Is calling "Monkey" is racism?

[sun]

There is a huge controversy going on in Cricket World,
Australian player Andrew Symonds complained Indian player Harbhajan Singh racially abused him by calling him monkey.

Is calling a monkey is a racism?
From my childhood, I have seen people calling each other monkey, donkey etc. But I never thought it is a racial abuse!!!
The sportsman spirit shown by Australian players is another issue.

I am curious to know how can, calling monkey be viewed as racism?

[Blademaster]

Well it depends on the context. When Symonds came over to India, the Indian crowds chanted "monkey" when he was the only non white on the team so pretty soon it took on a racial tone. Therefore, if true, when Harbajan Singh said, "monkey" the powers be interpreted it as a racist remark in the context of things.

However I do think that Symonds and Pontings are hypocrites and crybabies when they do the same thing to the Indian team and get away with it. They are not using racist remarks but the remarks they use are insulting.

[sun]

Originally Posted by Blademaster

However I do think that Symonds and Pontings are hypocrites and crybabies when they do the same thing to the Indian team and get away with it. They are not using racist remarks but the remarks they use are insulting.

I agree to that.
This whole issue is viewed as Harbhajan was trapped, specifically when he bowled out Ricky Ponting continuously for 3 times in a row.

Recently Ricky in an interview said, they played a hard and fair game. So according to him, if Australian players do sledging it is okay. But if Shrishanth returns the favour, they act like cry babies

There are news that, Indians in Australia is facing racial brunt after this incident.

[Tronic]

Originally Posted by Blademaster

Therefore, if true, when Harbajan Singh said, "monkey" the powers be interpreted it as a racist remark in the context of things.

There is no proof he said it, no one heard, not even the microphones in the pitch. There is NO evidence whatsoever against Bhajji, yet he still has to go through this trauma of being labelled a racist. I guess it is true afterall, Ponting is Bhajji's bunny, thats why a shameful lie to have him ejected from the future tests. Pathetic.

And honestly, Aussies can be said to be one of the most dishonourable teams of them all. Cheating, provokation, and blatant lies are to them part of a winning "strategy". Remember the shameful way they took the World Cup from New Zealand during the 80s? Utterly pathetic, and I still hold the Kiwis as the better team in that match. And Ponting talks of integrity, yet shamelessly lying in front of reporters about Ganguly's grounded catch. I think that "integrity" went down the drain when tv replays reveal the truth! In the Sydney test, India played 1 innings (2nd innings it was bowled out by the umpires) and Australia played 3 innings (as replays show that Indian bowlers had the Aussie batsmen out on 10 occasions, equivalent of 1 entire innings, but were turned down by the umpires).

[lemontree]

Originally Posted by sun

There are news that, Indians in Australia is facing racial brunt after this incident.

Its not surprising since racism always existed there. (Though some here may not agree with me).

[bonehead]

Calling all old timers! Didn't Howard Cosell use the "monkey" term while as a commentator for the NFL in the early 1970s?

[sun]

1. What provoked Harbhajan to say whatever he has been accused of saying?
In his statement to the match referee, Aussie Andrew Symonds says, “I’m a firm believer in sticking up for your teammates so I stepped in and had a crack at Harbhajan, telling him exactly what I thought of his antics (brushing his bat on Brett Lee’s derriere). He then had a shot back which brings us to the situation we’re facing.’’ The statement is an admission on Symonds’ part that he did utter something to Harbhajan forcing the Indian offie to react. Symonds, in his statement, has conveniently opted not to write what he told Bhajji. Did the match referee Mike Procter ask him about it?

2. Why did Procter take a decision on a ‘biased’ majority?
Procter has issued the ban on Harbhajan on the admission of ‘Aussies’ Matthew Hayden and Michael Clarke, both of whom were standing in the slip region and quite far from the action, that Harbhajan uttered ‘monkey’ word. He didn’t take into consideration the statement of ‘Indian’ Sachin Tendulkar or even the two umpires, all three of whom were at earshot distance? The complainant Ponting and, Hayden and Clarke made it a biased majority against the word of one man — Tendulkar. Is that a fair view?

