CFLer's Racist Tweets towards the Chinese

[HPLovecraft]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Nope. I was discussing the concept of "ignorance is no excuse." Someone else mentioned it earlier in the thread, and as it's something that I have often questioned, I took this opportunity to raise the issue.

In both events, the one I mentioned from last month and the one being discussed in this thread, ignorance was used as a defence - thus, my "in" for raising the issue I wanted to discuss.

My post was meant to move the discussion beyond the "he's a stupid fathead" that was prevalent in this thread.

Until we're able to emotionally detach ourselves from topics such as these, and be able to treat the discussion itself in a trivial manner, the process of moving forward is a pipe dream. Take two people conversing about the weather as an example. Both can clearly have their own opinions about whether the day is too hot or too cold, with neither person getting bent out of shape. However, in all our years of claiming "racial progress" we still can't talk about the real issues behind an action, without outlandish hyperbole and conjecture.

To me, the real issue isn't whether or not he said something bad, or if he should have said it at all... The real issue is wether or not a guy who grew up in a State with an overall Chinese population ratio of 0.5% was even responsible for knowing that he wasn't supposed to say it.

I grew up in Prince Edward Island, a place with likely even fewer Chinese people living there. I still knew it was a derogatory term, and I'm pretty sure my buddies all knew it was a derogatory term. The guy was born the same year as me, he grew up with the internet, not in a time warp from the 1920s, disconnected from the outside world. It's almost unbelievable that someone in North America growing up in our time period could be ignorant of what that term actually means. It's THE racial slur when it comes to Asians.

Of course, it is possible that he really didn't know it was a bad term to use, but it confounds me to think of how he would have come to that conclusion. He's clearly heard the term before. When is it ever used in a positive context? His Mom used to walk around complimenting the "chinks" on their tasty food and fine teas?

It just seems bizarre, and when I weigh the two options, personally, of whether he a) heard the term, but didn't know it was bad, or b) is trying to back-pedal from a really stupid comment, I gotta say that b just seems more likely.

[Vulcan]

The Irish Catholics spent centuries being discriminated against by the Protestant English (Orangemen).

[HPLovecraft]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

The Irish Catholics spent centuries being discriminated against by the Protestant English (Orangemen).

My brother discriminated against me when I was growing up, but he wasn't doing it because I was white, and neither were the Protestant English or the people of Quebec (flamesfever), for that matter.

[Bonded]

http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-iri...e-slaves/31076

Originally Posted by Vulcan

The Irish Catholics spent centuries being discriminated against by the Protestant English (Orangemen).

Found it very interesting when I found out about this. I am Irish and had no clue!

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by HPLovecraft

I grew up in Prince Edward Island, a place with likely even fewer Chinese people living there. I still knew it was a derogatory term, and I'm pretty sure my buddies all knew it was a derogatory term. The guy was born the same year as me, he grew up with the internet, not in a time warp from the 1920s, disconnected from the outside world. It's almost unbelievable that someone in North America growing up in our time period could be ignorant of what that term actually means. It's THE racial slur when it comes to Asians.

Of course, it is possible that he really didn't know it was a bad term to use, but it confounds me to think of how he would have come to that conclusion. He's clearly heard the term before. When is it ever used in a positive context? His Mom used to walk around complimenting the "chinks" on their tasty food and fine teas?

It just seems bizarre, and when I weigh the two options, personally, of whether he a) heard the term, but didn't know it was bad, or b) is trying to back-pedal from a really stupid comment, I gotta say that b just seems more likely.

To be clear, I'm not defending him nor am I even saying I believe him. I'm just fascinated by the "ignorance is no excuse" thing. Whether he did know or didn't know, the argument that he was [supposed] to know is what interests me.

As an aside, speaking of mothers and their horror stories... My best friend in grade 4 was black. He lived by me, so we used to walk home together. I knew my parents were racist and that my mother often drove home from work around the same time, so I would often take a "shortcut" through the back alley to avoid her. One day, I got a little cocky and didn't bother with the alley... Sure enough, she pulled up beside me and yelled out the window, "Get away from that ni***r and get your ass in this fu***ng car right now!" I'll never forget the look on his face, or how horrible I felt for him. My parents have since come around 180 degrees on the race thing (at least with blacks, anyway), but it was a different time then. It was their parents raised by their parents who were raised by their parents, etc etc.

Anyway, that doesn't really have much to do with this topic, but it always comes to mind when I hear about mothers and racism.

[PIMking]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

He tried to break some Eskimo's arm by severely twisting it after a play. That was pretty gross.

I find it ironic and not defending the idiot but it's kinda comical that people are uptight about 'chink' yet there is a team named Eskimo's

[puckluck2]

He didn't know, so not a big deal. Ignorance is an excuse as I believe there isn't a chance in hell he'd make that remark on twitter if he knew the severity of its meaning.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Bonded

http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-iri...e-slaves/31076

Found it very interesting when I found out about this. I am Irish and had no clue!

My grandfather was an Orangeman from Dublin. He was very liberal in most of his views for the time but disliked the Irish with a passion. I found this curious so I looked into it also. There has been lots of stupidity passed on from our ancestors.

[Buzzard]

Originally Posted by PIMking

I find it ironic and not defending the idiot but it's kinda comical that people are uptight about 'chink' yet there is a team named Eskimo's

You're right. It should be changed to the Edmonton Inuit immediately.

[sun]

Originally Posted by Coys1882

What are racist names for white people? I don't really know any beside honkey and cracker. I do know that I wouldn't feel any different if someone of another race called me those or just insulted me on being bald.

