[TV] Ian Wright talking to Alan Shearer on racism.

[aolstudios]

Agree with the second paragraph, but for Ian Wright to be portraying himself as such a victim is a bit rich considering his conduct when he was at Arsenal, the spitting and thalidomide charges are shocking as was his calling out of David Pleat.

He's a victim of racism.
Daily.
You can't whatabout that away

 

[AmexRuislip]

Agree with the second paragraph, but for Ian Wright to be portraying himself as such a victim is a bit rich considering his conduct when he was at Arsenal, the spitting and thalidomide charges are shocking as was his calling out of David Pleat.

I don't agree he's portraying himself as the victim, it's also the BBC and AS pushing for education and understanding of the vitriol that IW and others receive on social media.

 

[Larry Boyd]

He's a victim of racism.
Daily.
You can't whatabout that away

I'm not trying to as I said the racism he's experienced is wrong but he's dished it out enough himself down the years, spitting at a female steward? Mocking someone over thalidomide?

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Sadly standing up and calling out racism is more difficult because of phrases like 'snowflake', 'virtue signalling' and 'banter'. Those who partake are given a ready mate retort to being called out. This means the conversation can be turned back on those doing the calling out for being 'politically correct, 'you can't say anything anymore' etc etc.

For the record I am not suggesting that those who use these phrases are racist or condone racism. I just think it is worth pointing out that this language can and does give people something of a get-out clause.

Precisely. Go back 10, 15 years on NSC.....the only thing that has changed is the bar for using the get out clauses as you call them has raised over the years, to the point now where it is actually quite rare. It is a very long time since I have seen anyone on NSC actively advocating racism in clear and unequivocal terms.

That said....seeing people forced off certain forms of social media owing to abuse is not acceptable. It isn't 'contributory negligence' (see Attila's old poem) for them 'putting themselves in the firing line' because there is no such thing as contributory negligence in this context.

I understand the 'let's educate rather than punish' argument but this is irrelevant in this context (the right for individuals to go about their lawful business, on Twitter or wherever, without molestation). I don't really care what racists think. Anyone racist in this day and age is like a drink driver; if you thought it was OK you're simply nasty, selfish and thick.

 

[vegster]

He's not exactly an angel though is he (not excusing the racism he's experienced btw) but it's an appalling crime sheet, he said and did some pretty awful things:

https://www.thefreelibrary.com/IAN+WRIGHT'S+ROLE+OF+DISHONOUR.-a061049544

Are you going to be able to find a similar charge sheet for every other ethnic minority sportsman/sportswoman who receives racist abuse on a regular basis too ?

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Are you going to be able to find a similar charge sheet for every other ethnic minority sportsman/sportswoman who receives racist abuse on a regular basis too ?

He will have a good go, until he gets banned again. This time for good, one would hope. An example of recognising the high bar but reaching for it nevertheless.

 

[Larry Boyd]

Are you going to be able to find a similar charge sheet for every other ethnic minority sportsman/sportswoman who receives racist abuse on a regular basis too ?

No. I don't recall any other instances of footballers spitting at females stewards or abusing a linesman over a disability. As I said I sympathise with the racism he says he has experienced but he was an awful person when he was at his peak at Arsenal, he was frequently involved in controversial incidents.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I have larry boyd on ignore. Would someone else please report him for whataboutery in the context of racism (i.e., being racist)? I may do it later but I'd have to open and read another of his filthy posts to do so.

Sailing close to the wind with respect to racism is a bit like sailing close to the wind with respect to paedophilia. It shouldn't be tolerated on here these days.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I'm not trying to as I said the racism he's experienced is wrong but he's dished it out enough himself down the years, spitting at a female steward? Mocking someone over thalidomide?

He can still be a victim despite all of that. A lot of it was nearly 30 years ago, and time have changed (just not enough).

Spitting is never good.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I have larry boyd on ignore. Would someone else please report him for whataboutery in the context of racism (i.e., being racist)? I may do it later but I'd have to open and read another of his filthy posts to do so.

Sailing close to the wind with respect to racism is a bit like sailing close to the wind with respect to paedophilia. It shouldn't be tolerated on here these days.

Just seen that Mr (?) Boyd has previous.

Who was he before this incarnation?

His comments about Wright's behaviour in the 1990s are irrelevant to this thread.

 

[BadFish]

He can still be a victim despite all of that. A lot of it was nearly 30 years ago, and time have changed (just not enough).

Spitting is never good.

Only those who have never erred can be victims of racism.

Apparently!!

 

[Swansman]

He's not exactly an angel though is he (not excusing the racism he's experienced btw) but it's an appalling crime sheet, he said and did some pretty awful things:

https://www.thefreelibrary.com/IAN+WRIGHT'S+ROLE+OF+DISHONOUR.-a061049544

How come all the threads you get involved in are these kinds of threads? Same as when you were "Beach Seagull".

Fjant.

 

[Skaville]

That brought a lot of memories back. Brighton was such a different place in the seventies and eighties. I remember being on the top deck of a bus and everyone lurching over to one side to look out of the window. The reason? A black man was walking up the street, something you rarely saw in Brighton.

I remember a lot of racist abuse at the Goldstone. “You black *******” was a regular chant from the North Stand, as I’m sure it was at every ground. Football crowds are merely a magnified reflection of society after all. It made me very sad to hear Wrighty talking about what he suffered at football grounds because, let’s face it, he would have definitely got that from us, from some of the posters on this very forum, probably me. It’s shameful.

Fans of other clubs were far, far worse. I remember seeing a Chelsea headhunter at the England B game in 1989, the epitome of far right, racist scum, ignoring positive interventions on the pitch by Paul Parker and Michael Thomas. Then there was Millwall in 1991. I’ve never seen a crowd like that. The term lynch mob could not be better utilised, coming on to the pitch to attack our black players. It made you think this is wrong.

Then suddenly, there were signs in the North saying people making racist comments would be ejected. I remember seeing the first fan getting ejected for a racist comment. As I looked closer I realised it was a childhood friend. The action taken meant it largely stopped overnight. Football was the first place where people said no more. It made white people think, hold their tongue and ultimately reflect on what they were doing.

It was a bleak, shameful time but the change that came from it actually makes me believe in how much potential for good football has.