Kyrie Irving and Dave Chappelle Are Being Used as Black ‘Pawns’ on a White Chessboard

Kyrie Irving and Dave Chappelle are getting played.

This isn’t a battle of free speech or free will. And no matter how some may try to spin it, this isn’t a debate on whether or not the government or corporate entities should be allowed to mandate human rights.

No, what we’re watching is two men who falsely believe that their “good intentions” trump faulty execution, while not realizing that their names and “stances” are being pimped by the same people they originally wanted to stand against.

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Like Irving, Wizards star guard Bradley Beal is an anti-vaxxer. But, unlike, Irving, he isn’t catching as much heat, nor has he willingly become the face of a “movement.” On Sunday, protesters against vaccine mandates broke through barricades at the Barclays Center chanting, “Let Kyrie Play.” It was a disturbing scene for many reasons, but mainly because it was very reminiscent of what we saw take place on January 6. {snip}

Irving — the man that has been more than generous with his time and money by donating to the WNBA, his Native American people, to the hungry, and even bought a house for George Floyd’s family — is now being used as a puppet by the same crowd that doesn’t give a damn about his Black life.

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Also on Monday, Dave Chappelle proved that he’s forever fallen down the same hole that Irving has when he released a video on Instagram in which he once again dug into his “stance,” as he keeps trying to play the victim due to the controversy his latest standup special The Closer has caused at Netflix and within the LGBTQ community because of his continued harmful jokes against the transgender community. Earlier this month, Netflix suspended a trans employee that publicly spoke out against Chappelle.

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At this point, I’m unbothered by those that agree or disagree with Irving and Chappelle, because we’ve reached a moment where you’re steadfast on what side you stand when it comes to them. But, right now, this isn’t about who’s “making good points” or “raging against the machine.” It’s about willingly falling victim to a crowd of people who would never do the same for you, as Irving and Chappelle’s narcissism has left them blind to the fact that they’ve become puppets in a real-time minstrel show. And the hands that are pulling those strings are white.

I mean, look at who’s “supporting” them.

For Irving, the likes of Marjorie Taylor Greene, Clay Travis, Lavern Spencer, Donald Trump Jr., and Ted Cruz — individuals that have proven through their words, actions, and legislation that they don’t care about Black people — especially the ones that dribble a basketball for a living.

For Chappelle, comedians like Joe Rogan, Louis C.K., and Jon Stewart have all supported him in some form — white men that have a history of crossing the line when it comes to saying and doing insensitive things towards Black people and women, or either come off as progressive commentators when it’s convenient.

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