require extra security, he said, the team would not want to publicize that information.

"These kinds of things happen, unfortunately," Buchanico said. "We take them seriously. The NFL has known about this for a long time."

The league sent a memo to all 32 teams on Nov. 18. According to a copy of the memo obtained by the Palm Beach Post, the NFL asked teams to notify players of the problem and to forward any similar letters to security officers.

According to the memo, the letters bear postmarks from Erie; Youngstown, Ohio; or Cleveland. They are typed and are signed "All Whites [or Caucasians], Angry white women." The letters have been sent to players, to teams, to team cheerleaders "or, on one occasion, the Great Adventure Amusement Park... . The player was scheduled to attend a publicized event at that location," the NFL memo said.

Some targets have received more than one letter, and the threat level escalates with each letter.

The New York Giants received a number of racially charged letters recently and turned them over to league security. But those letters were addressed mostly to white members of the Giants organization, including owner Wellington Mara and coach Jim Fassel.

The letters being investigated by the FBI all appear to be the work of the same person, FBI sources said. One letter, obtained by ESPN and published on ESPN.com, said, in part, "It is RACISM when black men don't want their own black women... . We will attack the black man with any white girl to castrate and kill him."

Mitchell, 25, is not married. His "date" with Schmid in May 2002 was arranged for the TV show and didn't lead to any longer-term relationship.

"You can't do anything about it," Mitchell said. "There's racism on the team. I've heard racist remarks in Philly. You've just got to be the bigger man about that. It's unfortunate that it comes down to that, but it's real. Racism is there."

Contact staff writer Phil Sheridan at 215-854-2844 or psheridan@phillynews.com. This story contains information from Inquirer wire services.

© 2003 Philadelphia Inquirer and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved. http://www.philly.com

[randita]

"It is RACISM when black men don't want their own black women... . We will attack the black man with any white girl to castrate and kill him."

It's Rush Limbaugh's fault.

Speaking of black athletes with white wives, I saw Darryl Dawkins ("Chocolate Thunder") at a store I was shopping in yesterday with his wife and toddler. The man is huge. Anyone who would insult him about his wife would have to be a tom fool idiot.

[Cowboy Bob]

I've always wondered why so many "successful" black men have sought to marry white women. Can anyone explain?

[Catspaw]

Huh? You want an explanation of the nature of love?

[fporretto]

Yes. But it's not considered an acceptable thing to talk about in public.

Freedom, Wealth, and Peace,
Francis W. Porretto
Visit the Palace Of Reason:
http://palaceofreason.com

[putupon]

Can anyone explain?

[blau993]

If Mitchell reacts to this the same way McNabb reacted to Rush's comments (NFC offensive player of the month for November), we Eagles fans won't complain!

Double D was never what you would call a small man! Glad to hear he is surrounded by family.

[vox humana]

Speaking of black athletes with white wives, I saw Darryl Dawkins ("Chocolate Thunder") at a store I was shopping in yesterday with his wife and toddler.

Why were you shopping with Darryl's wife and toddler?

I hope Darryl didn't object. LOL

[Sonny M]

I've always wondered why so many "successful" black men have sought to marry white women.

Reminds me of a black girl in my class in college who was yelling "why do white women have to go after rich or famous black men, what, they own white men ain't as good as a big time black man?"

[AppyPappy]

One word: Trophy.

[TexasCajun]

Trophy!

Thanks for posting my thoughts! It's not the PC answer, but I truely believe it more realistic than love at first site! I'm not saying black men do not fall in love with their white female companion, but why do they exclusively date white women to begin with? I believe it is a status symbol to other black men!

Like saying, "Look at me, I've married the Massa's daughter!"

[Skywalk]

It goes beyond that, really.

Oh, one note: most marry black women still.

But anyway, I think only part of it can be explained by the racial dynamic of this country.

Another part of it is the perception, right or wrong, of certain races men/women.

This was an article a long time ago on FR about why white men married Asian women(surely not a trophy, and not black women) and why white women were more likely to marry a black man than, say, an Asian man.

Basically, Asian women are perceived as hyper-feminine, and tend to have long, straight hair and delicate facial features which UNIVERSALLY attract men of all races. White women often possess the same attributes, though are typically a bit larger in frame.

Black women are perceived, right or wrong, as less feminine, though in this case it's also a cultural thing. Don't forget, a lot of black men have extensive experience with black women and simply are not attracted(once they can pick and choose) to a lot of what black women bring to the table today.

Lots of black and white men marry Asian women too. It has to do with universal(or near-universal) aesthetic qualities of white, Asian and Latin women, but there is a cultural dynamic involved with how the races are perceived.(black men perceived as hyper-masculine, etc)

[AppyPappy]

I don't think it throws back to the days of slavery. I think it's just one of those "The other guys are going to be jealous" things. Like white guys getting some "brown sugar".

We had a fraternity pledge who was black and only dated white women. When quizzed by a table of black sorority women about it, he responded that black women had "nimble lips" and that white girls knew when to shut up. We had to bounce him to keep peace.

[randita]

Good catch!