Is Roy Hodgson Racist?

rubertoe
rubertoe Posts: 3,994
edited October 2013 in Commuting chat
The Association of Black lawyers appear to think so....
A letter of complaint from a pressure group is sent to the Football Association demanding that England boss Roy Hodgson attend a 'race appreciation' training course after details of a joke he told about a monkey in space were made public.

Peter Herbert, the head of the Society of Black Lawyers and who also runs the new Race For Sport organisation, has sent a four-page letter of complaint to the FA, saying it was wrong to declare the matter closed.

Hodgson, who apologised if any offence was caused, has expressed his frustration and anger that his side's achievement in reaching the World Cup earlier this week has been overshadowed by the details of the joke he told in the dressing room at half-time against Poland.

The FA was quick to give Hodgson its full backing over the joke about a monkey in space, which it is believed he used to illustrate why his players should give the ball to winger Andros Townsend.

In the words of DDD,

Discuss.
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Comments

  • Gazzaputt
    Gazzaputt Posts: 3,227
    Peter Herbet needs to loose the chip on his shoulder. Although he's a real media whore.

    Of course he isn't racist and the joke isn't even racist.

    If you can't mention the word monkey it's a sad indictment of this country.
  • chilling
    chilling Posts: 267
    A: No. But the tabloids can' t resist any opportunity to turn what should be a celebration of achievement into an opportunity to bash the manager / players. I'm sure they will all be running 'Back our boys in Brazil' campaigns next Summer without any hint of irony.

    I hope the player who leaked the story has an idea where he want's to go on holiday next year. I sure as hell don't think he should be going to Brazil with England.
  • Gazzaputt wrote:
    Peter Herbet needs to loose the chip on his shoulder. Although he's a real media whore.

    Of course he isn't racist and the joke isn't even racist.

    If you can't mention the word monkey it's a sad indictment of this country.

    Sums it up nicely...
  • ToeKnee
    ToeKnee Posts: 376
    Gazzaputt wrote:
    Peter Herbet needs to loose the chip on his shoulder. Although he's a real media whore.

    Of course he isn't racist and the joke isn't even racist.

    If you can't mention the word monkey it's a sad indictment of this country.
    +1 but I suspect there may be a portion of chips ...
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  • stu-bim
    stu-bim Posts: 384
    rubertoe wrote:
    The Association of Black lawyers appear to think so....
    A letter of complaint from a pressure group is sent to the Football Association demanding that England boss Roy Hodgson attend a 'race appreciation' training course after details of a joke he told about a monkey in space were made public.

    I think that is complete and utter rubbish. Googled the joke and it is similar to one aircraft engineers tell about pilots and dogs. Should pilots go on 'swinging appreciation' courses?

    If it was intentional then he is probably a card carrying KKK member or it was a innocent gaff in a football dressing room. A football dressing room is not really a place where words need to be picked over for hidden meanings, connotations and innuendo. It's not f'ing King Lear he was reciting.

    Either way a 'race appreciation' is not really going to make much difference.

    Personally I would believe it was innocent.
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  • squired
    squired Posts: 1,153
    A complete non-story that the media is loving. They don't care that it wasn't a racist comment, just that it is a hot topic at the moment. If big articles about it gets people buying their newspaper/magazine, looking at their website, or watching television interviews on their channels, it is objective achieved. If you go to something like the Mail website, for example, I'm sure the articles on it have generated huge numbers of hits, thousands of comments, etc.

    As for the society of black lawyers, they are doing themselves no favours. Instead of people seeing them as being at the forefront of stamping out racism, which it presumably what they want, many people will now form rather negative views on them.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 18,878
    Of course not.

    It was a joke about a monkey.

    Only a d1ck would think otherwise.
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  • lostboysaint
    lostboysaint Posts: 4,250
    No. End of story.
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  • daviesee
    daviesee Posts: 6,386
    No. End of story.
    End of thread.
    None of the above should be taken seriously, and certainly not personally.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 18,878
    Gazzaputt wrote:
    Peter Herbet ...he's a real media whore ...


    I think that's a bit harsh. It's not as if he has a seminar on Racism in Football coming up and tickets to sell...


