I would like your honest opinions and feedback on the enclosed news story

[westkoast]

Rope was used to hang people long before there was even a notion of what "african american" was, and just because it was said to an African American doesn't mean it was a racist remark. 

In the same token tt also doesn't mean it wasn't racist either.  While I see your and JoMaL's point I think you guys want to give him the benefit of the doubt because you two are not racists.   Sure a rope was used to hang people before it was used by people in the South to hang African Americans BUT it is closely associated with the Klan and negative attacks on African Americans.   Again JoMaL your calling a kid a 'boy' and him getting upset is not the same situation.  You simply called him a boy and he got mad.  It was one word.  Saying an entire phrase is more then a slip of a tongue.  He actually continued on without stopping to think maybe he shouldn't be saying that.  Now it was silly for a child to get mad at you calling him a boy.  I don't really think its silly for a child to get mad because his coach told him he was going to tie a rope around his neck and hang him.  You know as opposed to just making him run a million laps or do a billion push ups......like every single coach i've ever had has handled that type of situation.

Looks like we will have to agree to disagree.  I think a coach showing such poor judgement and having so much control over the young minds that it is not ok.  Did anyone think that maybe these types of comments have flown out of his mouth prior?  Sorry but I don't think talking about lynching ANYONE is the kind of comment that just slips out.  Calling  myself a mayonaise moneky, sure.  Going into a bit more detail I don't think so.

The one thing that seems to be getting ignored in this thread is the context in which it was said.  The kid was the star player on the team.  High chance is that  the coach was UPSET he was late.  So how could he be joking when I've yet to meet a coach who was HAPPY when a player was late to a practice or a game.  Seems like what happens with typical racists....they get heated and something comes out or they get drunk and something comes out.  True colors tend to show in that situation for those types of people.

[Skandery]

I personally believe that whether the coach is racist or not is a complete SIDE issue.  Wouldn't surprise me either way whether he is or isn't.  Wouldn't surprise me if he's got clan sheets in the garage or adopted an orphan from Mozambique.  Really don't care.  I think it sidesteps the crux of the argument completely and unfortunately stalls the debate. 

The real issue at hand is whether the comment made was appropriate or not.  Period.  I say it was not appropriate.  I believe most on this board agree.  Sure there's various reasons why a comment like that is inappropriate and one can delve into those without acting as judge, jury, and executioner for a guy based on one off-hand remark; and neither should that be the fulcrum of the debate.

With respect to the issue of over-sensitivity and having political correctness applied beyond its arena, I fully agree with JoMal and Derek.

[Derek Bodner]

The one thing that seems to be getting ignored in this thread is the context in which it was said.  The kid was the star player on the team.  High chance is that  the coach was UPSET he was late.  So how could he be joking when I've yet to meet a coach who was HAPPY when a player was late to a practice or a game.  Seems like what happens with typical racists....they get heated and something comes out or they get drunk and something comes out.  True colors tend to show in that situation for those types of people.

So because he's upset he was late, he's a racist?

Is a high school coach now not allowed to be upset?

Did you ever play high school sports?  Did you coach ever yell?  Did he ever get upset?

If not, he probably wasn't a very good coach.

Had he said this to a white player, this would have been a non-issue.  But because there was a POSSIBILITY that line could be used by a racist, we've now concluded that the guy is racist.  We don't know anything about the guy, his feelings, his thoughts, his past.  But we, as a national stage, have already convicted a guy.  And your statements there ("Seems like what happens with typical racists"), is point and center the problem.  And he'll never get that back

The guy was likely upset.  He wanted to draw the comparison to punishment.  If he asks himself "well, if this were a Caucasian, I would say "do it again next time, and you'll be hanged", implying that he'll feel my wrath, but since this guys african american, let me come up with a different way to yell at him", not only is that impractical (when you're made, have you EVER thought things out that thoroughly?), but it's also furthering the racial divide in america, IMO. 

Look, had it been a statement that could ONLY be construed as racist in nature, I would agree.  But using a hanging reference is way to broad and general to assume a guys motive and determine a guy is racist.

It's a shame that everytime a guy makes a mistakes he's immediately labeled, tried, and convicted in mere seconds.  THAT, to me, furthers the racial divide.

[JoMal]

The one thing that seems to be getting ignored in this thread is the context in which it was said.  The kid was the star player on the team.  High chance is that  the coach was UPSET he was late.  So how could he be joking when I've yet to meet a coach who was HAPPY when a player was late to a practice or a game.  Seems like what happens with typical racists....they get heated and something comes out or they get drunk and something comes out.  True colors tend to show in that situation for those types of people.

So because he's upset he was late, he's a racist?

Is a high school coach now not allowed to be upset?

Did you ever play high school sports?  Did you coach ever yell?  Did he ever get upset?

If not, he probably wasn't a very good coach.

Had he said this to a white player, this would have been a non-issue.  But because there was a POSSIBILITY that line could be used by a racist, we've now concluded that the guy is racist.  We don't know anything about the guy, his feelings, his thoughts, his past.  But we, as a national stage, have already convicted a guy.  And your statements there ("Seems like what happens with typical racists"), is point and center the problem.  And he'll never get that back

The guy was likely upset.  He wanted to draw the comparison to punishment.  If he asks himself "well, if this were a Caucasian, I would say "do it again next time, and you'll be hanged", implying that he'll feel my wrath, but since this guys african american, let me come up with a different way to yell at him", not only is that impractical (when you're made, have you EVER thought things out that thoroughly?), but it's also furthering the racial divide in america, IMO. 

Look, had it been a statement that could ONLY be construed as racist in nature, I would agree.  But using a hanging reference is way to broad and general to assume a guys motive and determine a guy is racist.

