On Sunday, Jesse Jackson criticized Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert saying his remarks in the open letter he released to the people of Cleveland after LeBron James announced he'll be leaving to join the Miami Heat was akin to calling James a "runaway slave." Jackson says the comments were "mean, arrogant, and presumptuous."
"He speaks as an owner of LeBron and not the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers," the reverend said in a release from his Chicago-based civil rights group, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. "His feelings of betrayal personify a slave master mentality. He sees LeBron as a runaway slave. This is an owner employee relationship—between business partners—and LeBron honored his contract."
Within Glibert's letter, he called James' decision "cowardly" and promised Cleveland fans that he will deliver a title to the city before James gets one with Miami. Here is the letter that prompted Jackson's remarks, released shortly after James announced he was leaving the Cavs:
Dear Cleveland, all of Northeast Ohio and Cleveland Cavaliers supporters wherever you may be tonight; As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier. This was announced with a several-day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his "decision" unlike anything ever "witnessed" in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment. Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to all of us. The good news is that the ownership team and the rest of the hard-working, loyal, and driven staff over here at your hometown Cavaliers have not betrayed you nor NEVER will betray you. There is so much more to tell you about the events of the recent past and our more than exciting future. Over the next several days and weeks, we will be communicating much of that to you. You simply don't deserve this kind of cowardly betrayal. You have given so much and deserve so much more. In the meantime, I want to make one statement to you tonight: "I personally guarantee that the Cleveland Cavaliers will win an NBA Championship before the self-titled former 'king' wins one." You can take it to the bank. If you thought we were motivated before tonight to bring the hardware to Cleveland, I can tell you that this shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own has shifted our "motivation" to previously unknown and previously never experienced levels. Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there. Sorry, but that's simply not how it works. This shocking act of disloyalty from our homegrown "chosen one" sends the exact opposite lesson of what we would want our children to learn. And "who" we would want them to grow up to become. But the good news is that this heartless and callous action can only serve as the antidote to the so-called "curse" on Cleveland, Ohio. The self-declared former "King" will be taking the "curse" with him down south. And until he does "right" by Cleveland and Ohio, James (and the town where he plays) will unfortunately own this dreaded spell and bad karma. Just watch. Sleep well, Cleveland. Tomorrow is a new and much brighter day... I PROMISE you that our energy, focus, capital, knowledge and experience will be directed at one thing and one thing only: DELIVERING YOU the championship you have long deserved and is long overdue... Dan Gilbert Majority Owner Cleveland Cavaliers
So let me get this straight, Jesse Jackson is completely silent on the New Black Panther videos calling for the killing of white babies, praising Osama bin Laden, and accusing Fox News of conjuring up "racial tensions", all this after voter intimidation cases were dropped by the Department of Justice for "racial reasons?" Yet he has time to complain about Gilbert's remarks? What if Gilbert were black himself, or what if LeBron were white? He'd be silent. What if you replaced the New Black Panther ordeal with a white equivalent group such as the KKK-- he'd be jumping in front of every camera he possibly could with Al Sharpton right by his side. These double standards are beyond belief.