Kentucky Wildcat Player Uses Racial Slur at Presser

a reply to: diggindirt

My 4 kids don't use the word.
Ages 9 years through 22 years.
Maybe because it was explained to them that it is a disrespectful term and should never be used.

a reply to: butcherguy
Good for you and your children!
But I have to ask---do you have them on microphone 24/7 so you can definitively say that no "bad" words have ever escaped their lips? Have you seen them react to the pursuit of a dream and having that dream dashed? If, just if, they messed up and said something they shouldn't have voiced, then immediately realized their mistake and apologized for their stupidity----would you accept the apology or would you hold it against them for months/years?
My children were taught right and wrong and respect but being kids, they messed up from time to time, even when they were old enough to be in college. They were taught that an apology makes things better. Apparently Drew was taught to apologize when he has hurt someone so he did. What further punishment would you deem appropriate at this time?

a reply to: diggindirt

I know that the 18 and 22 y/o ones do not use the word.
Hell, the oldest is a full blown liberal.

The other two are with me except for school and two days a week with their mom. I hope they don't let them say the word at school.

a reply to: Crakeur

I agree with that. Notice how he used the dreaded n word. Gotta got it in context.

a reply to: butcherguy
I understand teaching children respect and obedience but in the end they are children with a lot to learn about self discipline---even when they are old enough to go to college.
While they may not use the specific words that Drew used, you may be sure that at some point they will mess up and blurt out stupid stuff. It just comes with the development and is different in all people. The point is not that they screwed up----because we all do that from time to time---even adults---but what they did to make the wrong right again. At least that was the way I was raised. Forgiveness.
So Drew said something painfully stupid at an extremely painful moment in his young life, then immediately apologized to the person he disrespected. If Frank the Tank, the target of his comment can forgive, why can't the rest of us?
Tell the truth now---when you were his age, did you never let any stupid, thoughtless remarks pass your lips for which you had to apologize and grovel as soon as those words escaped? I know I have and have felt the pain they caused. I was lucky enough not to have done in front of the national media after a heart-breaking loss in sports.

a reply to: diggindirt

Yes, forgive.
I think he should work on self control, to the point where he uses locker room talk in a locker room.... instead of at a press conference.

originally posted by: BlueJacket
It must mean all white people are racist right? Thats the seeming desire of the recent sensationalism. whatever... everyone keep fighting among themselves, that will give the impetus to legislate us further.

You are right. Whites seem to be guilty by association from their ancestors past doings. It is also unfortunate, that these same people do not really know the history of slavery and that there were many white slaves owned by....black people!!

originally posted by: MisterFister103
Yup, totally agree with smokingman.

I don't care that he said it, hell I think it's kinda funny and just a guy making a heat of the moment remark. But I really hate the media's double standard. If a white guy said it, he would be eviscerated by everybody and probably have his scholarship taken away. He'd have to kiss Jesse Jackson's ass, and for the rest of his life be known as 'that n***** guy'. The black guy says it however, and it's barely a blip on anyone's radar. No punishment, no fallout.

Thank you! Exactly what I mean. Very well said!!

originally posted by: Sremmos80
a reply to: thesmokingman

And the context of what they said was different!
If harrison and crew were leading chants of there will never be a cracker on Kentucky then you would have a point.

Context is everything.
Would you have thought it was out of line for frank to call harrison a cracker with no backlash?

It is called freedom of speech, not freedom of contextual speech.

originally posted by: Crakeur
he said f that n which, in the manner in which it was mumbled, came across as the equivalent of "screw that guy"

I find it rather interesting that people just can not understand that young black people today use the N word everyday of the week. Whether it is Na for endearment, or Nr for a put down it is used billions of times a day.

This is a complicated word for it has a history of hate and bigotry associated with it, and because of this it is also a power word that the group it was intended for use it now as a form of empowerment. Is it a good word? No, but it is a word that our youth see completely different than how a few generations ago saw it.

This is why a young black guy can get away with it and an old white guy can not.

originally posted by: thesmokingman

I don't care that he said it, hell I think it's kinda funny and just a guy making a heat of the moment remark. But I really hate the media's double standard. If a white guy said it, he would be eviscerated by everybody and probably have his scholarship taken away. He'd have to kiss Jesse Jackson's ass, and for the rest of his life be known as 'that n***** guy'. The black guy says it however, and it's barely a blip on anyone's radar. No punishment, no fallout.

