Race card played

[Corndog89]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

People have the right to make judgments about race or anything else for that matter that they can come up with. Some of those accusations will be to your face; many will be behind your back. Coaches and players accuse officials all the time of being bias because of where they think we live or who we have some kind of relationship with. If it bothers you so much that "race" was the reason bias was claimed, then maybe officiating is not for you. That is a very common accusation where I live whether you are Black or whether you are white.

The point of all of this, there are worst things that could have happened. I seriously doubt this official is going to lose anything because of this accusation.

Peace

Rut...did you actually read my post? I never said I was "bothered" by being called a racist or that I'm too sensitive or too thin-skinned to officiate...couldn't be farther from the truth. I wasn't even addressing the significance of accusations being thrown around on the court.

Instead, if you'll re-read my post you'll see that all I was addressing was your assertion that "Race is never a card; it is a reality of life". I used an experience I had on the floor to demonstrate that it can be and is used in an attempt to influence...it didn't work for the player in question because I'm not intimidated by ignorance and I refused to empower his accusation by overreacting to it and allowing it to become an issue.

All I'm saying is that people use hot-button topics or issues to push agendas and/or try to gain advantages. Race is certainly used in that manner; however, that doesn't detract from or dilute the reality of racism in our society which you have so eloquently described on many occasions in the past. But to say people don't abuse such topics for perceived advantage, influence, or even intimidation, then you're burying your head in the sand to that reality. I suspect you'll disagree with me, but disagreement is okay.

I love officiating...a few bonehead yahoos who try to manipulate me on the floor aren't going to change that.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Corndog89

Rut...did you actually read my post? I never said I was "bothered" by being called a racist or that I'm too sensitive or too thin-skinned to officiate...couldn't be farther from the truth. I wasn't even addressing the significance of accusations being thrown around on the court.

Instead, if you'll re-read my post you'll see that all I was addressing was your assertion that "Race is never a card; it is a reality of life". I used an experience I had on the floor to demonstrate that it can be and is used in an attempt to influence...it didn't work for the player in question because I'm not intimidated by ignorance and I refused to empower his accusation by overreacting to it and allowing it to become an issue.

If you noticed I responded to only one of your statements. I did not respond to everything you said. So you can stop trying to convince me of your feelings.

Originally Posted by Corndog89

All I'm saying is that people use hot-button topics or issues to push agendas and/or try to gain advantages. Race is certainly used in that manner; however, that doesn't detract from or dilute the reality of racism in our society which you have so eloquently described on many occasions in the past. But to say people don't abuse such topics for perceived advantage, influence, or even intimidation, then you're burying your head in the sand to that reality. I suspect you'll disagree with me, but disagreement is okay.

I love officiating...a few bonehead yahoos who try to manipulate me on the floor aren't going to change that.

You are actually surprised that someone might use an issue to their advantage? Is this not the American way?

Even if someone accuses someone of racism, not sure how they get an advantage by doing so? What did this coach get out of this accusation? If anything he lost credibility. If there was any racism involved, it was personal at best. Some of us are much more concerned with institutions and structures than what one guy might think. So I really do not get why someone would be so put off if someone accuses you of something like this and you know in your heart you have done nothing wrong.

Peace

[Corndog89]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

You are actually surprised that someone might use an issue to their advantage? Is this not the American way?

I didn't express surprise; on the contrary my observation is that it happens all the time on levels small, large and everywhere in between.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Even if someone accuses someone of racism, not sure how they get an advantage by doing so? What did this coach get out of this accusation? If anything he lost credibility. If there was any racism involved, it was personal at best. Some of us are much more concerned with institutions and structures than what one guy might think. So I really do not get why someone would be so put off if someone accuses you of something like this and you know in your heart you have done nothing wrong.

Peace

Advantage is gained when the accusation causes change-of-behavior and that change-of-behavior favors the accuser. Again, happens all the time, but only when the accused allows it to happen.

I agree institutions and structures are more important than ignorant or manipulative actions. I don't think I've empowered the individual accuser in anything I've said.

I'm not offended when accused of something I'm not guilty of...but I still have to address it to keep it from becoming something it is not.

And I'm not addressing racism and only racism, but the actions of anyone who uses any hot-topic issue...race, gender, religion, politics, sexual preference, etc, etc, etc...in an attempt to gain influence or advantage of any type. Not that complicated...

Enjoying the discussion...

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Corndog89

And I'm not addressing racism and only racism, but the actions of anyone who uses any hot-topic issue...race, gender, religion, politics, sexual preference, etc, etc, etc...in an attempt to gain influence or advantage of any type. Not that complicated...

Good point and I agree. Except for "politics" maybe. That might be a little bit of a stretch; I've never been called a "f***ing Republican" out on the court before.

As an official, I think that you kinda expect the normal attempts by coaches or players to gain an advantage by whining at or trying to work you. That type of behavior almost comes with the territory, like it or not. You can either deal with it or not also, but at least you usually try to control it somewhat through warnings, "T"s etc. When it gets into the topics that you mentioned above though, then the person doing the yapping is making their attempt to influence the official way too personal; it's turned from a means of trying to influence a call into an outright attack. It's kinda like the old rule of thumb- "let 'em attack the uniform but not the man inside the uniform". Iow, it's almost like the difference between a "misdemeanor" and a "felony; different degrees of seriousness carrying different penalties.

One type of behavior is usually just a normal part of the game, even though most of us might wish that it wasn't. The other type of behavior has no place in the game imo.