Racism, and insults based solely in race, is neither an American invention nor one of the modern industrial era. But in the 21st Century we all would like to think that it might end soon, that we all would have learned enough about each other to know better. But we don’t. And it shows even as the world tries to unite for a ‘friendly’ athletic competition.
Many in the U.S. might not be familiar with the specific case I am speaking of. It deals with the Spanish basketball team and a photo they took before they start of the Olympics.
The insult is obvious. The intention, as stated by the team, was to have a light-hearted bit of fun. It didn’t happen.
“It's baffling that nobody involved in the picture -- from the photographers to the players -- even seemed to consider that this ad would be looked at negatively. Did it not occur to somebody that it might not be a good idea to mock an entire continent before the world's largest athletic competition that, by the way, happens to take place on that continent. Were they not aware of an invention called "the Internet" that allows pictures taken in Spain to be transmitted all over the world for the eyes of everyone?”
Seriously, I too cannot understand how no one found this to be insulting. But before I wanted to write on this ad, sponsored and organized by Seur - though Li-Ning Footwear (Li-Ning being the former Olympian that lit the Olympic flame) is also a sponsor of the team - I wanted to give Spain’s basketball team a chance to simply apologize.
Instead comments like this on from Jose Calderon were made
“We did it because we thought it was going to be something nice, something with no problem,” Calderon told Yahoo! Sports. “But somebody wants to talk about it. It is too much of a big deal with you guys (the media) and everybody talking about that.”
No problem? Too much of a big deal? Calderon plays for the Toronto Raptors, so imagine if the Raptors took a picture like this one, all in black face. Or doused in water exposing their backs to the camera. Or dressed with green and spilling beer. Or holding plates of spaghetti. In Spain there may not be a care about insulting 1/3 of the world, or any race and ethnicity, but the rest of the world clearly does not share those same feelings – at least most of the time.
Pau Gasol, who plays for the L.A. Lakers, offered a slightly more remorseful comment
“Some of us didn’t feel comfortable doing it just because to me it was a little clownish for our part to be doing that,” Gasol said. “But the sponsors insisted and insisted. I think it is just a bad idea I guess to do that, but it was never intended to be offensive or racist against anybody...
If anybody feels offended by it we totally apologize for it. We never meant anything offensive by it.”
It’s not much of an apology. I mean if he felt that bad about the photo, why be in it? Why not say something? Why not make a comment before or when the photo was published in La Marca?
Gasol said nothing, until the image hit the internet, and the backlash struck the team. That’s not caring about being offensive or racist, that’s covering your ass.
But before you start taking the side of Gasol keep in mind the last part of what he has to say about this
“If you put it in the wrong context and put it with the wrong people or a different kind of people, you could take it that way,” he said. “But not with our group and not with our people. I would find that a wrong read.”
Wrong context? Wrong people? The photo mocks anyone of Asian descent anywhere in the world. What context beyond that is there?
How many times have I heard the words, “I’m not a racist but…” or “I can’t be racist because I know a black person…” or “We’re not racists because we like this entertainer (or athlete)…”
Spain is known for its racist attitude, especially in sports. There are numerous comments that have been made by those in soccer (futbol), auto racing, and other sports. This is a low for that country, among a host of lows presented to the worlds on a regular basis.
Racist acts are not solely an American issue, but that does not make it a good thing nor acceptable. If Spain, and/or the Spanish basketball team, is embarrassed they should be. The world is in the 21st Century, and actions like this have no place in it.
2 comments:
Comment as found at Chinese News Blog, where I am an occasional writer.
Cynthia Says:
November 12th, 2008 at 3:25 pm e
I live in the UK and visit Spain regularly, it is a very different culture, where by they are not as politically sensitive. It is perfectably acceptable to call your son ‘gay boy if he is a little effeminate.
and little kids both chinese and spanish there, sing songs in the playground where they make the exact same gestures.
please do not try and inflict your politics in Europe, the US is such a new country, and has in part a more sensitive recent history, whereby there is more racism there than anywhere else in the world. I understand it is hard to imagine a world where people can laugh about their differences, and bond over them, instead of live in fear that they are doing something wrong constantly.
With the exception of the UK whose media is now 90% manufactured in the US, the rest of Europe doesn’t suffer from as high rates of racist aggression as the US. ironic don’t you think.
Comment as found at Chinese News Blog, where I am an occasional writer.
Richard Kim Says:
December 3rd, 2008 at 6:20 pm e
It shows how certain countries and societies within their countries try to appear as comfortable with issues like this. However, on the flip side, when someone makes discriminatory remarks about them, all of a sudden it doesn’t fly. The truth is, what started out as someone’s stupid idea, which was enacted, PUBLISHED on a nationwide newspaper, shows how ignorant a whole society can be.
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