Spain's eye-catching faux pas (Update PG23)

[LLJ]

Sorry but I have to express my displeasure at something different but related .... what pisses me off is when some tragedy is used as part of a comedy act in certain shows such as Jay Leno.

I remember when Craig Kilborn made fun of Owen Hart's death. I guess some people do find it funny.

[bakafool]

I'm sorry but I'm actualy more outraged that people are taking offence to this picture. One poster said it before me but we need to be more accepting and practice some humility when it comes to race instead of being a bunch of uptight ass's who get their little panties all up in knots cause of some little picture.

How would people feel if white guys were imitating Africans by pretending to be gorillas, or such?

Dude, you seriously have to modify that a bit. It sounds really wrong. ^_^;

[LLJ]

I'm sorry but I'm actualy more outraged that people are taking offence to this picture. One poster said it before me but we need to be more accepting and practice some humility when it comes to race instead of being a bunch of uptight ass's who get their little panties all up in knots cause of some little picture.

How would people feel if white guys were imitating Africans by pretending to be gorillas, or such?

Dude, you seriously have to modify that a bit. It sounds really wrong. ^_^;

ROFL. I just shot myself on the foot with that fast type. Apologies. I meant to relate it to America's troubled history by saying what if white Americans started trying to "imitate" African Americans by doing gorilla poses, and then took a picture of it?

[bakafool]

ROFL. I just shot myself on the foot with that fast type. Apologies. I meant to relate it to American by saying what if white Americans started trying to imitate African Americans by doing gorilla poses, and then took a picture of it?

hehe. That would work though if we were talkin about Patrick Ewing.

Why would you go there? Stay on topic and please keep silly comments like this out of the discussion. -Shaazzam

[LLJ]

ROFL. I just shot myself on the foot with that fast type. Apologies. I meant to relate it to American by saying what if white Americans started trying to imitate African Americans by doing gorilla poses, and then took a picture of it?

hehe. That would work though if we were talkin about Patrick Ewing.

I was thinking mainly about the AD threads that ended up comparing him to a gorilla.

[wayt]

I am asian myself, and I am currently in Hong Kong, and i am having mixed feelings about this. You can't take this stuff too seriously, but it is mocking a asian persons physical features, so therefore racist. It is not that bad, so people should not take it seriously.

[Morris_Shatford]

There is a world of difference between ignorance and racism.

The question really is what was the purpose of the picture?

Was it to demean a race? or was it a very poor attempt at humor?

I would imagine that it was a very poorly thought out and rather stupid attempt at humor, but I don't think it was the intent of the Spanish National Basketball team to offend people of Chinese heritage all over the world, and that makes it a very ignorant act rather then a maliciously racist one.

[Shaazzam]

I'm sorry but I'm actualy more outraged that people are taking offence to this picture. One poster said it before me but we need to be more accepting and practice some humility when it comes to race instead of being a bunch of uptight ass's who get their little panties all up in knots cause of some little picture.

And on the flip side I completely understand this point as well. If we were all able to laugh at ourselves a little bit and not assume the worst in others actions, it would be for the good.

Quick personal story to illustrate where I am coming from.

I've recently become engaged and my family and my fiancee's really haven't interacted much and many of them are pretty up tight, overly sensitive folks. (It might worry some of you that I'm the laid back on in the family, but I digress.) We've had some gatherings in which we've tried to bridge the gap and mostly the reception has been fairly frosty. People overly concerned about giving and getting offended etc. and we don't come from the same background. There have been no "ethnic issues" but not having the same traditions, events etc. there is some unfamiliarity with how other people do things and the protocols for them.

Recently, we had a dinner in which a couple people made some verbal faux pas that let them stick their feet in their mouths. What they said wasn't offensive, it was just funny. Everybody laughed at one another, and no one took things personally, it was all in good fun. That type of laughter was the best thing that could have happened, and we've since had some gatherings in which people have been more tolerant, understanding and accepting of others. And I point to that night we shared laughing around my dinner table as the reason for it.

That being said, there are ways to share bridge gaps in understanding and tolerance. Laughter is an incredible tonic for many things that ail us. Sometimes we don't need to be overly sensitive about things.

But making slanty-eyed pictures sure isn't the wisest way to go about it.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

[deck]

I'm Asian, and while I don't believe the players themselves are racist, I do believe it is a gesture in poor taste. China has generally been on its bestest behaviour right now so it will be interesting to see if they throw down the gauntlet of outrage or play it down.

I'm a pretty big fan of Jose so I think he deserves a chance to at least apologise

I think the people of Tibet might disagree.

