Racist Olympic Athletes
August 13th, 2008. Filed under: Wednesday's Wonders.First we have a swimmer exposing himself during his victory celebration of sorts. Now it’s Spain’s NBA team posing for an advertising photo as they make fun of Asians. You can read more about it here, here and here.
We also have the perfect little girl with the perfect voice serenading us in the opening ceremonies. But she isn’t perfect. She doesn’t have the perfect voice. Her looks were deemed better than the girl who actually sang on the recording we heard. The perfect singer didn’t have the look China wanted to project, therefore, the carefully orchestrated deception. Another deception. China was unable to come up with the real deal. The use of computer generated “fireworks” is not shameful unless you try to pass them off as actual fireworks.
It appears that morality and ethical standards take a back seat in the Olympics this year.
August 15th, 2008 at 03:30
The difference between Spain and USA is that in Spain there was never an “apartheid” segregating black and white people. Black and white people couldn’t be in the same bus, use the same public toilet, etc…? And this was happening in the 60’s!! Besides, the issue of race is only important for racist countries, in Spain you don’t have to mark a cross with your “ethnic and racial background” like in the US to apply for a university, for example.
And talking about Chinese, apparently they were building the railways in the nineteenth century, but their migration to America was banned later…
The picture of the Spanish team is stupid, I reckon that, but it’s not offensive at all, just stupid. It can only be offensive for Anglo-saxon countries where different physical characteristics are seen as being “inferior”. What’s wrong with “slanted eyes”? Are Japanese racist because they draw big rounded eyes in their mangas? And East Asian people who go under surgery to change the shape of their eyes? Should they be considered racist?
I live in the UK and I am tired of seeing how people mock themselves all the time about their Asian friends (mostly of Indian and Pakistani origin) making jokes about their dark skin or their noses. For me, it would seem very offensive, but they are British and they were born here, so that they normally follow the jokes…
As a Spaniard I have to hear all kind of jokes and typical things about Spain, but it is product of the generally British ignorance and wrong attitude about everything that is not British. Go the the Mediterranean coast in Spain and you will see what kind of behaviour they have…
To sum up, stop being so fussy and oversensitive. It’s not a big deal. I think that if we are talking about this now is because race is too important for some people even nowadays in the 21st century…
August 15th, 2008 at 09:49
Miguel,
Thank you for your comments. I can’t say that I agree with all you say, but I do appreciate you taking time to give me your opinion. I disagree with your statement about racism only being important in “racist” countries. I agree that the U.S. along with some other countries has been more outstanding in their racism over the years, but bigotry of all sorts and in all countries continues to hurt people. As regards people of East Asian countries who have surgery to change their eye shape, I don’t see these people as being racist. I thnk this is just another example of victims of racism. There is absolutely nothing wrong with “slanted eyes.” Some of the most beautiful people in the world have lovely almond shaped eyes. And, as you pointed out, racism is alive and well in the U.K. You see me as being fussy and oversensitive, and that race should not be so important in the 21st century. I agree that race should not be so important in this day and age. It should be a non-issue, but it isn’t. I feel as if we should all be considerate of others. Whether we call it by the name of racism, stupidity or making jokes, it still hurts other people. It’s sad when the human race can’t be kind to others, strangers or “so called” friends.