ESPN made the decision Tuesday night to remove sportscaster Robert Lee from calling the University of Virginia football game in Charlottesville because he shares a name with Confederate general Robert E. Lee.
In a statement, ESPN president John Skipper noted that, “There was never any concern — by anyone, at any level — that Robert Lee’s name would offend anyone watching the Charlottesville game,” adding that, “Among our Charlotte production staff there was a question as to whether — in these divisive times — Robert’s assignment might create a distraction, or even worse, expose him to social hectoring and trolling.”
The Asian American Journalists Association also released a statement, commenting, “Although AAJA understands this was a personnel decision to reassign ESPN announcer Robert Lee to another event, it is unfortunate that someone’s name, particularly a last name that is common among Asian Americans, can be a potential liability.”
It's remarkable how sensitive America has become in the last few months. Racial groups have unified amongst each other over racial majority and minority differences, like children fighting for the last cookie in the cookie jar. It's impossible to turn on a news program without a story regarding race. In this day and age, it would be better if the entire world was color blind.