The Most Racist Thing I'll Ever See

I have what I think is an interesting question, and I'm wondering if anyone who reads this would be inclined to answer. Have you heard of the All-American Basketball Alliance? (hang in there, that isn't the actual question) The AABA is (and for those of you who haven't heard of it yet I swear I'm not making this up) a proposed basketball league that will feature only white players and only American players. To play in this league, you and both of your parents have to be white and American.

I don't think this will ever actually happen, because how could 12 cities possibly be willing to host a team in this league? Even cities with tons of white people and a healthy portion of latent racism wouldn't be willing to do this. Right? Right??? But if it does happen, I say it'll be the most racist thing I'll ever see, because I'm only 30. I didn't actually see slavery or segregation or anything like that with my own eyes.

The guy who is trying to start this league, who calls himself "Moose" (again, I swear I'm not making that up either), is literally attempting to re-segregate a sport. His pitch, as far as I can tell, is that all these black guys and foreigners are ruining good, fundamental, white basketball. All the skill and talent the NBA is currently plagued with is ruining the fun of watching five white guys make good bounce passes.

Obviously, this is super racist. This guy shatters the 2010 racism scale. And the craziest part is, I've seen this guy on TV, more than once, defending his idea as totally not racist. It's almost like he's playing a practical joke on us. But here's my question. Would playing in this league make someone a racist?

Here's my scenario. Let's say I'm a white guy(hard to imagine, I know). I played high school ball. I didn't get a scholarship out of it, but I managed to walk on at a small but respectable division one school. I worked my way into the rotation and had a big game the year my team went to the tournament and almost stunned Kentucky. I wasn't nearly good enough for the NBA, or even the D-league. I went to Europe for two years, but mostly sat the bench and didn't get any new offers when I was done. I couldn't get on a pro team anywhere else.

Now, I'm 25-26 years old, back in America doing what every other failed athlete is doing, working a crappy job I hate (come to think of it, isn't pretty much everyone doing that, failed athlete or not, stupid life, anyway...). I'm getting no bites with basketball, my old high school won't even let me be an assistant coach. That probably has something to do with my setting the baseball field on fire the night after graduation. Whatever!

Then, just when I'm ready to give up on basketball, the GM for the Kentucky Killer Kangaroos (if this league ever does happen, I demand that I be the one to make up all 12 team names) shows up at my door and says he remembers seeing me play in college. He thinks I could really help out his team if I'm still in shape. He's not just talking about sitting on the bench, he's talking big minutes. I've kept myself in excellent shape and I'm ready to play. This is my last chance at my dream, this is the last opportunity basketball will ever offer me, this is, literally, the bottom of the barrel.

Under those circumstances, what, if anything, does it say about me if I take the offer? Would I be selling my soul to the devil? Would it not be my fault that the only league interested in me happens to be possibly the single most racist thing in America? Sometimes, going to work for the bad guys makes you one of the bad guys, is this one of those times? I honestly don't know, I'm wondering if anyone who reads this has a thought.