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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 2012)
Opinion Luis Suarez: Racism in Soccer “Challenging People to Shape a Better Future Now” B ERNIE F OSTER Founder/Publisher B OBBIE D ORE F OSTER Executive Editor T ED B ANKS Advertising Manager J ERRY F OSTER Account Executive L ISA L OVING News Editor H ELEN S ILVIS Multimedia Editor D AVID K IDD Graphic Designer M ONICA J. F OSTER Seattle Office Coordinator J ULIE K EEFE S USAN F RIED Photographers The Skanner Newspaper, established A few hours ago, today Sat- urday February 11, 2012, I turned on ESPN2 to watch a much-anticipated return to a leg- endary, familiar clash; a gritty soccer rivalry: the colorful, pas- sionate, winning institutional clubs of Manchester United and Liverpool playing in the UK Foot- ball Association league. But, as the very polite, opening acts of friendliness and sportsman- ship were unfolding, the Uruguyan-born ill-mannered Liv- erpool striker Luis Suarez, 24, shocked all reasonable people as he refused to shake the hands of Black Frenchman and captain of Manchester United, Patrice Evra. It immediately turned into the Suarez show of silliness on global tv channels. For those who have forgotten, late in 2011, Suarez was found guilty of repeatedly using a racist, derogatory insult against Blacks (especially in Europe) which he (Suarez) directed at Evra. Despite several denials he made, he admitted to the Football Asso- ciation that he made the hostile comments during a match between Liverpool and Manchester United in October, 2011. “I admitted to the commission that I said a word in Spanish once, and only once. I never, ever used this word in a derogatory way and if it offends anyone then I want to apologise for that.” He promised not to use the words again: “I told the panel members that I will not use it again on a football pitch in Eng- land.” First, Suarez’s latest, un-sports- man refusal to shake a competitor’s hand at the profes- sional, international football ball reputation. “Suarez is a dis- grace to Liverpool Football Club. He should not be allowed to play for Liverpool again” - said Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester Unit- ed manager) in his reaction to the refusal to shake hands. Fourth, Suarez’s misconduct will continue to raise the tempera- ture of the usually kinetic and His latest action is another slap, a dirty slap on the face of the British/UK football reputation league on Saturday February 11, 2012, shows his rank pettiness and childishness. Anyway, his miscon- duct may be worse, because children are more collaborative and generally forget disagree- ments to continue playing with each other. But no; not the migrant Suarez. Second, I think his mean spirit reflects Mr. Suarez’s foolish lack of respect for the teeming soccer fans in Britain, the American own- ers of the Liverpool club he plays for and the sports universe. Third, I believe that his latest action is another slap, a dirty slap on the face of the British/UK foot- giddy British soccer fans (fanat- ics) and race relation across many sports groups in the world. Fifth, I think it will be proper and responsible to hand this uncouth fellow and race-baiter Suarez a hefty fine and a long, sig- nal suspension from Liverpool and the UK league. Suarez and irre- sponsible soccer players like him are not bigger than the UK league or any league, for that matter. Of course, I agree with Sir Fer- guson that Suarez is a disgrace; and I’ll just add: Suarez has made himself a very petty, small-minded and polarizing footnote to soccer and its billion fans. Mr. Suarez should, therefore, face conse- quences for his mean-spirited, crass and derogatory acts of impetuosity. Chido Nwangwu is founder and publisher of USAfrica multimedia networks What do you think? Post your comment on articles in The Skan- ner News at www.theskanner.com in October 1975, is a weekly publica- tion, published each Wednesday by IMM Publications Inc., 415 N. Killingsworth St., P.O. Box 5455, Portland, OR 97228. Telephone (503) 285-5555. E-mail: info@theskanner.com World Wide Web site: http://www.theskanner.com Fax: (503) 285-2900 The Skanner is a member of the National Newspaper Pub lishers Associ- ation and West Coast Black Pub lishers Association. All photos submitted become the property of The Skanner. We are not re - spon sible for lost or damaged photos either solicited or unsolicited. © 2012 The Skanner. ALL RIGHTS RE SERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT PERMISSION PROHIBITED. To see The Skanner News on your smart phone go to theskannermobile.com or scan this QR code with your app. • • • • • • • • Local news Opinions Jobs, Bids Sports Entertainment Music reviews Bulletin board RSS feeds Black Americans and Mitt Romney F ormer Massachusetts Gover- nor Mitt Romney’s recent statement, “I’m not con- cerned about