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“The race card” is a term usually used by conservative media to dismiss the plight of people of color when they bring up structural, institutional, and social biases.

But now, TNT is going to address these issues straight on, with a new TV show named after the controversial phrase.

Retired NBA star Charles Barkley will be hosting The Race Card when it airs next year.

The six hour-long episodes will tackle race topics that often get ignored by mainstream media.

So, how did the sports analyst snag the spot?

The network saw potential in the athlete beyond his Inside the NBA commentary.

According to TNT’s press release, “Barkley wants to bust up the echo chamber mentality that so often has people retreating to corners of the like-minded, where views are reinforced and ideas are distorted into angry, unexamined groupthink conclusions.”

He’s an interesting choice from an outsider’s perspective, considering the controversial statements he has made about the Black community.

“We got to do better as black people,” Charles recently told the Washington Post“The cops have made some mistakes, but there’s a lot of blame to go around. But I’m not going to get on TV and yell like all these other idiots. I’m willing to sit down with anybody and have constructive criticism. I always tell myself as a black man: ‘Am I part of the problem or part of the solution?’ If I’m out doing illegal stuff, stupid stuff, I’m part of the problem. If I’m helping young black kids go to college like I’m trying to do, if I’m giving money to causes to help young men, I know I’m part of the solution.”

Unfortunately, many of his sentiments fall into the range of respectability politics, despite his intentions.

We will see if his tone changes as executive producer and host of the new show.

SOURCE: Washington Post | PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

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