John Ennis
Contributing Writer
While dozens of protest groups ranging from the Libertarians and Pro Lifers to the National Vietnam P.O.W. Strikeforce and the "Stop Genocide in Chad" movement gathered outside the Wortham Center Tuesday night in demonstration, President Clinton led a 105-minute nationally televised conversation on the role of race in sports inside the Center.
Urging Americans to look at the world of sports as an example of how individuals of different races can join in a common effort, Clinton and 10 other panel board members discussed several topics but were unable to satisfy many.
"It was a feel-good session, but they accomplished little," said John Wilson, a professor at the University of Houston-Downtown who teaches a class on race in sports.
"I think that (the town hall meeting) was helpful to a limited extent, but I wish it could have had more substance."
Also unsatisfied was Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President Richard R. Torres, who was upset with both the make-up of the panel and the lack of attention on issues dealing with Hispanics - the fastest growing minority in America.
"We had hoped that we could open up the dialogue," Torres explained. "But we sat there for 51 minutes before the president finally raised the issue of Hispanics."
Explaining that he had no control over where the conversation led, ESPN senior editor Norby Williamson defended the fact that there was only one Latino on the panel, former St. John's basketball player Felipe Lopez.
According to Williamson, ESPN had invited numerous Hispanic sport figures, but all except Lopez declined for various reasons.
In addition to the president and Lopez, panel participants included former NFL great Jim Brown, University of Georgia Athletic Director Vince Dooley, Minnesota Vikings coach Dennis Green, New York Jets wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson, track star Jackie Joyner-Kersee, baseball Hall of Famer and ESPN analyst Joe Morgan, San Diego Padres Chairman of the Board and UH benefactor John Moores, San Francisco 49ers President Carmen Policy and Georgetown University men's basketball coach John Thompson.
Thompson, who has been very active in issues dealing with race in the past, admitted that dealing with such a complex topic in such a limited time limit is difficult. "Any time you try to cover such a broad issue in that kind of forum, things aren't going to get covered and people will be left out," he said.
Brown, another panelist vocal on the issue of race, was pleased with the event. "I think the event was very candid, and I enjoyed the positive atmosphere," Brown said.
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