How come we get so worked up over Chink or Jap but not Newfie or Brit?

Frog.

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

To be clear, I'm defending him nor am I even saying I believe him. I'm just fascinated by the "ignorance is no excuse" thing. Whether he did know or didn't know, the argument that he was [supposed] to know is what interests me.

I'll reply since it was mentioned in my post -- to clarify, I wasn't speaking about ignorance of the law (I heard about the Nanaimo thing and thought it was incredibly stupid that she got a ticket, for a number of reasons). This incident, much like the Jeremy Lin incident, involved the public use of a racial slur followed by a claim that they didn't know it was offensive. Granted, being employed by ESPN to write headlines is not the same as firing off a message on your twitter account, but in either instance I don't think it's good enough to simply say "oops, didn't know it was a slur".

[Traditional_Ale]

So the point is, we won the wars.

I find it somehow quaint that an Asian man is calling out a white man on having no soul. Chinese opera will be the soundtrack of the inevitable mating ritual between extra-terrestrial pseudopodia-wielding overlords and helpless LA bimbos and nuns.

[Bootsy]

Obviously not the smartest comment but browsing through this thread, this link was what came to mind
http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008...eing-offended/

[nik-]

Originally Posted by PIMking

I find it ironic and not defending the idiot but it's kinda comical that people are uptight about 'chink' yet there is a team named Eskimo's

I don't think Eskimo is derogatory, just incorrect.

The Redskins still rule the roost for racist team names.

[Regulator75]

Originally Posted by PIMking

I find it ironic and not defending the idiot but it's kinda comical that people are uptight about 'chink' yet there is a team named Eskimo's

Should be called the Edmonton Mullet Kings.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Nope. I was discussing the concept of "ignorance is no excuse." Someone else mentioned it earlier in the thread, and as it's something that I have often questioned, I took this opportunity to raise the issue.

In both events, the one I mentioned from last month and the one being discussed in this thread, ignorance was used as a defence - thus, my "in" for raising the issue I wanted to discuss.

My post was meant to move the discussion beyond the "he's a stupid fathead" that was prevalent in this thread.

Until we're able to emotionally detach ourselves from topics such as these, and be able to treat the discussion itself in a trivial manner, the process of moving forward is a pipe dream. Take two people conversing about the weather as an example. Both can clearly have their own opinions about whether the day is too hot or too cold, with neither person getting bent out of shape. However, in all our years of claiming "racial progress" we still can't talk about the real issues behind an action, without outlandish hyperbole and conjecture.

To me, the real issue isn't whether or not he said something bad, or if he should have said it at all... The real issue is whether or not a guy who grew up in a State with an overall Chinese population ratio of 0.5% was even responsible for knowing that he wasn't supposed to say it.

He's an adult, he doesn't live under a rock. Either he's a f'in idiot or he's racist, or both. Either way he deserves to be raked over the coals. He shouldn't be branded and sent off into exile, but he should certainly be deserves the public beating he's taking, especially with his past actions showing a complete lack of giving a damn about anything.

The 'I didn't know' excuse only gets you so far, which is why your example wasn't applicable to the discussion. You compared an incredibly obscure law that there is no reasonable expectation of awareness of to the use of a word that is widely known to be highly racist. Those situations aren't remotely comparable. Allowing people to cop out of things with the 'whoops, I didn't know' story is advocating for stupidity.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

I'll reply since it was mentioned in my post -- to clarify, I wasn't speaking about ignorance of the law (I heard about the Nanaimo thing and thought it was incredibly stupid that she got a ticket, for a number of reasons). This incident, much like the Jeremy Lin incident, involved the public use of a racial slur followed by a claim that they didn't know it was offensive. Granted, being employed by ESPN to write headlines is not the same as firing off a message on your twitter account, but in either instance I don't think it's good enough to simply say "oops, didn't know it was a slur".

The ESPN writer never claimed that he didn't know 'chink' was offensive, he simply didn't put two and two together when using the phrase in the headline. The word has multiple meanings, using 'chink in the armor' under a picture of LeBron wouldn't have caused anyone to bat an eye, using it under a picture of Lin obviously evokes another meaning. I can quite easily see someone using the phrase without considering that result, although they (or more accurately an editor) should be aware of that before publishing.

This situation is completely different. This isn't a matter of interpretation gone wrong or an innocuous use of the term being transformed by the accompanying image. This is a clear and intentional reference to Chinese people as 'chinks'. As I said above, he's either racist, stupid, or both.

[Reaper]

Originally Posted by flamesfever

Years ago my wife was subjected to discrimination in Quebec for speaking English. When she went to talk to a sales lady in a mall in St. Bruno, the lady turned her back on her. Also, when we parked at the Chateau Laurier Hotel in Quebec City, we were the only car ticketed in a long line of parked cars. We haven't been back to Quebec since.

If you haven't been back to Quebec because of a maximum of two potential cases of anti-anglophonism then some thicker skin may be in order.

[flamesfever]

Originally Posted by Reaper

If you haven't been back to Quebec because of a maximum of two potential cases of anti-anglophonism then some thicker skin may be in order.

It goes a little deeper than that. I don't want to get into it, as I fear my comments would be too negative.

[Coys1882]

Originally Posted by valo403

As I said above, he's either racist, stupid, or both.

I think I'd go with stupid - I honestly don't believe this makes him racist. Insensitive maybe, stupid yes but racist is a pretty goddamn strong word that means he's intolerant of other races and I doubt that's really the case.