Life With the Lions

[H2O Man]

Team protests racial slur at Vestal game
Horseheads girls report incident at soccer match
By Nancy Dooling • Press & Sun-Bulletin • October 7, 2008

VESTAL -- A girls' soccer game turned ugly Saturday when a Vestal spectator allegedly yelled a racial slur at two black players on the opposing team.

When a 14-year-old black player on the Horseheads team told the man to "shut up," he continued to yell at her and a teammate, and the girl began to cry, a spectator said.

At that point, the Horseheads girls' junior varsity team walked off the field in protest, forfeiting Saturday's game at Vestal stadium just 10 minutes into the second half, said Patty Dawson, a Horseheads parent whose daughter plays on the JV team. ....

Vestal spectators cheered as the Horseheads team walked away, Dawson said. She said many may not have known what happened to cause the forfeit. The team and fans were taunted in Vestal's parking lot as they left, Dawson added. However, she said she did not hear any racial slurs used. ....

more at:

http://pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081007/NEWS01/810070347&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL

Note: This type of crap has happened in our area for many years. But it's always been with the boys' sports programs, as far as I am aware. I think that the hatred that is associated with the racist reactions to Barack Obama's campaign has made it where hateful people feel comfortable yelling racist comments at 14-year old girls.

It makes me sick. You can be sure that I will be working with the local and regional chapters of the NAACP, to try to have criminal charges filed against the low-life that did this.

Racism, sexism, and all of those other "-isms" which infect our society need to be confronted by those people of good will, at the grass roots level. Obama and Biden being elected will not resolve these problems. But it will allow us a better opportunity to do so in our own communities.

[ShortnFiery]

1. There will always be nasty bigots in this world. Let's not re-hash the ire and say we did?

;)

[H2O Man]

2. As the father

of a 14 year old girl who plays junior varsity soccer on a team with several non-white players, and an uncle of three brown-skinned nephews who were subjected to racial slurs when they played high school sports, I am fully aware that there are "nasty bigots" out there. I think it is important to confront their ugly behavior when they crawl out from under a rock, and attempt to infect the larger society with their disease. More, I hold those who would "poo-poo" an incident such as that described in the OP with the same contempt as the racist who felt he had the right to call two little girls racist names.

[ShortnFiery]

3. No, I'm just suggesting you CHOOSE to not live in fear.

:shrug:

[myrna minx]

4. What in H2O Man's words suggests that he's "living in fear"?

In fact he has reported a horrendous happening and has written about what he's going to do about it. He is taking action, not "living in fear". I suggest you reread the OP and read his journal. You are insulting one of our greatest, inspirational posters.

[ShortnFiery]

6. I'm not insulting anyone. To hyper-focus on the atrocities, yes valid, does not suggest solutions

Of course, we should denounce the overt bigots. However, instead of focusing on their small numbers and reflecting their hate with our righteous outrage = Would it not be better to "work with" the vast majority of people who are NOT so inclined to make this world a better place?

I am not disrespecting anyone. To the contrary, I'm only suggesting that we, instead, join forces with the GOOD PEOPLE of all skin tones to make this Country a more inclusive place. Have a good one. :hi:

[myrna minx]

10. Calling people on their racist taunts against children at a Jr Varsity game

isn't "hyper-focusing",it is being a descent human being and standing up for our children against the unacceptable hatred toward our fellow human beings. Ostracizing the bad behavior of the nasty among us is a way shame and makes that behavior socially unacceptable. Ignoring or dismissing the problem only allows the nasty among us to thrive.

Dismissing these jeers, is enabling the hateful among us to live in the open, unashamed. This, to me, is along the same lines of dismissing the behavior that lead to the lynching of Emmit Till or dismissing the hatred that lead a bomber to murder four little girls in a Birmingham church.

We can work with the good people, without ignoring the hatred.

[ShortnFiery]

16. When you reflect back the hatred with self-righteous outrage, it feels good, but it can

become self-defeating.

Again, I'm fully agreeing that it's WRONG. But the catharsis can, when played out too long, become paralyzing in and of itself.

Just my suggestion - you're welcome to consider my take - multifaceted and/or full of shit. :-)

[timber84]

7. Agreed

At a fucking soccer game? God what have we become?

[H2O Man]

8. A junior varsity game.

It's worth noting that on the newspaper's web site, in the article's "readers' comments," there are people who have connected the incident with their fear of Barack Obama being elected in November.

[myrna minx]

5. Words fail me.

I hope these crass "adults" do experience legal consequences for their hateful actions.

[H2O Man]

9. Thank you

for your contributions on this thread. I appreciate good and decent people, who find this incident to be offensive. (That stands in stark contrast to those who do not.)

I've been on the phone/computer this morning, and think that there is a very good chance that there will be legal consequences.

[myrna minx]

11. I truly hope that those involved in this horrible, nasty deed are brought into the light

of day and are exposed for the hateful people that they are. I'm glad that there is the possible legal consequences, because this kind of behavior is unacceptable, especially toward children.

[King Coal]

12. Let me know if I can help in any way. I would like to personally

bash the yelling bigot into next month, but since that is not possible, please let me know if you can use any kind of support. What kind of man will make a young girl cry? Well, we all know don't we? It's always the same kind. I'll defer to decorum, and not say the words I'm thinking.

[Tatiana]

13. Thank you for this post. And for articulating something I've only just realized.

Barack Obama's historic campaign has indeed brought out into the open America's racists.

From those at the McPalin rally that yelled "sit down, boy!" to the black television worker to the woman at the supermarket who loudly and rudely told me and a woman I was assisting to "speak English, this is America" I have never been more dismayed or disheartened.

Maybe this is why the old ones like my grandmother worried about Obama running for President. Maybe they didn't want this generation to re-live what they went through. I don't know.

Honestly, it isn't so surprising that there is such a segment of America that is intolerant. It wasn't that long ago that the Civil Rights Act was passed. My own mother grew up in segregation. My own grandmother watched several lynchings in rural Arkansas and Alabama.

We can't just ignore the problem and hope it goes away or pretend that we've "cured" the stench of racism. We haven't. But we need to confront these racists - publicly.

[The Stranger]

14. Bigots like Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilley and Sean Hannity have made it okay to be bigots.

And the news media corporations sponsoring this shit has supported open bigotry. Where once it would have been shouted down, now it has become okay.

[ShortnFiery]

15. Only cure: Demand Media De-consolidation that can only come with electing Populist Democrats.

:thumbsup:

[Me.]

17. STINKS

It's nearly impossible to have a conversation about the why of racism and hatred. To do so would require an understanding of why it exists and there is no understanding it.

[Eyes_wide_ open]

18. It would appear that

the cockroaches are coming out of the woodwork and I hope there are indeed consequences, legal consequences, for the reprehensible scumbag. We cannot tactically condone this shit by our silence. We must speak up and take action each and every time we bare witness to such disgusting behavior.

This should not happen in America! It should not happen anywhere, but least of all in a place that defines itself in it's most sacred document as "We the people" and purports to believe "that all men are created equal".

Stand firm people, I think it's going to get worse before it gets better.