Commentary: How ’Bout Them Buffaloes!?

Last weekend, we published "Boulder's Push of Coach Prime Is Hypocrisy at Its Finest," a commentary by Desi Cortez. This is a response.

I’ll never forget the time I was sharing sentiments with someone I cared about regarding a bad decision I had made, and explained how I made a recovery, a turnaround for the better, a 180-degree turn in the right direction. Her response: “You can’t advise me, because you made mistakes; I would rather be led by someone who did not make those mistakes.”

Yes, it was strange to me as well. The idea of following a leader, a trailblazer, a path-maker doesn't require that the person or the institution is perfect or has always held the standard in morality, but that the leader — whether CU Boulder, or 850-KOA — is opening its doors to change, rehabilitation, renewal and new life. So, let’s stop beating around this proverbial rosebush of thorns and thistles. Deon Sanders and his moves in Boulder should be reported as making headway in the right direction. Whose report will you believe?

Being a native to Colorado and the daughter of a generation of Black folk who experienced a state of unacceptance, to say the least, to diversity within neighborhoods, the workplace, high schools, colleges and universities, I am disappointed to see that generation of melanin-skinned Americans wallow in the mire of what was, when there is such an obvious and grand opportunity to celebrate the wins of today. Wins for diversity, unity and snuffing out the once socially accepted bigotry of yesteryear. As a child of the ’80s — raised by the ’90s, as they say, with my own set of isolated incidents of being ostracized and bullied based on the melanin in my skin — I think it only holds us back to focus on what was, as opposed to celebrating what is.

Authors of articles such as Desi Cortez's opinion piece need a hug and a whisper in their ear that racism is real. They need to be validated as an underserved and marginalized person who, paradoxically, has the privilege of reaching masses of people and sharing their thoughts just by hitting some keys and clicking send. Taking that opportunity to aim our hearts and eyes at the negative we are trying to leave behind triggers us, leaves us cleaning up the famous bovine mascot’s droppings as opposed to running with him like the gifted athletes on the fields of this country that we are.

I speak for the Black America that is tired of the “Woe is me because of slavery and racism” song. It’s time to rewrite those lyrics.

We want to celebrate what is taking place in Boulder, Colorado. We want more Black students to have the desire to enroll at CU. Telling them they would be joining a society of hypocrisy by moving to Boulder is as hypocritical as wanting unadulterated acceptance, diversity and inclusion in a country founded on slavery, the day after slavery was abolished. But that would be throwing the baby out with the bathtub. You want us to buy a new baby and a new tub, but we can’t. So why don’t we drain the tub and fill it with fresh water? This is our country. We built it on the backs of many, from a multitude of nations, races and creeds.

Are we moving forward, or do we want to keep CU Boulder white and make KOA great again? I would argue it all has the chance to be greater than it’s ever been if we keep inserting our best and brightest into their respective fields. I vote for the melting pot. I vote for more Coach Primes breaking into cities and towns all across this nation and mixing it up. Then I vote we write articles that encourage the support of these integrations and true progressions for humanity, to encourage new recruits and potential new citizens to move in and make the nation a rainbow of colors in every nook, cranny and… Boulder.

It’s not difficult to write a positive article about a mostly white town and a conservative radio show that, whether they are excited about it or not, are now living in a place where unity and a multicultural plate are being set before them. Eat up or starve!

Let’s support Prime! Let’s play this game of life like chess and get invited onto 850-KOA and show how intelligent and forward-thinking we are. Let us be the generation to make a positive change, such as a coach who happens to be Black making tsunami-sized waves in a sea of lost games and previously disappointed fans. Black America needs to be encouraged to look at themselves as being privileged, as having the opportunity to go to any city, school or population they may desire without reading about how America was founded on slavery and racism. We all know that already; so what? Now what?

Keep it in the history books and classrooms, but let these young men play ball. No one has placed them on a cotton field, beat them and taken away their right to choose another path. Thank heaven for that, and much respect and honor to those who came before us and blazed an even bloodier, gruesome path. But this is football, a game, a tool being used by Deion Sanders to bring unity to a city that may have been behind the curve in diversity.

If the city of Boulder begins to sprawl with Black home owners, business owners, students and the like, it will be no thanks to journalists who only want to take “Black and White” Americans and remind them of their superficial differences when the prime agenda of Coach Prime has been to rise above and set a new standard. We can’t progress looking down at our feet, complaining in a time where there is so much Deion Sanders to be grateful for. Trailblazin’ ain’t easy!

These “Ebony gladiators” need our support and positive reporting. They also need us to shine a light on any specific injustices and deal with those scenarios specifically. I implore us as writers to save our energy for those times. The pen is mighty. I’ll use mine to empower the Ebony, Mahogany, Chestnut and the Ivory, because we are stronger together. Bigotry is the minority, and Coach Prime is a (forgive me for this) prime example that when we choose to walk in our potential and not give the “good ol’ boys” any attention, we may just level the playing fields of America, Boulder and CU.

Oh, and Mr. Cortez, “we” are in the country clubs and gun clubs, and if we are not allowed in, you best believe we are going to make a way. You and I will grab our pens, and the other freedom fighters will do what they do; changes will be made where we are strategic. Many times, the best people or groups to follow — or infiltrate, for that matter — are the ones who have made mistakes in the past to learn firsthand what not to do; or be close enough to the problem to affect change.

My Black America encourages Boulder to embrace change, grow even more unified and not judge a person or radio station by their skin color, religion or freedom of speech.

God bless a unified America for which it may be able to continue to stand.

Delyce Collins, a native of Colorado, is a poet, published author and podcaster. A devoted wife and loving grandmother, many of her writings highlight the frustrations of relationships, to encourage other marriages.

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