A Full-Throated Defense of Juwan Howard Smacking Fools
No one has a right to put their hands on you and stop your path
(Michigan head basketball coach and collegiate and NBA legend Juwan Howard)
Michigan University basketball coach Juwan Howard is under fire for lashing out physically after being grabbed by Wisconsin coach Greg Gard following their two teams’ recent game against one another. Many are calling for Howard to be fired after he struck one of Gard’s assistants who got in Howard’s face after Gard was pulled away.
Many commentators have rightly called the demand for Howard to be fired an absurd one. Journalist Jemelle Hill said suspending Howard is understandable while saying he shouldn’t be fired, and also expressing shock at the notion that Gard should be punished for anything.
Dr. Marc Lamont-Hill agreed that firing Howard would be wrong, but also said that there is no defending the coach’s actions. Dr. Lamont-Hill’s analysis was much more nuanced, but ultimately I still believe such defenses are a bit back-handed and don’t go far enough.
For now, let’s avoid predictable platitudes about how Howard is a role model, how it couldn’t possibly be justified to punch or slap another coach. Let’s simply review what actually happened.
Howard looked to be largely physically ignoring Gard as they drew closer to one another during the post-game handshake line and Howard said “I’ll remember that” in reference to a timeout Gard had called, and by all appearances was on pace to walk past Gard before his White colleague licentiously grabbed Howard and stood in his path.
Then Howard told Gard to not touch him. Gard ignored Howard and stayed in his path, with his hands on Howard.
Soon, the two were split up and one of Gard’s assistants, another White man, got in Howard’s face. Then, Howard smacked him.
Good.
Juwan Howard taking a swing after being grabbed and having his path impeded by one licentious White man and then having another White man get in his face in defense of the first one is not only understandable, it's justified, righteous, and hopefully teaches others a lesson. It certainly was a good example for his students.
Boundaries are important. So is context.
Juwan Howard had a right to walk in a straight line and ignore a White man in his path. That White man, Gard, had no right to block Howard or demand attention, explanation, or accounting from him, yet he felt comfortable not only doing that but also putting his hands on Howard.
In fact, Gard didn’t even relent after Howard told him not to touch him. This isn’t a one-off, this is the way things have always worked in the United States.
Black people have had to step out onto the street and respectfully acknowledge White people they passed on threat of insult or even lynching for centuries. When such dynamics have been in place for so long they get engrained in a society’s DNA.
A handshake line isn’t different, in principle, than a town sidewalk with that taken into consideration, and Howard deserves credit for standing up for himself when White men put their hands on him, get in his face, and demand respect from him that he didn’t want to give.
Hopefully Howard’s students were paying close attention and learned from his example that the pattern can be broken. No one has a right to put their hands on you and stop your path.
If more White men get smacked around for doing so, the practice may one day become less common. Hopefully other White men like Gard and his assistant also paid close attention.
Keep fucking around and you just might find out.
Fab Five takes no shit!