[asSexate]

Could you leave " The Home of the Brave " out of this one?
Thanks!

You would think on a thread that involves obvious racial prejudice as the topic, other forms of prejudice wouldn't exist.



It disgusts me to see this. Even the "beer swilling redneck" NASCAR fans aren't nearly that bad. Though it's obvious they don't like some of the drivers for maybe reasons racially motivated, I don't know of them reducing themselves to this level.

[sharpyure]

I can't quite believe what you're saying here. Blacking up is simply not acceptable under any circumstances. This is clearly an example of racism, pure and simple. I am rather amazed that there is even any discussion of the matter. The motivation of the individuals concerned is quite clear.

"blacking up"??

"simply not acceptable under any circumstances"??

If someone calls someone black, that is an insult?
Only if one assumes that being black is something to be ashamed of, something inferior, and one should be insulted by being called black or someone dressing up as black. That is the message that these idiots intended to send and some of the reactions here is that which they hoped for.

Best answer for such behavior is that Hamilton fans paint themselves black. So whatever

[adolfadsermens]

Story should speak for itself - ive NEVER seen anything like this in F1 before - a very sad day for our sport:

http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpa...s_art_id=33858

That's the kind of crap you'd xpect from football holigans. Disgraceful hope F1 dosen't start having riots this year.

[RastusuadegeFrimoum]

I respect what you say, but I have to disagree. It's not that simple. I agree it's unacceptable - in Anglo Saxon culture. But to judge it so simply is to judge it using the values of one culture as being above another. Another thing is that it's carnaval time. People dress up and have (what they consider) a good laugh.

At one point the other day the main guy shouting said "Hamilton come out, we're here with your cousin." Everyone looked around to see who he was refering to, and there was a kid of about 16 or 17 who had dark skin. He looked like he was from South America. Needless to say, he looked nothing like Lewis Hamilton. Everyone laughed at the stupidity of it. There was nothing sinister about it.

This may well be the case fandango, that this was all good natured.

However there are plenty of cultures where this behaviour isn't seen as being acceptable, Anglo-Saxon ones at the very least as you yourself have suggested. I'd also add that new F1 audiences may not appreciate comments about Hamilton based solely upon his melanin content however well intentioned they may be.

F1 is a global sport. The actions of a handful of fans at a test session is up there for perusal by anyone on the planet within minutes. This is how the Spanish are in danger of being perceived regardless of reassurances that this was all good natured.

In the hypothetical situation where LH beats Alonso to win either Spanish GP this year I hope the Spanish fans don't bring racial comments into it regardless of how humorous or well-meaning the intent. As a Spanish I hope you can understand that having images of Spanish racism beamed live into homes across the globe may be a little detrimental to the way all Spanish are perceived.

I'm speaking as someone who when travelling through Europe a decade or so ago could feel the obvious wariness of the locals in countries like Spain or Italy when they saw the British number plate. Not surprising given the images of Brits on holiday on the Costa Brava or football hooligans giving it some to their south European cousins that they'd seen.

[RobsShow]

This is very stupid. I have nothing else to add.

[sharpyure]

That's the kind of crap you'd xpect from football holigans. Disgraceful hope F1 dosen't start having riots this year.

Unfortunately as I noted earlier, this seems to be the latest trend at all sporting events.

It seems to have really gotten started at socceer events, and is now spreading all over, everywhere.

I sort of figured motor racing to be immune because what good does it do to be hurling such trash at a driver or team when (even if they were not wearing a helmet), the engine noise would drown out most or all of it.

But I guess not


Besides Spain I would think would be the last place to find a local chapter of the KKK, given the attitude of any true Klansman towards Catholics that regards them as the greater evil,
but I guess not

[Ubgvuncd]

Dylan H, FYI I'm not Spanish, I'm Irish. I'm only posting on this subject because I can see how the actions of a minority can colour people's views. I agree with what you say about the TV images, but I can also see how the English-speaking media will run with this. And not everyone draws the same conclusions from the same TV images.

[8jIDXQ80]

I respect what you say, but I have to disagree. It's not that simple. I agree it's unacceptable - in Anglo Saxon culture. But to judge it so simply is to judge it using the values of one culture as being above another. Another thing is that it's carnaval time. People dress up and have (what they consider) a good laugh.

I think racism, casual or not, ought to be unacceptable in any culture. In that sense, I have no problem judging that the values of those cultures that disapprove of such things are above those in which this behaviour is acceptable. The same goes for all sorts of other things that some cultures believe are acceptable.

At one point the other day the main guy shouting said "Hamilton come out, we're here with your cousin." Everyone looked around to see who he was refering to, and there was a kid of about 16 or 17 who had dark skin. He looked like he was from South America. Needless to say, he looked nothing like Lewis Hamilton. Everyone laughed at the stupidity of it. There was nothing sinister about it.

I think that's fairly 'sinister', as you put it.

[8jIDXQ80]

"blacking up"??

"simply not acceptable under any circumstances"??

If someone calls someone black, that is an insult?
Only if one assumes that being black is something to be ashamed of, something inferior, and one should be insulted by being called black or someone dressing up as black. That is the message that these idiots intended to send and some of the reactions here is that which they hoped for.

