Spanish team makes fun of the olympic hosts (racism?!)

Sedale Threatt · Post #61 » by **Sedale Threatt** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:14 pm

Having gotten to know Pau Gasol a little bit since he got traded to the Lakers, I highly, highly doubt that he would get involved in anything that was truly intended to insult or degrade anybody. He's too sophisticated and too smart for that, and I imagine many of his teammates are the same way. The recent incidents with monkey chants at soccer stadiums are a totally different story; there's no possible way for anybody to misconstrue the intent there. But as for this, I largely agree -- it's not really fair to apply our standards as a culture relating to what is insulting and what is not.

Fran Vasquez · Post #62 » by **Fran Vasquez** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:14 pm

Heat3 wrote:Is it racist? YES! The thing is though the Spanish will say it isn't. Not in their eyes anyway. This is the way it is in Latin America as well. People hold racist views then hide behind "cultural differences". Just cause it's accepted as normal by the majority doesn't make it any less racist.

people can be racist, words cannot
for example, if i were playing in that team and were in that picture, would i be racist? for you its a definite yes
now explain this: i dont even beleive in races, and things so stupid as the shape of the eyes are and will never be enough for me to think less of anyone. Same with the color of skin. Same with the clothes you wear
Damm, im so racist...

Sedale Threatt · Post #63 » by **Sedale Threatt** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:18 pm

Texas Longhorns wrote:Man, you guys are going to get a controversial topic locked because you can't get a long. The U.S. is better at everything than Spain. Life, Sports, anything you want, the U.S. is better

/end thread

Dude, you can be so ignorant sometimes, I don't even know where to begin.

Texas Longhorns · Post #64 » by **Texas Longhorns** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:19 pm

I don't give a ****.

Fran Vasquez · Post #65 » by **Fran Vasquez** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:21 pm

Texas Longhorns wrote:I don't give a ****.

thats the spirit! now you are spanish too!

Sedale Threatt · Post #66 » by **Sedale Threatt** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:21 pm

Texas Longhorns wrote:I don't give a ****.

No kidding. I guess they're right -- ignorance is truly bliss. You're embarrassing.

hsb · Post #67 » by **hsb** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:22 pm

Fran Vasquez wrote:
Texas Longhorns wrote:I don't give a ****.

thats the spirit! now you are spanish too!

manun · Post #68 » by **manun** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:22 pm

I actullay dont get the concept of my country is better in X sport my country is better than ur country. Its not like the sport athletes are coming home to you and share the medal and the money they just got. Its like when Jaric was signed for alot of money and serbians where i live around was really happy, i kept saying to myself : do they know jaric?

the7boss · Post #69 » by **the7boss** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:25 pm

Texas Longhorns wrote:I don't give a ****.

It was clear since your first post of the topic.

Superanto · Post #70 » by **Superanto** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:27 pm

Ok look I'm Spanish too and we don't get along with English people and we bash each other constantly. They HATE our recent success and their media is just trash since they're always looking for controversy. I really don't have a problem with anyone and I wouldn't be posting in this forum if I didn't respect your country and your culture.

But the problem is that Texas for example sounds a bit arrongant to us Europeans because you're trying to make Spain (just sports related, I don't think you know enough Spanish people to have a solid opinion about us) look inferior to the USA team. You do have the best athletes and your players can JUMP out of the building simply put, but came on, I've read your posts and you're much better than that, Spain is a good team and Prince wouldn't be the best player on our team. Respect your opponents man.

The thing about traveling... the USA team travels a LOT and they're allowed to but the problem is that we're not allowed to do the same thing against you. Yesterday's game against China was a perfect example since you traveled almost everytime (I undestand it's difficult for players to adjust) and never got called for it and the Chinese were called against everytime.

And about the picture, I don't take it as racist and I don't consider Spanish people racist and what Luis Aragones said was inmensely misinterpreted.

cloudXXI · Post #71 » by **cloudXXI** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:31 pm

What doesn't the U.S. have that other countries have?

That´s true. In Spain you cannot get 41 shots from police. We don´t have death penaly. We don´t have to pay for good health care.

I´m so jealous.

