Was John Motson being racist?

Ninthlife

Football commentator had to apologise after describing a player as black

https://m.independent.ie/sport/soccer/john-motson-apologises-for-racist-comment-about-millwall-striker-tom-elliott-during-talksport-fa-cup-broadcast-37830648.html

To me its not racist and he was describing someone as he saw them but I'm probably being racist by saying that now too

Your Face

Soccer is racist.

DeanAustin

Ninthlife wrote: »

Football commentator had to apologise after describing a player as black

https://m.independent.ie/sport/soccer/john-motson-apologises-for-racist-comment-about-millwall-striker-tom-elliott-during-talksport-fa-cup-broadcast-37830648.html

To me its not racist and he was describing someone as he saw them but I'm probably being racist by saying that now too

It was pretty clumsy and he shouldn’t have said it but I wouldn’t describe it as racist.

bigpink

It’s like the media here with the trouble in North Dublin black teens causing havoc but can’t say black well there not bloody white or blue

DeanAustin

bigpink wrote: »

It’s like the media here with the trouble in North Dublin black teens causing havoc but can’t say black well there not bloody white or blue

But if it was white teens, you’d rarely hear them described as “white teens.”

lertsnim

He should have described him as being of colour. Thats how it is done now.

Berserker

lertsnim wrote: »

He should have described him as being of colour. Thats how it is done now.

Everyone is of colour.

bigpink

DeanAustin wrote: »

But if it was white teens, you’d rarely hear them described as “white teens.”

Because we are a white majority country

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

DeanAustin wrote: »

But if it was white teens, you’d rarely hear them described as “white teens.”

Aye. I used to live near the Dorset Street area and at the time, there was a menacing group of teenagers there who would actively accost people regularly. They were white but I didn’t refer to their colour because why would I? “Shower of knackbags” sufficed as a descriptor.

Ninthlife

lertsnim wrote: »

He should have described him as being of colour. Thats how it is done now.

Big, strong and being of colour doesnt have the same ring to it

Balanadan

Berserker wrote: »

Everyone is of colour.

What about the people who identify as being colourless?

Ninthlife

Describing someones appearance as being black isnt really racist so I dont see why Talksport were taking it so 'seriously'

Yer Da sells Avon

I don't understand why the Independent has put 'apologises' in quotation marks. He literally did apologise - directly to the player concerned. It was a bit of a weird and unnecessary description of the player, but it's hardly Ron Atkinson levels of racism.

Ninthlife

Yer Da sells Avon wrote: »

I don't understand why the Independent has put 'apologises' in quotation marks. He literally did apologise - directly to the player concerned. It was a bit of a weird and unnecessary description of the player, but it's hardly Ron Atkinson levels of racism.

But if Beyonce says shes a 'strong black woman' its ok?? Everyone applauds. Or when Kanye West or some other rapper raps about white girls its ok.

antodeco

It's a term of description. It's like saying a tall, bald, overweight, blonde haired, glasses wearing person.

DeanAustin

bigpink wrote: »

Because we are a white majority country

Ah stop. How many black people are in the country? It’s hardly a case that describing someone as black identifies them because there are no others.

Saying someone is a black teen in that context implies that all black teens are troublemakers and that’s racist.

biko

had been reprimanded by talkSPORT bosses for his comments

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-6719773/John-Motson-apologises-Millwall-striker-Tom-Elliott-race-gaffe.html

So it wasn't Elliott that got offended and did anything? The bosses got offended for him.
As usual there is some (most often white) snowflake that gets offended on someone else's behalf.

TheValeyard

FFS. He was speaking about the player in a positive light. He's black, he's a big fella, he's brave in his tackles and style of play. How's that racist?

paw patrol

it's a sad state of affairs cos there is no context or intend ever considered in the rush to judge people on this type of thing.
It's pure control on language and thus a control on people.

mikemac2

bigpink wrote: »

It’s like the media here with the trouble in North Dublin black teens causing havoc but can’t say black well there not bloody white or blue

The Irish are the blacks of Europe. And Dubliners are the blacks of Ireland. And the Northside Dubliners are the blacks of Dublin. So say it once and say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud. :cool:

biko

talkSPORT bosses

Feisar

I described a collegue as black once and one of the lads nearly shat themselves? There was confusion over who we were refering to and one person said ""the over weight lad. People still didn't know who, I said his name and then "the black man", well he was the only black man in the building.

Relayed the story to my buddy and he was all well it's OK to call me fat but not black?

vkus6mt3y8zg2q

Not racist, people just like making an issue out of everything these days

Ninthlife

The movie White men can't jump, I mean how racist was that. Saying non whites had superior jumping abilities

Now whats the password to me twitter account so i can outrage

Feisar

Sarah Powerful Remote wrote: »

Not racist, people just like making an issue out of everything these days

True but where will it end. A stand needs to be taken against this level of bull****. There are probably a load of smug arseholes at home now happy over this, gaining confidence for their next outrage.

I said it before here, we will be painting over the nudes again in the Sistine Chapel.

Omackeral

Yer Da sells Avon wrote: »

I don't understand why the Independent has put 'apologises' in quotation marks. He literally did apologise - directly to the player concerned.

Agreed. If anything, they put the wrong word in quotations marks.

They wrote: John Motson ‘apologises’ for racist comment about Millwall striker Tom Elliott during Talksport FA Cup broadcast.