    Oh wait....
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  • Sewinman
    Sewinman Posts: 2,131
    Imagine if there was a White Lawyers Society. He should look at his own organisation for a bit of racism.
  • Of course not.

    It was a joke about a monkey.

    Only a d1ck would think otherwise.

    Isn't it actually a joke about the man being less useful than a monkey? Presumably relating back to the very early space missions (The Right Stuff) in which the scientists didn't see much point or value in having anything more intelligent than a monkey in the capsule, as it was largely self reliant.
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  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    I want to say yes, how dare he! And then link it to his not choosing Micah Richards or Rio Ferdinand at that tournament or some such...

    Then I want to go on some rant about how Andros Townsend, Rio, Walcott and every other mixed race player isn't black but mixed race and simply acknowledging them as only black is offensive, dismissive and potentially racist against their white parent.

    But what is the point?

    I don't think he is racist, and Is the joke racist, racist in the context that it was used or would it offend me? Haven't heard the joke. Someone in the dressing room found it offensive though.

    The real hard truth is that things like this, generated by the papers is why England never get anywhere in major tournaments. Couldn't have waited until after England lifted the World Cup?
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  • For anyone who cares, and at the risk of being accused of being a racist, the joke is as follows:
    NASA decided they would finally send a man up in an capsule after sending only monkeys in the earlier missions.

    They fire the man and the monkey into space.

    The intercom crackles “fire the retros”.

    A little later, “Monkey, check the solid fuel supply".

    Later still “Monkey, check the life support systems for the man”.

    The astronaut takes umbrage and radios NASA. “When do I get something?”

    NASA replied – in 15 minutes, feed the monkey.

    Ron Atkinson's infamous off-mic/on-mic comment was racist. This is BS.
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  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    My Dad's workplace,

    One mintue manager. This was doing the rounds at work, helping people to be better managers. [Eye roll, Greg]

    Some doofus claimed that this was racist: One minute manager meets the monkey

    Dad calls him into the office (after hours and off the record) and explains quite clearly that (i) he grew up in the 60s and 70s and that his (and his parents) were the generations that paved the way for others to come here and be prosperous and accepted. (ii) In view of that the staff member has no idea what racism and racial hatred looks and feels like, especially if he claims that the book title is racist or even remotely offensive. (iii) My Dad's generation did not stand up against the level of racism it did just so that others could come along and claim that a flipping book title is racist - then my Dad used the example of being at school and having to read stories about Enid Blyton's gollywog and then be called one at play time. (iv) My Dad then said the staff member was in fact being racist by claiming that a very innocent reference to a monkey meant black people - this was the point that my Dad started to mind f*ck the poor guy by asking him if he thought he was a monkey or resembled a monkey...

    Not every reference to a monkey means black person.
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  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 27,484
    For anyone who cares, and at the risk of being accused of being a racist, the joke is as follows:
    NASA decided they would finally send a man up in an capsule after sending only monkeys in the earlier missions.

    They fire the man and the monkey into space.

    The intercom crackles “fire the retros”.

    A little later, “Monkey, check the solid fuel supply".

    Later still “Monkey, check the life support systems for the man”.

    The astronaut takes umbrage and radios NASA. “When do I get something?”

    NASA replied – in 15 minutes, feed the monkey.

    Ron Atkinson's infamous off-mic/on-mic comment was racist. This is BS.

    Wait, that's not actually the joke 'everyone'* is getting upset about? Is it? So, um.... no, can't see it. Someone is going to have to explain to me how that even has a reference to race, let alone, being racist.
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  • rjsterry wrote:
    For anyone who cares, and at the risk of being accused of being a racist, the joke is as follows:
    NASA decided they would finally send a man up in an capsule after sending only monkeys in the earlier missions.

    They fire the man and the monkey into space.

    The intercom crackles “fire the retros”.

    A little later, “Monkey, check the solid fuel supply".

    Later still “Monkey, check the life support systems for the man”.

    The astronaut takes umbrage and radios NASA. “When do I get something?”

    NASA replied – in 15 minutes, feed the monkey.

    Ron Atkinson's infamous off-mic/on-mic comment was racist. This is BS.

