--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm just what America needs: another…" description: "\"I'm just what America needs: another unemployed black man. (on his retirement from basketball)\" — Charles Barkley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/693/charles-barkley-1266_america_i-m-just-what-america-needs-another-unem_1736556.png" --- # I'm just what America needs: another unemployed black man… ![“I'm just what America needs: another unemployed black man. (on his retirement from basketball)” quote by Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/693/charles-barkley-1266_america_i-m-just-what-america-needs-another-unem_1736556.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/693/charles-barkley-1266_america_i-m-just-what-america-needs-another-unem_1736556.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/693/charles-barkley-1266_america_i-m-just-what-america-needs-another-unem_1736556.png) > “I'm just what America needs: another unemployed black man. (on his retirement from basketball)” [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker humorously claims his presence fulfills a societal role, highlighting stereotypes about race and employment. **In simple terms:** He jokes he's what America needs: another unemployed black man. Key Takeaway Question stereotypes and reflect on societal expectations. Themes race stereotype humor Mood critical provocative Type satirical social When to use this quote - public speaking - media analysis - community dialogue Key Concepts social commentary identity Questions to Reflect On - What impact does this joke have on perceptions? - How can we address underlying stereotypes? A Different Perspective Humor can trivialize serious issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Retirement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retirement/) [Unemployed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unemployed/) ## Related quotes > [Every position must be held to the last man. There must be no retirement. With our backs to the wall, and believing in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-haig-1st-earl-haig/every-position-must-be-held-to-the-last-man-there-must-be-no/) Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig > [What this country needs are more unemployed politicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-langley/what-this-country-needs-are-more-unemployed-politicians/) Edward Langley > [“I watched Question Time on BBC1 last night and I've come to the conclusion this country needs more unemployed politicians.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirkland-ciccone/i-watched-question-time-on-bbc1-last-night-and-i-ve-come-to-the/) [Kirkland Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirkland-ciccone/) > [What this country needs is more unemployed politicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-davis/what-this-country-needs-is-more-unemployed-politicians/) [Angela Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-davis/) > [“For their never-ending endeavours to obtain or retain wealth, countries desperately need companies, because they—unlike most human beings—have the means of production, and human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/for-their-never-ending-endeavours-to-obtain-or-retain-wealth/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [While society cannot provide employment for its members, the production/work/income nexus has to be abandoned as a justification for our present parsimony to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/while-society-cannot-provide-employment-for-its-members-the/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [There's only two givens with choosing acting as a profession: one is you will always be unemployed, always, and it doesn't matter how much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-mcdormand/there-s-only-two-givens-with-choosing-acting-as-a-profession-one-is/) [Frances McDormand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-mcdormand/) > [“I have been watching the Democrats run the USA for four years. The police are still corrupt and incompetent, their ‘green’ energy policy is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/i-have-been-watching-the-democrats-run-the-usa-for-four-years-the/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [Everyone is skeptical. Only the media are not skeptical, but, then, they were also not skeptical when the administration put out the line that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/everyone-is-skeptical-only-the-media-are-not-skeptical-but-then-they/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [I remember my parents were always around, and that was glorious, but as an adult and as an actor I look back now and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-fox/i-remember-my-parents-were-always-around-and-that-was-glorious-but-as/) [Phoebe Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-fox/) > [I'm constantly paranoid that I'll be unemployed for the rest of my life... and have to go back folding shirts at the Gap, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-wu/i-m-constantly-paranoid-that-i-ll-be-unemployed-for-the-rest-of-my/) [Constance Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-wu/) > [The unemployed in Greece can get a voucher and choose a training program somewhere in Europe to be retrained during this crisis and when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/the-unemployed-in-greece-can-get-a-voucher-and-choose-a-training/) [George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/) > [The most devastating thing though that biology did to Christianity was the discovery of biological evolution. Now that we know that Adam and Eve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zindler/the-most-devastating-thing-though-that-biology-did-to-christianity/) [Frank Zindler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zindler/) > [In terms of the unemployed, of which we have over a million-and-a-half, don't feel particularly bad for many of these people. They don't feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-harper/in-terms-of-the-unemployed-of-which-we-have-over-a-million-and-a-half/) [Stephen Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-harper/) > [I've never believed unemployment numbers because the way that they calculate unemployment makes no sense whatsoever. It's not how many people are unemployed. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/i-ve-never-believed-unemployment-numbers-because-the-way-that-they/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) ## More by Charles Barkley > [What bothers me the most are the Republicans and the Democrats: they act like little kids. They are lying to real people out here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/what-bothers-me-the-most-are-the-republicans-and-the-democrats-they/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [I think people got more common sense than people give 'em credit for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/i-think-people-got-more-common-sense-than-people-give-em-credit-for/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [I played against him (Wilkins) in college. Getting nominated with him, that's pretty cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/i-played-against-him-wilkins-in-college-getting-nominated-with-him/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [Everybody in the world has an ego. The only difference between us is we have a reason to have an ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/everybody-in-the-world-has-an-ego-the-only-difference-between-us-is/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [There's no medical term for what I've got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/there-s-no-medical-term-for-what-i-ve-got/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [One of the reasons I don't trust the media is you can't have a double standard for guys you like and dislike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/one-of-the-reasons-i-don-t-trust-the-media-is-you-can-t-have-a-double/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [I'm no role model.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/i-m-no-role-model/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [I just wish all these young black kids would realize how significant it is to stop acting a fool out there, killing each other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/i-just-wish-all-these-young-black-kids-would-realize-how-significant/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [I wish the American public wasn't so stupid if they realized that half the people on television make a living just to insult the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/i-wish-the-american-public-wasn-t-so-stupid-if-they-realized-that/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [If a guy drew a charge on me, I tried to kick him in the balls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/if-a-guy-drew-a-charge-on-me-i-tried-to-kick-him-in-the-balls/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [Golf is fun - until you hit somebody in the head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/golf-is-fun-until-you-hit-somebody-in-the-head/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [If you get a chance to play with great players, that's half the battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/if-you-get-a-chance-to-play-with-great-players-that-s-half-the-battle/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [Everything gets blamed on the Clintons, every single thing in this world. I think Bill Clinton shot JFK, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/everything-gets-blamed-on-the-clintons-every-single-thing-in-this/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [I'm not a role model... Just because I dunk a basketball doesn't mean I should raise your kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/i-m-not-a-role-model-just-because-i-dunk-a-basketball-doesn-t-mean-i/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [We, as black people, we have a lot of crooks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/we-as-black-people-we-have-a-lot-of-crooks/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) [Explore all 263 Charles Barkley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm just what America needs: another unemployed black man. 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