Well, we’ve done the religious thing and also the PC Transgender thing so, what the hell, let’s do the race thing …
During today’s Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur one of Chelsea’s players, Antonio Rüdiger was subjected to racist abuse.
The referee immediately followed protocol, halted the game and went over to the touchline where he alerted both managers. An official investigation will follow and if CCTV cameras identify the person or persons responsible they will be arrested, fined, and banned from all soccer games for life.
And Prof has reminded me a few minutes ago there were even stadium announcements!
I hope they catch the ignorant bastard/s.
But what is equally ridiculous is that, Spurs, like almost every soccer team these days, has players of all creeds and religions. and of course, colours.
So if a (presumably) white Spurs fan is racially abusing a black player on the opposing side what does this say to the players of colour on his team?
Personally, in this day and age, I can’t wrap my head around the mentality that drives individuals to behave in this manner – and I live in South Africa!
I have no answer to this racist crap, but this advert, from South African fast food restaurant chain, Nando’s Chicken, might help.
Ark
Hello Ark. It doesn’t make sense does it? Race in today age is a social construct really. We are all a mixture of different peoples from different places. There is no such thing as a pure race anymore if there ever was. Our cultures are stronger when they are mixed and we gain from each other. How boring one type of food would be for example. I remember when famous racist Tucker Carlson claimed that tacos were a US invented food. I find the most regressive people are those who have never been exposed to other cultures and ways of doing things. They say travel opens the eyes, and I think being able to appreciate differences in cultures, in the ways of the many countries around the world does open ones eyes. It is a large planet we live on, and it is filling up with people. We better learn to get along with each other. Hugs
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Hello Ark. Were you in SA during the Apartheid? In Germany in the 1980’s I knew a Welsh man who was there and the stories he told were horrifying. Hugs
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Yes. I arrived in ’79.
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Hello Ark. How exciting, you lived through some very important history and seen it first hand. Some day I would love to read a series of posts from you on why you went to SA and how you dealt with the bigotry. Keith told me of being chased by police because he was in mixed race company and he had a lot black friends. I found it hard to believe the stories he told until I was older and did some reading about it. Did the BDS movement really play a big role in overturning Apartheid? if so do you think it can help with the mistreatment of the Palestinians? Hugs
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I was young, politically naive and it was an overseas contract. That was all I was concerned about. It was an adventure.
At the time when I was living in England I was not really aware of the politics.
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Regarding the Palestinians Scottie, both the ones alive and the many thousands killed, as long as the West and Americans especially—since we are the nation that enabled (Zionists) Israel to invade, conquer, and still occupy Palestine to this day—have no interest in learning authentic history (not propaganda), then Palestinians have very little hope of self-determination. 😦 I mean, look how we educate our youth about real U.S. History, Manifest Destiny, or how long we’ve meddled in the economic and political affairs of the Caribbean, Central America and South America. The majority of Americans believe Israel has every right to live there. What does that tell you?
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That Nando’s Chicken ad is fantastic Ark. Thank you for sharing. I was surprised ANY human being—that has been victimized by racism or around it—was left remaining on the Earth. Thought there’d be an empty planet. After all, 7.7 billion Homo sapiens all come from the same species, right? Isn’t that how genetics, DNA, the very blueprints of ALL living bipedal primates, yes? Have I lost my freakin’ 3-lbs brain on this… or didn’t we, everybody learn proper science!? 🦧🧠 I mean, WTLF is wrong with people?
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Hello Professor. I love your comment it is so spot on. Some where on line I was reading of different white supremacist who took DNA test thinking they were pure Aryan and then the test comes back with substantial DNA form African races. It blows their minds. Hugs
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Hahahahaha!!! YES! And I’ve watched several PBS documentaries along the same lines where in the Middle East, after the same comprehensive DNA tests, discovered that long-time “political-religious enemies” over centuries were part of their own family! They were related!!! 🤣
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If they did a DNA test on me and mine, I’ll bet someone in my family would turn out to be a Manchester United supporter.
I would probably need therapy!
*Shudders*
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🤣🤣🤣🤣 We’d have to put you in a straight-jacket Ark!!!
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Sorry … I have to go for a brief lie down. I can feel a panic attack coming on …
‘scuse me for a few moments.
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Oh, and of course it isn’t just in the English Premiere League that racism is prevalent. It is happening in several parts of the world and not only at sporting events. And Ark, I don’t need to tell you that I live right smack in the middle of a f*cking time-warp here in Texas: the 7th state (of the original 7) of the 1861 Confederate States of America we are often living in today! 😮
While I was living in the central Hill Country of Texas, I met three men/strangers that proudly and boastfully, openly talked about being a son of the Confederate Sons of America organization!!! Most of them look like biker-gang members, but one I met was a typical, well-dressed business owner.
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The racism in Brazil is terrible, as I’m sure you know.
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Brazil is essentially a racialist society. The belief in genetic determinism acts as a foundation to most of the traditions and customs.
