In the middle of the night this past weekend, one of the oddest alerts came across my cell phone.
James Harden arrested in Houston.
Immediately, my thoughts went to what “The Beard” had done in the wee hours of the night. He was probably speeding in these Houston streets in one of his fancy sports cars, coming from one of the Hookah spots he is known to frequent when in town.
But upon actually reading the alert, you find out Harden was arrested in Harris County and charged with a UNL Carrying Weapon in Gun in MV, also known as unlawfully carrying a weapon in a motor vehicle.
This made no sense since we all know in Texas, great liberties are taken to protect the guarantees of the Second Amendment, which gives American citizens the right to bear arms. And if you live in Texas, the liberties seem even broader, with people being allowed to openly carry guns anywhere, with the exception of schools, churches, government buildings, and a few other places.
If you have lived here long enough, we’ve all seen some Billy Bob with a gun attached at his hip for no other good reason than he could. It’s legally okay.
So why was the well-known NBA star, who once played for the Rockets and is now with the Cleveland Cavaliers, arrested and charged with what seems to be a God-given right in this state?
People carry weapons for protection in this state without a thought, and for a high-profile athlete who could be seen as a target, it makes sense that Harden would keep his weapon close and easily accessible.
It felt like a DWB (Driving While Black) thing because we still don’t know why Harden was even stopped. But according to reports, when the officer stopped Harden and approached his vehicle, it was observed that he had his registered handgun just sitting on his passenger seat in plain sight.
No holster, no nothing.
He could have attempted to hide or conceal his weapon, but the fact that Harden left it out in the open showed he felt he had nothing to hide and that he didn’t want any problems.
Harden was booked and hit with a misdemeanor charge because the handgun wasn’t properly holstered, according to reports. It wasn’t long after that Harden was released on a $100 bond and given a June 22 court date.
There is never a good time for a Black man to get arrested, but the timing optics really don’t look good for the 36-year-old declining NBA star, who is soon expected to opt out of his contract with the Cavaliers for a more lucrative deal.
Harden will still get his money, even though he was arrested for something slightly more serious than a speeding ticket. But, of course, the Cavaliers had to put out an obligatory statement about the ordeal.
“The Cleveland Cavaliers are aware of the arrest of James Harden this morning and are in the process of gathering additional information.
“We are in contact with James and his representation and will continue to monitor developments as they become available. At this time, we will have no further comment.”
That’s fine and understandable for the NBA franchise. But I do.
Perhaps it’s still the raw feeling from what went down with teenager Karmelo Anthony up in northern Texas last week, or just the constant harassment and scrutiny of Black men by the legal system, but this is beyond frustrating.
Did Harden give the police officer an opening to inconvenience and embarrass him that morning? Sure.
But was it necessary? Definitely not.
