Imagine my surprise when this morning, watching De’Anthony Thomas, the Oregon Ducks running back, score a record breaking 91yd touchdown I heard the ESPN commentator refer to him as the ‘black’ something or other!
What? With the Luis Suarez controversy still front page news in the UK press and a police criminal investigation ongoing into John Terry’s use of the word black (followed by an expletive) I was somewhat taken aback.
I simply had to investigate further.
It appears that during his time at Crenshaw High School, he was given the nickname “Black Mamba” by Snoop Dogg and also played in his football league, The SYFL (Snoop Youth Football League.)
Wiki reference here
So that’s all right then.
Boadicea's Chariot 
It just goes to show how stupid and divisive the UK’s “race hate” laws are.
I was pleased to read that Suarez has been given a long ban for his similar abuse of Evra.
I’m a red-head – that’s a fact. Should I be able to get people arrested for calling me a red-head? The guy IS black – so how come it’s offensive to say so?
… the world has gone mad.
Many years ago, I worked with a Jewish chap who came in one morning ‘vociferating oaths terrible to hear’. (Brownie point for the first person to source the quote.) It seems that he had got into an argument with a neighbour who had called him ‘a f******g Jew’. My colleague had spoken to a lawyer about suing him for crimen injura or something.
The lawyer said that a few things needed to be established before he could proceed with any action.
‘Are you married?’
‘Yes’.
‘Do you and your wife engage in full sexual intercourse?’
‘Yes.’
‘Are you in fact Jewish?’
‘Yes.’
‘I am afraid that you do not have a case.’
Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte
One Brownie Point, hereby awarded to Bearsy!
Boa, it’s because as WASPs we find it hard to understand the stigma attached to being non-white in most western societies for centuries, if not millenia. Racial abuse has dogged them everywhere so that the taunt ‘black’ or ‘nigger’ refers to their skin colour but also connotes social rejection. My cousin was called ginger but never felt an outcast.
Janus your #2
“similar abuse”
There is nothing similar about the two, just the opposite, in fact my intention here was to show just that!
It would appear that referring to college football players by the colour of their skin is acceptable, let’s face it, ESPN is a huge world wide broadcaster who no doubt have rules about peoples sensibilities (perceived or otherwise.)
In fact my ‘John Terry’ link is deliberately an ESPN report, I’m quite sure that the broadcaster understands what is acceptable or not.
I don’t know if there are any other players nicknamed Black Pearl, Black Panther or Black anything to be honest I don’t care.
This chap (and ESPN, one of the world’s largest broadcasters) is happy with it, why shouldn’t you be?
If I may just add to the Suarez controversy are you aware that if Suarez was in fact annoyed with Patrice Evra, and instead of arguing with him decided to ‘climb in’ with a foot high, studs in the air tackle and broke Evra’s leg (sometimes a career ending injury) his punishment would have been a red card and probably (based on recent FA decisions) a 3 match ban and no fine?
Go figure
Hello Boadicea, it isn’t! Well at least in the States in isn’t.
And that’s the thrust of this post, which Bearsy picked up immediately, there is no controversy about the Black Mamba reference.
It’s on the chaps own Wiki biography.