    Wait, that's not actually the joke 'everyone'* is getting upset about? Is it? So, um.... no, can't see it. Someone is going to have to explain to me how that even has a reference to race, let alone, being racist.

    I believe it is, and I understand that vicarious offence has been taken at the use of the word "monkey" in remote proximity to a person who is not wholly Caucasian.
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  • lostboysaint
    lostboysaint Posts: 4,250
    Which is why it's blindingly obvious to anyone that isn't in the media and desperately trying to get their mate Redknapp into the job that it's complete bollocks!
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  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 18,878
    Of course not.

    It was a joke about a monkey.

    Only a d1ck would think otherwise.

    Isn't it actually a joke about the man being less useful than a monkey? Presumably relating back to the very early space missions (The Right Stuff) in which the scientists didn't see much point or value in having anything more intelligent than a monkey in the capsule, as it was largely self reliant.

    Yes.

    Hodgson's point being just give the ball to Townsend. Don't try anything yourself as you'll only f*** it up.

    That said, I can't see how in the dressing room the phrase "feed the monkey" could be misinterpreted. IIRC "Feed the Goat" was the title of Shaun Goater's biography, being the instruction to just give him the ball.

    The Black Society of Self Publicising Lawyers should be ashamed of themselves though.
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  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 18,878
    Sewinman wrote:
    Imagine if there was a White Lawyers Society. He should look at his own organisation for a bit of racism.


    Wait..... You're actually serious?
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  • daviesee
    daviesee Posts: 6,386
    I can only assume that I was wrong earlier. :roll:
    None of the above should be taken seriously, and certainly not personally.
  • cornerblock
    cornerblock Posts: 3,228
    I think that Hodgson using the word monkey in conversation with a black or mixed race player actually proves the complete opposite, that he is not a racist. I thought we had at least reached a point where we can hear the word and not just think of the negative connotation to it. Yes we all know that there are some pea brained morons out there who probably still use the word in a way that we all deplore, but it's important that we are able to recognise the difference and not all have to walk on eggshells talking to each other.

    I would love for the FA to take a stand on this one and ban The Sun completely up till and after the World Cup. Too many times they have tried to undermine the England team. Associating a man with being racist in any way is pretty low even for them. The sports reporters will always hide behind the excuse that it's 'not us it's those nasty news guys'. Well maybe it's time to say no press passes for any of you if you can't keep your house in order.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 18,878
    The real shame is that he didn't get the credit he deserves for winning this potential banana skin of a fixture....
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  • bigmat
    bigmat Posts: 5,134
    Its a bit clumsy isn't it? There's Andros sitting in the corner, and Hodgson shouting "give it to Andros, give it to the monkey!"

    OK, taken in context its not racist, but that's still a little bit careless! Storm in a teacup though given that no offence was intended, caused or when properly considered present.
  • The real shame is that he didn't get the credit he deserves for winning this potential banana skin of a fixture....

    Quite. His reputation would have definitely been coloured had they lost...
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  • BigMat wrote:
    Its a bit clumsy isn't it? There's Andros sitting in the corner, and Hodgson shouting "give it to Andros, give it to the monkey!"

    OK, taken in context its not racist, but that's still a little bit careless! Storm in a teacup though given that no offence was intended, caused or when properly considered present.

    But isn't the point of the joke that the monkey is much cleverer than the (presumably Caucasian) astronaut?

    In the spirit of Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney, would you be happier if the joke had concerned a spaceman and a talking zebra sent into space by NASA...?
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  • daviesee
    daviesee Posts: 6,386
    But isn't the point of the joke that the monkey is much cleverer than the (presumably Caucasian) astronaut?

    In the spirit of Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney, would you be happier if the joke had concerned a spaceman and a talking zebra sent into space by NASA...?
    Could it then be sexist?

    Anyone can find offence in anything if they put the effort in.
    None of the above should be taken seriously, and certainly not personally.
  • cornerblock
    cornerblock Posts: 3,228
    In the spirit of Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney

    Never mind them, my Friday music is now sorted.
  • stu-bim
    stu-bim Posts: 384
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  • stu-bim
    stu-bim Posts: 384
    In the spirit of Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney

    Never mind them, my Friday music is now sorted.

    Was expecting this
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