The NBA and Globalism

With the NBA lockout looming, Deron Williams is considering playing in Turkey. Deron's move presents an interesting shift in the latest traditional flow of players, which usual draws top players into the NBA from other nations' professional leagues. If it comes to pass, and insider opinion is doubtful that it will, the move of players from the NBA to other nations will be interesting to watch. It's not that players from the US haven't gone to Europe to play, but it has usually been the case that players who do go to Europe are usually trying to work up to the NBA. If this precedent holds, there is potential for a more even distribution of talent across the globe. As well, the claim of "World Champion" might have to be backed up by challenging teams beyond North America. Who knows, the next GOAT might be ballin' in Istanbul right now.

Tropes of the BFM

Just came across this article in the NYT. The out and out attempt by the AZ state government to ban Latino studies classes is news enough. What's even more interesting, though, is the use of Civil Rights imagery by school superintendent Tom Horne to depict the Latino curriculum as segregationist. This is one example of how the tropes of the BFM shift in meaning across time. I hope to be able to place some attention to the use of Civil Rights imagery by people and groups that are not directly connected to the movement. What does it mean when these images get appropriated, by anybody, for the purpose of addressing issues of race in contemporary contexts?