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A recently surfaced photo showing Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones as a 14-year-old during a civil rights clash at his Little Rock high school in 1957 has led Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James to accuse media of a racist double standard.
Speaking after the Lakers' 128-109 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night, James inquired why he hasn't been asked about Jones, despite fielding questions for much of November about an African-American former teammate, Kyrie Irving, accused of anti-Semitism.
'I got one question for you guys before you guys leave,' James said to reporters. 'I was thinking when I was on my way over here, I was wondering why I haven't gotten a question from you guys about the Jerry Jones photo. But when the Kyrie [Irving] thing was going on, you guys were quick to ask us questions about that.'
A recently surfaced photo showing Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones as a 14-year-old during a civil rights clash at his Little Rock high school in 1957 has led Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James to accuse media of a racist double standard
Defiant white students at Arkansas' North Little Rock High School block the doors of the school, denying access to six African-American students enrolled in the school September 9, 1957. Moments later the African American students were shoved down a flight of stairs and onto the sidewalk, where city police broke up the altercation. CIRCLED: 14-year-old Jerry Jones
The 80-year-old billionaire said he looked 'like a little burrhead' in the photo, which was taken amid a wave of civil rights clashes in the Little Rock area. As Jones explained to the Post, his football coach, Jim Albright, had warned players to avoid the widely anticipated scene on the first day of classes at North Little Rock High
James, who won a title with Irving in Cleveland in 2016, fielded several questions about Irving (right) during the controversy, but was confused why he hasn't been asked about Jones (left)
The Brooklyn Nets star caught the attention for publicizing the 2018 film 'Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America' on social media with a link to its Amazon page
In the 65-year-old photo, Jones is seen among white students at Arkansas' North Little Rock High as they blocked six African-American teenagers from entering and integrating the school. Jones has acknowledged to the Washington Post. that that it is, indeed, him in the photograph, although he claims he was there out of curiosity and not any racist intent.
Irving sparked controversy last month by sharing an Amazon link to the 2018 film 'Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America.' The movie is based on a 2015 book by the same name, which Rolling Stone described as 'venomously anti-Semitic.' Specifically, it quotes Hitler to convince the audience about the existence of a Jewish plan for world domination.
The Nets star has recently returned following an eight-game suspension after apologizing and meeting several other requirements put forth by the team, including a request to meet with Jewish leaders.
James, who won a title with Irving in Cleveland in 2016, fielded several questions about Irving during the controversy.
'Me personally, I don't condone any hate to any kind to any race,' James said when asked about Irving on November 5. 'To Jewish communities, to black communities, to Asian communities. You guys know where I stand. I believe what Kyrie did caused some harm to a lot of people. And he has since, over the last -- I think it was today, or yesterday -- he apologized. But he caused some harm, and I think it's unfortunate.'
A policeman points to a youth as he stops a group of North Little Rock High School students singing Dixie songs at the school this morning. African American students who tried to enter the school yesterday stayed away on September 10, 1957 in North Little Rock
On Wednesday, James suggested that the media was more critical of Irving than Jones.
'I feel like as a black man, as a black athlete, as someone with power and a platform, when we do something wrong, or something that people don't agree with, it's on every single tabloid, every single news coverage, it's on the bottom ticker,' James said Wednesday. 'It's asked about every single day.
'But it seems like to me that the whole Jerry Jones situation, photo -- and I know it was years and years ago and we all make mistakes, I get it -- but it seems like it's just been buried under, like, ''Oh, it happened. OK, we just move on.'' And I was just kind of disappointed that I haven't received that question from you guys.'
Jones has been asked about the photo, describing himself to reporters as a curious onlooker who
