My plan was to put this post together a few weeks ago but delays in retrieving a book from the school library forced me to put it on hold. I read this book while I was a volunteer and working with fourth grade scholars a couple years ago. The book was recommended to me by a fourth grade scholar who was reading it and she thought I would like the book. Based upon her recommendation I read the book and really enjoyed it. To put this post together I'll be referring to pages ninety six through one hundred one from the book.
This is my best attempt at having a debate. The debate will take place between an NFL player and Mr. Leroy. The NFL player is Richard Sherman a cornerback with the Seattle Seahawks and Mr. Leroy. Below is some background on the two debaters.
Richard Sherman is a graduate of Stanford University (2006 to 2010). He graduated with a degree in communications. He was working on a Master's Degree before getting drafted by the Seahawks in 2011. He was also the salutatorian of his high school class.
Mr. Leroy to the best of my knowledge had no formal education. In his lifetime football did not exist. Mr. Leroy is a character in a historical fiction book and for the better part of his made up life he was a slave.
The debate topic is The N Word and should it be banned in the NFL.
Mr. Sherman as one of the first NFL players to speak out on the ban you may begin. "It's weird that they're targeting one specific word. Why wouldn't all curse words be banned then"?
Mr. Leroy you may begin. They say it's a sign of hatred when a white person says it and a sign of bad upbringing and ignorance when one our own calls it out, so there ain't no good excuses.
Mr. Sherman. "It's a common word in so many players' everyday lives". "Among African/American players and people, it's used among friends all the time".
Mr. Leroy slightly agitated. You thinks just 'cause that word come out from twixt your lips it mean anything different? You think it ain't choke up with the same kind of hate and disrespect it has when they say it? You caint see it be even worst when you call it out?
Mr. Sherman please provide your closing remarks. Banning the word from the playing field is an "atrocious idea" that is "almost racist".
Mr Leroy please provide your closing remarks. Animated and now really agitated. What you think they call my girl when they sold her? What kind of baby they call her from up on the block? What name you think they call my wife when they take her to another man for his own? What? What you think they call me whilest they was doing this? He opens the front of his shirt to show where a big square with a letter T in the middle of it was branded into him. The scar was raised up and shiny and was real plain to see. Has you lost your natural mind? You wants to be like one n'em? You wants to be keeping they hate alive?
The debate has ended. You can now decide the fate of the N Word in the NFL.
So you know I did my best to manipulate the debate in favor of Mr. Leroy. In the closing arguments I thought Mr. Sherman's statement to the media was just ridiculous. I chose Mr. Leroy's closing statement because I thought it was powerful. Why did I manipulate the debate? I hate that word.
Richard Sherman voiced his opinion on the banning of the N Word in the NFL via the media so his actual words are in quotation marks. Mr. Leroy's words are from a book written by Christopher Paul Curtis called Elijah of Buxton. In the book Elijah was on the verge of saying the N Word when Mr. Leroy backhanded him across the face. I just took Mr. Leroy's words from the book and used them in the debate.
Christopher Paul Curtis is the author of several young adult books. He is the recipient of the 2008 Newbery Honor Book, the 2008 Coretta Scott King Award and the 2008 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction. He is from Flint, Michigan and earned a degree from the University of Michigan, Flint campus. He also worked on an assemble line at Fisher Body Plant/Flint Plant #1.
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