It should read: John Motson apologises for 'racist' comment about Millwall striker Tom Elliott during Talksport FA Cup broadcast

Omackeral

biko wrote: »

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-6719773/John-Motson-apologises-Millwall-striker-Tom-Elliott-race-gaffe.html

So it wasn't Elliott that got offended and did anything? The bosses got offended for him.
As usual there is some (most often white) snowflake that gets offended on someone else's behalf.

That's kind of racist itself in an ironic sense.

biko

Omackeral wrote: »

That's kind of racist itself in an ironic sense.

Yes, the snowflakes are often guilty of racism of low expectations.

mad muffin

“John Motson. How do you like your men?”

“Big, Black, and Brave”

“Ooh, err, missus”

antodeco

I think I'm going to have some very very very very light brown chocolate.

Yer Da sells Avon

Fr_Dougal

lertsnim wrote: »

He should have described him as being of colour. Thats how it is done now.

“Him”? Did you just assume this persons gender? How dare you!

orourkeda1977

Bring back big ron.

Alrigghtythen

What colour is he?

orourkeda1977

Alrigghtythen wrote: »

What colour is he?

He was hardly white was he?

Church on Tuesday

There's obviously no harm meant by the man, he's a pensioner.

Like it or not these age bracket people have to get a pass because they come from a different era.

Mutant z

Pc loony stuff next it will be a crime to describe a man as a man and a woman as a woman it's sad we now live in a world where left is right black is white tall is short could a little bit of common sense please take hold it isn't asking for too much now is it.

JohnnyFlash

I’m surprised his famous sheepskin coat didn’t become the subject of outrage from the Twitter army as well.

KathleenGrant

If the question is "was John Motson being racist" then no. He was praising the person in question and certainly didn't mean is as a derogatory term If the question is "should John Motson have used the term black" then no he shouldn't. I think it's ridiculous that people have to be so careful and pc but that's the way the world is gone.

Pauliedragon

The surprising thing for me out of this is that a black guy playing in Millwall hasn't is stilll alive.

sligojoek

orourkeda1977 wrote: »

Bring back big ron.

That's racist against big people.

kingchess

biko wrote: »

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-6719773/John-Motson-apologises-Millwall-striker-Tom-Elliott-race-gaffe.html

So it wasn't Elliott that got offended and did anything? The bosses got offended for him.
As usual there is some (most often white) snowflake that gets offended on someone else's behalf.

Surprised that people do not complain about Snooker,that game is blatantly Racist, it is like a KKK wish list-you have to get rid of all the Reds,then you sink the Coloured ones,and finally you bury the black in some pocket and all that is left is the White-pretty obvious when you think about it. PS. I hate Snooker.

Church on Tuesday

Church on Tuesday wrote: »

There's obviously no harm meant by the man, he's a pensioner.

Like it or not these age bracket people have to get a pass because they come from a different era.

Context.....its irks me no one takes what he said/context of the issue....Its the media trying to distract, create faux outrage with some the offended, but the majority of sane, rational people do see context

Ninthlife

How the world is and what its becoming makes me sad.

Being a castaway on a deserted island is becoming my life goal

The Rape of Lucretia

antodeco wrote: »

It's a term of description. It's like saying a tall, bald, overweight, blonde haired, glasses wearing person.

It certainly is not like saying that. Thise terms dont refer to race. Skin colour does. Refering to a person as b***k is clear racism. A non racist would not be minded to mention that characteristic at all. Doing so is racism, reveals him as a racist person, and the apolog means nothing. It does not change him being racist even if he is indeeed sorry he said it as it reals him as one.

The Rape of Lucretia

The quotation marks are on the correct word btw. If he had said he apologises for being a racist person, then yes, it would be correct to omit them.

Ninthlife

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

It certainly is not like saying that. Thise terms dont refer to race. Skin colour does. Refering to a person as b***k is clear racism. A non racist would not be minded to mention that characteristic at all. Doing so is racism, reveals him as a racist person, and the apolog means nothing. It does not change him being racist even if he is indeeed sorry he said it as it reals him as one.

Phil Lynnot was black.

Is that racist?

Franz Von Peppercorn

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

It certainly is not like saying that. Thise terms dont refer to race. Skin colour does. Refering to a person as b***k is clear racism. A non racist would not be minded to mention that characteristic at all. Doing so is racism, reveals him as a racist person, and the apolog means nothing. It does not change him being racist even if he is indeeed sorry he said it as it reals him as one.

That’s about a 2/10. Trying too hard.

KathleenGrant

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

It certainly is not like saying that. Thise terms dont refer to race. Skin colour does. Refering to a person as b***k is clear racism. A non racist would not be minded to mention that characteristic at all. Doing so is racism, reveals him as a racist person, and the apolog means nothing. It does not change him being racist even if he is indeeed sorry he said it as it reals him as one.

But surely saying someone is black does not necessarily make him a racist. If I mention that all 8 runners in an Olympic 100 metres final are black, is that being racist? Because it is not meant as that.

Ninthlife

100m race is racist..

Whos the last white guy to run 100m faster than a... i dont know what term to use here in case I'm branded founder of the KKK or something

KathleenGrant

Ninthlife wrote: »

100m race is racist..

Whos the last white guy to run 100m faster than a... i dont know what term to use here in case I'm branded founder of the KKK or something

You used the term white guy? Is that racist? Or is it just black is?