Racism ... Still a big issue?

He gave off that black vibe.

 

THAT'S PROFILING!

 

Nice and nice!

 

The fact that he plays the (black) race card in every ... single ... discussion ... and ... debate ... that he takes part in. And I do mean every ... single ... one.

 

Oldschoolguy,

I would ask him if he thinks it is possible that the refs are calling the game based on cultural biases rather than outright racism. Lets face it, a 55 year old white ref who grew up playing the game in suburbia played a completely different game growing up than a 17 year old black kid going to a public school in the city. What is a completely acceptable style for the black kid would have gotten the white guy elbowed in the mouth 40 years ago. So this white ref grows up playing a certain kind of game in high school, reffing that style as he works up through the ranks, sees that style played by certain teams and not by others and you expect him to be able to put aside every trace of favortisim for the style he has seen since he was 8? That is much more plausible than a bunch of white refs conspiring like a cabal of old time Southern sheriffs to bring down the black teams. And until there are refs - white and black - who grew up around that style and are comfortable with it, it will continue.

I have been watching seasons 1-2 of NYPD Blue on DVD and there was a great scene where Fancy, the black Lt., took Sipowicz to a rib joint where Sip is visibly nervous that he is the only white guy in the place. Fancy looks at him and (paraphrasing) said, "Those people made your food. Yeah, some of them hate your guts, but they didn't spit in your food even though some of them wanted to and they probably are all staring at you right now. You don't feel comfortable right now. Imagine what it would be like if they had guns and badges." This black guy, assuming he is black, has seen subtle racism in play his whole life. He probably gets the benefit of the doubt very rarely by whites who know him. And he is supposed to simply assume that you are different?

 

Next Up: Ice ... still cold?

 

Surprisingly, not as much as it used to be.

 

This thread reminds me of Walter Scott's Personality Parade.
"What about the Vietnam War? Wasn't that a big deal?"

 

Followed by, "I hear Marilu Henner is working on a new project. What can you tell me about it?"

 

That's exactly how a racial minority feels. Until you experience that sensation, you will never know what its like and to pretend that you do is hard to swallow.

Is racism still a big issue? Yes, simply because until blacks (and other minorities) truly feel like they can walk around and not feel like a minority, the issue will be out there.

 

I guess since the racial problems in Mississippi in the past were so very difficult and so very public that we have developed a conscious effort here to try to make sure racism doesn't show up in high school competition. Of course, basketball in this state has become such an overwhelmingly black game (at least in the public schools) that it's almost a moot point. Even the teams from country schools here are mostly black.

If anything, the accusation against the MHSAA is that they cater to the nearly all-black Jackson schools in terms of scheduling and refereeing. Of course, the fact that the JPS schools are nearly all-black raises another racism issue, but that's an argument for another day.

As far as refereeing, I've rarely seen a crew in football or basketball that wasn't mixed race, and many times the biggest sticklers for the rules are the black refs. In fact, there is one in our area that every time I see him coming into a gym to call a game, I know somebody at some point in the game is going to get T'd up. And he doesn't discriminate: black, white, male or female, you start bitching a little too much and he'll pop you with a technical.

As for me, I've been in plenty of situations where I was one of about two or three white guys in a gym or a room or a football stadium full of blacks, and it depends on the site as to whether I've felt funny in any way. One place, a town that is fairly lawless, I did feel threatened, for good reason. But another, a football school where the (black) coach was a legend and one of the great men I've ever known, I could not have been made more welcome.

 

According to a couple friends of mine who'd know (one black, one latina), racism. I defer to them on the issue.