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Will you elaborate/clarify a bit on that Pink, please? I won’t to make sure I correctly understand your 2nd sentence. 🙂
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Of course! Brazilian culture still espouses the belief that a person’s value is mostly determined by their “station”. Race plays a major role in what that station can be. You still hear people in positions of power/notoriety say a black person’s place is in the kitchen (meaning in servitude in general).
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Thank you Pink. That makes sense to me now.
Yes. Very sad, and remarkably grossly ignorant. Here in Texas the Hispanics are now treated “by station.” Not that other ethnicities no longer suffer. Hispanics here are talked down upon/about when it comes to all the many available blue-collar jobs/positions, particularly in construction or public maintenance (e.g. Dept. of Motor Vehicles, Dept. of Transportation, Parks & Wildlife Dept.), and 9-times out of 10 landscaping companies. These are the jobs that privileged whites in Texas will NEVER apply for or work, but white business owners here will damn sure hire them in a heart-beat… whether they are illegal refugees/immigrants or not! These are the exact same whites that vote a specific political-party ticket screaming for a Wall on the Mexican border to keep that race OUT of Texas! If these white Conservative business owners had their useless “wall,” they’d go out of business and no public construction—and many private-sectored construction too—would totally shut down, be non-existent!
Now riddle me that blatant hypocrisy Pink!?
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Yes, but of course social hierarchical exclusion based on race is interwoven with American history. Before being anti-Mexican, it was anti-Puerto-Rican. Before that anti-Italian, before that anti-Irish. There was wartime when it was anti-Japanese. There was the railroad period when the sentiment was anti-Chinese. Racism and exclusion is probably one of the most enduring American characteristics.
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SPOT ON Pink! We are one F*CKED UP nation of dysfunctional know-it-alls without really knowing much at all. Certainly not about double-standards or virtues of highest principles, huh?
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Humans are mostly rubbish; some are just better at creating myths to make themselves look better.
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It’s so weird, though. This place is a melting pot.
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But in whose hands does the money and power remain?
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Well, yes, but in my mind that still shouldn’t spill over into such outward racism.
There was a kid a couple of weeks ago who wouldn’t take his assignment back from the teacher because she was black. Literally, he refused to take it from her “black” hand… and he was black!!!
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Wow! 😖 Utterly astonishing John.
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Mind boggling, isn’t it.
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Indeed. I read that story. In the nordeste especially, black is much more than race, it’s a position in the social hierarchy.
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Hello Pink. John refereed my questions about bigotry in Brazil to you. I thought you lived in Spain? I am now confused, which is not hard to do. Hugs
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Scottie, I think Pink lives in France. But I also suspect he is a super-stealthy, clever double-agent spy/mercenary too! 😉 😛
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I live in France, but my grandparents were born in 3 different countries, so I grew up spending time in all 3, but also in the US 😊
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Your grandparents were born in three different countries?
Shine a light!! All that back and forth across borders. That must have been one helluva long time in labour.
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My mother ‘s parents are Spanish and my father’s mother is French and his father is Brazilian ☺
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Yes, I remember you writing about it.
Bloody foreigners. Can’t trust ’em.
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Well aren’t YOU just a damn genetic anomaly Pink! 😉 🤭
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Yikes! I’m SO sorry Pink that you lived here. May I ask where exactly?
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When I was 2 my father got a position at the University of Oklahoma (Stillwater). Then University of Hawaii. Then finally NY.
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Woah! Stillwater, Oklahoma! I bet that was a disturbing time. 😬
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That’s where I learnt to shoot 😀
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🤣 I’m afraid to ask WHAT weapon(s) you learnt and even more scared to ask what the target(s) were!!! 😬
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Nando’s are renowned for these type of ads.
You should look them up on Youtube and indulge in some SA humour.
I remember the time of Thierry Henry and Patrick Viera when Arsene Wenger once fielded an Arsenal first 11 entirely made up of black players.
How could a Gunners fan have supported this team and still be racist?
Just trying to work around this does my head in!
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Apparently, Ark,
Laurie Cunningham was walking down a street in the Midlands with his wife — who was white — when he was met by three thugs coming in the opposite direction who took exception to a ‘mixed-race’ couple. Laurie was not backwards in coming forward as they say, and soon the third would be champion of white virtue was on his way to join the other two on the floor when recognition dawned. ‘Laurie, you’re my hero, I love you man!’
Laurie died young but the chances are that in some pub down in West Brom there is an old (hopefully reformed) racist whose proudest football moment is when he got beaten up by his hero.
Yours,
John/.
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Clever ad.
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Hello John. I have read that the new president there has basically declared war on indigenous people and their lands. Are we looking at another genocide? Hugs
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If you’re white and straight you’re safe.
The man is a nightmare.
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Hello John. Guess I won’t be going there any time soon, I would be a huge target. But I thought Brazil had a huge open active LGBTQ community and it was safe for them? Was I misled or did it all change? Hugs
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It does. Places like Sao Paulo are fine, but with Bolsonaro’s blessings the police (segments, at least) have become quite a deal more trigger happy. This is directed more to crime/suspects, but I think there has been an uptick in violence against the gay community. Pink would know more than me on this. To be honest, I watch virtually no national Brazilian news.
