Last year everyone was criticizing Cam Newton for his showmanship, dabbing and just about everything else the man did on and off the football field. You had white mothers writing letters to their local newspapers about how disrespected they felt when it came to his celebratory dance. But it seems as though Newton is living in a bubble when it comes to people's perceptions about him.
In a new interview with GQ, Newton shuns any talk about racism when it comes to the criticism he's received, even though a simple Google search will show you just how many times on message boards and comment sections he's been called the n-word.
"It's not racism," Newton told GQ. "Everybody's entitled to their own opinion."
"I don't want this to be about race, because it's not. It's not," Newton said. "Like, we're beyond that. As a nation."
Oh really, Newton? We're beyond race as a nation? Some of these black athletes are something else. If they weren't famous football players, do you think they'd have other opinions when it comes to race relations?
These players don't even have to look at the nation as a whole when it comes to race relations. Just look at team ownership and head coaches. How many black ones are there compared to white ones? But I guess as long as their paychecks are being signed, they can afford to be oblivious.
Newton once referred to himself as an "African-American quarterback," but I guess those days are long gone. Newton is now post-racial.
"I don't even want to touch the topic of black quarterback because I think this game is bigger than black, white or green," Newton said this past winter. "I think we limit ourselves when we just label ourselves just black this, that and the third. I wanted to bring awareness because of that, but yet, I don't think I should be labeled just a black quarterback, because it's bigger things in this sport that need to be accomplished."
One of these days, Newton will get his Negro wake-up call, which he's apparently been ignoring throughout his career.