Timcast IRL · April 17, 2022 · 2h 0m

Sunday Uncensored: Ben Shapiro & Jonathan Isaac BONUS Segments Back To Back

politicsculture-warfree-speechmediamainstream-media

Episode Recap

This Timcast IRL episode features an in-depth conversation with NBA player Jonathan Isaac from the Orlando Magic. Isaac discusses his controversial decision to stand during the national anthem in the NBA bubble while teammates knelt for Black Lives Matter, his Christian faith as the guiding force behind his choice, and the backlash he received for defying the crowd. The conversation explores his upbringing in the Bronx, New York, his family's strong Christian values, and his journey to the NBA through Florida State University. Isaac pushes back against the Black Lives Matter narrative, arguing that it teaches that racism is the only reason for inequality between Black and white Americans, which he rejects. He draws parallels to Jordan Peterson's discussions about systemic inequality, quoting Peterson's interview with Cathy Newman about how sexism isn't the only factor in gender pay disparities. Isaac discusses Ibram X. Kendi's notion that racism is always present in any circumstance, calling it a dangerous idea that removes agency from individuals. The discussion covers how the NBA's stance on kneeling changed dramatically from forbidding it during Colin Kaepernick's protest to mandating it just two years later. Isaac emphasizes that kneeling and wearing a t-shirt are not the only ways to support Black lives, sharing his personal testimony of being supported by Christ throughout his life. Tim Pool and Ian Crossland engage with Isaac on the cultural shift where standing for traditional American values became seen as a radical statement.

TL;DR

  • →Jonathan Isaac explains his decision to stand during the NBA anthem protest, citing his Christian faith and disagreement with the Black Lives Matter movement's messaging
  • →Isaac discusses growing up in the Bronx, his family's conservative Christian values emphasizing hard work and trusting in God
  • →The NBA player pushes back against the narrative that racism is the only cause of Black inequality, referencing Jordan Peterson's analysis
  • →Isaac describes how the NBA's stance on kneeling completely inverted from forbidding it during Colin Kaepernick to mandating it during the George Floyd protests
  • →The conversation addresses Ibram X. Kendi's concept that racism is always present in any circumstance, which Isaac calls a dangerous ideology
  • →Isaac shares his experience of backlash for standing and announces he's writing a book about his story and his faith-based approach to life's challenges

Key Moments

  • 0:00
    Introduction and Setting the Stage
    Tim Pool introduces Jonathan Isaac and sets up the conversation about his decision to stand during anthem protests
  • 0:02:37
    NBA Bubble Anthem Controversy
    Isaac explains his decision not to kneel during the Black Lives Matter protests in the NBA bubble and the pressure he faced
  • 0:05:22
    Black Lives Matter and Critical Race Theory
    Deep discussion about the Black Lives Matter narrative and Isaac's rejection of the idea that racism is the only cause of inequality
  • 0:07:17
    Jordan Peterson and Systemic Inequality
    Isaac references Jordan Peterson's interview with Cathy Newman about how single-factor explanations for inequality are inadequate
  • 0:07:50
    Personal Testimony and Book Announcement
    Isaac shares his life story and announces he's writing a book about his faith and his decision to stand

Notable Quotes

“I'm a Christian. I feel that Christ is ultimately the answer for the world's problems. That's me. That's what I've grown up on and what I've come to truly believe later in my life here. And I never felt comfortable professing that in the Black Lives Matter space.”

— Jonathan Isaac · explaining his faith-based reasoning for not kneeling

“The sentiment was wearing a t-shirt and kneeling for the national anthem does not go hand in hand with supporting black lives. It's not the only way to support black lives, because when I look at my life, my life has been supported by Christ.”

— Jonathan Isaac · challenging the binary narrative around BLM support

“I would say the strand of the Black Lives Matter is to teach you or to get you to believe that racism is the only reason for inequality between black and whites. And I think what it ends up doing... you're basically telling people success is out of your reach due to things you can't control but that's just not true. You can succeed if you work hard.”

— Jonathan Isaac · critiquing the BLM and CRT narrative

“Isn't it crazy that it was, you know, several years ago, Colin Kaepernick, he kneels and he gets criticism for it. And we're in this moment where like, oh, you can't do that. Now it's inverted. Now everybody's kneeling and you're standing up like, I'm not going to kneel for this.”

— Tim Pool · noting the dramatic shift in cultural expectations around kneeling

“Growing up in New York, it was definitely something that we were taught about, you know, as kids... you want to make sure you're respectable to police. You want to make sure you're not out here causing any trouble. But my family household was definitely, I would say, unspokenly on a conservative trend in terms of work really hard, compete in the workplace, compete in what you're doing, become the best that you can be.”

— Jonathan Isaac · describing his conservative upbringing in the Bronx

← All Episodes