It's a shame that everytime a guy makes a mistakes he's immediately labeled, tried, and convicted in mere seconds.  THAT, to me, furthers the racial divide.

I consider Dabod's opinion the crux of the matter, and westkoast' inference that the man is a racist as well. While many people are certainly latent racists (this upcoming election has quelled any thoughts otherwise), this coach has had no vetting of his past or of his intent whatsoever. We DO know the star player took the reference as one of lynching black people. The coach found this out once the mother of the player took the issue to the school board. Can any one of us stand up to the strutiny of our words if brought back to disembowel us in this public way?

But if the coach had intended to be an obvious racist, the correct and completely inappropriate statement he should have made was "I ought to get a rope and lynch you with it." That would have left no doubt. The coach must not have been thinking thoroughly racist thoughts then, but was, you know, just angry the player showed up late, is all and wanted to make the point he was just mad about that.

Does any one else also find it odd that, other then the original statement, not one word was mentioned about what the coach has felt regarding what he said? Was he allowed to explain himself? Has he at least been allowed to meet with the player and his mother to apologize for it? What has been done except to suspend him and "investigate" him, whatever that may entail.

Based on that, how else can someone like westkoast NOT conclude the man is a 'typical racist"?

[jemagee]

The coach isn't a racist moron, he's just a moron

and sadly there are just too many of those in this world, and they are allowed to breed.

[JoMal]

The coach isn't a racist moron, he's just a moron

and sadly there are just too many of those in this world, and they are allowed to breed.

And it is attitudes just like this which created lynching parties of black people in the first place.

[jemagee]

[
And it is attitudes just like this which created lynching parties of black people in the first place.

I'm prejudiced against the stupid, of any skin color...I find that most people who aren't stupid tend to be so.

[Derek Bodner]

[
And it is attitudes just like this which created lynching parties of black people in the first place.

I'm prejudiced against the stupid, of any skin color...I find that most people who aren't stupid tend to be so.

Right.  so you've concluded he's a moron, again without any knowledge of his past, and based on one quote

And I'm sure you've never said, typed, or written anything that can be misconstrued enough to make a "moron" out of you, based on one line.

Our predisposition to make immediate judgments is a huge problem in our society.

[JoMal]

[
And it is attitudes just like this which created lynching parties of black people in the first place.

I'm prejudiced against the stupid, of any skin color...I find that most people who aren't stupid tend to be so.

And I find that people who think they are smarter then everyone else tend not to be.

[jemagee]

Frack it

Not worth the time effort or oxygen, it's like reading bodners posts when ever i write something, it's just a waste of time

[WayOutWest]

I don't have time to fully delve into my thoughts on the matter, but I have to say I pretty much agree with JoMal to a T.  Political Correctness is a pendulum, and after the brutalities minorities went through in previous generations, now everything, despite its intent, is being taken as the worst possible scenario.  Rope was used to hang people long before there was even a notion of what "african american" was, and just because it was said to an African American doesn't mean it was a racist remark.  Inappropriate?  Maybe, but even that I say it's only inappropriate because people are looking to interpret it that way.

Honestly, when I hear anything to do with hangings and ropes I think of the wild wild west, blacks and suicide (in that order).  I refuse to excuse someone in that type of position because a blatant bigot like me would know better.

[JoMal]

Frack it

Not worth the time effort or oxygen, it's like reading bodners posts when ever i write something, it's just a waste of time

I am getting the suggestion that happens often with you.

[WayOutWest]

And I find that people who think they are smarter then everyone else tend not to be.

I know YOU know of ONE exception.... 

[WayOutWest]

Frack it

Not worth the time effort or oxygen, it's like reading bodners posts when ever i write something, it's just a waste of time

I think you're bright enough to know when you are in the presence of greater "brightness", but I'm starting to doubt it. 

[Laker Fan]

I think Derek and JoMal get my point, I aplaud their typical astuteness, a stupid comment DOES NOT a racist make, it merely makes it a stupid comment.

I certainly would never accuse WOW of being anything close to resembling sensitive, indeed the opposite is more clearly the case, which is why I was a little shocked at his intitial post, either that or I was too obtuse to pick up his real meaning. 'Koast you strike me as a strident whiner on this topic, typical of a PC crybaby, do you see how quicky I judged and convicted you without knowing all the facts of why you feel the way you do? Did you not do the same thing to a man YOU HAVE NEVER MET AND KNOW NOTHING ABOUT simply because you have a preconceived notion of what a "typical racist" would do? The difference here is I have known you on this board for years and you have posted several times on this thread so your feelings and meaning are clear, not open to interpretation, this coach made a stupid comment and you're ready to throw him the the lions (oops, was that anti christian?) Do you see how ridiculous this is?

I am so tired of everyone wearing their feeling on their sleeves and looking to get offended over the slightest thing, it is like the 22 year old Southwest airlines flight attendent who, in an effort get passengers to hurry up and take their seats got on the PA and said: "eeny meeny miney mo, pick a seat we gotta go" and was promptly sued by 2 older black ladies who thought she was directing a racial slur at them, when she was merely being "typically" Southwest funny, it makes me crazy!!!

Until people stop looking for a reason to be offended, race will always be a cudgel used to pummel anyone who doesn't walk on egg shells around the overly sensitive wimps among us.

And no, WOW I wasn't being hypocritical nor was I being ironic with my watch the language comment, my calling the PC types what I called them hardly rose to the level of your "colorful" language, are you merely being PC when it suits your mood?  

'Koast you simply offended me by comparing me to whom you did, I hardly need to sink to that level to get my point across, pity you are too simple to grasp that concept, was that offensive to you? Was I being an anti-simpleton? Or is that a simpletonist? I am ready to scratch my eyes out over this nonsense!