New Basketball League: Whites-Only, and No Immigrants

by Alex DiBranco · 2010-01-21 15:24:00 UTC
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The All-American Basketball Alliance really misses segregation. So they're bringing it back on the courts.

Yes, the new AABA, an explicitly racist, anti-immigrant organization, is launching in order to let "natural born United States citizens with both parents of Caucasian race" play b-ball the right way, as the Augusta Chronicle first reported. (Even better, the league issued the news release announcing its formation over the holiday weekend for Martin Luther King, Jr. What was it that King fought and was killed for again?)

No, it's not enough to have one pure white parent. Nope, sorry, if there's a bit of off-white blood in your heritage, you're not allowed. Better bring proof of your family tree, just in case. Immigrant? Don't even try it. Those citizenship papers and that oath you took won't protect you from discrimination here.

I love how "All-American" is used as code for racist, nativist intolerance. Of course, Don "Moose" Lewis, the league's commissioner, says that this isn't about hatred, and he's certainly not a racist! However, he says that, since players in those nasty integrated leagues grab their crotches and attack fans -- oh, and bring guns -- the only solution that will allow a return to civilized "fundamental basketball" is to keep people of color and immigrants out. Because you know how "those people" can really spoil a nice set-up.

News of this league first hit the public eye as a result of push back in Augusta, Georgia, where the mayor has already made it clear to journalists that this kind of intolerance isn't welcome in his neck of the woods. Besides Augusta, the AABA already has a few special cities in mind where it might like its dozen planned teams to call home. Tell the mayors of these cities to make a statement that this anti-immigrant, racist league isn't welcome there, either.

Photo credit: ryan_fung

Alex DiBranco is a Change.org Editor who has worked for the Nation, Political Research Associates, and the Center for American Progress. She is now based in New York City.
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