People often blame comments they make as being drunk or in a fit of rage. In reality, it’s such comments that are most truthful of what one really feels. So, when Kobe (in a fit of rage) called a referee a “faggot” he was showing his true emotions as opposed to his statement where, “My actions were out of frustration during the heat of the game, period.  The words expressed do NOT reflect my feelings toward the gay and lesbian communities and were NOT meant to offend anyone.” I doubt that Kobe would have made such a comment if he weren’t frustrated. However, he was frustrated and he did say it and his statement afterward was neither an apology nor an admission of guilt – it is him trying to explain away something unexplainable. Here’s my attempt at explaining:

Kobe’s hidden biases came out in this time of frustration and rage – biases which he can normally mask when in a calmer and more thoughtful state. It’s what he thinks deep down which normally do not manifest themselves in hateful words or actions, but in reality, define who he really is. Think Mel Gibson’s drunken rants. His friends have defended him saying it was the alcohol or his frustration with his girlfriend. Is he anti-semetic? Absolutely. Was he anti-semetic when he filmed Ghost and co-starred with Whoopi Goldberg? Absolutely – but it was part of his hidden biases.

Once again, isn’t alcohol truth serum? Where do we draw the line? What if the shoe were on the other foot and the referee, frustrated with Kobe, as I’m sure he was, called Kobe the n-word? The referee would have lost his job and there would have been an incredible media outburst as opposed to the fine and slightly inflated press coverage. I hope Kobe learns from this as biases are not immutable. He has not started learning from it yet.

Note: This is coming from a Laker fan. I defended the possibility of Kobe’s innocence during the rape accusations in Denver. I cannot defend him here.