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Hello John. Thank you. I am sorry this is happening. Any regressions in LGBTQ rights upsets me greatly. I hope it turns around quickly. Hugs
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Well, Bolsonaro did say “a dead son is better than a gay son.” That kind of talk green lights idiots… as you are currently experiencing in the US.
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WTF!!!! 😮
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Yep
https://apnews.com/47f2f380aabe4ce0bba54c90bc330420
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I used to LOVE Brasil madly, could never stop talking about it, especially Rio… no surprise. 😉 But I am so heart-broken that it has changed so much. If I returned, I probably wouldn’t recognize it would I John? 😦
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I think you would, Rio at least. SP, however, has changed so much in just the last 6 years (when I left) I hardly recognise it now.
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Well, that is some consolation. Are you somewhere else in Brasil now… or have you left the country all together? Returned to Australia maybe?
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Still here, up in the Paraiba Valley now, between Rio and SP. Just had to get out of SP. It’s a wild and wonderful city, but it makes you hard.
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Ahhh, so can you get down to Copacabana or Ipanema beaches for some R&R and some SPECTACULAR “scenery” and altinho!? 😁 Or is that too far?
I think I might shoot you an email John. I could go on and on talking about my beloved second home from home! 😉
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Oh dear boy, SP northern beaches are so much better… and no tourist knows about them.
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Ah, really? I didn’t spend much time in SP. As might guess, Rio had my full attention and heart. 😉
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I take it you are not referring to how sexually exciting the place is?
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It is that, but in a Paulista kinda of way, which is very different to a Carioca kind of way. I’ll give it to Brazilians, they *know* how to move, and are comfortable in their skin.
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I hope all the authorities within the FA and Premier League come down HARD on this, those racist fans, making them an example of how this B.S. will NOT be tolerated one bit! Because so far, nothing is working as effectively as they hoped.
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I hope all the authorities within the FA and Premier League come down HARD on this,
They generally do, but if it were merely a common sense issue then this behaviour wouldn’t keep happening.
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I really do hope that fans, surrounding that/those racist(s), let it be known to them loud and clear how disgusting and appalling their words/behavior truly was! Bystanders MUST step-in to help as well. It can’t always be law-enforcement or security guards.
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Agreed.
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Without being a racist (hah! I was a pioneer in that regard) (boom boom!) I shall hereby openly admit that my personal preference in the (so called) gentle sex has always been for slender long-haired blue-eyed blondes.
Sue me …
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Dear Argus, you are confusing racism with sexual attraction preference. While I would offer to help you with the difference, I think the Professor of the Taboo is a far better one to school … sorry instruct you in the concepts. Enjoy the lessons, with the professor they should be really fun. Hugs
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Scottie, Argus would have to complete my 8-page, 13,472-word Kink Questionnaire and legal Consent forms (in small print) first, then demonstrate at least 2 talents with his tongue. 😈
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Let me guess.
Licking his eyebrows?
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🤣 Close, but keep going Ark! You’re getting warmer. 🔥 😈
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If one can lick one’s eyebrows I would imagine this would be Automatic Qualification.
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Hahaha! Well, yes… it does help. BUT… 😈😁
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Not a problem. Taking the ‘practical’ first, I can lick several stamps at once, and can groom behind my ears without once using my paws (beat that, cats!).
I’d send you photographic evidence but the camera lady goes all trembly when I demonstrate.
Questionnaire? Whaddya think I am, some kind of academician? Paws on, ya gotta be paws on … leave the mind stuff to the qualified (so few of us left these days).
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As far as otherwise ‘racism’ is concerned I never bought into it. People are people, end of story—it’s not what they look like that affects me, it’s what they do. Brrrrr …
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Hello Argus. Thank you. I was trying to find a way to explain it, but you are 100% correct. It is their actions we much judge people on. Hugs
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That ad is hilarious! Poof… lol!
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I don’t really follow soccer, but I’m not surprised that it happened. I do hope those racists idiots get punished. It’s just so illogical about what happened. I saw the Nando’s ad, and I certainly laughed with that satire of the commercial. It’s also very timely.
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Ark can you ban prof, John and Scottie. They can’t hog all the space here!
On racism, they imbibe it from their mothers breasts. I am not sure how it will be helped
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Agreed. But it’s still a weird situation where someone supports a club where half the players are black and then they go and racially abuse the black players of the opposing side.
Definitely a sign of mental illness there I reckon.
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That, my friend, is a case of mental illness
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And yet, the perpetrators are so stupid they wouldn’t recognise it.
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The problem with madness, stupidity or death is that everyone can see it except the person suffering
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Spot on!
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Is there actual video evidence of this incident? After the false reports made by Jessie Smollett I’ve become extremely skeptical of all these racist allegations.
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