I don’t understand how these Spanish players don’t see where the controversy is when it is blatantly there, How is this supposed to “inspire the Olympic spirit” as Gasol said? This is showing discrimination and the Olympics stand for acceptance. Seeing this made me lose a lot of respect towards Jose Calderon, Pau Gasol, and all the other Spanish players. Seeing things like this makes me appreciate living in San Francisco, where everyone’s so accepting of each other, no matter what our differences are. PLUR everyone, PLUR!!!

Disappointed in the Spanish team for doing it and not apologizing for it –
In the end it may not have been a huge deal if the Spanish team, any member of the team, had said it was mistake and we regret it. But they don’t they just say “I don’t get what the big deal is”
Disappointed in FIBA for calling it a Non-issue
I can’t understand how an organization that calls for the international appreciation and proliferation can look at something like this and say that it isnt even an issue.
Disappointed again for the Spanish team not realizing that this is offensive
The coach compared it to dressing up taller if he played a team that was bigger than spain, which just goes to show how out of touch he is

Let’s just hope David Stern does something about this…

I can understand how Chinese people may feel insulted…I probably would in their shoes… furthermore the spanish team really lacked cleverness when they made this photo shoot…. they could have handled this in better fashion…

however…. does it necessarily mean that was there intention ? no…we simply assume (once again) that our perspective is the right one… I applaud criticism but it doesn’t always have to be cynical.

And I don’t see the press making that big of an issue concerning 8 year old kids enslaved in sweatshops or China’s Imperialist policy over the peaceful nation of Tibet so it’s once again a story of hypocrisy and conflicts of interests…

While we in the Bay Area are correctly more aware of sensitivities, I think the Spanish didn’t see anything wrong. Every country and area is not as diverse. I don’t think it was an intentional mocking of Chinese people. I believe they were trying to say “We’re all Chinese” as a celebration of China hosting the Olympics and their team being part of this incredible spectacle.

There are two sides here. The Spanish team should have been more aware of their action and seen that this could possibly offend. But there also is the side that says, do we have to analyze everything to death? Do we have to be so politically correct, that nothing is acceptable anymore without looking at every possible outcome and reaction to our words and actions? Isn’t intention important here? I’m guessing the Spanish team didn’t plan to offend 1.3 billion people.

A bit off topic though it got me thinking:
The interesting thing is in America as we try for racial equality and tolerance and unity, we actually perpetuate our differences. Why African-American, or Asian-American? What’s wrong with American? If at any time that pride should come out it’s now during the Olympics.

I was in the Dominican Republic last year and met this guy who kind of looked like kobe. During our conversation I asked him what his background was (he was obviously part white, part black, and probably part native). He said he was Dominican. When’s the last time you got that out of an American that wasn’t a redneck? Usually, it’s something like “I’m Filipino-Spanish-German-Irish-Native American, and 1/32 jewish”.

fuckin wops _

I’m surprised that there has not been a post about this yet given the amount of Asian Americans in the Bay Area and on these boards so I wanted to get the feed back on the situation.

I actually looked up GSoM for that reason. As far as my actual feelings about it, they fall in line with most of what dancing chiapet said. And I know its not common practice but I’ll also reference a Truehoop comment made by jbock37

I don’t see the problem with this, it’s hilarious that Spain posed for this picture. They were not insulting the way Chinese people look, they were just playfully acknowledging a common Chinese facial feature. If it was really meant as racist, Spain wouldn’t be playing in Beijing. I really think it’s a shame that people have fallen so deep into the politically correct memory hole that they cannot see the difference between racism and a joke. Yes I do believe racist jokes exist. But this is not racist, it’s a simple joke. Nobody is really offended by this; perhaps “theoretically” offended, which basically means “because people have told me such humor is politically incorrect, by the theory of political correctness I am offended even though in reality I am not.” A racist joke involves a reference to past harm, such as a joke about blacks and slaves or a sexist joke about women. But simply acknowledging a difference, that is neither bad nor good nor harmful, is not racist. It’s FUNNY.

And what’s this “Now they know they were wrong.” Don’t put thoughts in other people’s minds. Try to persuade, agree to disagree, I’m all for that. If people are not convinced by what I’ve written and still think the picture is racist in nature, then fine, but I disagree. All of this just shows the pressure of an international culture that has no respect for freedom of expression, speech, and humor. If everything that MIGHT offend someone is WRONG, then I guess we’re all wrong every time we speak.

I also think it be ridiculous for the NBA to do anything, because
1. Its not directly related to the NBA
2. Fining people for things that ‘might be’ offensive is hard if not impossible. Even, if all parties agreed the incident was offensive, how would you determine the severity of the fine. To my knowledge there is no such measuring stick. Futhermore, is emotional damage even punishable, under civil law? (not a lawyer)
3. I think it would be a violation of the 1st amendment, since no libel was incurred or contract violated. As I believe those would be the only grounds for punitive damage. (once again not a lawyer)

Would it still be the same if the Spanish team took a picture with their lips folded to make it look like they have big lips?

What if LeBron James stretched out his eyes during an interview to make his eyes look chinky, would that be okay?

1) It is not up to the offenders to decide whether it was offensive or not, whether it is logical or makes sense. Take it at face value, if a whole group of people (mainly Asian Americans) are extremely offended by the gesture, just apologize and move on. Do not defend or try to justify your actions which are intolerably racist and offensive. The, “well I have black friends” argument makes me cringe every time I hear it. 2) This is not a derogatory gesture because Asian people are embarrassed about their eye shape (well some are, but that is more a pressure of European imperialism). It is derogatory because that gesture has been a used in a mocking, patronizing way to make fun of, not only just Chinese people, but also of all people of Asian descent, as if all Asian people look the same and have the same culture. Let me put it another way… if the Spanish team painted their faces black and started tap dancing, and black people would obviously be offended, is it because black people are ashamed of their skin color? No, people are offended because of the systemic racism and mocking of black people and culture that came from the minstrel shows 2) It is a complete double standard as Adrian W. pointed out. When it comes to making black people wearing suits and not being “thugs,” the NBA is all about handing out fines. Suddenly when the white Europeans do a racist gesture the NBA does nothing and try to put it on the hush hush. Come on…

and personally I’m not at all offended.

It seems that the best argument that can be made against the gesture is that “Chinese people have been made fun of for this in the past.”

In 100 years, I hope, nobody will find this kind of thing offensive. Because by then, racism will no longer exist. It is a testament to the prevailing atmosphere of racism, perpetrated by “political correctness”, that there is such a strong reaction to this. To be politically correct you basically can’t acknowledge racial differences. Well, like it or not, all races are fundamentally different, whether it be hair color, eye size, or vertical leaping ability- and it is a key part of our respective cultural identities.

Racism only hurts because we allow it to hurt, because we buy into the idea that it is bad to be different. By condemning the team, by saying “don’t do that, it offends Asians” we are adding the message that “Asians, having squinty eyes is embarrassing.”

Affirmative action also sucks because it keeps me from getting into colleges.