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Less than a day after Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive back Carlton Davis III posted and deleted a controversial Tweet on Sunday, Bucs general manager Jason Licht issued a statement on Monday regarding the incident.
Davis tweeted “Gotta stop letting g— in Miami” on Sunday according to ESPN’s Jenna Laine. The veteran cornerback deleted the tweet and apologized on Twitter for using the term, which has anti-Asian origins.
“We have been in communication with Carlton regarding his social media post from Sunday evening,” Licht wrote. “Words carry weight and it is incumbent upon all of us to have a thorough understanding of the words we choose and the effect they may have on others. We look forward to working with Carlton to find appropriate ways to learn from this experience and continue our joint efforts to put an end to all forms for social and racial injustices.”
In Davis’ apology on, he wrote that, “I would never offend any group of people. You reporters can look for another story to blow up. The term was directed toward a producer claiming he ‘ran Miami’. With that being said, I’ll retire that word from my vocabulary giving the hard times our Asian family are enduring.”
He added a note below the tweet that g— is often “used in south Florida to describe a person who is lame” and noted it’s a “synonym for lame, wack, fool, or stupid”, referencing slang definition for the word in Urban Dictionary.
According to Dictionary.com, g— is “a contemptuous term used to refer to a native of Southeast Asia or the South Pacific, especially a member of an enemy military force.” Hate crimes toward people of Asian descent spiked 149% in major U.S. cities early in the coronavirus pandemic according to the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism.
“I used a term that from where I come from has always meant ‘lame’ but I did not realize it has a much darker, negative connotation,” Davis, a Miami area native, wrote in another pair of tweets. “I have learned a valuable lesson and want to apologize to anyone that was offended by seeing that word because we need to focus on helping each other during these tough times.”
Notably, the term has derogatory connotations whether used in its slang south Florida context or intentionally directed toward Asians. Davis didn’t name the producer he directed his original tweet at nor issue an apology toward the producer.
Davis’ Connection
Newsweek’s Benjamin Fearnow noted that Davis could be referring to Miami-based rapper Denzel Curry, who made a 2016 song called “G—“. The song uses “the word as a form of empowerment for society’s outcasts, not as an anti-Asian racial slur” Fearnow wrote.
Davis notably serves on the Bucs’ social justice board, which launched in 2018. Licht also highlighted that point in his statement, noting that Davis “has played a key role in our organizational support for finding peaceful and productive ways to bring attention to societal issues that have plagued our country for many year.”
Davis told Buccaneers.com’s Casey Phillips that the change he wants to see is people dialoguing with each other instead of going off of stereotypes.
Davis’ NFL Career With Bucs
On the field, Davis had a solid 2020 season for the Bucs with four interceptions and 68 tackles amid 14 games played and starts. He also had 22 tackles in four playoff games, including five tackles in Super Bowl LV.
The fourth-year veteran from Auburn has increased his production each season with the team. Davis tallied 40 tackles and a forced fumble in 13 games played, 12 starts, as a rookie in 2018. He made his first career interception in 2019, and he forced a fumble and garnered 60 tackles in 14 games played, all starts.
Tampa selected Davis 62nd in the second round of the NFL Draft in 2018. He has a year left on his rookie contract of $4.39 million.
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