The latest poll on Bonds:
*Are you rooting for Bonds to break the home-run record, or do you hope Bonds falls short of it?
Rooting:
Blacks 74%
Whites 28%
Falls Short:
Blacks 18%
Whites 60%
*Do you think he's been treated unfairly mainly because of his (race), mainly because of his (personality), or mainly because of his (alleged use of steroids)?
RACE
Blacks 27%
Whites 1%
PERSONALITY
Blacks 21%
Whites 26%
STEROIDS
Blacks 41%
Whites 66%
Jayson Stark "Racial issues hover over the chase" on ESPN.com
Look at these numbers. The poll says 74 percent of black fans want Bonds to break this record. And nearly half of all black fans think Bonds has been given a raw deal. And a quarter of those fans think that raw deal is all about race -- not steroids or anything else.
We're not so sure they're right in attributing the alleged mistreatment of this particular historical figure to racially charged motives. But for nearly all white fans who think Bonds has been treated unfairly to say race has nothing to do with it is stunning. We say to those fans: You're kidding yourselves if that's what you truly think.
White fans are kidding themselves to think race has nothing to do with it? That’s hard hitting, Stark. You might lose your job for saying such a taboo thing what with the white majority attacking any detractors. I would have taken the less risky path of saying that there are parallels to the OJ jury where to certain people nothing Bonds does is worthy of censure.
Stark’s understanding of race in America will prove itself out when Rafael Palmeiro makes the Hall of Fame and Barry Bonds is denied.
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