The Right, Left and Wrong of Josh Howard's National Anthem Rant

By now you must have seen, heard or read about the recent comments made by Dallas Mavericks forward Josh Howard.

Filmed in a non-NBA setting, Howard inexplicably went into a rant on why he doesn't "celebrate" the Star-Spangled Banner, as it played in the background of an outdoor video.

"Star-Spangled Banner going on right now.For example, most NBA players are African-American and commonly emerge from violent, and undereducated inner-cities.No arrests were made, no charges were ever filed and no reasonable explanation subsequently given by police.Chicago public schools boycott as a prime example.It's as a ball player.The ascension of "one" never should be the litmus test of the collective.

Given that the remarks were also stamped with an "Obama '08" exclamation point and "patriotism" has been uttered more times in this presidential campaign than Sean Hannity manages to contradict himself daily; the remarks have taken on an expected political tenor.

Although Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and the NBA haven't officially "condemned" or reprimanded Howard; the NBA and national anthem controversy are relatively familiar with one-another.

Former NBA guard Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf created quite a stir in 1996 for his refusal to stand for the anthem before games.Fans have been quick to respond in anger, alleging that a multi-millionaire should kiss the very ground of the country in which he lives and such brazen criticism is in a word.

Unfathomable.

To that I say, "maybe...maybe not."

Our respective perspectives on these issues lie at the heart of race relations.How many?

Josh Howard could earn $100 million and none of that reality changes for him.The realities in America are these:

There are more African-American millionaires than ever before and there are also more African-American people living in destitute poverty than ever before.

It's been more than 50 years since the historic Brown V. Board of Education decision ruled educational segregation unconstitutional, yet the majority of inner city educational institutions are still far inferior and underfunded.In the discussion of Josh Howard's remarks, there have been many major mistakes made, granted...most of which were Howard's.The ascension of "one" never should be the litmus test of the collective.