In a cautionary tale about how blatant prejudice can affect your business interests, ESPN is reporting that Rush Limbaugh has been dropped from a bid to buy the St. Louis Rams following suggestions from black players, the head of the NFL players union DeMaurice Smith, and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell that Limbaugh would be a poor choice as an owner.
Much of the criticism of Limbaugh's bid came from his history of racially inflammatory comments, not just in general but referring to the NFL in particular. Limbaugh was fired from ESPN in 2003 over his statement that Philadelphia quarterback Donvan McNabb was "overrated" because the media wanted to see a black quarterback succeed. Limbaugh also once said that NFL games resembled "a game between the Bloods and the Crips without any weapons." Limbaugh has made similar comments about other sports that have large numbers of black players.
There's a lesson here: in certain circles indulging anti-black prejudice can have serious consequences, even for people buoyed by money and ideological support.
-- A. Serwer
