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Allen should say: "When I was young and racist, I was young and racist."
I agree, only I'd say "When I was young and dumb." To this day I find it completely foolish for people to equate the use of the 'n' word with racism. If that's all racism was about it wouldn't be a problem in society. Racism is something much uglier than word labels. Old sayings like "sticks and stones may break my bones..." become old sayings for a reason; they've proven true over time. |
But what if he WASN'T "young and racist"? What if he was at a football team party or a frat party and they all started throwing around racial stuff and he said some things just to "fit in"? He was a quarterback trying to acclimate himself in a school 2000 miles from where he grew up, and in a culture that was totally foreign to him. Is it inconceivable that he might have parroted some things he heard his offensive linemen saying, so they would think he was "one of the guys" and OK? Is it unrealistic that he would have no recollection of this and be telling the truth that such words were not really in his vocabulary? He certainly did not learn them at home. Is it fair to judge that by today's standards, and expect that Allen should have scolded his teammates then, or should apologize for it now? I don't think so!