Brazenly and with increasing regularity, when criticized for brutally controlling its people, foreign governments, usually those headed by autocrats, point to the United States.
Russia, China and Iran are among the governments that appear fond of singling out the human rights violations against Blacks to prove U.S. hypocrisy and promote conflict.
Instead of focusing on the epic soccer clash between the United States and Iran, the Iranian state-owned press sought to engage in gamesmanship and intimidate U.S. Soccer Team Captain Tyler Adams, who is Black, first putting him on the spot by correcting the team captain for mispronouncing “Iran.” Then, in a follow-up question, the reporter asked, “…are you OK to be representing a country that has so much discrimination against Black people in its own borders?”
Unfortunately, in communities of color, the persistence of discriminatory policies against people of color lends credibility to the rebuke leveled by hostile nations. So, an Iranian reporter posing questions to Adams is especially newsworthy given the backdrop of a former U.S. president dining with a known antisemite and white supremacist.
Poised beyond his years, Adams responded as a seasoned diplomat might, saying, “One thing that I’ve learned, especially from living abroad in the past years and having to fit in in different cultures, is that in the U.S., we’re continuing to make progress every single day.”
Adams’ response prompted high praise from U.S. Olympic officials and political leaders, but let’s be clear, an athlete or celebrity shouldn’t have to deal with issues related to the heated geopolitical arena. Likewise, answering questions intended to spark controversy about America’s treatment of its citizens is the responsibility of those in an official diplomatic role.
The reality is that the U.S. got lucky, and it’s likely that the Biden administration knows it. Imagine if the team’s captain had taken the bait and reacted differently, calling out America’s holier-than-thou duplicity. It would be a different story if Adams hinted at dissatisfaction with America’s unjust policies toward Blacks. Any concurrence with the Iranian reporter or using the opportunity to criticize the U.S. would bring swift and significant consequences.
Indeed, some wonder if Adams’ cautious response represents the norm for young Black Americans, or are those casting doubt on America’s self-depiction as a haven of democracy onto something? What’s certain is that instead of heaping praise on Adams for responding as a patriot, he’d face ridicule for conceding skepticism about America’s do as we say, but not as we do policy.
Of course, with centuries of experience, Black people can speak to the bald-faced Americanesque contradiction that the Iranian government and others would like to exploit and weaponize. However, like other loyal Americans, you won’t find Blacks airing the nation’s dirty laundry with an oppressive regime that oversees every aspect of its citizens’ lives, jailing innocents and executing those who dare to protest for fundamental human rights.
Anthony Stanford, named the 2014 Outstanding African American of the Year by the Aurora African American Heritage Advisory Board, is an opinion columnist, urban theorist and author of the book, “Homophobia in the Black Church: How Faith, Politics and Politics and Fear Divide the Black Community.”
