A lot is being made of people calling Ryan Lochte's antics as "just being a kid" despite his 32 years of age while Gabby Douglas is being criticized for being unpatriotic (disrespectful for no hand during anthem despite Phelps laughing) and crabby (because she wasn't smiling in shots) and in the prior Olympics for her hairdo (despite it being the same one as the other girls on the team...and despite the famous sour face meme of another gymnast on the podium). It does seem black athletes are judged more harshly for the same errors as white athletes. And I think it is part of a larger demonstration of how blacks in general are judged more harshly than whites overall. To me this is a type of systematic racism that exists throughout our culture. I know the right-wingers here will vehemently disagree, but how else do you explain the difference between Gabby - one of the great American Gymnasts getting so much harsher criticism from conservatives while Ryan is defended by the same people?
I don't think so. Anyone criticizing Gabby Douglas is just an idiot. Same for Lochte, he's just an idiot. And most of the foolish comments about Douglas' hair was made by other black people.
Who is saying Lochte is "just being a kid"? Who is defending his actions? Haven't seen a single person dismiss his actions. It was boneheaded and it is probably what he will be remembered for going forward. His reputation is completely shot (as it should be).
Why is everytime a white person does anything wrong the left always has to make it about race and not with a black person. Double standard.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/rio-robbery-claim-latest-scandal-us-olympian-ryan/story?id=41503817 Rocket River
Because historically, when a white person does something wrong, they aren't punished as harshly as a black person who has done the same thing.
No, these are individual, disparate events. Internet culture has made fan feedback a lot easier and less personal than hand-written letters to the editor or public figures themselves. Black athletes are sufficiently praised in the Olympics and white athletes are stigmatized when the respective conditions or circumstances warrant it.
Why does Gabby Douglas get criticism for all this superficial stuff that guys like Ryan, Phelps, McKayla, and others do and still not get any pushback for? I'm not talking about the media so much as the fans. Some people here think that it's ok if a black person criticizes her hair as if that's not bias.
they're living in poverty, they have no jobs, 58% of their youth is unemployed, What the hell do they have to lose with little discrimination or double standard !
Internet criticism is not a meaningful gauge of real life, neither is a quadrennial sporting event with global and round-the-clock media scrutiny.
Where has this been the case? Everyone is talking about Ryan Locte being one of the dumbest people alive. Literally nobody likes him I have only even heard of the Gabby Douglas thing in passing, literally no on cares about or is talking about that. I'm pretty sure her thing has only been mentioned by twitter trolls (I just assume, I don't have a twitter account) Your "perception" of this situation seems entirely off-base to me
There were many opinion pieces in the last few days defending Lochte. But even you are showing some bias in the way you describe his behavior. You are saying it was "dumb". But Gabby gets criticized as "unpatriotic" and "crabby" "dumb" white "kid" vs. "unpatriotic" black girl. Do you know see how there is a tendency to align with stereotypes?
That rocket river quote was the first one I had seen that called him just a kid. Most everything I've seen or read has called him basically a dip**** and an embarrassment which is what he is. I guess people will find what they want to find.
nah i posted earlier this week that the majority of the blather i heard on cnn was also framing these athletes as just some rowdy kids having fun
Yeah, that's the ONE quote I saw about it too. Was that same guy also critical of Gabby Douglass to prove the double standard of that one guy? I don't recall the Olympics releasing any sort of comment on Gabby Douglass...because no one really cared. Is there a #supportryanlochte hashtag yet? Has a major newpaper released an article critical of Gabby Douglass? Here's several articles from the Washington Post that go all in. Can you at least produce one negative article about Gabby Douglass from the Washington Post? Ryan Lochte and the Privilege Tree Column: What would ‘Lyin’ Ryan’ Lochte do? Run away Meet the three swimmers Ryan Lochte left behind in Brazil Ryan Lochte and Co. are now carved into the Mount Rushmore of lying athletes Ryan Lochte: A champion swimmer caught in a riptide of self-absorption Donald Trump, Ryan Lochte and the politics of contrition Ryan Lochte’s apology is clear: He doesn’t realize what he has done wrong
