• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Racist, or just a joke?

Should ESPN have fired the writer?

  • Total voters
    35
StillBallin75 said:
Dunno if that's ever possible. I don't know if a colorblind society is even desirable, as you'll probably necessarily be asking large portions of the population to give up a certain cultural identity.
Click to expand...

If we were all the same color, we would begin discriminating on the basis of foot size.
 
Your Star said:
To be honest, I didn't know that "chink" was a racist term against asian people until like a year ago.

Also the whole story hasn't been about his race, it's been more about his play, and the fact that he's with the Knicks who have sucked for years.
Click to expand...

I exaggerated a little, but my point remains that it's impossible to write about Jeremy Lin and not think about his race in the back of your mind. Same goes for guys like Tiger when he first started his career, and guys like Peyton Hillis.
 
ThePlayDrive said:
I agree that it would be oversensitive to be outraged or hurt by this since it's relatively innocuous in terms of it's affect on people. However, 'chink' is a racially charged word used by racists. There's nothing sensitive about understanding that and thinking that it was used in a racist sense.

With racism, there are two equally problematic groups in this country. First, the people who don't know what racism actually means and call any mention of race 'racist' - those who you complain about. Second, the people who willfully ignore the racialized/racist history of words and dismiss any mention of racism as sensitivity - that's you.
Click to expand...

Ignore, or are blind because they are not racist to begin with?
 
Maybe it's just me. When I first heard of Lin, my initial mindset was "that is one tall dude".
 
Black_Zawisza said:
It was a smart business decision to fire him, but that's because the population at large is hypersensitive. When are we going to around to becoming a colorblind society and thinking about race like we do eye color?
Click to expand...
I think the notion of "colorblindness" is a myth and even if it weren't, I don't think it would be a fun society. Differences between people whether in height, skin color or whatever else are interesting. The problem is when people attach meaning to those physical differences that are only imagined - like intelligence being connected to skin color.

I suppose, however, that we will stop being so prejudiced as a society when people stop using terms like 'chink' which has a known racialized/racist history. And before someone says 'chink' is only bad because people are 'hypersensitive', let me say this. A huge part of human interaction that (responsible) parents teach their children or that everyone eventually figures out is the importance of word choice. Word choice is not important merely because some people are 'hypersensitive', it's important because words communicate ideas and when you chose words that communicate racially insensitive ideas, it's logical for people to have a problem with those words.
 
Enola said:
Ignore, or are blind because they are not racist to begin with?
Click to expand...

Being a non-racist and being ignorant of racism and the history of racialized rhetoric are not mutually exclusive. In fact, there is considerable overlap.
 
Enola said:
Maybe it's just me. When I first heard of Lin, my initial mindset was "that is one tall dude".
Click to expand...

He is actually quite short for an NBA player. His listed height is 6'3" (which translates into a real height of perhaps 6'1"). Small for an NBA player, but big for a point guard.
 
Enola said:
Some were fired after that. The news guy suspended for 30 days.

Myself, a chink in the armor to me meant a flaw in the armor of the opposing team. That the player happens to be asian and the term chink is a derogatory name is purely coincidence.
Click to expand...

Unless it was an intentional pun. But then again was it mean spitited or just a play on vocabulary's slang terms.

Does it really matter? If so why? rhetorcially asked in today's political environment of starting emotional firestorms in an election cycle.
 
I'm not much in to basketball. I only knew about this latest hoopla because it's all over my yahoo and aol front pages.

I wonder if anyone would have had a fit if someone said Sulu had a chink in his armor during one of his and kirks adventures......


"oh my!" :mrgreen:
 
Last edited:
Enola said:
Ignore, or are blind because they are not racist to begin with?
Click to expand...
What do you mean "are blind because they are not racist to begin with"? Does "they" refer to the people or does "they" refer to words like "chink'?

If it refers to people, then the implication is that in order to know the racialized/racist history of the word, you have be racist - that doesn't make sense and it isn't true. If it refers to the words, then the implication is that the word could not possibly have a racist/racialized history which is false so that also doesn't make sense.

I think a better counterargument to the part of my post that you highlighted would be that the person using the word might not have known that the word had a racist/racialized history. That situation is possible. However, I've known about the word's history for a long time and I think most adults do so I consider that unlikely.

Nonetheless, Cephus's post was made with the knowledge the term has such a racially charged history and yet with that knowledge, he was still willing to dismiss the belief that the term could have been used in a racist sense as mere sensitivity so my post still stands. Certain people know the history of a word and dismiss any argument that acknowledges that history which is illogical.
 
