Sarfraz Ahmed Racist Comments Discussion

[weldone]

Something I'd like to know is what black people who've experienced the term think of it. Like do they think of it in a slightly casual way or something more serious?

Well, yes indeed.

So this is for OS.

As I South Indian, I was the "kaale" ftr.

 

[weldone]

It's one thing for one subcontinent person to refer to another subcontinent person as "kaala" but to do that to a black not from subcontinent must definitely be deemed derogatory and racist.

Yes good point

 

[Spark]

I literally don't understand what he was trying to say. Definitional stuff aside, wtf is the stuff about mothers and prayers? Baffling

 

[weldone]

I literally don't understand what he was trying to say

He was referring to Phehlukwayo as 'the black guy' (I also don't think he could pronounce 'Phehlukwayo' haha) and venting his frustration that the batsman was so lucky. Sarfraz was exclaiming if Andile's mom offered some prayers that caused so much of good luck to Andile.

 

[Daemon]

Yeah it was a reference to how flukey his innings had been.

 

[Bijed]

Yeah it was a reference to how flukey his innings had been.

I mean, Phehlukwayo is literally called 'Lucky'. Would have made much more sense just to use that.

 

[Heboric]

I mean, Phehlukwayo is literally called 'Lucky'. Would have made much more sense just to use that.

I was about to say, his middle name on Cricinfo is 'Lucky'

I guess his parents must have known something

 

[Dendarii]

I also don't think he could pronounce 'Phehlukwayo' haha

He struggled with it in the post-match interview. One of the consequences of South Africa's drive to get more black players into the side is that it's no longer just Afrikaans names that everyone from other countries needs to get their tongues around.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Is it effective if the person who it is directed at doesn't understand a single thing?

Ignorance is bliss.

 

[Dendarii]

Is it effective if the person who it is directed at doesn't understand a single thing?

If you're trying to unsettle them then it's obviously pointless saying something they're not going to understand. But if you want to insult them without them being able to take offence at it then saying it in another language could work. Provided the stump mike doesn't pick you up...

 

[smash84]

I literally don't understand what he was trying to say. Definitional stuff aside, wtf is the stuff about mothers and prayers? Baffling

He borrowed something from Pakistani/muslim culture. Usually when people are going out to do something big they ask for others to pray for them so that God helps them out. What sarfaraz meant was that it was ridiculous as to how many times andile had had a narrow escape. He was asking whether Andile's mom was constantly uttering one prayer or another that was being answered in favor of Andile.

As others have pointed out the word kaala is hard to pin down on the scale of malice/racism. I know that in the Sub-continent in particular black is generally not seen as a beauty standard. It is not a desirable trait in general when people define beauty. For some people it is noted as a stand out feature when they are called "oye kaale", or "kallu mama" or something like that and stand out in a not very good way. Like calling some "hey fatso", "hey beached whale" etc. Racism in Pakistan at least is not in the typical western sense, that just because someone is black they are inferior or anything, but it is more like that blackness is something that is undesirable physical feature in general. Dire stuff, but not in the typical racist mould, if that makes sense.

 

[sledger]

It appears to be a term which is applied to someone on the basis of race. Ergo it is racist. End of.

 

[trundler]

It is racist, yeah but the severity of the offense is debatable.

 

[StephenZA]

It is racist, yeah but the severity of the offense is debatable.

So is it 10% racist.... just the verbal centre of his brain ? Or like 90% of his brain....

 

[smash84]

It is racist, yeah but the severity of the offense is debatable.

You're taking sledger's bait.

 

[StephenZA]

I think the biggest thing that tells me it was racist is the immediate reaction by people that understood what he said, was that it was not good... even if how 'not good' is being debated now.

 

[Arachnodouche]

What's all this about a prayer? Didn't he say "teri ammi aaj yahan baithi hui hai. Kahan gaand marwa ke aaya hai tu?" No real equivalent in English either.

Anyway, let the two POCs () hammer it out among themselves, right?

 

[weldone]

It appears to be a term which is applied to someone on the basis of race. Ergo it is racist. End of.

I think the biggest thing that tells me it was racist is the immediate reaction by people that understood what he said, was that it was not good... even if how 'not good' is being debated now.

Sure it is.

 

[weldone]

Lol Sarfraz' twitter apology seems weird tstl.

 

[Rasimione]

Is Sarfraz the only guy capable of captaincy? Surely can't have an idiot who says such stuff as a leader.