Aliu blackface incident with the Colorado Eagles

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Aleks

The jersey with "dreamer" on it as well is insulting and has to be demotivating as well

I suppose it depends on where and how he got the nickname. But it obviously goes towards identifying that, "yeah, that's you we're making fun of" (though the number was on the jersey too).

I suspect it wasn't a nickname he gave himself. It doesn't sound very flattering.

[BrennyBaller]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I suppose it depends on where and how he got the nickname. But it obviously goes towards identifying that, "yeah, that's you we're making fun of" (though the number was on the jersey too).

I suspect it wasn't a nickname he gave himself. It doesn't sound very flattering.

Somewhere it was said it was a nickname based on Hakeem Olajuwon, who was nicknamed "the Dream". I'm assuming something along the lines of Akim/Hakeem sounding similar. His twitter handle is "Dreamer_Aliu78"

[GreenLantern2814]

There's a level of viciousness to this story that the Peters incident doesn't come close to approaching, and that says a lot.

Akim, this game has let you down. I'm so sorry.

And you ####ing snowflakes who take every story involving blackface/racism and turn it into 'but Trudeau' are a part of why this is horse#### is so ever present in our culture.

The Prime Minister has nothing to do with the repeated severe traumas Akim Aliu has experienced throughout his career.

Every story about this poor kid, from Downie to Peters to this, ends with me going 'that's not how you treat people'. Nothing more than that.

You don't shove people naked into a tour bus washroom (who are unwilling* - let your freak flag fly if that's who you are) you don't shout N bombs at a black man (at work, no less), and you don't do whatever Klan revival #### this was (in front of families).

#### me sideways, is this really that complicated?

[sempuki]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

I'd agree the Bill Peters thing and Trudeau's incident are a fair bit different. But this incident and Trudeau's is a lot more similar IMO. Both guys are ignorant (or will claim they are ignorant) of what they thought was a joke totally crossing the racial line.

I think the implication here is that they were *trying* to insult and demean Akim here, which is what makes so much worse. It does sound a bit calculated to me. They tried hard to make sure Akim personally got the message...

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Jiggy

I dealt with a lot of racism in hockey. At one point I gave up and stopped playing cause it was mental torture. One of my family members knew the GM of the Flames at the time and asked if Iggy would sit down for a few minutes with me to chat about being a colored hockey player. The amazing person Iggy is he agreed to the request. I didn't know about all of this until the day I met him. We talked over a glass a milk, he told me some of the things he went through, and some of them were worse than my stories. But he used those negatives to drive him and not give up. I ended up doing the same. I definitely didn't come close to a career that he had, but I didn't give up on the game I love due to ignorance of others. I'm glad hockey is having it's reckoning.

One of the best things I’ve ever read on this site. How old were you?

[Flashpoint]

This is really confirming the suspicion of non-hockey fans in the US that it's a sport for spoiled rich white boys, and nobody else. The fact the Wall Street Journal is now covering hockey tells you everything you need to know about what a huge black eye this is for the sport in the United States.

All that said - GOOD!

We all know the vast majority of hockey people are good upstanding folks who wouldn't tolerate this sort of BS. The fact that so many here on this forum are essentially responding with "WTF?!" shows this.

Cudos to Akim for shining a light into a dark corner, and sending the cockroaches scuttling away. He's likely this generation's Sheldon Kennedy.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by BrennyBaller

Somewhere it was said it was a nickname based on Hakeem Olajuwon, who was nicknamed "the Dream". I'm assuming something along the lines of Akim/Hakeem sounding similar. His twitter handle is "Dreamer_Aliu78"

OK, then.

[metroneck]

I can’t even begin to imagine how horrible that would have been for Akim.

Absolutely grotesque.

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

This is horrible.

In recent memory this is the most malicious use of blackface I've seen. This isn't the situation where it's just an ignorant mistake because you were dressing up as somebody famous for halloween.

This was a calculated plan to isolate a member of the team and make fun of him.

Agreed. Can someone help me understand what goes through someone's head when they do something like this? I'm thinking it's either (i) "this is probably over the line, but I'm doing it anyway", or (ii) "this is going to be so funny it can't possibly be racist or hurtful". Because I can't fathom someone going to these lengths to intentionally be mean or belittling -- I have to think this person actually was of the belief that this was okay, or worse was somehow a good idea.