OneMale said:
Unless it was an intentional pun. But then again was it mean spitited or just a play on vocabulary's slang terms.

Does it really matter? If so why? rhetorcially asked in today's political environment of starting emotional firestorms in an election cycle.
Click to expand...

This has nothing to do with the election.
 
OneMale said:
Unless it was an intentional pun. But then again was it mean spitited or just a play on vocabulary's slang terms.

Does it really matter? If so why? rhetorcially asked in today's political environment of starting emotional firestorms in an election cycle.
Click to expand...
It matters if you're running a business and you want a non-racially insensitive work environment.
 
Now if there next headline is "That chink can play!"

Then yeah it's probably racist ;)
 
ThePlayDrive said:
What do you mean "are blind because they are not racist to begin with"? Does "they" refer to the people or does "they" refer to words like "chink'?

If it refers to people, then the implication is that in order to know the racialized/racist history of the word, you have be racist - that doesn't make sense and it isn't true. If it refers to the words, then the implication is that the word could not possibly have a racist/racialized history which is false so that also doesn't make sense.

I think a better counterargument to the part of my post that you highlighted would be that the person using the word might not have known that the word had a racist/racialized history. That situation is possible. However, I've known about the word's history for a long time and I think most adults do so I consider that unlikely.

Nonetheless, Cephus's post was made with the knowledge the term has such a racially charged history and yet with that knowledge, he was still willing to dismiss the belief that the term could have been used in a racist sense as mere sensitivity so my post still stands. Certain people know the history of a word and dismiss any argument that acknowledges that history which is illogical.
Click to expand...

They, meaning those who saw it as racist.

Someone once went to stay with another family. The person who visited was white. The family, black. During the visit, the black head of household continually berated whites for his failings in life and for slavery. Every day, every hour, this man would complain and when his friends came to visit during football games or for dinner, the subject always came around to whites and how evil they are agains blacks. The guest finally had enough. She said "I have been color blind for many many years. But thanks to you, I can now see color. It is not a blessing you have bestowed on me".
 
Enola said:
I'm not much in to basketball. I only knew about this latest hoopla because it's all over my yahoo and aol front pages.

I wonder if anyone would have had a fit if someone said Sulu had a chink in his armor during one of his and kirks adventures......


"oh my!" :mrgreen:
Click to expand...

Basketball = most awesome cool sport in the world. :mrgreen:
 
suspending or firing this guy, was the only thing ESPN could do.

they have a public to keep happy, you know.
 
Yes, it is racist. But while we're on the subject......



What do you call three white guys on a bench?


The NBA :lol:
 
Bigotry really comes through in the intention. I really doubt that ESPN's point was to deride Lin, or to make a derogatory statement about his race. Racism isn't just saying something about race, even if it's dumb and insensitive. If the joke were funnier, I'm pretty sure we'd be more willing to make exceptions, because then the intention would be more clear.
 
Last edited:
digsbe said:
Yes, it is racist. But while we're on the subject......



What do you call three white guys on a bench?


The NBA :lol:
Click to expand...

Your still being overly generous. ;)
 
Enola said:
They, meaning those who saw it as racist.

Someone once went to stay with another family. The person who visited was white. The family, black. During the visit, the black head of household continually berated whites for his failings in life and for slavery. Every day, every hour, this man would complain and when his friends came to visit during football games or for dinner, the subject always came around to whites and how evil they are agains blacks. The guest finally had enough. She said "I have been color blind for many many years. But thanks to you, I can now see color. It is not a blessing you have bestowed on me".
Click to expand...
What is the significance of the story? My posts in this thread have focused on the fact that the word has a racist/racialized history and that it isn't sensitive to think of that history when evaluating someone's use of it. If you are implying that my argument is akin to being a black person berating whites for failings and slavery, then I not only disagree, but I think that's beyond preposterous.

Now, had I used my posts to express outrage and hurt while simultaneously accusing everyone who uses that word or does not denounce it as racist, then your story would be a fitting counter argument to what I would have written. However, if the mere acknowledgement of a racially charged word has come to be synonymous with the actions you describe, then I think the greater problem is some people think race and racism ought to be immune to discussion and they will try to force that immunity by claiming that anyone who discusses either is automatically antagonistic and unfair as is the person in your analogy. I hope that is not your intention. However, if it isn't, then why share the story?
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom