Let me state right off the bat that I have great respect for Stephen A. Smith, an accomplished sports columnist and commentator. But I do take issue with recent statements that he made during a debate with Skip Bayless on ESPN’s First Take today. An ESPN editor was fired and an ESPN anchor was suspended due to language used to describe the “down to earth” performance of New York Knicks sensation, Jeremy Lin, against the Hornets last Friday night. Moderated by Jay Crawford, the debate between the two outspoken sports pundits was about instances of insensitivity within the media coverage of Jeremy Lin, who is Asian American.

Instead of taking on the topic of the media and its coverage of Jeremy Lin, Smith chose to use the debate as an opportunity to criticize the ultra-sensitivity of black folks. The gist of his argument is that the black community’s ultra-sensitivity has created an environment in our society that has led to lost jobs and ruined careers in the media and now other “groups” (such as Asian-Americans, Hispanic-Americans and Gay & Lesbian Americans) are basically following in our footsteps in terms of their outrage over racial statements in the media (by the way, I’m African-American).

Now, I disagree with Stephen A.’s arguments on many points, in fact, I find much of what he said quite insulting to African-Americans. But what I found most troubling about his statements, is that they could easily be seen as insulting to Asian-Americans. Why? Because the original topic of the debate he and Bayless were having this morning on ESPN’s First Take was not about African-Americans, it was about the insensitivities in the media about Jeremy Lin, who, the last time I checked is an Asian-American!

The fact that Stephen A. Smith would take a debate about the coverage of Lin (an Asian-American) in the media and turn it into an indictment of black people’s “feelings”, really demonstrates how many of us (African-Americans) always want to make discussions about race and civil rights about us. When we do this, as Smith did this morning on ESPN, it’s as if we’re being dismissive of how others feel about issues that impact them as much as it impacts us. Other minority communities such as Asian-Americans have their own voices and can (and should more often, I might add) express their own thoughts about issues of race, especially in the instances when those issues directly involve them!

I understand why we as African-Americans are often front-and-center in regards to the issue of race. Our history in this country makes us (justifiable so) very loud and strong voices because, arguably, we have suffered the most when it comes to racism in America than any other group. But (and this is a ‘BIG’ “but”) our country has gone through a dramatic change demographically. We’re not the “only show in town” sort of speak, when it comes to racism. Hispanics are the largest minority community in the country. Asian-American are one of the fastest growing communities in this country. To make every debate concerning race about African-Americans is condescending to others and frankly, arrogant.

Though I’ve been critical of Stephen A. Smith in this piece, he is actually one of my favorite commentators because he’s one of very few blacks in the media that keeps it real. He tells you what he thinks and you can’t help but respect that. I tend to agree with Smith on a lot of issues. But not this time. To be clear: I don’t disagree with everything he said during his debate with Skip Bayless but I believe that Smith made the wrong argument at the wrong time this morning on ESPN’s First Take.

While Stehen A. thought he was making such a passionate and profound statement that would enlighten and serve as a dose of “tough love” to the African-American community, it’s more likely that his argument was tuned out by those in the Asian-American community who were turned off by his audacity to use a much needed debate about Jeremy Lin and the media as just another opportunity to single out the thoughts, feelings and actions of black folks.