The breaking news was a total surprise. Football fans who had tuned in to ESPN

to see a preseason game between last years two Super Bowl teams Cameron

Brannagan Jersey UK , the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona

Cardinals, were immediately transfixed with the news that Michael Vick was the

newest Philadelphia Eagle.

Vick, one of the most celebrated football

stars in history and one of the wealthiest African Americans in professional

sports, had become somewhat of a social pariah because of his involvement in a

heinous dog fighting ring. After the allegations became public two years ago,

Vick instantly went from one of Americas most beloved stars to probably its most

hated.

Despite the fact that Vicks actions in the aforementioned dog

fighting were indeed heinous, the punishment and the public fallout were

extremely excessive. Many critics believed, and still believe, that the former

Atlanta Falcons quarterback should be barred from making a living in the

National Football League permanently.

As a publisher of an online

magazine, I marvel how technology has transformed the way in which the media

communicates with its audience. What once was a one sided relationship, has

become reciprocal, as readers of various publications and viewers and listeners

of television and radio shows can voice their opinions just as easily as the

manager of a media enterprise.

However, as an African American it shocks

me to hear the anger that many non Black members of our great nation have when

it comes to their opinions of wealthy African Americans. Practically all of the

protestors against Vicks signing with the Eagles were White, and practically all

of Vicks supporters were African American. The fact of the matter is the uproar

over Vicks crime would not have resulted in such a harsh sentence if he was not

one of many wealthy African Americans in the NFL with a football contract worth

over $130 million at the time, in addition to his many endorsement

deals.

Although we have come far as a nation when it comes to race

relations, incidents always occur that lets us know that we have so far to go.

When President Barack Obama was elected many believed we were in a post racial

America. However, the threats and ridicule he has received from a certain

bigoted segment of our population lets us know that many are not willing to

accept powerful and wealthy African Americans.

Furthermore, many falsely

believe if they do not utter racial epithets and say all of the political

correct things in public, that somehow they are immune from expressing prejudice

and racism. In actuality, many times our racist thoughts are subconscious, and

deep down all of us our prejudice in some form or fashion. Subconsciously, what

many Americans have a problem with is not that Vick tortured dogs, which he was

totally wrong for, but that this African American male from the ghettoes of

Virginia can come out of incarceration and become an instant millionaire by

jotting his signature on the dotted lines.

Even for those of us who are

not blessed with a million dollar contract Brad

Smith Jersey UK , everyone from wealthy African Americans to poor

White Americans, deserve an opportunity to right the wrongs in their life. No

matter how severe the crime, we all need and deserve forgiveness, including

Vick.

I know what Michael was accused and convicted of, and I dont like

it at all, Eagles teammate Donovan McNabb wrote on his blog. I have had dogs all

my life and consider myself a dog lover. I am in no way excusing Michael for

what happened, but he was punished for his crime. He served his time and, at

least I believe, he has learned from it. I believe Michael is a changed person,

and that he deserves a chance at putting his life back

together.

Nevertheless, the hatred that is aimed towards wealthy African

Americans does not have to stem from criminal activity. After the shocking death

of Michael Jackson, his family began receiving the type of media scrutiny that

they once received at the height of their popularity.

Much attention was

placed on Jacksons three young children and the details of the will that gave 40

percent of his earnings to his mother Katherine, 40 percent to his three

children and 20 percent to charity. When CNNs Nancy Grace asked another legal

expert on her show if Katherine could give her portion of the earnings to her

children and husband, Grace shook her head in disgust that all of the money

would not go to his children.

I often wonder, if the fact that the skin

of Jacksons kids is fair had anything to do with the medias concern for their

welfare. If the three children had darker skin would news outlets such as CNN

have been so concerned about their welfare and the allegations that their

grandfather Joe had physically abused his own children?

Furthermore,

would Grace had been so disgusted to think that Jacksons parents and siblings

could inherit hundreds of millions of dollars if all parties involved had dark

skin? Throughout the history of this country, many wealthy White Americans have

earned their fortune through inheritance. If one is blessed to have a highly

successful member of the family, why should they not benefit from old

money?

It just seems that because we now have more powerful and wealthy

African Americans in our country, some in society have become offended that

wealth does not have a color complex, which has resulted in many wealthy African

Americans. Unfortunately, many seem to have a cash complex when it comes to

people of color.

Author's Resource Box

Todd A. Smith is the publisher of http:www.regalmag, an online magazine dedicated to issues affecting African American men. To read more about wealthy African Americans visit http:www.regalmagwealthy-african-americans-hated-mainstream-society-a-384.