Very inappropriate comments from fans and how to address

[ref2coach]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

What was he called? I do not know too many racial slurs that identify white people that are widely considered offensive.
Peace

OK, Rut a few quotes for you. Blind F**cking Cracker, White Boy, Redneck. The most vocal was a guy setting in the second row at mid-court. Coming up the floor as trail after making a call against the home team I was threatened with "I'll cut you white boy". Next dead ball I tell the black security officer who and what had been said. He said "what do you want me to do?" I tell him I would like you to remove him. He tells me "get over it, I'll walk you out after the game."

Your responses so far have proven my point. You state "I do not know too many racial slurs that identify white people that are widely considered offensive." The common societal assumption is that only a White person can be racist toward a minority. Myopic

I grew up without racism, I do not practice racism but I have experienced racism as player and since moving to TN as a referee.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by ref2coach

OK, Rut a few quotes for you. Blind F**cking Cracker, White Boy, Redneck. The most vocal was a guy setting in the second row at mid-court. Coming up the floor as trail after making a call against the home team I was threatened with "I'll cut you white boy". Next dead ball I tell the black security officer who and what had been said. He said "what do you want me to do?" I tell him I would like you to remove him. He tells me "get over it, I'll walk you out after the game."

And you left it at that?

Originally Posted by ref2coach

Your responses so far have proven my point. You state "I do not know too many racial slurs that identify white people that are widely considered offensive." The common societal assumption is that only a White person can be racist toward a minority. Myopic

I really hate to break it to you, but I really am not concerned with what I am called. I am sure there are comments made that in my direction that are racially motivated, but I tend to not worry about that. And if you want someone to get upset, I have heard things from people of my own race that I would be much more offended by in the things they say to me and the expectations they have of me. I am much more concerned about equal opportunity and giving officials that reflect the game much more than officials that look nothing like certain individuals on the court. For example, there is a big time tournament in my area where the vast majority of players, coaches are not white. But you cannot find a single game in the tournament where more than one African-American is officiating any single game and the people hosting the tournament are not white. That is evidence of true racism to me, not just name calling.

Secondly, if you did not report the actions, that is on you. Because I would not have left the situation alone with what happen at the game site. And I would have been more concerned with the threats. I have worked in places that literally had the Klan meetings in that community before the season or had what they called "Sunset laws" and I went into those communities fully aware of that racial history. I know I was called things based on my race and I functioned. No one directly said anything to me because they were either afraid to do so or they people around them took action.

Originally Posted by ref2coach

I grew up without racism, I do not practice racism but I have experienced racism as player and since moving to TN as a referee.

I grew up with it and all around it. I grew up in towns that never saw Black people unless they came to my little college town. It was not until I moved to a metropolitan area that I was even exposed on a more regular basis. And it has never gone away and never will. It is just hidden and it is subtle and the last thing I worry about is being called a name. It is about how I am treated and things that are implied by my race rather than words alone. I can only think of one situation that was called near my face a racial slur. But I have had many people tell me about comments made to them or things implied by my racial background. And that is much more of a concern than being called "Black boy."

Peace