[Berkut]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Let me make something very clear. I love these discussions. These discussions are conversations I have often and like having. I am not afraid of saying what I feel on them. I do not need to avoid any question. The reality is that people live in a different life perspective and these things shock them because they never have to face these situations head on.

I do not know how it is racism to have people that look like the people participating.

It is racism to suggest that the "race" of the officials ought to be a factor in deciding how they should be assigned to games.

Racism is a belief in superiority, not a practice to hire people that look like everyone that is involved.

Not necessarily - it is racism to base a hiring decision on the race of the person involved, whether you think theya re superior or not.

And if the players of one team are all Black, I do not see why it has to be racism to suggest one of the officials can look like them.

It is racism to demand that one/two/or three of the officials MUST look like them.

You are telling me there was not one guy available to make that happen?

I am telling you it doesn't matter if there was someone available or not - it is racism to demand that the make up of a officiating crew be decided based on the race of the officials involved.
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And was it racism to exclude all Black officials from a game where one team in a game is Black?
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This is a strawman - nobody had advocated excluding black officials from anything, least of all me.

Or are you saying that without a shadow of a doubt those were the best of the best and no one but those 3 could have worked the game?

I am saying the decision should be made in a color blind manner, and their "race" is not a variable that should enter into it in any fashion.

It baffles me when people do not actually read what people say. Did I not include places you work, where you live, experience, conference staffs you are a member or any number of factors?

It baffles me when people do not read what people say. I did not ask about those other factors, I asked about one specific factor.

Is it acceptable to you for assignors to exclude black officials from a game for ANY reason?

At this point, it is clear you will not answer this question - which pretty much answers the question, I think.

Why do people say over and over here that officials should not work in towns or schools they are associated with, but you cannot even mention that if one of the officials looked like one of the teams, the complaining would go away?

Sometimes complaining is is not worth making "go away". In fact, sometimes making intolerant people complain is a good thing.

Example: Do you feel Rosa Parks should have just quit being so much trouble, since if she had just gone along, then there would be no complaining?

I know of an official that worked a Christmas Tournament game where he shared the same last name as one of the top players. People complained because of this fact and those did not realize that the two had no tie to each other.

A fine example of where complaining should be ignored. Do you advocate that the officials should not have had the game because his last name was the same, so as to avoid complaining?

If people make that assumption based on nothing more than a last name, what do you think people start to accuse people of when the team that gets a close call or two is called by a crew that looks nothing like them?

I think people complain about games that go against them regardless. if they want to couch their complaints in terms that make their own intolerance clear, then I do not think we do anyone any favors by responding to them, much less accommodating them.

If you had read everything I said you would have known the answer. Also if you do not mind that someone accuses you of what is perceived as racism or racial bias, then keep doing what you are doing. Then there should be no reason to be upset by what people accuse you of. You are doing what works.
Peace

I disagree - I think it is perfectly reasonable to find unfounded accusations of racism contemptible and worthy of scorn. I do not think we should ignore it, or conclude that we are "doing what works". However, OTHER people being contemptible is not good reason to change something.

What a curious twist this debate has taken. I never thought I would be arguing with someone about race where their position is that we should and ought to make race based decisions so as to avoid upsetting people.