I do. I am just not coming from your point of view. I think BadNewsRef said it best. This is a situation that I know intimately and I am not shocked that someone talks about this like many here.

I play the cards that are dealt. I don't need to answer your question. Just like you don't need to address my entire post when you respond.

Like I've already said, I can easily have these conversations. But some people can't because they want to control the direction the conversation goes.

I don't find it acceptable that openly gay men and women can be booted out of the military. What do I get for that, a cookie or something?

I do not think that Illinois is 75% white. For one the largest city in the state is the third largest city in the country and does not have that racial background. And if the entire city of Chicago decided to vote a certain way in an election, Downstate Illinois would be out voted. It might be closer to 50%, but I do not have all the data. But I grew up in rural Illinois and the town I currently live in has more people in that little suburb than where I grew up. Almost every big city in Illinois does not have an overwhelming white population in places like Aurora, Springfield, Peoria and even Rockford.

I do not even know what you are talking about when you say consistency, because most of the officials assigned to tournament assignments do not reflect many of the teams, and I have not been complaining or suggesting that there should be such a representation.

Maybe this is making you upset because someone is telling you that what you think is not the only voice on this topic.

Peace

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.

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.

It is racism to demand that one/two/or three of the officials MUST look like them.
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.
[/quote]
And was it racism to exclude all Black officials from a game where one team in a game is Black?
[/quote]

This is a strawman - nobody had advocated excluding black officials from anything, least of all me.

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 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.

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?

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?
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.
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.

Exactly!!!

RichMSN asked a specific question. I answered, as did JRut, that it already happens. Neither one of us complained that it happens.

That pretty much says it all. ;)

Peace

Of course you do not need to answer my questions. It would be polite todoso however.

These people being those that ask you hard questions?

I supect you cannot "easily have this conversation" - since a conversation implies give and take, questions and answers.

What do you want for it?

I don't find it acceptable either. I don't find bigotry and intolerance acceptable in any form.

Sadly, it just repeats the original evasion of the question.

The question was not "Do you think this happens" the question was "Do you find at acceptable for it to happen".

I am still curious about your stance on the "racial" make up of the athletes themselves in relation to the racial makeup of the populations they come from.

2006 numbers from Illinois Mapstats: White 79.3%
Black 15.0%

Why are you so offended that there is a suggestion that there be a more diverse officiating staff or crew, but you are not equally offended when there is a complete exclusion of a group of people that clearly are participating in the event?

I cannot speak for where you live, but most schools I come in contact with; the kids that attend those schools come from those school districts. Even the private schools have kids that are relatively from the community in which the schools are located. I do not think you can have schools and exclude people that are from the community if the entire school reflects the community. I guess you could, but it would be very hard. Then again I am not sure what that has to do with who works games?

Peace

LOL!!!

Peace

Yet another strawman.

I am not offended by the suggestion that there may be a more diverse officiating crew. That is a a bald faced lie.

Nor have I said I would NOT be offended if in fact there was a complete exclusion of a group from participating - in fact I would find that *highly* offensive, and explicitly said do.

And again, you are avoiding the issue, now in favor of rather offensive personal claims about my position.

Again, that is not what I asked, and I certainly did not suggest that anyone be excluded - that is your claim, not mine.

So we are left with your claim that officials should somehow represent, on a ratio basis, the make-up of the players - but the players, however, should NOT represent on any kind of similar ratio, the populations that they are drawn from.

Gosh, seems kind of inconsistent.

Maybe we should just quit trying to make intolerant people happy, and select the best players and best officials, and ignore what color their skin might be. If that causes some idiots on either side to be unhappy, we should just congratulate ourselves. Bigots should be unhappy. It means you are doing something right.

Just a thought.

I want the same thing I would get if I answer your oft repeated question.

I answer questions that further conversations. Assume answer "yes, it's acceptable". What's your next question?

Now assume I answer, "no, it's not acceptable". What's your next question?

This thread has by far run its course...