Author Topic: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment  (Read 16033 times)

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Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #15 on: April 13, 2018, 04:18:25 PM »

Online hwangjini_1

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I always thought of it as an old saying used as a substitute for swearing and never considered it racist. I guess it must be of southern origin and probably started as a slight to slaves. Still, over 300 years later, does it really mean the same thing?
it might to people whose ancestors were slaves just over 150 years ago.
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Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #16 on: April 13, 2018, 04:29:01 PM »

Offline nickagneta

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I always thought of it as an old saying used as a substitute for swearing and never considered it racist. I guess it must be of southern origin and probably started as a slight to slaves. Still, over 300 years later, does it really mean the same thing?
it might to people whose ancestors were slaves just over 150 years ago.
Did some research. Apparently the saying "No can do" was a way to mock Asians in America during the mid 1800s. Does that saying really mean what it was started as? What about "Sold down the river"? which nowadays has a completely different meaning than that first used?

I am a pretty liberal guy and think highly of being politically correct. But is this going too far when meanings of sayings completely change their meaning hundreds of years later? I think maybe so.

Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #17 on: April 13, 2018, 04:54:51 PM »

Online Atzar

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"Cotton-picking" is a (mostly southern) colloquialism commonly used as a substitute for MFing - an exclamation used for emphasis.   Davis's usage of the term was clearly in line with this definition. 

I'm honestly a bit uncomfortable with the suspension.  I've yet to talk to anybody that was actually offended by what he said.  A few people raised eyebrows if they hadn't heard the term before, but were fine with it when informed of the meaning.  It feels like the Thunder overreacted to anticipated backlash that didn't actually happen. 

Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #18 on: April 13, 2018, 05:02:24 PM »

Offline tazzmaniac

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It is not a racist phrase but I don't see why an OKC announcer would use it in regards to Westbrook.  Disappointed that the OKC organization would succumb to the PC police distortions. 

Quote
Out of your cotton-picking mind

A condition where you are not thinking properly. Not in your normal state, not working with your normal faculties. Out of your gourd, feeling crazy enough to do something you would never normally do. Generally considered to be related to the odd behavior of heat stroke victims or victims of exhaustion, conditions that people who would pick cotton for a living in very hot or very stressful conditions might end up suffering.


« Last Edit: April 13, 2018, 05:51:03 PM by tazzmaniac »

Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #19 on: April 13, 2018, 05:34:41 PM »

Offline Bucketgetter

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What a dumb thing to say. It's not inherently racist, and I can see both sides of the argument, but what a terrible choice of words. There are thousands of ways to describe the way Westbrook was playing, and he chose a way that is controversial at the very least. And it's not like there was any context or play on words. All he had done was just get an assist. It doesn't help that the announcer is white and Westbrook is black.
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Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #20 on: April 13, 2018, 06:52:36 PM »

Offline footey

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I find the suspension and criticism absurd. It is not meant as a slight to anyone, black or white, whoever picked cotton.

 Plenty of white people picked cotton both before and after slavery.

If you are not familiar with the usage of the expression, and have to look up its origin on Wikipedia to determine its intent, wow, you may too much free time on your hands.


Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #21 on: April 13, 2018, 06:59:18 PM »

Offline hpantazo

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If these rules applied to the Celtics commentators, Tommy would have rivaled Sheed's technical foul record with the suspensions he would have racked up.

Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #22 on: April 13, 2018, 07:09:34 PM »

Offline KGs Knee

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So a phrase that is meant to imply someone must be delirious based on their actions, as people who picked cotton tended to become delirious from heat stroke, is somehow racist?

I am continually astounded by how people can make something about race when race has nothing to do with it.

Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #23 on: April 13, 2018, 07:17:26 PM »

Online Roy H.

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There was no racist intent. I’ve got no idea about the origins; blacks aren’t the only ones who picked cotton.


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Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #24 on: April 13, 2018, 07:25:32 PM »

Online hwangjini_1

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I always thought of it as an old saying used as a substitute for swearing and never considered it racist. I guess it must be of southern origin and probably started as a slight to slaves. Still, over 300 years later, does it really mean the same thing?
it might to people whose ancestors were slaves just over 150 years ago.
Did some research. Apparently the saying "No can do" was a way to mock Asians in America during the mid 1800s. Does that saying really mean what it was started as? What about "Sold down the river"? which nowadays has a completely different meaning than that first used?

I am a pretty liberal guy and think highly of being politically correct. But is this going too far when meanings of sayings completely change their meaning hundreds of years later? I think maybe so.
Are you onboard with the expression “tar baby”?