Thank you! Exactly what I mean. Very well said!!

It is all about how much a person has to lose before the media goes after them. Don Imus (Shock Jock) said "there are some real nappy headed hoes" towards a female basketball team and said the other team was cute... There are beauty parlors that cater to blacks with the word Nappy in their name, but in this case he was basically removed from the air for a few years due to using that word...

a reply to: Xtrozero

That was Don Imus

a reply to: butcherguy

So we are in agreement. National public embarrassment is punishment enough since he has apologized and the affected party has accepted his apology. By taking that action immediately, he has proven that he does know right from wrong and knows that what he did was wrong.
Of course he needs to work on self control. So do I. Always. And I'm not a college kid that just saw my dream of a National Championship in basketball go down the tubes. As I said earlier, it's not the first time his emotions have over-ridden his good sense in the heat of the moment and I'm fairly sure it won't be the last time as he grows and matures into a man.

a reply to: thesmokingman

Are you seriously still sticking to this bs view that freedom of speech means you can say what ever you want when ever you want?

That is not what it means.

You all can get your panties in a bunch about what would of happened if Frank said it, well to keep it in context he would of had to said f that cracker.

At the end of the day, it didn't happen so all this well this and that would happen no doubt is all conjecture with basis in reality.

You don't know how something will be handled until it happens and needs to be handled.

a reply to: diggindirt

Pretty much, yes. We are mostly in agreement.

There is a definite double standard in the use of that word, but, like all words in the English language the meaning changes over time and that changed meaning can be community specific. In the black community it can be pejorative or positive and has its place in that community for making light of a dark time in history. For some white people clinging on to racist ideals it's only used to describe "distasteful" black people and for some it's used in the same blanket sense as it was when slavery was legal. It separates people into small oppositional groups which is bad for humanity as a whole but a part of human nature.

The pejorative form is something that will always be more offensive when a white person says it because there's no gauge on HOW pejorative you're being using the word and you're obviously not a part of the community in which its OK. Should these separate communities even exist? Not if humanity wants to move forward but since we're here and we all tend to separate ourselves into neat little boxes that word won't ever be okay for white people. The bigger issue here isn't that word specifically but instead the fact that we can't accept other's cultures and move on with more important stuff.

I think with Harrison the bigger issue here is poor sportsmanship, him using the word is only representative of where he came from - and in a way, what he's overcome by making it where he is today. It might show a lack of class to some, but- how relevant is that? Being classy is nice but it doesn't make the world go round. One of the things that makes college sports such a good thing is that you don't need arbitrary amounts of class to get an education and a future; just good old-fashioned talent.

originally posted by: Crakeur
a reply to: Xtrozero

That was Don Imus

Lol yep

It's a word used constantly, this whole it's racial when this person says it and friendly when that person says it is just BS. It's either wrong, or it's not, and from what I see it's not.

If you think it's wrong, stop using it and tell your friends to stop too.

I find the f-bomb just as objectionable as the n-bomb. Those are words that aren't used in polite society. I prefer a polite society, thank you.
It was a stupid outburst by a college kid who had just had the biggest disappointment of his life on the court I suspect. The hormones, emotions and exhaustion over-rode his brain and education and he muttered a nasty oath.
I'm a mother and a grandmother and there are still times when my self-discipline fails. Fortunately for me, I'm not in front of a microphone when it happens.
I'm pretty sure he's learned a big lesson.
My hat is off to Frank the Tank for his graciousness in this matter. Go Badgers!

originally posted by: butcherguy
After their loss, at a post game press conference, Wildcats player Andrew Harrison muttered a racial slur that we can't write in a post on ATS.
Was he wrong to use it?
The Sporting News

Harrison, while his teammate was being asked a question about Kaminsky's impact, muttered into what he thought was his hand. 

Unfortunately, the microphone in front of him picked up exactly what he said.

Kentucky officials said after the game they had no comment but they would be speaking with Harrison about his comment.

He has apologized to the Wisconsin player that he directed the remark towards.

I think he should lose his livelihood (pfft). I bet everyone involved said some vile # before. You give the words power. You keep the hate alive. # you all.