Stephen A. Smith Tells 'White America' Not To Use Ja Morant To Disparage 'Black Community'

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The Ja Morant saga continued Monday when it was reported that Colorado police are investigating his brandishing of a gun during an Instagram Live video.

Morant is away from the Grizzlies with "no timetable for return" according to the head coach, Taylor Jenkins.

Ja Morant allegedly flashes a gun on Instagram Live, and Stephen A Smith wants to make sure

Ja Morant allegedly flashes a gun on Instagram Live, and Stephen A Smith wants to make sure "white America" discusses the topic properly. (Credit: Twitter)

The media coverage has largely focused on the terrible decision-making of Morant. Rightfully so, since brandishing a gun on live video at 3 a.m. is not the best look.

Because of it, he's away from his team and his immediate future is in question.

But Stephen A. Smith wants "white America" to know that he's not going to stand for using Ja Morant to disparage all black people.

"I don’t want white America to think for one second that this is an example that you’re gonna use to shine a light on the collective problem on the black community and all this other stuff," Smith said Monday on ESPN's First Take.

“There are countless Black athletes that show up and show out. They bust their butt, they work hard, they represent us in exemplary fashion and society is not gonna use one issue as a reason to sit up there and paint everybody with a broad brush and all of a sudden talk about how young black men, ‘you can’t give them this, you can’t give them that,’" Smith continued.

"Young black men in the world of sports have been showing, for quite a long time, that you can provide those opportunities to us and we can take it and run with it in a very positive, productive fashion…I ain’t letting white America get away with that. I can tell you that right now.”

WATCH:

Who is Stephen A. Smith talking about with regards to the Ja Morant situation?

I wholeheartedly agree with Stephen A. Smith's main point here: using one person's actions to denigrate an entire group of people is wrong.

Here's the problem, though: I can't find anyone making this argument. Google "Ja Morant" and click on the "News" tab.

Try to find one story that says something like, "Ja Morant situation proves problem with black community." It doesn't exist. No one is saying this.

Not only that, in the middle of his argument, he says things like "we can take it and run with it." Oh, OK.

So, when a black person does something good, we should paint with a broad brush and make it a "we" thing, but when something negative happens, then it has to be just that one person?

See, that's the issue here. It can't be both. Either you want people to be judged individually by their actions or you want people judged as a group.

For the record, the former is absolutely the correct direction for a proper society. But seemingly many people want us to move towards the latter.

Except when someone from the "in" group does something wrong. But if someone from the "out" group does something wrong, then it should reflect on the entire group.

Got it? Good.

Because if you're reading this article, you're likely in the "out" group.

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Dan began his sports media career at ESPN, where he survived for nearly a decade. Once the Stockholm Syndrome cleared, he made his way to Outkick. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he is a cat-enthusiast with three cats, one of which is named “Brady” because his wife wishes she were married to Tom instead of him.