I can see how that's a much more offensive thing to say, but I'm fairly up to date on what is or isn't acceptable. However, the fact that it is considered to be more offensive ends up being the justification for making sensationalist claims of racism. At that point the irrationality becomes cyclical. Dropping an N bomb is one thing. Being nationally accused of racism because you didn't consider the center fielders race, & what the implications of said fruit might be when thrown by someone resembling a white American, regardless of actual ethnicity... That's just insane. It's exactly why I just don't agree with the idea that policing vocabulary does anything to actually curb racism in society. It's only taking up the opposing intolerant stance. Education is the most effective way to combat ignorance, and in turn racism. The more educated a populous is, the closer it is to laughing at anyone ignorant enough to truthfully believe in racial superiority.
But here is where I'm coming from it...it's just food. It's like every race has this thing with food. Like who cares if someone else like chicken, taco's, rice etc...? It doesn't imply that you're stupid, violent, or lesser human being...it just someone making a joke about you liking chicken. It's never been a big thing with me or I've never seen any one of any other race get mad. "Hey (Asian friend) bet you're going to go home and eat rice huh?" I've never seen someone just get pissed at that. Besides, everyone loves most of the racial foods. According to Dave Chappelle and the Boondocks, white people love cheese...but so do a lot of people. Just like a lot of people love rice, taco's, and chicken... I mean I get how it COULD be offensive. But most of the time it's used so lightly. I mean there is just no substance to it like the other racial slurs. If there is substance to anything right? So if the grand wizard of the kkk was talking about black people liking chicken then it'd be a lot worse...but some random guy making a joke about? I couldn't really care personally. I'd be interested in seeing honestly how many black people care about their apparent love of fried chicken. I guess it's just all about the history of it. The N-word for obvious reasons. It's a historical thing, just like the whole 'Monkey' thing. We've seen it in old political cartoons where black people were portrayed as monkeys and such. So throwing a banana can easily be seen by a black person as extremely racist. But Fried Chicken? There is no history behind it not that I know of at least that would be so insulting. Any ways I agree, policing vocabulary doesn't really matter. At the end of the day this player was probably insulted, it probably bothered him deeply, but it didn't really affect him. At some point we (as in everyone) have to get over words, sticks and stones and all. There will always be people who say stupid racist things and the Media will always try to make a huge deal out of it. That's just how I feel about it. If someone says to me. "You're stupid!" with passion and then another day says "You Stupid N-Word" It's still a insult, he thinks I'm stupid so what? That's how I think about it, it doesn't affect me unless that person is my boss or something. Or if someone says "All black people are dumb." It sucks to hear that but in my mind I almost feel sympathy for that person and their ignorance and move on. Policing vocabulary is like policing ignorance.
I think the thing with racial foods is that it serves as a way to "other-ize" visible minorities. In other words, it functions as a reminder to them that they aren't "real" Americans and that they are more defined by their race than by any individual characteristic. For instance, there was a fuss with the Linsanity ice cream because Lin is Chinese/Taiwanese-American, but they chose to accentuate his foreign-ness by throwing in fortune cookies even though they have no relation to Lin besides his race and, in fact, aren't even Chinese to begin with. This is a more ambiguous example; I'm sure Lin was also called "egg roll" or something similar growing up. Personally, I don't really care because it's too much effort to try to figure out whether I should be offended every time someone makes a racial food comment and I have difficulty dealing with stupid people, but I definitely see why others might be offended.
It happens all the time at home maches (soccer) of Lazio in Italy and Beitar Jeruslam in Israel. Both fans have a reputation for racism and mocking black visiting players.
So the guy came forward and said he just grabbed the nearest item from the nearest concession stand and threw it on the field in disgust because of the way his team was playing? Doesn't sound racist at all. Really stupid.....but not racist.
Make of it what you will, but here is a listing of food items at the ballpark. Unsure if it is all encompassing all food items available. http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/sf/ballpark/concessions.jsp Though this indicates there may be fruit available. http://sf.eater.com/archives/2013/04/01/what_to_eat_at_att_park_home_of_the_giants.php
Yes the farmer's market carts carry all sorts of fruit. I mean, it's embarrassing enough to cheer for a third baseman with the build of your average Dallas business magnate but then to look over and see your fellow fans munching apples and eating bananas instead of hotdogs and beer? SMDH. Not kidding. The only person who should be eating fruit at the baseball game is Pablo Sandoval. EDIT: So, in sum, yes the ballpark provides ammunition for racist fruit throwing. But no potatoes for Irish players, which tells you a lot about the history of the city. There is pizza for Italian players though.
No, I usually hear "Hey (Asian guy), something something gonna eat dog/cat right? Nothing makes my blood boil even more. At least African Americans have fried chicken, watermelon, and kool-aid as stereotypical foods. All of them delicious. Hispanics have tacos, burritos, etc. Again. Delicious. Now some stereotype Asians with rice and eggrolls and whatever. That is again, all delicious. Then there are select few who think its funny to stereotype us with eating dogs and cats. I don't know what makes me more angry, that ignorant people keep using dogs/cats to stereotype Asian Americans or the fact that some Asians in Asia eat dog/cat as a delicacy. Either way, just my pet peeve.
I don't buy this guy's excuse at all.... he just happens to see a food cart with a banana on it at a baseball game and throws it on the field.... at a black guy....
Player wise, the Astros are right around the major league average of 8+% and were over 10% prior to trading Wright the other day. Add in Porter and Clark as coaches and they are in the upper half.
Concession stands aren't close to the field. Then again, he said catering cart. WTF is a catering cart, and is it close to the field? I'm used to beer/peanuts/cotton candy in the stands, but produce? Don't know if he's being honest, but certainly a rush to judgement by people declaring him a racist. Before John Rocker called somebody a fat monkey, I had no idea that monkey was a derogatory term associated with black people. To be racist, he had to know it was racist, had to preplan it, and had to throw it directly at a black guy. All still possible, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.
I believe his story only because if he HAD meant it to be racist..I don't think he would have voluntarily came forward the next day