By the way, I have been three times in the states. EVERYBODY was nice with me. Hopefully I never met anyone like you, but, sadly, in every country are people like you.

vwc228 · Post #72 » by **vwc228** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:33 pm

I'm sorry, but if you are not willing to admit that there is a massive racism problem in Spain (and Europe at large), then that is just plain dishonest. I'm not saying that there are not racism problems in the US and Canada too, there definitely is, but in Europe they are worse.
If you don't think that an Italian player giving the Nazi salute after scoring a goal during a soccer match is racist, then its a problem. If you don't think its bad that black players get banana peels thrown at them, then there is a problem. If you don't think its bad that a Dutch congressman (of Morrocan origin) gets denied entry into a club because he looks African, then its a problem...I myself have had this happen to me in Barcelona (ironically the city of my fav. soccer team).

I'm not saying that you don't find some of these things offensive or that they must also happen in Spain just because they occurred in Europe. What I am saying is that Europe DOES in fact lag behind North America in terms of racial tolerance. Some people attribute this to the fact that Europe never experienced a civil rights movement in the same magnitude as in the US in 1960s.

Whateva · Post #73 » by **Whateva** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:34 pm

USA dominant ?? I see, thay havn't won a gold medal since 2000. How dominant

Whateva · Post #74 » by **Whateva** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:35 pm

EUROPE >>>>>>>>>> USA ( In everything)

the7boss · Post #75 » by **the7boss** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:43 pm

Prince the second best player on the Spanish National team, that has been funny too. Hilarious.

aroba · Post #76 » by **aroba** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:45 pm

vwc228 wrote:I'm not saying that you don't find some of these things offensive or that they must also happen in Spain just because they occurred in Europe. What I am saying is that Europe DOES in fact lag behind North America in terms of racial tolerance. Some people attribute this to the fact that Europe never experienced a civil rights movement in the same magnitude as in the US in 1960s.

i agree the're stupid people everywhere, but we didn't have a civil rights movement in the 60's....because we didn't have Klu klux Klan, Black Panthers, etc.
We do NOT have same problem you had with racial segregation. First of all, caucasians are 95% of the populations, and in the 60's probably 99,5%.
I mean, we didn't have slaves in Spain just like in some Union states in America, so we didn't have a tradition of racism and slavery.

Being said that, we in Spain are able to see and even point physical differences between races without being disrespectful. Because, being equal as human beings, you gotta agree with me that we have some physical differences between races don't you?. And a black people is black people as white people is white people, so does Asian people. No false but true respect with our differences.

Differences is what makes us interesting.

J-Mezzy · Post #77 » by **J-Mezzy** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:49 pm

No surprise here, Spain is known to be one of the most racist countries in the world. They discriminate againts blacks, Hispanics( they call us mestizos and say we are a disgrace to the original race, and gitanos). I remember the incident in the last soccer world cup where the Spain coached was calling Henry a black piece of ish.
Just classless

vwc228 · Post #78 » by **vwc228** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:54 pm

This to me epitomizes the problem with Spaniards' state of denial:
"we didn't have a tradition of racism and slavery".

WOW...are you serious? So spain conquered the America's how exactly?!?!?!? With sweets? The natives of America were never enslaved?!?!?!?! Or those things happened "over there" and had no effect on people in Spain?!?! Is the inquisition itself not part and parcel of racism?!?!?!

I'm sorry my friend but Spain has a very long tradition of racism and slavery, and you trying to completely erase that history by stating that you never had any tradition of it just plain dishonet.

ropjhk · Post #79 » by **ropjhk** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:56 pm

If that picture was taken for an advert, then I think somebody needs to get fired.

I think that picture is highly offensive. I'm willing to allow the idea that the Spanish players were too stupid and ignorant to know that what they were doing could and would be interpreted as an offensive gesture. However somebody up the chain approved the picture and that person needs to be fired. To think that such a picture could be used in an advertising campaign to promote friendship is laughable and reflects poorly on the Spanish people.

vwc228 · Post #80 » by **vwc228** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:59 pm

another quick point: Maybe Americans and the Spaniards are not the ones to decide whether this is racist or not. Would you at least be willing to admit that there is something wrong with the picture if the Chinese (and Asians at large) find this pic offensive? At the end of the day, it is they who are being "depicted" in this pic, and they are the ones best able to determine whether it offends them or not?!?!?
Or would that still not be enough to convince you that its in fact offensive? (I know from my own personal experience that a Chinese fiend of mine got into a fist fight once because someone made that gesture at him).