LeBron James has gone from not really wanting to be involved in politics to hosting rallies at the Q. More than 20,000 people showed up for James' rally with Jay-Z Wednesday night. There's no sense quibbling 
about what this rally was about, as the name of the rally indicated. But James deserves a little credit for doing something bigger than endorsing a candidate. James told those present they should get their friends, families, aunts, uncles and go and vote.
"I'm voting for Obama," James told the crowd. Note he did not endorse Barack Obama, just said he's voting for him. In the lexicon, this is called a passive-aggressive endorsement.
But two things can be said about LeBron doing this.
First, LeBron does not mind his taxes being increased. Obama has made no secret those who make more than $250,000 will pay higher taxes if he wins, and if memory serves correct James is in that bracket. Either James has a lot of savings squirreled away in a shoe box in his basement, or he's jumped on the Joe Biden bandwagon and feels he's being patriotic.
Second, I salute James merely for urging folks to vote. He has influence. He can be a role model in many ways, and telling people to vote is a service. I say this not because of the person James is voting for, but because in this nation one of the great rights we have is the right to express ourselves with the ballot. When only about 50 percent of the voters take part in elections, that's sad. If James' urgings get more people to vote – especially more African-Americans, who for whatever reason have felt disenfranchised – then he's done a service. Clearly James has an agenda in his rally, but if it does nothing but get more voters to the polls it's a benefit to everyone. People have the right to vote for the candidate of their choice, but the more who vote the better it is for everyone.
So for paying my share of the tax burden, and for getting people involved in the process, I salute LeBron.
"November 4," he said, "is the most important day of our lives."
Think about it – isn't every first Tuesday in November a most important day — for all of us?
It's passive-aggressive to host a rally, give the Democrats+Obama the maximum individual contribution (reported 2 months ago), and tell people he's going to vote for Obama and to take their whole families to vote? What do you want from the guy?
Ask Michael Jordan what it's like to be passive politically, and come back and tell us how LeBron's message is not CRYSTAL CLEAR.
i don't think lebron is passive aggressive either. he clearly does not want to take a stand if it affects his shoe sales in china.
"November 4," he said, "is the most important day of our lives." Lorenzen Wright's birthday is the most important day in the lives of black folks? I did not know that. I was under the impression that Marty King's birthday was the big day. Guess I'm just a pasty white fool.
"Guess I'm just a pasty white fool."
Amen, brotha!
You and only you would know Lorenzen White's birthday. Spend some more time on the internets and waste away like the fool you are. You do know the sun does shine outside and there's a whole world out there to try and be a productive citizen of don't ya?
i love seeing a good case of man-love as much as the next guy. but isn't there a dating site you could take this crush to rick? eharmony doesn't do the same-same thingy but i'm sure you can find one that meets your requirements. not sure alan is going to follow you but for love it's worth it!
Alan T. you are definitely a patsy fool.
Rick the Stalking Dick, I looked it up. Didn't know it by heart. I thought it would be kinda funny to look up November 4 birthdays. It's also shared by Carlos Baerga, Orlando Pace, Ric Ocasek and Laura Bush. Actually, come to think of it, writing "Carlos Baerga" instead of "Lorenzen Wright" might have been funnier. Who knows.
But thanks for your man-crush wink, though. Four years of posts filled with nothing but following me around the Internet. If only you could see how hard my nipples are right now.
Were there any white people there or was it blacks only? And how big was the riot caused by the people who didn't have tickets and tried to crash the show? I heard talk of a big fight inside.
You can't get 18,000 of these animals in one place without gang fights, and you want one of them to be president?
Obama is going to raise taxes for white people (since we are the ones who work) to give our money to blacks on welfare. It will be open season for looting and rioting and murdering white people because "a brutha takes care of his own" and will demand easy sentences for all black crime.
Think very hard before you vote for this guy because he is black and it would be "cool".
McCain all the way.