It's stuff like this that makes me realize how insidious racism can actually be...

[Wiggum_PI]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

There's a level of viciousness to this story that the Peters incident doesn't come close to approaching, and that says a lot.

Akim, this game has let you down. I'm so sorry.

And you ####ing snowflakes who take every story involving blackface/racism and turn it into 'but Trudeau' are a part of why this is horse#### is so ever present in our culture.

The Prime Minister has nothing to do with the repeated severe traumas Akim Aliu has experienced throughout his career.

Every story about this poor kid, from Downie to Peters to this, ends with me going 'that's not how you treat people'. Nothing more than that.

You don't shove people naked into a tour bus washroom (who are unwilling* - let your freak flag fly if that's who you are) you don't about N bombs at a black man (at work, no less), and you don't do whatever Klan revival #### this was (in front of families).

#### me sideways, is this really that complicated?

If people started treating all Blackface incidents with the same level of seriousness, maybe we could get closer to preventing this racist act from happening so often. It's an absolute disgrace the Prime Minister has faced zero consequences for his multiple incidents of Blackface.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Wiggum_PI

If people started treating all Blackface incidents with the same level of seriousness, maybe we could get closer to preventing this racist act from happening so often. It's an absolute disgrace the Prime Minister has faced zero consequences for his multiple incidents of Blackface.

I'd disagree he faced zero consequence and I think we treat incidents differently because sometimes they are simply different. Life isn't one size fits all.

No one here has defended Trudeau to the extent they say it was harmless, not important or not offensive. What people have said is that intentionally trying to hurt someone is worse than being stupid and ignorant.

[Frank MetaMusil]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I'd disagree he faced zero consequence and I think we treat incidents differently because sometimes they are simply different. Life isn't one size fits all.

No one here has defended Trudeau to the extent they say it was harmless, not important or not offensive. What people have said is that intentionally trying to hurt someone is worse than being stupid and ignorant.

The real truth is that people have to pick and choose because they know they voted for Blackface. Why downplay it? Blackface is racist as #### in any context.

[GioforPM]

Ben Chiarot was on that team.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Frank MetaMusil

The real truth is that people have to pick and choose because they know they voted for Blackface. Why downplay it? Blackface is racist as #### in any context.

First, lots of people didn't vote for him and say the same. Second, it's racist in any context. Third, it's not always intentionally so, nor targetted at a living, breathing individual.

These are simply different incidents and I don't see the usefulness in comparing them.

[Manhattanboy]

Full story on this with pictures in today's Wall Street Journal. Interesting.

[Huntingwhale]

Never heard of Tony Deynzer. But lucky him, today he gets to be the POS for the day.

Looking forward to hearing about him losing his job and having his name dragged in the mud and forever associated with this event for as long as the internet lives.

That's one of the worst stories I've heard since this whole reckoning started and it's probably not the last we'll hear. Screw those players on that team who participated in this too. Hopefully they all get named and publicly shamed as well.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Wiggum_PI

If people started treating all Blackface incidents with the same level of seriousness, maybe we could get closer to preventing this racist act from happening so often. It's an absolute disgrace the Prime Minister has faced zero consequences for his multiple incidents of Blackface.

Trudeau lost his majority and an incalculable amount of respect at home and abroad. He's always been a bit of a goofy dude, but now he's a punchline.

That he kept his job as PM does not mean he's faced zero consequences. When this become untenable in this minority environment, he will be forced out.
Hopefully whoever's running America by then aligns ideologically with Prime Minister Freeland.

[mennoknight]

very amped up for more Trudeau talk in here. Christ almighty.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

Never heard of Tony Deynzer. But lucky him, today he gets to be the POS for the day.

Looking forward to hearing about him losing his job and having his name dragged in the mud and forever associated with this event for as long as the internet lives.

That's one of the worst stories I've heard since this whole reckoning started and it's probably not the last we'll hear. Screw those players on that team who participated in this too. Hopefully they all get named and publicly shamed as well.

My quick scan showed only Chiarot as a guy who went anywhere. I'd like to hear from him.

[the2bears]

Wow... unbelievable. For those who've been on the fence, or making excuses, over the last few weeks. *This* is exactly why this #### should have a zero tolerance.