it became relevant when he vented his disgust (quite rightly) at 'full blown' racism on the same platform as he used for 'casual' racism
But there is a difference between joking about not deliberately causing offence to anyone and purposely trying to hurt and belittle someone, this applies to all insults not just racist ones. Black people call each other the 'N' word in casual friendly banter but that is not the same as a white person using that word to be aggressive. It's the same as a friend laughing at your big bum as a joke because you took the Mick out of their goofy teeth is not the same as a stranger in the street shouting out fat arse aggressively. Me and my mates call each other bitches messing about but if a stranger called me one I would be offended. The 2 examples with Evina are exactly the same one was said messing about one was said as an insult to purposely cause offence.
Also I've (having been with black men) have often heard them say things like you like a bit of chocolate? How about some chocolate loving? And things like that so I'm pretty sure that coming from a black man the chocolate thing was not a racist remark.
I don't doubt that....but the question I keep asking is when does one person's joke become another's insult. Evina as professional footballer (a role model), is not tweeting to his (Black?) friends, but to all of his followers (3000 I think someone said). Now I assume that at least one of these 3000 will be an impressionable child, who within reason could go to school on Monday, and call little Lucy a Chocolatechaser as she is friends with a black child in the same class..... This kid will be labelled a racist - there would be outrage - 'youth of today' and all that!
This is a good point. Casual or extreme racism is still racism. I appreciate the term 'chocolate chaser' doesn't impact some of you as much as the words the guy who abused Evina used, but there cannot be any grey areas. I think the club have dealt with the initial incident well, and unfortunately you are always going to get the odd idiot. I know there was also those 6 fans sent to prison for the Stephen Lawrence chants after the Fulham game. Seems a real shame that we've had these two incidents after the fact we were probably a pioneer club in kick it out, have a black manager etc.
Sorry, but I find the whole "context" argument when it comes to blatantly offensive words (as in the N word, not "monkey") to be a very easy way of allowing people to pick and choose.
"I can use this word as it means something positive or friendly to me with my friends, but you can't use it as I take offence". Its this sort of thing which drives racial division in the modern day. If a certain word is that offensive to a large proportion of sociery, then it should be banished altogether. Not one rule for one and one for another.
I know that won't please some on here, but that's my take on it.
so how is saying " a white man cant tell a black man what is and isnt racist" not in itself racist ? is there some sort of book where it tells white people what they can and cant say to whom about what then ?
Young Lucy is in the last stages of a terminal illness, I'm sure any references to this beautiful young lady in addition to Opinions on Danny Greens footballing skills should be kept separate.
Sorry all wasn't aware of this! Apologies for any offence caused by this:
Evina wasnt joking amongst friends though Sadie was he - he was using it on twitter - a platform thousands of people would see.
No he wasn't but he also wasn't being offensive a lot of black men describe them selves as chocolate do he wouldn't have seen the offence. If anything he was irresponsible but it doesn't warrant real racism towards him and he had every right to feel upset and angry and disappointed. Saying he had no right to say anything about being racially abused because he called black men chocolate is ludicrous! That's like saying because you ate a few pick a mix before you had them weighed you have no right to report your house being burgled, because they are both theft. Different contexts, different levels, different extremes why is that so difficult to grasp?
Evina wasnt joking amongst friends though Sadie was he - he was using it on twitter - a platform thousands of people would see.
No he wasn't but he also wasn't being offensive a lot of black men describe them selves as chocolate do he wouldn't have seen the offence. If anything he was irresponsible but it doesn't warrant real racism towards him and he had every right to feel upset and angry and disappointed. Saying he had no right to say anything about being racially abused because he called black men chocolate is ludicrous! That's like saying because you ate a few pick a mix before you had them weighed you have no right to report your house being burgled, because they are both theft. Different contexts, different levels, different extremes why is that so difficult to grasp?
No one is saying he should not have spoken out about the alleged abuse on Saturday, no one deserves abuse purely on the colour of their skin. BUT you cannot pick your moments as to when skin colour can and cant be referred to and pick and chose who can and cant make the same comments.
Dunno,maybe its me, but just think that maybe some people should have a re-read through this thread, and try to see what their priorities in life are. To me, someone being violent to someone else is where Police time and effort should really be spent - other than what someone calls someone else. Whilst (believe it or not, seeing as how some people want to portray me), racism is not something i condone - i just believe , in whole scale of priorities, in this instance doesnt necessitate the Racism Stasi to re-emerge (again)- there are bigger and much worse things that are happening in life - as appears to have been experienced yesterday when blood was drawn. Just seems that its a huge offence to call someone a name (yes, its not right), but to hit someone and draw blood is almost ok. Just my opinion - i'm putting up the Stasi shields right now.
Are the two mutually exclusive then? Can the police not cope with one punch up and investigating some racist behaviour at the same game?
Not at all, but to put it simply, in my priority list, if there were say, 3 policemen at the game then 2 would be allocated to the incident involving violence, and 1 to the name calling. What would get your priority ? policing violence or policing name calling?
Comments
"I can use this word as it means something positive or friendly to me with my friends, but you can't use it as I take offence". Its this sort of thing which drives racial division in the modern day. If a certain word is that offensive to a large proportion of sociery, then it should be banished altogether. Not one rule for one and one for another.
I know that won't please some on here, but that's my take on it.
Apologies for any offence caused by this: Feel a bit of a dick now!