3. Would Symonds have taken offence at ‘b*******d’ or a ‘m********d’ as apart from the ‘monkey’ call from Harbhajan?
The body language of Symonds and Harbhajan hardly conveyed that either ‘MCBCs’ or ‘monkey’ calls had been uttered. It appeared as some aggressive banter. Even Tendulkar never felt the need to butt into the conversation. And what was umpire Mark Benson trying to tell Bhajji while cupping his mouth? Surely, a monkey call would have evoked a sharper response from Symonds.
[/quote]

These are some of the un-answered questions after the trial against Bhajji.

[bolo121]

I think it was a deliberate plan by ponting and co.
They know that Bhajji is a hot tempered Sardar and that if you push him he wont think but will lash out straight away.
All that the australians need to do then is claim he used the word monkey and bye bye Bhajji for the rest of the series.

[tankie]

Originally Posted by bolo121

I think it was a deliberate plan by ponting and co.
They know that Bhajji is a hot tempered Sardar and that if you push him he wont think but will lash out straight away.
All that the australians need to do then is claim he used the word monkey and bye bye Bhajji for the rest of the series.

I think so too ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, throw sh1t and it sticks ?

[Tronic]

Well all I can say is that i'm damn proud of the way the Indian team has stuck by each other at a time where even the spineless BCCI initially urged them to carry on with the series. Can't believe Ponting and Co can fall so low just for the sake of setting a record. Hope they realize that they are also at the same time filling Australian team's record of controversies and shameful moments in history.

[tankie]

Originally Posted by Tronic

Well all I can say is that i'm damn proud of the way the Indian team has stuck by each other at a time where even the spineless BCCI initially urged them to carry on with the series. Can't believe Ponting and Co can fall so low just for the sake of setting a record. Hope they realize that they are also at the same time filling Australian team's record of controversies and shameful moments in history.

Bet you enjoyed the controversy over the Pakistan ball tampering as well , which saw the umpire lose his job , D Hair ?

[troung]

I am curious to know how can, calling monkey be viewed as racism?

In America it is one of many negative terms to call an African-American.

[Tronic]

Originally Posted by tankie

Bet you enjoyed the controversy over the Pakistan ball tampering as well , which saw the umpire lose his job , D Hair ?

Exactly, I would say hats off to Inzy for walking out on that Test, but I think it was a bit unfair to punish the English team for the antics of an Aussie umpire! Go figure!

Edit: btw, talking of Aussie origin umpires, I must bite my tongue here and state that one of the best, if not the best, umpire in the world is without a doubt, Simon Taufel.

[gunnut]

Originally Posted by sun

There is a huge controversy going on in Cricket World,
Australian player Andrew Symonds complained Indian player Harbhajan Singh racially abused him by calling him monkey.

Is calling a monkey is a racism?
From my childhood, I have seen people calling each other monkey, donkey etc. But I never thought it is a racial abuse!!!
The sportsman spirit shown by Australian players is another issue.

I am curious to know how can, calling monkey be viewed as racism?

It's racism if the caller is white.

The late, great Chick Hearn, long time voice of the LA Lakers once accidentally called a play using the word "monkey" and pissed off a bunch of busybodies.

The play went something like this. An opposing player took the ball and dunked on the Lakers. After dunking the ball, for whatever the reason, he decided to hang on the rim for a few seconds. He was swinging with his legs bent under him. Chick remarked "whoa he's hanging there like a monkey."

That did it! A bunch of people said he made a racial remark and was insensitive to a black player (naturally) and blah blah blah.

Was it mean? No. Was it meant to demean the player? No. Would this have been an issue had the player been white? No. Would this have been an issue had Chick been black? No.

He was merely calling a play and described the action of the player the best he could in order to paint a picture for the radio listeners.

Some people are hypersensitive these days. They have a victim's mentality. They blame everything on "the man" in order to excuse themselves from working hard.

If you can do your job and do it well, no one cares what your skin color is.

[Amarnath]

You know maybe Bhajji said "Maakee" and Symonds thought that Bhajji was calling him "Monkey"