the very poor….We have a safety net…. If it needs repair, I’ll fix it” has caused once again considerable debate about poverty in America. But for mil- lions of impoverished Black Americans the focus should be on encouraging education, self- empowerment and economic development as a means of getting out of poverty rather than waiting on some non-caring presidential candidate to patch a gaping hole in the so-called poverty-prevention safety net. In a democracy all citizens should have the right to run for President. Of course qualifica- tions and experience are factors that voters should weigh when making a decision about who to vote for and to support. For over 45 million Black Americans, the 2012 elections are extremely important. We cannot afford to sit on the sidelines and to take the November 2012 elections for granted. I keep emphasizing that it is counterproductive for Black people in the United States to be cynical or non-involved in the national political debate concern- ing the issues that affect the quality of life in the Black com- munity across the nation. Mitt Romney’s confession did more than expose his seemingly insensitivity toward the poor. It revealed Romney’s comfort with a certain percentage of the popula- tion that will according to his logic always remain in poverty in need of a safety net. Romney rhetori- Page 4 The Portland Skanner February 15, 2012 E DUCATION S ERVICES Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. cally joined the likes of Fox News commentator Bill O’Rielly who condescendingly reminded a national television audience that in the Bible it says, “The poor will always be with us.” African reads like this: Gingrich, Santo- rum, and Paul, all have asked for and gotten endorsements and sup- port from African-Americans. There is no record or evidence that the supposed more moderate Romney has asked for or gotten any black support or even taken a photo-op with some dutiful blacks. The question that will loom even larger as Romney closes in on the GOP nomination is. Where are Romney’s blacks?” Romney’s comments on poverty, therefore, were not a mere slip of a Please do not underestimate the power and the importance of every vote this year. Americans do not always have to be poor! Again, what Romney said or what O’Rielly said should not come as a shock. Those state- ments just remind us that if we do not get ourselves up out of pover- ty, there will be no others that we should depend on to change the situation of poverty that too many continue to face in our communi- ties. Noted scholar and author Earl Ofari Hutchinson raised an appro- priate question with respect to the absence of Black Americans who have some noticeable role in the Romney presidential campaign staff or support. Hutchinson observed, “The scorecard then politicians tongue during the heat of a tense campaign. He is not in touch with the reality that most Americans have to endure in 2012. And in particular, Romney is so far out of the loop of reality when it comes to Black Ameri- cans’ state of existence, that it is cause for serious concern. The fact is for Black children and youth the poverty rate is nearly 40% as a direct of the systematic underdevelopment of the African American community during the last 50 years. Too many African Americans live in poverty today at a rate greater than one out of every four persons. Of course our eco- nomic and social predicament is not the result of statements by Mitt Romney. The point here is, how- ever, that for the vast majority of Black people in America and throughout the African world, the candidacy of Romney for Presi- dent raises serious implications about his stated sense of inclusion and of ‘caring’ and empathy for poor people in general and for poor Black people specifically. Regardless of who emerges as the Republican nominee, Black Americans have to take a proac- tive responsibility to ensure the largest voter turnout in American history come this November. To all of the “playa haters” some of whom are White and Black who are trying to seduce Black people into the self-destructive lethargy of not voting, copping out, and non-civic engagement: “We will not be put asleep. We will remain wide awake. We are going to mobilize voter participation in record numbers in the face of voter repression in more than 30 states across the nation.” Please do not underestimate the power and the importance of every vote this year. We have to join with others who share our interests for a better future for ourselves and for all people. The worst form of oppression is self-destruction and the fear of liberation. Mitt Romney has made clear where he stands. Where do you stand? How will you vote? Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. is President of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network and Education Online Services Corporation and can be reached at www.HSAN.org
