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Old Thu Sep 15, 2005, 03:34am
RookieDude RookieDude is offline
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Join Date: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,856
Quote:
Originally posted by JRutledge
Are you going to get upset if a white player called person of color "boy?"
Sure...just as I would if a white player called a "person of color" the "N" word.
Just as I would if a "person of color" called a white player "Cracker, Honky, wigga, etc,.
Why? Because that, IMO, is taunting!

Is it taunting for a black player to call another black player the "N" word?
Is it taunting for a white player to call another white player "Cracker"?
IMO...Not necessarily.

While the word alone may be offensive to you as an official...I don't believe it is racial if directed toward the same race.
Therefore, I treat the offensive word just as I would any other offensive word...was it directed toward the opponent in a way that is taunting...or was it just a way one brother talks to another on the basketball court.
Again, if you as an official do not want that type of communication between players...then let them know. Talk to them...or T em up! You make the choice.
We can sit here at our computers and philosophize, but IMO I don't think we can give a blanket answer to everyone in every gym across the nation.

Remember the original thread...it stated that everyone in the gym was of the same color. So I took it as two players of the same color using slang towards one another that again, IMO, may not be offensive to each other.

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Dan Ivey
Tri-City Sports Officials Asso. (TCSOA)
Member since 1989
Richland, WA