Best answer for such behavior is that Hamilton fans paint themselves black. So whatever

This is not what I was saying at all, and, with respect, your view of this is seriously skewed.

[bromgeksan]

Stupid, pathetic so called "fans" obviously racist yet at the same time the racism issue feeds off itself. By bringing it to the attention of the masses I believe the media are, in effect, promoting it and I actually agree with what Markabilly says..

To add a slant on the subject.. Did you know that in India face whitening creams are big money.. am I offended by this?

No, not in the slightest!

[8jIDXQ80]

Unfortunately as I noted earlier, this seems to be the latest trend at all sporting events.

It seems to have really gotten started at socceer events, and is now spreading all over, everywhere.

I would say that racist incidents at sporting events have decreased substantially in recent years — certainly in the UK — which is why they are all the more shocking when they do happen.

[PZXjoe]

I think the only real solution to this unfortunate situation is for McLaren to build a test track on Gibraltar

[PZXjoe]

You would think on a thread that involves obvious racial prejudice as the topic, other forms of prejudice wouldn't exist.

C'est la vie!

[sharpyure]

This is not what I was saying at all, and, with respect, your view of this is seriously skewed.

I understand what you are trying to say, quite well, but like many folks, there is this big tendency to overlook the racism implicit (innocent, intended or otherwise) by suggesting that "blacking up" is not acceptable.



Much like "I have friends who are black" is another way of saying, I am a liberal and quite willing to accept people despite the fact that they are black.

So what difference should it make and why even mention it...

So my reaction is that they must be fans of Hamilton, and shall label them as such. Maybe then they will wander off to the scum pond that they slimed their way out of

[RastusuadegeFrimoum]

To add a slant on the subject.. Did you know that in India face whitening creams are big money.. am I offended by this?

No, not in the slightest!

As an aside pale skin is seen as desirable in many parts of Asia but this has little to do with wanting to appear as a Caucasian.

In previous years manual labourers tended to have darker skin as they spent all their time outside in the sun. The wealthy would stay indoors all day and have a pale complexion. Hence pale skin was associated with wealth. It ought to be noted that this is the case even in cultures that view Caucasians as being of a lower status.

Pale skin was also viewed as being desirable in Caucasian women until air travel arrived. Then for north Europeans having a tan became desirable as it was 'proof' that one could afford travel to sunnier climes, itself a marker of wealth.

[8jIDXQ80]

Much like "I have friends who are black" is another way of saying, I am a liberal and quite willing to accept people despite the fact that they are black.

I think that phrase is used more by people who are far from liberal, in an often vain attempt to prove that they aren't racist having suggested to others that they might be.

[bromgeksan]

As an aside pale skin is seen as desirable in many parts of Asia but this has little to do with wanting to appear as a Caucasian.

In previous years manual labourers tended to have darker skin as they spent all their time outside in the sun. The wealthy would stay indoors all day and have a pale complexion. Hence pale skin was associated with wealth. It ought to be noted that this is the case even in cultures that view Caucasians as being of a lower status.

Pale skin was also viewed as being desirable in Caucasian women until air travel arrived. Then for north Europeans having a tan became desirable as it was 'proof' that one could afford travel to sunnier climes, itself a marker of wealth.

Thanks, wasnt aware of that.

[dabibibff]

Remember Kimi wearing a monkey suit last year...

Well, he was just having fun. No insults intended there...

Seriously, its not the saddest day in F1. These morons exist and theres no way to get rid of them all. And its even illegal to shoot them. At least in most countries.

The best way LH can answer these guys is to drive fast and beat Freddie on track. Im sure 99.99 percent of the FA fans feel sick about this stunt. Or their hatred of McL and Lewis has really gone way too long.

Its only a sport.

[Dyslermergerb]

Remember Kimi wearing a monkey suit last year...

Well, he was just having fun. No insults intended there...

Seriously, its not the saddest day in F1. These morons exist and theres no way to get rid of them all. And its even illegal to shoot them. At least in most countries.

The best way LH can answer these guys is to drive fast and beat Freddie on track. Im sure 99.99 percent of the FA fans feel sick about this stunt. Or their hatred of McL and Lewis has really gone way too long.

Its only a sport.

Yeah, quite overblown if you ask me. These fans (using the term loosely) should get lost and go back to their cave dwellings. Shouting those kind of remarks at a professional is absurd. No one should stand for that and yet everyone around them let these turds get away with being malicious.

Anyway, just shouldn't happen again.

[LoohornePharp]

I've often seen references to Alonso's eyebrow(s) on this forum, and the same interpretation can be made. People make a joke about it because it's a characteristic of his appearance, and it's not considered racist because it's personal, not against a whole group of people. I think the same thing COULD be true here, although I don't want to defend actions which I would never do or consider correct..

I completely agree. I was appalled when I saw on this site all the anti-Alonso fans referring to him as one/monobrow or some thing like that. I am not saying it's exactly the same thing, but I don't recall anyone saying anything in his defense. I think the whole thing stopped once Alonso "took care" of it. Otherwise I bet people would still refer to him in the same way.
At times I think, and I am not saying that in general, CONVENIANCE makes us turn the blind eye at things. I truly hope that the reason why so many people are so upset over this issue has nothing to do with Hamilton's nationality nor with the team he is racing for.