"It's all White here" slogan angers West Indies

[silentstriker]

It's not a cop out, and obviously you have to think about how people will perceive certain things. But there are plenty of things that get said which are deemed to be acceptable yet can cause offence to individuals. All I am trying to say is where do you draw the line?

The point where it doesn't remind a significant number of people of discriminations that happened in the not so distant past?

 

[Langeveldt]

What are your thoughts on whiteboards?

Give him one, and he'd fill it with crap in under four minutes for mine..

 

[GIMH]

The point where it doesn't remind a significant number of people of discriminations that happened in the not so distant past?

And where is that point? You can't define it!

 

[Jono]

You said use common sense earlier though.

Common sense to me suggests that "Its all white here" sends connotations of discrimination, and memories of the days when blacks were denied entry or service at various places.

 

[silentstriker]

And where is that point? You can't define it!

You mean define exactly when a large amount of people would be offended? Listen to them when they say something. Language is not scentific, everything depends on a historical, and cultural context, that's why you can't come up with hard and fast rules.

 

[teddy23]

Better get rid of the red ball.
Might offend Native Americans.

Whats the world come to when this gets changed but that tool Gavaskar gets to stay.

Political correctness is such crud.

 

[silentstriker]

Whats the world come to when this gets changed but that tool Gavaskar gets to stay.

He did resign from his ICC post. What do you mean 'gets to stay'? Like, live?

 

[NZTailender]

Better get rid of the red ball.
Might offend Native Americans.

Whats the world come to when this gets changed but that tool Gavaskar gets to stay.

Political correctness is such crud.

See, this is missing the point.

A lot of you are going on about political correctness gone mad basically, and saying it's not that bad.

You're all overlooking a small fact that it has been found offensive and the term does bring up racial connotations.

I'm just going round in circles here, but I basically echo what Jono and silentstriker have said.

You said use common sense earlier though.

Common sense to me suggests that "Its all white here" sends connotations of discrimination, and memories of the days when blacks were denied entry or service at various places.

It's a stupidly worded slogan and should be changed, innocent intention or not.
If it was a clear reference to cricket i.e. 'It's all cricket whites here' it'd be less confusing than it is now. 'It's all white here' is far, far, far too ambiguous and can very easily misinterpreted as being a racist, and the fact that it's been found offensive by members of the West Indies players association validates this.

 

[Smudge]

I was joking there, in my defence. Or at least trying to.

Oh yeah, I know, but yours was the closest post I saw with the actual quote in there, which I used to explain the relevance to Dunedin's old campaign.

 

[archie mac]

Not aware of historic discrimination like this against white people:

You can't separate current events from their historical context. It wasn't even a generation ago that signs like these were posted in places around the world. Hate to be unpopular by pointing that out around here, but history matters and we haven't come far enough yet for you to ask people to simply forget about what they and their parents might have lived through. Sorry, we don't get that right.

"Hey mate, sorry about not letting you into college and denying you from public property when you were young. No hard feelings, all in the past, eh?" Yes, things have improved significantly, but it's still too close historically. Anyway, I think I've said my piece here.

Why was this posted in response to my post? I am not a moron, I do understand a little bit about history, you seemed to have 100% missed the point I was trying to make, and this is what really annoys me

As soon as you try and make a point, you are either called a racist, or you are quoted things that happened in the past, of which I am well aware!!!!

 

[Smudge]

That's my point about finding offense where there is none tho. It's All White Here is obviously a play on words (on the former Dunedin marketing slogan if Volty's to be believed).

**** me, that's a tad harsh. Is this good enough for you? Or this? Why on earth would I make that up?

As I said, where is the line drawn? Should the NZ soccer team look for a new nickname? Is Corrin's beloved White Army secretly a front for the Wirral branch of the KKK?

Yea, pretty poor on silentstriker's part not to go back on his claim that the All Whites nickname for the NZ football team isn't necessarily appropriate. I don't recall Noah Hickey, Harry Ngata or even the great Wynton Rufer (all part-Maori players) ever having ethical conundrums about pulling on a white shirt. If we take that line, we should be surprised that any Pakeha cricketers feel comfortable putting on a Black Cap.

 

[Jono]

**** me, that's a tad harsh. Is this good enough for you? Or this? Why on earth would I make that up?

Its just a phrase, I don't exactly think he was doubting your honesty.

 

[Bahnz]

New Zealand is full of RASCISTS!!!!!1!!!1!!!

I feel WIPA's going a bit over the top in saying the phrase can "be perceived to be loaded with racial innuendoes". Silentstriker says we need to put the phrase in a historical context. But the fact is, there is no great history of segregation or slavery in New Zealand. Certainly, things weren't great for Maori's or immigrants in the 19th and early 20th centuries, but nothing like the history intolerance present in South Africa or the Caribbean, so this wouldn't necessarily be present in the organisers minds. You also need to take local factors into context, like the recent snow, and the town's slogan.

Having said that, I do think the organisers were incredibly stupid if they didn't think they were gonna receive any kind of backlash for this, especially with the Windies touring.

 

[Son Of Coco]

What are your thoughts on whiteboards?

Ok, because you write on them in coloured ink.

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

It's a stupidly worded slogan and should be changed, innocent intention or not.
If it was a clear reference to cricket i.e. 'It's all cricket whites here' it'd be less confusing than it is now. 'It's all white here' is far, far, far too ambiguous and can very easily misinterpreted as being a racist, and the fact that it's been found offensive by members of the West Indies players association validates this.

Now you are missing the point.

Nobody is saying otherwise. Stupid slogan? Yes. Since its offended should it be withdrawn? Yes.

Basically what we are trying to say is, we would love to see the day when such things are not easily misinterpreted as being racist, and we all get along with each other. Obviously this day has not come yet.

Thats all.

 

[Flem274*]

Oh FFS. Boo hoo. Its obviously not a racial slur. Whilst its a crap slogan its not racist. I mean seriously, you're being very cynical and precious to believe that Otago cricket likes to mock black people.

 

[silentstriker]

As soon as you try and make a point, you are either called a racist, or you are quoted things that happened in the past, of which I am well aware!!!!

I have never called you, or implied that you were a racist. Ever. As for knowing history, that's fine and I'm sure you do, but then it seems very hard for me to believe that you wouldn't see the resemblance in the slogan. And for those who don't, I was merely pointing it out.

you seemed to have 100% missed the point I was trying to make, and this is what really annoys me

You said:

I remeber when the WI defeated England in 1984 they called it a 'Black Wash', That was OK, but this is not? Difference please?

You talked about blackwashes, and other terms, and asked if you were missing something. I was simply stating that, in my opinion, you were. And I pointed out historically why I believe those two terms are not comparable. If I missed your point, I apologize, and if you could clarify, I'll reply to that.

I mean seriously, you're being very cynical and precious to believe that Otago cricket likes to mock black people.

Even the WIPA is not accusing them of that.

 

[Jono]

Oh FFS. Boo hoo. Its obviously not a racial slur. Whilst its a crap slogan its not racist. I mean seriously, you're being very cynical and precious to believe that Otago cricket likes to mock black people.

Wow, way to miss the point

 

[Flem274*]

Wow, way to miss the point

I haven't read many of the posts in here, I was mainly reffering to the complainants themselves.

 

[Dasa]

I haven't read many of the posts in here, I was mainly reffering to the complainants themselves.

They didn't even say "Otago cricket likes to mock black people"...the WIPA thought the slogan was insensitive and made their feelings known. Nothing like what you're suggesting.