04/24/24
December 23, 2011
Liverpool Striker Suspended 8 Games Over 'Negrito' Remark: Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has been suspended by Britain's Football Association for eight matches because he allegedly called Manchester United defender Patrice Evra a "negrito" 10 times during a match. "Uruguayans do not see the use of 'negro' or 'negrito' to be offensive at all," writes Sid Lowe in The Guardian. "In Uruguay it is a nickname for someone whose skin is darker than the rest," said fellow Uruguayan Gus Poyet, manager of second-tier English side Brighton & Hove Albion. "It is not offensive. Such people are part of our society. We will defend them, go to war with them, share everything with them, and at the same time use that word."
My wife, who is Brazilian and of mixed race, told me the same thing about the word in Brazil and that is was almost a term of endearment. Regardless, I just explained to her it was considered differently in the US. I do agree with yerfatma that the context and intent needs to be considered.
posted by Atheist at 11:24 AM on December 23, 2011
It's always hard for me to find these NYTimes articles. I always end up on a login page.
Suarez didn't mean it as a term of endearment to the opponent. Even if the suspension is mighty long, they really have to start taking this stuff more seriously. Players shouldn't have to put up with that shit.
posted by bperk at 12:35 PM on December 23, 2011
The link should work now.
posted by rcade at 12:38 PM on December 23, 2011
The suspension is high and will be appealed down.
The explanation is farcical and I'm somewhat disappointed in Lowe for giving it oxygen. Suarez was not in Uruguay and he wasn't speaking to a Uruguayan, so that doesn't wash. Add in the background racism African-born Frenchmen suffer in their own country and I can see how Evra would already be especially tired of this sort of behaviour.
I call a lot of my friends spectacularly rude names. I can't use the same name on a colleague and then say "but I use it all the time in my social group!" as a defence when I get fired.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 01:12 PM on December 23, 2011
I call a lot of my friends spectacularly rude names. I can't use the same name on a colleague and then say "but I use it all the time in my social group!" as a defence when I get fired.
That. When you get down to it, I expect everyone reading this is expected to display this ability to distinguish situations and use appropriate language, and is held to account to do so on a daily basis: at home, at work, in school. Given that that's the case for all of us, I don't get why some people bend over backwards to try to excuse the same disingenuous claims to contextual innocence when made by public figures.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 01:26 PM on December 23, 2011
I really wouldn't have any problem with it if Suarez had accidentally let it slip in the heat of the moment, but it's tough to accidentally do anything ten times.
I hope if the evidence comes in against Mr. Terry that the FA throw at least an equally thick book at him.
If you have the stomach for it, check out Stan Collymore's Twitter feed and then, stiff drink in hand, click on "favourites."
He's collected opinions about the affair from some of the gleaming stars of Twitter.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 02:04 PM on December 23, 2011
I have been very disappointed with the players and managers circling the wagons and protecting the players when it comes to this hate language. I understand they don't want them banned for any time, but they sound like disgusting human beings when they say they support the player 100%. And I wish Daglish would have done something about that ignorant display by his players of wearing shirts in support of Suarez.
Vila-Boas support for John Terry is equally disgusting, but at least the players didn't pull a t-shirt stunt like the Liverpool team did.
I haven't looked closely to learn exactly what Terry said, but they had to blur his mouth on television.
posted by scully at 02:07 PM on December 23, 2011
How is it that the Terry Suarez cases are being handled so differently? I realize that the police apparently have video evidence in Terry's misdeed and Suarez is he said/he said but Terry is facing 1/10th the fine and no suspension with more evidence. I don't think a misdemeanor conviction on his record will really be much of a nuisance going forward--are the FA waiting for the criminal process to complete before taking action against him?
posted by billsaysthis at 11:10 PM on December 23, 2011
My understanding of the difference: the police were the first people to look into both cases, using video footage. They found nothing actionable in the Suarez/Evra case so did not pursue it, leaving the way clear for the FA to do their thing. In the Terry/Ferdinand case, they had clear video that they felt was strong enough to pursue a conviction.
Presumably, the FA will come into the equation after the police/courts have done their bit. What is less clear to me is whether or not the FA's findings in the Suarez/Evra case are going to be enough to get the police interested again.
I'm a Liverpool fan, and I've been delighted by Suarez's footballing contributions this season. He hasn't scored a huge number of goals, but he has been at the heart of everything good the team has done (in a footballing sense). However, there is no place for this in football or anywhere else. The "cultural differences" argument is a complete red herring. Kenny's response to it all has been ridiculous (the rest of the team/squad/organisation has just fallen into step with him). He should have taken a leaf out of Ferguson's book and (essentially) said nothing until the investigation was over.
There's some sweetness in it all though - I remember watching Suarez in the World Cup in 2010 and thinking "You'll get yours, you little shit"; as a Liverpool fan I obviously hoped it wouldn't happen while he was playing for us, but in a perverse way, I'm glad to see him get what he deserves!
posted by JJ at 05:39 AM on December 24, 2011
I love Sid Lowe, but how is that relevant? If it's a term Uruguayans use for other countrymen, why was Suarez using it? Last time I checked, Evra is French. For a guy with a PhD, Sid's being a little context-deaf here (not that I read the article or anything).