When I heard that Sha’Carri Richardson was suspended from the upcoming Olympic Games in Tokyo due to the presence of THC in her system, I was saddened as I, along with the rest of Black America, wanted to see her bring home the gold medal. Considering all of the blows that Black America receives daily, such a moment would be yet another display of black excellence in the face of domestic and global racism. If nothing else, Richardson’s success would verify that the world I reside in, the one where Black people are at the top of the game regardless of the venue, is as real as real can get. In this world, Black people are the most important factor in how their lives unfold.

I realized long ago that many Black folks live in a much different world than the one I just described.

From afar, I have noticed that this alternative universe that so many Blacks exist in is filled with people who pursue excuses that absolve them from their all responsibility for failure. My glimpse of such a view guided my expectations that legions of Black folk would rush to social media and any other medium to do their dimwitted best to absolve Richardson of all responsibility for actions that have cost little Black girls a much-needed celebratory moment following her earning an Olympic Gold Medal. A momentary embrace of a banned substance has resulted in a three-month suspension that has been reduced to one month. Unfortunately, even the shortened suspension will prevent Richardson from competing in her signature 100-meter event, if not all events.

Anyone above the age of forty has seen this sordid tale of a notable Black athlete, actor, or politician fall from superstardom; it has occurred so regularly that it may be time for us to consider it an inevitability. What makes these situations so frustrating is that nearly all of them could have been avoided if even a modicum of common sense and discipline had been used. Yet, it never fails that legion of Blacks will rush forward with an emotionally charged effort aimed at blocking the consequences that the fallen star’s impetuous decision-making has earned.

Moments such as this one reverts my mind to age-old wisdom shared by my immediate predecessors, who repeated the mantra that in this white country, Blacks are “going to have to work twice as hard to get half as far.” One does not have to look far to find within that slice of wisdom that our ancestors believed that we were the most important factor in our success or failure. Within the Black community that I was raised in, such wisdom was standard teaching for Black children who would need confidence and a plan to avoid the snares and traps that had obstructed the path to success for more Blacks than one can imagine.

Unfortunately for Black America, it appears that at the present moment, many in our midst believe that life happens to you. Such a reactionary perspective will certainly curtail, if not prevent, them from experiencing success. One needs to look no further than the litany of Blacks who have rushed to defend Richardson for her misstep. Not even the fact that the fallen track star’s decision to take ownership of her actions, as indicated in the following statement, has prevented the excuse-makers from seeking to block the consequences of her actions.

I would like to say to my fans and my family and my sponsorship, to the haters, too, I apologize. As much as I’m disappointed, I know that when I step on that track, I don’t represent myself, I represent a community that has shown me great support, great love.

Although this is a disappointing situation, it should not be used to display the usual excuse-making that many of our people use to avoid the consequences of our actions. Doing such is a missed opportunity for Black youth to understand that there can be both positive and negative consequences to their decisions.

During this moment, Black youth must be told that they have countrymen who will oppose them and actively seek opportunities to derail them from the path to success due to their skin color. So, they must learn the do’s and don’ts of success when dealing with opponents who would love nothing more than to see them fail. The saga of Sha’Carri Richardson should be considered yet another cautionary tale that Black excellence can be compromised when a lack of knowledge and wisdom meets the absence of discipline.

Black youth need to understand that not only do their actions have consequences, but there are troubled waters that reckless behavior will lead them into that not a single Black person possesses the power to extricate them from.

A sad yet unfortunate reality. But this won’t be the last time we see this situation, especially if we keep trying to make excuses for actions that we could have easily avoided.

James Thomas Jones III, Ph.D.

©Manhood, Race, and Culture, 2021

#ManhoodRaceCulture