High School's Chant "USA USA USA" deemed racist!

[Deleted]

Jingoistic sometimes, but certainly not racist. And certainly not a problem in the sporting arena.

Edit : Seems I misunderstood, I assumed they were playing against a foreign team, like say Mexico.
Then yeah, twas probably racist.
On the other hand, I've seen Americans chant "USA, USA" seemingly at random, so it could be a cultural thing I don't get.

[Garnier Fructis]

Racism also includes ethnicism and similar.
It's still ridiculous...

American is not an ethnicity.

[ptwonline]

If I'm correct in assuming (since the link won't open for me) that the winning team was primarily white, and that other team was also from an American school, then I think it's pretty clear that the motivation behind the "USA!" chant is racist. Basically, they are making a statement that they (the chanters) are American and that the minorities are not (or else that they are more American than the minorities).

Let me put it this way: if they were playing against a team of primarily white players from another American school, do you think they would be chanting "USA!" after a win? I doubt it very much. So what could the motivation be other than race?

[Biged781]

I didn't realize that your country and your race were interchangeable... idiots.

[Judge Malthred]

If the chant of "USA" was deemed racist in this situation, I would guess that the players chanting it were doing so to infer that the minority players were not actually citizens of the US. How this would be specifically racist and not more of a nationalism topic- I don't know.

People need to stop being frothingly PC at the cost of logic and reason.

[Deleted]

If they were playing another USA-based team (and one featuring a significant number of players of minorities) then the implication by the chanters is that the opponents weren't American because they had a different race. This is racially charged behaviour, yes.

[Sooba]

Awkward. Chanting that was probably not in the best taste, due to what it implied about the opposing team. HOWEVER, the response to it was even worse! All that response does is PROVE the chanters correct! By being offended, the opposing team simply showed that they do not believe themselves to be Americans or are not proud of their country. The correct reply in this situation was to transcend the potentially implied slur and start chanting USA WITH the other team, thereby showing that they too are the face of the United States in all its variety.

[Deleted]

that is so stupid.

[Dendrek]

If I'm correct in assuming (since the link won't open for me) that the winning team was primarily white, and that other team was also from an American school, then I think it's pretty clear that the motivation behind the "USA!" chant is racist. Basically, they are making a statement that they (the chanters) are American and that the minorities are not (or else that they are more American than the minorities).

Let me put it this way: if they were playing against a team of primarily white players from another American school, do you think they would be chanting "USA!" after a win? I doubt it very much. So what could the motivation be other than race?

Precisely what I'm thinking. The words themselves aren't racist, obviously. But the intent was. Those of you who don't see it that way need to realize that context matters. It absolutely was racist.

[ptwonline]

If the chant of "USA" was deemed racist in this situation, I would guess that the players chanting it were doing so to infer that the minority players were not actually citizens of the US. How this would be specifically racist and not more of a nationalism topic- I don't know.

People need to stop being frothingly PC at the cost of logic and reason.

It's racist because the only reason (as far as I can tell) that the other team was considered non/less American is specifically because of their ethnicity. This wasn't a group of white, Swedish immigrants that made up the oppoising team.

[Dendrek]

Awkward. Chanting that was probably not in the best taste, due to what it implied about the opposing team. HOWEVER, the response to it was even worse! All that response does is PROVE the chanters correct! By being offended, the opposing team simply showed that they do not believe themselves to be Americans or are not proud of their country. The correct reply in this situation was to transcend the potentially implied slur and start chanting USA WITH the other team, thereby showing that they too are the face of the United States in all its variety.

Really? So because they took it to mean what it was meant to mean, they were in the wrong? Really? They were being insulted and you expect them to pretend like it wasn't happening in order to show pride for their country? Really?

[gamma Ray]

You guys don't know what racial tension is like apparently. Trust me, this was a racist incident.

[ptwonline]

Awkward. Chanting that was probably not in the best taste, due to what it implied about the opposing team. HOWEVER, the response to it was even worse! All that response does is PROVE the chanters correct! By being offended, the opposing team simply showed that they do not believe themselves to be Americans or are not proud of their country. The correct reply in this situation was to transcend the potentially implied slur and start chanting USA WITH the other team, thereby showing that they too are the face of the United States in all its variety.

This makes no sense at all. If someone tried to claim that a characteristic of yourself--especially one beyond your control--made you any less a citizen of your nation that you shouldn't be upset? That instead you should get up and agree with them?

[Well]

It's obvious that the players did not mean to be racist against the other team or others, but chanting "USA" after winning a basketball game makes no sense either.

I would REALLY like to know if they indeed got offended though. The others saying that this is racist, that is.

[Catta]

It's racist because the only reason (as far as I can tell) that the other team was considered non/less American is specifically because of their ethnicity. This wasn't a group of white, Swedish immigrants that made up the oppoising team.

well i personally would be content with being racist against swedes...


i kid, i kid

[Bakis]

What tops the stupidity of it all is that it happened in Texas

[Grimfrost]

I think these days calling someone "racist" is the easy way out. I hate it when people call other people racist, it's dumb. Racism isn't that common, hell the biggest racists are the black panther party and noone talks about them!

[mytwogirls]

So a team from the USA beats a team from the USA and its racist?

[Deleted]

American is not an ethnicity.

Racism also includes ethnicism and similar.

You want it clearer?

[Deleted]

I dont normally say stuff like this but.. this time..

You'd have to be a damn pussy to be offended by that.