silentstriker
The Wheel is Forever
"******" is quite different to "bastard", as well. Bastard is too generalized to be really offensive, ****** is a homophobic slur.
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Harbhajan reignites racism storm
- Thread starter Richard
- Start date
Evermind
International Debutant
What if some is indeed an illegitimate child? Why are we drawing artificial lines here between racial abuse, then homophobic abuse and other types of personal abuse?
I know no one would admit it, but if the Australians hadn't been abusive to Harbhajan in the past, he would've kept his stupid mouth shut about Symonds and in general. Sledging of that sort just isn't a part of the Indian's player's on-field repertoire.
vic_orthdox
Global Moderator
This is Harbhajan we're talking about. He's been a fairly exuberant character for a long time.
Swervy
International Captain
of course, the Indians are as good as gold...always have been, always will be
silentstriker
The Wheel is Forever
I am interested in how he was found guilty if his Aussie team mates backed him up while presumably Sachin backed up Harbhajan. Maybe they do have some audio?
Evermind
International Debutant
Nope - they've responded to initiatives from the modern Australian team. It is well known that the pattern of subjecting the opposition to personal abuse and hurtful invective was a tactic started by Steve Waugh's team and perfected by Ricky Ponting's - the rest of the countries have responded in turn. It's quite different from silly banter like Sangakkara's - which TBH I'm not a big fan of either. But at least it's not crossing that boundary.
luckyeddie
Cricket Web Staff Member
Oh, it's a lot older than that, although it has got particularly nasty in recent years.
Agent TBY
International Captain
I'm sorry but some of the comments in this thread are unbelievably rubbish.
To say thousands and thousands in Indian stadiums were abusing Symonds is just ****ing ridiculous.
I'll agree that Mumbai crowds are vile-minded with the foulest mouths but even they maintain a sense of political correctness. Aleem Dar, when officiating the test where Clarke took a 6-for, was constantly abused for not giving decisions India's way, but never was a single word uttered which would hurt his religious sentiments. And this is in a city where the Shiv Sena runs wild, and in a country where Narendra Modi wins elections despite being a cold-blooded genocidal bastard. But you wouldn't know a thing about that, would you? As far as you are concerned, India's just a pile of vomit with a rabidly communal and racist population.
Why does this perception exist? It's because of our pathetic media which still relies on syndicated articles from The Washington Post or the New York Times just for an ounce of credibility. If our media houses had even a little bit of spine, the blatantly polarised western media wouldn't have been able to get away with murder. For instance, how many of you know that two of three men filmed making monkey gestures in Mumbai where the same ones who incensed Symonds at Surat? How many of you know that the three were immediately ejected from the stadium and taken to the Marine Drive police station and booked? It's exactly as John Mayer said. "If you trust your television, what they give is what you've got. When they own the information, they can bend it all they want".
The Harbhajan banning is a complete farce. If I said I was there at the Mumbai ODI, and that there was absolutely no racist abuse in Mumbai apart from the three filmed doing it, and there are ten thousand people who'd back me up, would you believe me or would you reserve your judgement? Why can't the same cynicism be applied to the Aussies who testified? Even if you were to believe me, wouldn't you feel stupid if Arjun came to this thread tomorrow and completely falsified my claims? If Proctor is to be believed, and the umpires really didn't hear what was said, Harbhajan should've been acquitted. No two ways about it.
To say thousands and thousands in Indian stadiums were abusing Symonds is just ****ing ridiculous.
I'll agree that Mumbai crowds are vile-minded with the foulest mouths but even they maintain a sense of political correctness. Aleem Dar, when officiating the test where Clarke took a 6-for, was constantly abused for not giving decisions India's way, but never was a single word uttered which would hurt his religious sentiments. And this is in a city where the Shiv Sena runs wild, and in a country where Narendra Modi wins elections despite being a cold-blooded genocidal bastard. But you wouldn't know a thing about that, would you? As far as you are concerned, India's just a pile of vomit with a rabidly communal and racist population.
Why does this perception exist? It's because of our pathetic media which still relies on syndicated articles from The Washington Post or the New York Times just for an ounce of credibility. If our media houses had even a little bit of spine, the blatantly polarised western media wouldn't have been able to get away with murder. For instance, how many of you know that two of three men filmed making monkey gestures in Mumbai where the same ones who incensed Symonds at Surat? How many of you know that the three were immediately ejected from the stadium and taken to the Marine Drive police station and booked? It's exactly as John Mayer said. "If you trust your television, what they give is what you've got. When they own the information, they can bend it all they want".
The Harbhajan banning is a complete farce. If I said I was there at the Mumbai ODI, and that there was absolutely no racist abuse in Mumbai apart from the three filmed doing it, and there are ten thousand people who'd back me up, would you believe me or would you reserve your judgement? Why can't the same cynicism be applied to the Aussies who testified? Even if you were to believe me, wouldn't you feel stupid if Arjun came to this thread tomorrow and completely falsified my claims? If Proctor is to be believed, and the umpires really didn't hear what was said, Harbhajan should've been acquitted. No two ways about it.
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why are you so sure he said it? harbhajan has denied it....essentially it's one person's word against the other's...and with his indian accent, it is very easy for someone like symonds to misunderstand/misinterpret what he actually said...with no neutral evidence whatsoever, procter was dead wrong in dishing out this ban...
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Unattainableguy
State 12th Man
I agree it's stupid to come to a conclusion based on what Aussie players testified; obv they are going to side with Symmonds. Harbhajan's mom is saying he is innocent and rather it's Symmonds who abused him.
luckyeddie
Cricket Web Staff Member
Mike Proctor quite firmly placed himself on the side of those who opposed the apartheid policies of the South African government.
Not all of them are, though more of them were so in the past than now. One more reason why this ridiculous practice of sledging must be stopped completely rather than feed this race to the bottom to find the limits for Level3, Level2 and Level1 punishments.
Harbhajan will learn his lesson and call Symmonds a coconut the next time or, perhaps Shrek or something like that. From this thread, it appears that he could've called Symmonds a misbegotten dimwit and all would've been fine.
I really hope this incident results in a HARD clamp down on all forms of denigratory behavior.
silentstriker
The Wheel is Forever
No, I don't think they are related.
Perhaps not. But unless Harbhajan confessed to racially abusing Symonds, it completes a fine farce of a test from the officials involved.
Michael Clarke's word was good enough to give the wicket though replays suggested considerable doubt. Harbhajan's word (unless the above) is not good enough, though the stump mikes nor the umpires heard any of what must have been a tirade from Harbhajan.
Symonds and Ponting's word against Harbhajan's word is not good enough to punish someone. None of these people are worthy of being put on pedestals.
the_last_rites
Cricket Spectator
For the last time, racism is not prevalent in India. The only reason why the crowds jumped onto the monkey bandwagon was because Symo had upped the ante before the ODI series with a few choice words of his own and hence he was seen as the instigator-in-chief by the folks in India. When it was evident to the people that the monkey reference clearly offended him, the crowds just took up on that. I dont think it was a case of a racist taunt at all. I know I'm splitting hairs here but this needs to be thrown into the loop as well.