Racism in football - The Guardian

[Stu]

Having said all that, if Britain hadn't have been active in empire building, then it's likely that we'd be speaking French or Spanish now. It really was sink or swim from the 16th century onwards.

What have you got against Romance languages?

Nothing, it's just that Germanic languages get shit done.

I don't even know what I mean by that.

[Wilfred the Hairy]

But all those cases!
All that der die das!
The backwards numbers!
Waiting for the verb at the end of the sentence!
Germanic languages wear you out.

[peter w]

I think its only in 'white' countries where you can have this debate. Not only have we got most of our riches based on a racist history but our advancement in terms of society means that we can question racism on the level that we do. We beat ourselves up about it more than we set about dealing with it.

In Nigeria the term for a white person is 'oyinbo' and is used by every Nigerian for any white person. It just means 'white person'. You couldn't say,'black person' over here when talking about them or to them. But Nigeria doesn't have a history of subjugating white people so there's an innocence in the term and I've never met anyone who has taken offence at the term.

Not sure that is a particularly fair comment Peter. 

What, Britain bucked the trend in being a cuddly and loving empire builder, rather than all the other nasty ones?

No, not at all, but I just felt Peter was discounting the fact that a lot of our riches were also gained by developing the best means of using the natural resources found on our own shores.  I also think it is unfair that we are in Britain are constantly hammered about the Empire, when other countries very rarely have the finger pointed at them (Belguim's actions in the Congo spring to mind).  Why should we feel guilty about events that happened way before most of us were born and that we had no active role in?  Yes we should be aware of what happened, but it is this whole guilt trip that I don't get.

I don't have one iota of guilt about our past. We are"constantly hammered..." because our empire is the only one that's relevant to us. I couldn't give two sites about the Belgians, Germans, French etc As for the natural resources on our shores what were they in the 18th century onwards as we built our empire? Not that I'm that bothered to get into an empire discussion just to say the Empire has got us where we are and to think we weren't racist is wrong.

[tomd2103]

I think its only in 'white' countries where you can have this debate. Not only have we got most of our riches based on a racist history but our advancement in terms of society means that we can question racism on the level that we do. We beat ourselves up about it more than we set about dealing with it.

In Nigeria the term for a white person is 'oyinbo' and is used by every Nigerian for any white person. It just means 'white person'. You couldn't say,'black person' over here when talking about them or to them. But Nigeria doesn't have a history of subjugating white people so there's an innocence in the term and I've never met anyone who has taken offence at the term.

Not sure that is a particularly fair comment Peter. 

What, Britain bucked the trend in being a cuddly and loving empire builder, rather than all the other nasty ones?

No, not at all, but I just felt Peter was discounting the fact that a lot of our riches were also gained by developing the best means of using the natural resources found on our own shores.  I also think it is unfair that we are in Britain are constantly hammered about the Empire, when other countries very rarely have the finger pointed at them (Belguim's actions in the Congo spring to mind).  Why should we feel guilty about events that happened way before most of us were born and that we had no active role in?  Yes we should be aware of what happened, but it is this whole guilt trip that I don't get.

I don't have one iota of guilt about our past. We are"constantly hammered..." because our empire is the only one that's relevant to us. I couldn't give two sites about the Belgians, Germans, French etc As for the natural resources on our shores what were they in the 18th century onwards as we built our empire? Not that I'm that bothered to get into an empire discussion just to say the Empire has got us where we are and to think we weren't racist is wrong.

I apologise Peter, I didn't mean it as a personal attack on you and "constantly hammered" was probably not the best phrase to use.  I just get frustrated that most discussions about race in this country always seem to end up at the Empire and how bad it was. 

ps.  As for the natural resources on our shores in the 18th century, well there was the copper trade for a start.

   

[Hookeysmith]

I might be in a majority of one here but i get a bit tiried of hearing multi millionaire footballers cry about racism in the game and things not being fair. What is that the game that has gave you the opportunity to show your value as a person and a performer and to fulfil your dreams without your colour ever holding you back?

Real race issues where discrimination is deplorable, where peoples careers / lives are handicapped by their colour / religion etc need to be highlighted and addressed accordingly but the media and social commentators jumping up and down about things on a football field that in reality is name calling then i find a bit pathetic to be honest.

Someone calls me a name and i dont like it?  Either ignore it  (as i was taught as a child) or smack them in the mouth (as i learned as an adult) dragging stuff like this through court has proved what exactly - JT is a rascist  - wow i am shocked 

[Dave]

I might be in a majority of one here but i get a bit tiried of hearing multi millionaire footballers cry about racism in the game and things not being fair.

Which multi-millionaire footballers have done that? Must be loads for you to be so tired of it.

dragging stuff like this through court has proved what exactly - JT is a rascist  - wow i am shocked

It didn't prove anything of the sort.

And are you suggesting that the complaint made should just have been ignored and not investigated?

[danlanza]

I agree that the assasination of one of the greatest men to draw breath was a 'bad thing' dan.

But my goodness, if he'd spoken in the 'so simplistic it's almost moronic' terms of your post, hero of mine or not, I think I'd have shot him myself.

Fair comment Percy.

[Percy McCarthy]

Man, you're way too nice to post on here Dan.

[Chris Jameson]

I might be in a majority of one here but i get a bit tiried of hearing multi millionaire footballers cry about racism in the game and things not being fair.

Yep, just you.

[danlanza]

Man, you're way too nice to post on here Dan.

Nah. If ithink i have caused offence to anybody on this forum i just like to sort of appologise,if you get my drift. Sometimes i rant without engaging the little bit of grey matter in my skull,that's all Percy.

[Stu]

Man, you're way too nice to post on here Dan.

Nah. If ithink i have caused offence to anybody on this forum i just like to sort of appologise,if you get my drift. Sometimes i rant without engaging the little bit of grey matter in my skull,that's all Percy.

Shank him, Perc.

[danlanza]

Man, you're way too nice to post on here Dan.

Nah. If ithink i have caused offence to anybody on this forum i just like to sort of appologise,if you get my drift. Sometimes i rant without engaging the little bit of grey matter in my skull,that's all Percy.

Shank him, Perc.

Cheers

[Percy McCarthy]

That's all very well Dan, but I come on here to make up for the dearth of confrontation and violence in my sad, house-bound and work-bound life.

So stick it up your arse, shitface.

*wink*

[Hookeysmith]

I might be in a majority of one here but i get a bit tiried of hearing multi millionaire footballers cry about racism in the game and things not being fair.

Which multi-millionaire footballers have done that? Must be loads for you to be so tired of it.

dragging stuff like this through court has proved what exactly - JT is a rascist  - wow i am shocked

It didn't prove anything of the sort.

And are you suggesting that the complaint made should just have been ignored and not investigated?

No not at all am i suggesting it should be ignored - but really, dragged through the courts and the costs associated and the press coverage over an alledged comment said by multi million pound footballers - does it really deserve such coverage?

I personally think that if these 2 people (JT / AF) were just normal joes then this would never have been reported / dealt with in the courts - the mere fact it was them identifies more about our obsession with celebrities than it does with righting the wrongs of society.

What i am struggling to put over is the day that all cases are dealt with in as much enthusiasm as the celebrity ones are then we have really made inroads into the race issue

[danlanza]

That's all very well Dan, but I come on here to make up for the dearth of confrontation and violence in my sad, house-bound and work-bound life.

So stick it up your arse, shitface.

*wink*

Typical Percy response. Ha Ha.