Seriously though, in the age of Chapelle show, South Park and the like, what is everyone getting upset about? This kind of racist humor transcends our society. Yes they are professional athletes and they should be more conscience of how their actions will be perceived, but who really cares? Was anyone physically hurt by this?

There are far more serious racial issues in the world today that do not even get news paper coverage. Here we are getting all worked up because the Spanish National team tried to be funny. (Not that i found it amusing)


In bad taste? Definitely.

Worth get offended over? Not in my opinion.

[Vorticity]

hahahha I loved this :

Not to be out done, the Spanish women team will have a picture with horizontal vaginas

[LLJ]

Honestly, I'd probably get more offended if someone called me a brainwashed Maoist.

[LLJ]

I'm Asian, and while I don't believe the players themselves are racist, I do believe it is a gesture in poor taste. China has generally been on its bestest behaviour right now so it will be interesting to see if they throw down the gauntlet of outrage or play it down.

I'm a pretty big fan of Jose so I think he deserves a chance to at least apologise

I think the people of Tibet might disagree.

.

No doubt. But you know, comparatively speaking to their "usual" behaviour towards foreigners.

[thebossman]

I think you could look at it two ways. First is that it's racist and insulting. Second is that it's a playful pose by the players, intended to indicate that they are on Chinese soil. Something like if they wore their hair in the old Chinese style. But who knows what motivated them to pose like that.

It is not playful in anyway.

Your hair example, see the thing with hair is you can style it anyway you wanted, but the fact that the asian race has these similar features for the eye is not something they control. Its just the way it is.

Its like making fun of a midget? and making fun of someone who is fat?

I dont agree with doing either, but the "little person" didnt really decide it, making fun of a fat person (provided he has no physiological condition) then being fat is under his/her control (to an extent).. he could choose a healthier lifestyle and thus avoid the negative health affects associated with obesity. The little person doesnt have a choice.

This is just stupid.

[YogiStewart]

ROFL. I just shot myself on the foot with that fast type. Apologies. I meant to relate it to American by saying what if white Americans started trying to imitate African Americans by doing gorilla poses, and then took a picture of it?

hehe. That would work though if we were talkin about Patrick Ewing.

I was thinking mainly about the AD threads that ended up comparing him to a gorilla.

honestly, can both of you two shut up? you're just making yourselves look really silly.

[RaptorReloaded]

I'm sorry but I'm actualy more outraged that people are taking offence to this picture. One poster said it before me but we need to be more accepting and practice some humility when it comes to race instead of being a bunch of uptight ass's who get their little panties all up in knots cause of some little picture.

How would people feel if white guys were imitating Africans by pretending to be gorillas, or such?

Thats just stupid. Do africans look like gorillas to you?

To respond to your comment though, thats completely different and way off base. Wierd white people trying to characterize africans as jungle animals is way more different then an olympic basketball team pretending to be chinese in a photo taken in a china.

You know what this reminds me of? That South Park episode where they have to take on the Chinese dodge ball team and during the entire match the chinese announcers rip on the American kids with quotes like " I Guess that stupid american could'nt see that ball with his BIG ROUND EYES! Hahahaha."

I'm white and I don't find that rascist. Infact I LMAO when i saw that. I think i might just try to find that episode again. My point is that there was no intent to offend any one with that photo. People these days are to stressed out from stuff that they come on a message board and feel the need to vent into something they might feel at the time is offensive when in reality it isnt.

[jamesd]

Yeah, that's great. A thread discussing racism ends up being about Patrick Ewing looking like a gorilla. Well done fellas.

[bakafool]

honestly, can both of you two shut up? you're just making yourselves look really silly.

Dude, chill. No need to get your panties all wet.

[LLJ]

honestly, can both of you two shut up? you're just making yourselves look really silly.

How so? How is this any less contentious than those AD threads, which most people (myself included) agreed were inappropriate?

[Shaazzam]

No slurs, no bashing other countries, no gross generalisations. No pot vs kettle crap.

If people want to discuss this in a rational manner, fine.

FYI this is one discussion I really don't feel like policing and the only reason why it is here is because of Jose being a Raptor and Garbo being a former Raptor.

So if it steps out of line, people will be dealt with and the thread will be locked.

And TJ really doesn't need to be discussed in this thread.

There are many posters on this site that were not members when AD was here. That is completely irrelevant.

[YogiStewart]

honestly, can both of you two shut up? you're just making yourselves look really silly.

How so? How is this any less contentious than those AD threads, which most people (myself included) agreed were inappropriate?

as the joke goes, two Wongs don't make it white.

you can make a point without dredging up previous inappropriate topics or by using other racist/offensive descriptions/stereotypes to make your point. its called: attempting to be articulate.

and Bakafool: don't worry. my made-in-China panties aren't getting wet. I left them at home & am going commando.