But more to the point,who gets to declare the acceptability of such phrases that emerge from a time of rancid racism?
I believe Gandhi is the only person who knew about real democracy — not democracy as the right to go and buy what you want, but democracy as the responsibility to be accountable to everyone around you. Democracy begins with freedom from hunger, freedom from unemployment, freedom from fear, and freedom from hatred.
- Vandana Shiva

Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #25 on: April 13, 2018, 07:27:27 PM »

Online hwangjini_1

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So a phrase that is meant to imply someone must be delirious based on their actions, as people who picked cotton tended to become delirious from heat stroke, is somehow racist?

I am continually astounded by how people can make something about race when race has nothing to do with it.
Please provide us with the source for this interpretation. Thank you.
I believe Gandhi is the only person who knew about real democracy — not democracy as the right to go and buy what you want, but democracy as the responsibility to be accountable to everyone around you. Democracy begins with freedom from hunger, freedom from unemployment, freedom from fear, and freedom from hatred.
- Vandana Shiva

Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #26 on: April 13, 2018, 07:29:29 PM »

Online hwangjini_1

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There was no racist intent. I’ve got no idea about the origins; blacks aren’t the only ones who picked cotton.
nm
I believe Gandhi is the only person who knew about real democracy — not democracy as the right to go and buy what you want, but democracy as the responsibility to be accountable to everyone around you. Democracy begins with freedom from hunger, freedom from unemployment, freedom from fear, and freedom from hatred.
- Vandana Shiva

Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #27 on: April 13, 2018, 07:38:13 PM »

Offline SHAQATTACK

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There was no racist intent. I’ve got no idea about the origins; blacks aren’t the only ones who picked cotton.

my white ancestors pulled tobacco and plowed fields all day in poor conditions .   Alot of folks lead  hard lives 100 years ago. Life was ruff .  Somehow ....my grandfather graduated college when maybe one in 1000 poor southerners  even went for higher education.

Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #28 on: April 13, 2018, 07:39:13 PM »

Online Roy H.

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I always thought of it as an old saying used as a substitute for swearing and never considered it racist. I guess it must be of southern origin and probably started as a slight to slaves. Still, over 300 years later, does it really mean the same thing?
it might to people whose ancestors were slaves just over 150 years ago.
Did some research. Apparently the saying "No can do" was a way to mock Asians in America during the mid 1800s. Does that saying really mean what it was started as? What about "Sold down the river"? which nowadays has a completely different meaning than that first used?

I am a pretty liberal guy and think highly of being politically correct. But is this going too far when meanings of sayings completely change their meaning hundreds of years later? I think maybe so.
Are you onboard with the expression “tar baby”?

But more to the point,who gets to declare the acceptability of such phrases that emerge from a time of rancid racism?

If you call somebody a tar baby, you’re racist.

If you refer to a situation as a tar baby, you were probably read Br’er Rabbit as a kid.


I'M THE SILVERBACK GORILLA IN THIS MOTHER——— AND DON'T NONE OF YA'LL EVER FORGET IT!@ 34 minutes

Re: OKC announcer suspended 1 game for offensive comment
« Reply #29 on: April 13, 2018, 07:40:42 PM »

Offline nickagneta

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I always thought of it as an old saying used as a substitute for swearing and never considered it racist. I guess it must be of southern origin and probably started as a slight to slaves. Still, over 300 years later, does it really mean the same thing?
it might to people whose ancestors were slaves just over 150 years ago.
Did some research. Apparently the saying "No can do" was a way to mock Asians in America during the mid 1800s. Does that saying really mean what it was started as? What about "Sold down the river"? which nowadays has a completely different meaning than that first used?

I am a pretty liberal guy and think highly of being politically correct. But is this going too far when meanings of sayings completely change their meaning hundreds of years later? I think maybe so.
Are you onboard with the expression “tar baby”?

But more to the point,who gets to declare the acceptability of such phrases that emerge from a time of rancid racism?
And who gets to declare that hundreds of years later when the saying means something completely different that they are still racist?

So if someone asks me if I can do something if I tell them I can't by saying "No can do" I am saying something racist simply because the saying, when first started, was meant to mock Asians but now is just commonplace vernacular?

If someone betrays me or states I did something wrong and I say they "sold me down the river" I am saying something racist because the saying first came about by people describing slaves being sold farther down the Ohio River even though the phrase has totally changed meaning since?

Sorry, I think people are really stretching things by turning this into something like the guy said something racist. He didn't.