A Step in the Wrong Direction?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20048531

Stupidity knows no bounds sometimes. What the best way to promote unity? To divide everybody of course!

 

It's almost beyond belief this.... I mean talk about double standards.

 

"A leading human rights barrister has said talks over a separate black footballers' association have begun.

Peter Herbert, who chairs the Society of Black Lawyers and helped set up a Black Police Association, says the discussions are at a preliminary stage, but involve several players."




now this is all wrong

had the word 'white' been put infront of any of those associations there would be hell on

 

I did hear this on the News this morning, it certainly seems to be picking up momentum, it's wrong, it's segregation really, hardly promoting equality or unity at all.

What a shame we haven't been able to keep the ethos of the Olympics going, promoting 'Sport for all' and for the next generations as well.

 

Such a stupid move if it comes into fruition, and is inherently racist as an idea. If there was the formation of a "White Union", imagine the hell that would breakout... What happens if you aren't black, but aren't white either? Are you allowed in?

Why people in the game can't just commit to working together while celebrating difference, share equal rights, and kick racism out of football I don't know. These things aren't juxtaposed contradictions, but fundamental components of a better game. Simply ban fans and players who do it, make sure the authorities get hold of them to re-educate them before they are allowed back, and if they do it again they can **** off. Is it really that hard? Ferdinand et al need to be informing the campaign and pushing it, not whinging like a child and forming an exclusive club which will only exacerbate a division that is metaphorically and practically only skin-deep at present.

 

All crying about people shouting "black bastard" and making monkey chants is doing is separating blacks even more so than whites.

We need to just ignore the immature chants of the ignorant and ill-informed, not make such a big ****ing deal whenever someone uses the word "black" incorrectly".

Just ignore racist chants. They will never go away!

 

On the field, the players should ignore them. Community effort to change perspectives is necessary, though. If I was next to someone being racist at a match, I'd unleash a characteristically and unnecessarily long and digression filled vocal lashing that would both bore him and stunt him in equal measure

 

When was the last time you saw white players abused because of their race in a football game?

 

I've certainly never seen that in the media, but I fail to see how that fact really impacts on what would be a discriminatory move to racially segregate council among professional footballers in this country. People should be working together on the issue, because any other suggestion is just laughably ironically racist.

 

They've pretty much disappeared in English football stadiums (I've not heard one in 25 years of matches), so why couldn't they disappear elsewhere?

I agree with most of what you said. The problem I suppose is that black players are seeing that your suggestions just aren't being carried out. Uefa usually charges the club a few grand and that's that.

What you describe as whinging, and tash describes as 'crying', is actually quite an intelligent response to wanting to affect change. The campaign isn't doing enough work for them, so they form an organisation that will. I'd rather it was an inclusive 'anti racist' organisation, but I'm not bothered if there is a BPA either.

 

To racially segregate council? I don't think I understand what you mean there.
It isn't fundamentally racist to say, 'I think as black players we have to deal with certain issues that others don't, so I'd like an organisation which can represent me in these areas'.

The difference with a white players union is - well what things do white players have to deal with that others don't by virtue of being white? Not being abused due to skin colour?

 

Council, as in the public advisers sense, so white people and other "non-blacks" will have one set, and black people will have another. Hence racial segregation.

It's dangerous to say that because their abuse is more prevalent, it's more meaningful than other types of racism. That's not parity, and hence discrimination, and
because that discrimination is based on racial features, it's definitely fundamentally racist.

There are more types of prejudice which should be combated, though, which white people and black people equally share in and are equally abused by, like xenophobia. Separating on one issue is massively, and grossly disproportionate and yet more discrimination. Hence an effective UNITED body should be the goal, not an insensitive and divisive split.

 

Well said Pouchy. It's bollocks. What would happen if there was a 'white' PFA?
The MOBOS are bad enough but all hell would break loose if there were a MOWO's.
Daffy Duck is a thick twat for even thinking that a separate association would be anything but decisive.

 

If the black players don't feel they're being fairly represented by the existing PFA then what are they supposed to do?
Racism in football is getting a lot more exposure at the moment than it usually does, but it's been a problem for a long time, and the existing authorities seem to be doing very little towards combating it. Most of those authorities are also run by old white men who were brought up in a time when discrimination was far more common and accepted, and I suspect this is more intended as a kick up the arse to them more than anything else.

 

Definitely set up a union which only players adhering to their colour chart can enter, then...

I don't think you'll find any opposition with regards comments about those arses in the upper echelons of the FA, but black players should be pushing for reform in this institution, not making the divide more aggressive than it ever will be in the modern game. How many football matches are there a weekend? How many racism charges a weekend?

Community, in my opinion, is required to truly wipe racism out of the modern game, not disunity which such a move by black players would represent.

 

I'm not saying it's a great way to go but they may feel as if it's the only option to make sure black players are represented fairly.

There have been calls for harsher punishment for racist abuse for quite a long time now. The reason it's such a big deal at the moment is because those calls have been completely ignored. Usually there's a worthless comment from the FA about how they take it very seriously, but after a week or so it all gets forgotten about until the next incident. Rinse and repeat. The joke 'punishment' for Terry is clear proof that the FA don't give a **** about it, and we all know that UEFA and FIFA tend to look the other way as much as they can.

Maybe starting a black players group isn't going to stop racism, but it's better than letting things continue in the same way they have been for years. Why should black players be expected to continue to 'unite' with organisations that have largely ignored the problems for decades?

 

They have given Terry punishment were a court did not, that seems quite strong to me! They're complaint being that the bans aren't good enough, to me, are moot. The offending players haven't been racist again, have they? So what's the problem? As long as they're sending this message, it doesn't really matter how long King Ferdinand thinks they should get!

If they feel so under-represented and unheard this is the only option, then they should form a separate player union that doesn't discriminate on racial grounds, not setting up what to all intents and purposes is a club... I mean, I'm sure there are other players that are not happy with the FA and the current set-up, but this has to take precedent? It just seems pathetic to be honest, but if it works, I don't think anyone would complain... Just can't foresee it being effective in bringing about racial harmony at all!

 

If there are other players unhappy with the current set up then they have the same ability to organise an alternative as the black players may be doing.

The decision of the court is largely irrelevant, as the FA had found Terry 'guilty' of racism anyway. The question is why he only got 4 games, and in his case a completely meaningless fine. The message they're sending is completely inconsistent and out of touch. What Ferdinand thinks doesn't matter, but he's not the only one that's questioned the level of punishment given to Terry, or the minimal efforts the authorities are putting in towards combating racism. Since they are clearly unhappy with the methods of the existing organisations, they have a right to leave those and form their own.

It won't bring racial harmony, you're right. But neither will sticking your head in the sand pretending there isn't a problem, which seems to be the popular style amongst the current associations. If they do create a new one, it's more about looking out for their own rather than trying to unite, and the reason it's for that is because they feel no one else is looking out for them.

If there had been stronger support for non-white players from the top then it wouldn't have come to this, but there never has been. The head of FIFA suggests overcoming racism by shaking hands. That's a complete joke and everybody knows it. We can laugh it off because we're white and it doesn't really affect us, but it's not the same for others.

 

so there starting a different organisation because they feel the kick it out organisation doesnt have any power,and the football organisations arnt giving out any significant punishments,so what exactly do they think they wil be able to do,what powers will they have,if they are playing abroad and the opposing fans start giving out monkey chants are they going to walk off the pitch?Of course eastern europeans arnt going to try this tactic are they?Another thing positive discrimination is a form of racism end of!

 

Not on a football field. But I've been racially abused for been white plenty of times on a night out. And I'm sure I'm not alone. White people get abused too