Absolutely bang on the button. In Latin America a husband/wife will call his wife/husband negrita/negrito as a term of affection (like we would say love/sugar) with absolutely no racial meaning.
There are racists in Latin America like in every part of the world but a racist Latin American person would never say negrito if he was trying to offend a black person/person of colour (lost track of the PC terminology). I have live in Guatemala for the last 10 years.
Most of things are taken out of context to drive home the agenda, rather than actually addressing the problem. This isn’t going to solve the racism problem, but only digress from it. World is going crazy.
Thank you @Limiescouse
Cavani will be banned and branded a racist, because those that shout the loudest will demand it…Unless Fergie intervenes of course.
I’m pretty sure that Evra will speak out on this to reassure everyone that the term isn’t racist in Uruguay.
Wonder if John Terry was offered that, fucking scumbag cunt he is.
I think there is far more racism from English players than foreign where it is, for the most part, naivety.
That would be golden and utterly stupid.
Cavani won’t get a punishment and nor should he.
No he shouldn’t. But the FA, and United for that matter, have really backed themselves into a corner.
Imagine a Japanese word (for example) sounds exactly like “n@@@@r”. But has no link whatsoever in its original usage to what it sounds like in English. Say it’s a bunch of flowers. A Japanese guy is overheard saying this and arrested. There’s no question that when the facts are known, he’s utterly innocent.
You just can’t use the same argument for a word that’s European origin is the Latin for black.
Saying it in the heat of the moment is stupid but could be based on cultural origins and an instinctive response. Taking the time to type it out? Much worse IMHO based on the fact that freedom of speech is now dead and anybody can be banned / cancelled just because somebody feels offended (often on somebody else’s behalf)
And Mrs PTT can go topless on many beaches round Europe (shudder), she sure as shit couldn’t do it in many, many other countries.
You’re ignoring/denying that cultures are entitled to take on and develop their own connotations to words/phrases of similar origin.
They’re incomparable. Your argument was comparing homophones but it’s really about homonyms. Same/similar spelling and even roots but entirely different meanings/connotations.
It’s hardly the same issue. As we discussed with Suarez.
A country with long tradition and history of racism, and much of it’s wealth generated through slavery, is on very, very dodgy ground lecturing people from other countries - especially those with much lesser foundational racism - on what is and isn’t acceptable.
Metaphorically, it’s more like a middle aged white man who’s had dodgy opinions in the past but recently went through some mandatory race awareness training at work, lecturing people who’ve never had a racist thought in their lives about their white privileged.
Maybe a simple baseline is what’s needed.
Cavani lives and ply’s his trade in this country. He pays his taxes and presumably he has the correct paperwork in place with the home office to be here. So why not judge him on the laws of our land, and what is acceptable or not, immaterial of his background, first language or ethnicity.
If the football governing bodies within the UK can find the time to pause from spouting tackling racism upon their soapboxes, and actually get down to act with retribution, to every evidential opportunity they are presented with. Alongside their ’stamping out’ racism agenda, Cavani has presented them with an opportunity to hand out a strong message.
Who cares if he is innocent or guilty in this instance, not as though he will get sent to the gallows or shipped off for some hard labour, breaking rocks on a mountainside.
For the good of the game in general, the publicity will bring its own long term benefits.
No, I’m of the opinion that words used in this country in the English language fall under UK Law (whatever mess that is) If Suarez got done for it, so should this guy. Maybe more so because an internet post is pre-meditated not instinctual/reactive.
Looking back on Suarez, do you think we should have done what I suggested on day one? Admit guilt, very sorry, won’t happen again, move on? Our best player wouldn’t have had an 8 game ban for sure.
What about the words used in England in the Spanish language? That is what happened in both instances.
Suarez made the mistake of using the word, to my mind innocently, in the context of an argument that meant his words were not likely to be seen as benign. Cavani, incredibly, made the mistake of using the word after having seen the reaction that his national teammate elicited.
I don’t think either deserved punishment. I won’t be too upset if Cavani is not stitched up the way Suarez was.
I wasn’t aware that “Gracias negrito” was an English phrase.
Certainly English law should govern conduct in England. Which one(s) did Cavani contravene?
It isn’t but translate it and bingo. Unless of course speaking in a foreign language precludes one from any legal action? Can’t think how that could be abused / go wrong…