https://wisden.com/stories/i-cannot...r-adil-rashid-corroborates-azeem-rafiqs-claim Vaughan says they're lying. Very uncomfortable this now.
Well I am no judge even tho others on here seem to be and have already hung Vaughan out to dry!.....how’s this for an example of jest not racism.....ironically from a black person.....: .A couple of years ago a went into work following an holiday in Jamaica!.....when passing through reception a black fellow workmate shouted this to me “hey man you look one of the brothers now(as I was looking very tanned),”.....it was sumat and nothing and just joking at work.....I dare say a lot of what is being said at the moment is exactly the same, I didn’t take offence at him saying I looked black!.......and the Essex cricketer that spoke out yesterday claimed he was offended because he got called “a curry eater”!!!......if that not taking it too far I don’t know what is.........got help those lads who ate all the pies!!!!!!.......btw I am not racist at all
The black person I referred to is a very good friend of mine!.....you are a typical accuser without knowing facts mate!!!!
The thing is though, you never know what your friend deep down inside is thinking. Sharif from Essex could have been distraught at being referred to as a Curry Eater, but maybe laughed it off initially as he was with his teammates and wanted to fit in. He was a young lad, trying to make a career in the game. He maybe had no qualifications, and cricket was his once chance at making something of his life. What's he supposed to do? The key for me here is now Rashid. He's one of the nicest blokes in cricket. Nobody can use the "but he's a nob" caveat that has been used to get at Rafiq. Adil is a brilliant bloke, who's worked hard throughout his career to raise the profile of Asian cricket in Bradford - without rocking the so called boat by being a spiky personality. Rashid hasn't tweeted the bile that Vaughan has. Vaughan tweeting about needing to learn a new language when in London or encouraging Moeen Ali to see if Asians are terrorists is abhorrent. Its a disgrace. I remember playing in a game when Tabassum Bhatti was teased by people saying that the only reason he has a Yorkshire Scholarship was because they paid him in rupees. But I was young myself and never spoke up - I'm just as guilty as the bloke saying the words. Yorkshire is rotten to the core.
How is a black bloke joking about you looking tanned in any way similar to Vaughan allegedly telling Asian players that there's "too many of you lot and we need to do something about it"? Also are you equating people getting stick for being fat with racism?
You make your point very badly; you can’t equate one non-racist joke between mates of different races with ‘institutional racism’.
No mate that is not acceptable.....I agree with you, what I am trying to stress is the fact that sometimes innocent joking is taken out of context......
Exactly. Things are often (or they were) said in the workplace and meant in a humourous way. Times have changed and people are a lot more careful what they say these days. You could have had a squad of footballers with a growing Scottish contingent and the same sort of remark be made. No one would make an issue of it but it's essentially the same. I'll get pilloried for saying this mind........
Not by me. Context is always vital. I'd like an exhaustive independent inquiry into what's gone on at Yorkshire so that everybody gives their point of view. I have to say though, that given the track record of Yorkshire, the MCC etc on matters of race and non white representation in the past, I have very little confidence that it would end well for them.
I get what you're saying and there could be certain situations where people haven't intended it that way, but what you and others are not taking into account is that Scots etc have not been subjected to decades of racist abuse. Try and put yourself in the likes of Rafiq's position if you've grown up being subjected to that frequently- surely you can see how that isn't going to be the same as if you're Scottish and never been racially abused in your life? Whether it was intended to be racist or not, it is going to cause more offence with that backstory so all these comparisons are just irrelevant.
I won't pillory you, I do disagree however and there is a distinct difference, and it's perhaps not that easy for those who aren't subjected to it day in day out to actually understand how damaging it is. The easiest thing I can tie it to is systematic bullying. That could happen to anyone who doesn't happen to be part of the clique. But for those who aren't white, it's a likely daily instance. and not just with people you know. But strangers, authorities, people you are dealing with at work and in the street. Racism doesn't have to be aggressive or violent. It can be wrapped up as banter, and just joking. But if it centres around that persons race, their colour, their heritage, thats racism. If there are constant tropes and stereotypes used, thats racism. Racism in its most simple term is perceiving a group to be inferior because of their race. That can be expressed, or not in many ways. And I firmly believe we shouldn't downplay what others experience. Or to use whataboutery as an excuse. And just about the Scottish analogy. Thats not great either. It so happens that may father in law constantly derides the Scottish (as well as anyone with a "foreign" name) and tries to pass it of as humour. He's racist through and through but denies he is. Even his daughter has tried to make him see how abhorrent some of his views are. What one person finds funny can be offensive to another person, and sometimes it can be intended as so.
I agree as usual with most of what you say TM. I don't much like Michael Vaughan and my gut feeling is that he's guilty as charged. The thing is though that the he said/she said thing would never stand up in a court of law. There's people being hung out to dry in this case and probably others to follow and, if they're guilty of racist abuse, they damn well should be dealt with. I'd like a proper inquiry carried out that's not a sweep it under the carpet job like YCCC did. Then, when everything has been fully brought into the open, act decisively.
That's not true, it depends which court. An account backed up by 2 other people would almost certainly pass a balance of probabilities test in civil proceedings.