Yep, it is double standard bs. Same reason the cubs manager (can't remember his name) got away with saying that white people can't stand hot weather. What a dumba$$.
I thought the Shockey comment (calling Parcells "homo") was just a publicity-seeking meathead using that term as a generic perjorative. Hearst's comment ("I don't want any f*ggots on my team") was a lot more obviously intolerant. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=s ... sprosports
Three things:
1) I think the Shockey thing got a lot of press cause he's a New York athlete and the press has been fawning over him ever since he was drafted (I think he's got 2 career TDs at this point, by the way - and how high did he go in your draft?).
2) It's wrong to assume someone is gay from some of the allegedly-"classic" mannerisms, but I really have to wonder what Jeff Garcia made of Hearst's comments. There's obviously nothing wrong with Garcia being gay, but I can certainly understand his reluctance (or anyone else's) to come out.
3) I'd always heard the stat that 8-10% of all Americans are gay. So that would make an average of 4 players per team. Taking into account that a gay athlete would not pursue a sport as homophobic as football, then let's bring that percentage down to something like 1-3%. There's still dozens of gay players in the NFL. We all wanted to hear McNabb and other black players' reaction to Limbaugh's statements. But there was nobody to go to far sound bytes when Shockey and Hearst popped off. I'm not really sure if I have a point other than if people don't think there are gay people in the NFL, they are very likely wrong.
... in my opinion, of course - but that should always go without saying.
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Anonymous wrote:Why is it that Rush Limbaugh gets crucified for voicing an opinion about the media overhyping a black quarterback while Garrison Hearst says he doesn't want any "faggots" on his team and it barely makes the back page
I think you have a point. Race-baiting (like Rush comments) are considered to be unacceptable in our society to a greater extent than is homophobia.
And yes, it seems that when a black athlete makes racist comments, the fact that he himself is a member of historically oppressed group becomes a mitigating factor in how we as a society judge those comments.
Still, the cries of "reverse discrimination" -- as if whites are some new oppressed minority -- ring hollow in light of our country's history of race relations.
Paladyr wrote:Yep, it is double standard bs. Same reason the cubs manager (can't remember his name) got away with saying that white people can't stand hot weather. What a dumba$$.
There is some truth to the assertion that, as a society, we react differently to comments made by peoples of different racial groups.
But to say that Dusty Baker "got away with" his comments is not quite accurate. It was all over the sports pages, to the point where I certainly got tired of hearing about it. (I think most of us are tired of hearing about Rush at this point, too...)
Also, to be fair: Dusty's quote was more along the lines of "Southern slaves were bred to work in the heat". That's a far cry from "white people can't stand hot weather."
Dusty didn't lose his job over the comments, and frankly, I don't think he should have. (Even though Dusty's implication -- that American blacks are better suited to work in warm climents -- is biologically untrue according to the doctors who were interviewed about the comments.)
lifeform wrote:Still, the cries of "reverse discrimination" -- as if whites are some new oppressed minority -- ring hollow in light of our country's history of race relations.
I agree with this, but how long are we as a society going to continue to use this as an excuse for the problems that continue to plague the African American society? (Education, black on black crime, Illegitimacy)
Don't you think it would me much more productive to stop making excuses and concentrate more on fixing these problems? Everytime I hear a well-spoken (white sounding) black man called "Uncle Tom", I just cringe. This is so incredibly counter-productive.
lifeform wrote:Still, the cries of "reverse discrimination" -- as if whites are some new oppressed minority -- ring hollow in light of our country's history of race relations.
I agree with this, but how long are we as a society going to continue to use this as an excuse for the problems that continue to plague the African American society? (Education, black on black crime, Illegitimacy)
Don't you think it would me much more productive to stop making excuses and concentrate more on fixing these problems? Everytime I hear a well-spoken (white sounding) black man called "Uncle Tom", I just cringe. This is so incredibly counter-productive.
Race relations involve so many complex and sensitive issues. (Which is why I have felt compelled to introduce a measure of clarity to some of the arguments presented on these boards.)
I, too, have trouble understanding the criticism of blacks for sounding "too white". (Then again, I haven't experienced what it's like to grow up as a minority in America.)
As a society, we'd all like to see problems of education, crime, & family "fixed", but the nature of these fixes is not so clear. It is also somewhat presumptuous and patronizing to position the white establishment as some paternalistic redeemer of the black community. In the context of our national history, political & social "fixes" can be percieved as further oppression.
Your points are well taken, though. Race problems are not exclusively the fault of any one group. We are all culpable. Human fallibility, and all that.
Last edited by lifeform on Fri Oct 03, 2003 12:57 pm, edited 2 times in total.
You just answered your own question. If you said those ridiculous comments in another country, you'd be hanging from a rope. That's what is so great about this country. I can't believe I have to mention this. Open your eyes.
Ah yes, the George Bush response to criticism. "That's the great thing about this country...." Deflect reality by wrapping yourself in the flag.
Anonymous wrote:Why is it that Rush Limbaugh gets crucified for voicing an opinion about the media overhyping a black quarterback while Garrison Hearst says he doesn't want any "faggots" on his team and it barely makes the back page? Why is it considered acceptable for black people to make bigoted and racist comments without fear of repercussions while white people have to walk on glass to avoid saying something that might offend somebody? Hell, look at Jeremy Shockey. He called Parcels a "homo" and it's all you can read about, yet Garrison Hearst can call gay people "faggots" and not get in trouble? I don't agree with Rush's comments about McNabb being over-rated because he is black, but I do believe they let Hearst off the hook because he is black. I'm sorry, but this double standard is bullshit!!!
Nobody on this forum even mentioned it? Why is that?
If Hearst worked for ESPN as an analyst, he would have been fired/resigned. If I said that at work, I'd be fired. Athletes can say whatever they want.
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by Orange and Blue » Fri Oct 03, 2003 2:21 am 
