Emmanuel Acho criticised for saying he doesn’t have “Generational Trauma” like Black Americans because he’s Nigerian

by Editor2
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NFL analyst Emmanuel Acho is being slammed on social media after giving a controversial take on race relations. Acho gave his two cents when he was a guest on Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsayโ€™s Higher Learning podcast on the Ringer.  

The former NFL player, who is born from Nigerian parents, is being slammed for saying he doesnโ€™t have โ€œgenerational traumaโ€ like other Black people in America.

โ€œWhen white people say, โ€˜Well, racism doesnโ€™t exist,โ€™ I know why they say that. Because Iโ€™ve been in them rooms when theyโ€™re saying that,โ€ Acho said on the podcast. โ€œWhen I kick it with Black people and theyโ€™re like, โ€˜All white people are racist,โ€™ I know why youโ€™re saying that. All the while, I have the privilege and luxury of not having generational trauma, because my parents were born in Nigeria. So my method is removing some of the sting, because I donโ€™t have that sting, and trying to deliver it in a manner that people can receive it.โ€

As his comment became a hot topic on social media, Acho went to Twitter to explain that heโ€™s not trying to say heโ€™s more privileged than Black Americans.

โ€œI made no such suggestion, that was the reach the host of the show made and led the listener to (at the 39:45 mark),โ€ he said. โ€œI stated my lineage to allow understanding for my predisposition to be *less* hostile. It was giving the listener insight as to why. Not implying Iโ€™m better.โ€

I made no such suggestion, that was the reach the host of the show made and led the listener to (at the 39:45 mark). I stated my lineage to allow understanding for my predisposition to be *less* hostile. It was giving the listener insight as to why. Not implying Iโ€™m better.

โ€” Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) January 26, 2023

Lathan continued to challenge Acho on social media.

โ€œIโ€™m not sure what you intended to convey by stating your Nigerian background frees you of โ€˜generational traumaโ€™ and takes the โ€˜stingโ€™ out of your convos with white people,โ€ Lathan said. โ€œBut it feels like you purposefully othered yourself from the descendants of slaves. Why?โ€

.@EmmanuelAcho Iโ€™m not sure what you intended to convey by stating your Nigerian background frees you of โ€œgenerational traumaโ€ and takes the โ€œstingโ€ out of your convos with white people. But it feels like you purposefully othered yourself from the descendants of slaves. Why? https://t.co/5jPKwXITDs pic.twitter.com/TGfulKtFUx

โ€” Van Lathan Jr (@VanLathan) January 26, 2023

Many more people spoke out against the sports analyst.

Van is consistently on. A 1st gen Nigerian saying we donโ€™t have generational trauma when we speak English as a 1st language, parents attended colonial schools, โ€œindependentโ€ less than 65 yrs, richest/most populous African nation yet most people are poor back home. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/6KAnEjea8a

โ€” THIQUE! BINI BADDIEโšก๏ธ (@Aizehinomo) January 27, 2023

โ€œTry to deliver a message in a way people can receiveโ€ pic.twitter.com/RtDxPS16KD

โ€” Ken ๐Ÿ‘‘ (@YaBoiKennyKen) January 27, 2023

I think he’s confused. It’s not that he doesn’t have generational “trauma,” it’s that he doesn’t have the generational context that African Americans do. There’s a hole in his understanding, and ignorance is bliss.

โ€” Citizen Stewart (@citizenstewart) January 27, 2023

Acho said the podcast was set up to make him say something controversial.

โ€œVan, the entire conversation was a public set up,โ€ he tweeted. โ€œYour producers lured me into committing by misleading me about the topics of โ€˜conversation.โ€™ You manipulated my relationship w/ Rachel in order to publicly air your grievances as opposed to preparing me for a productive dialogue.โ€

Van, the entire conversation was a public set up. Your producers lured me into committing by misleading me about the topics of โ€œconversation.โ€ You manipulated my relationship w/ Rachel in order to publicly air your grievances as opposed to preparing me for a productive dialogue. pic.twitter.com/8S6cHHr8hj

โ€” Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) January 26, 2023. (Blavity)

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