| Letters from Wiltshire #21 17:57 - Dec 8 with 1537 views | wessex_exile |
So here we are. What should have been a celebration of the faithful returning to the stadium, a fantastic debut by our new junior Junior (just 16 years of age), and indeed a hard-fought victory against tough opposition, has unfortunately been overshadowed by a very small minority who decided to boo our multi-racial team who ALL chose to take a knee against racism. Needless to say, following on from a similarly reaction from the notoriously intolerant Millwall supporters, we’re now on the front page of football websites. Thankfully, this has been in the context of our Chairman’s splendid response, which basically said if you don’t like it, go away because we don’t want you — bravo Robbie Cowling!
https://www.cu-fc.com/news/2020/december/club-statement/
Black Lives Matter
As a result, I make no apologies about this blog, because as far as I’m concerned, I need to say this. No Matches of Yesteryear recollections, no personal memories of games past, just this.
I’m certainly not qualified to present an in-depth analysis of the Black Lives Matter movement, though I seriously doubt Marx would agree that they are a Marxist organisation — I’d actually quite like to know how those that use the expression have actually concluded it is ‘Marxist’, but maybe that’s a question for another day? As I’m white, I’m not going to try and open some label ‘cultural appropriation’, or worse, and a vast array of other pejorative slurs have emerged for anyone who has the temerity to try and do so — libtards, triggered, snowflakes, ‘woke’ etc. We’ve all seen them, how much they’ve proliferated when Obama became the first black President of the US, and exponentially so since Trump’s succession.
The EFL have today reinforced their Not today or any day message, hopefully as a timely reminder that the purpose here is to send out the message that discrimination in any form is unacceptable, not aligning oneself with a quasi-political organisation.
https://www.cu-fc.com/news/2020/december/efl-not-today-or-any-day/
The BLM movement began in 2013 as the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter on social media, following the acquittal of George Zimmerman on the fatal shooting of 17-year old unarmed Trayvon Martin. In 2012 Zimmerman was the neighbourhood watch coordinator for Twin Lakes gated community, where Martin was staying at the time. Zimmerman was taken into custody but released after five hours, claiming the shooting was self-defence (as with most US states, Florida has a Stand Your Ground statute). It would be six more weeks before he was arrested and charged with murder, the trial starting in June 2013, with Zimmerman acquitted the following month.
The decision sparked outrage across the US, and indeed around the globe, and the resultant demonstrations and protests gave rise to the BLM movement, created by three women Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi. Since then, the BLM movement have actively protested against a wide range of incidents involving racially motivated violence against blacks, invariably involving police brutality or deaths in police custody. These protests gained a world-wide reach following the death of George Floyd, when Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for a reported 8 minutes and 46 seconds, whilst Floyd repeatedly gasped that he couldn’t breathe. Chauvin was sacked the next day, and his trial for 2nd degree unintentional murder and 2nd degree manslaughter is pending.
However, in reality the BLM movement, and in particular ‘taking the knee’ is simply a continuance of the civil rights movement of the 50s and 60s, and the struggle by African Americans and like-minded allies to bring an end to institutional racial discrimination and segregation. Remarkably, when Lincoln brought an end to slavery following the American Civil War. African American men did have the vote, and held public office. It didn’t last and before too long the so-called “Jim Crow” laws systematically stripped blacks of their civil rights, and brought in enforced racial segregation in public facilities, transportation, education etc., against a backdrop of abuse, assault, rape, false imprisonment and of course lynching.
Following a series of nonviolent mass protests throughout the 50s and early 60s, and the assassination of John F Kennedy in November 1963, President Lyndon B Johnson pushed the Civil Rights Act forward, which was eventually enacted in July 1964. Whilst this should have been the catalyst for improved civil rights and equality for African Americans and people of colour, there was still significant discrimination in some states, and in particular systematic denial of voting rights. Following, amongst others, the televised “Bloody Sunday” assaults by Alabama State Troopers on peaceful protestors lead by Martin Luther King marching from Selma to Montgomery to demand their constitutional right to vote, Johnson eventually passed the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
On this bill and trying to carry it forward through Congress, Johnson said in his televised speech:
“Even if we pass this bill, the battle will not be over. What happened in Selma is part of a far larger movement which reaches into every section and state of America. It is the effort of American Negroes to secure for themselves the full blessings of American life. Their cause must be our cause, too, because it is not just Negroes but really it is all of us who must overcome the crippling legacy of bigotry and injustice. And we shall overcome.”
Racial tension still remained, nothing was solved overnight, and in 1968 Martin Luther King was assassinated by James Earl Ray whilst standing on the balcony outside room 306 at Lorraine Motel in Memphis. It was 6:01pm on 4th April 1968, and King was only 39 years old. His death led to a nationwide wave of race riots throughout the US and sent shockwaves around the world. Ray was eventually caught attempting to flee at Heathrow Airport two months later and having pleaded guilty to avoid the possibility of a trial and resultant death sentence if found guilty, was sentenced to a 99-year prison term. He spent his time in prison repeatedly and unsuccessfully trying to withdraw his guilty plea, and died in 1998, aged 70.
Later that year in October, the 19th Olympic Games was hosted by Mexico — the first time the games were held in Latin America. With feelings still running high not just in the US, but worldwide, concerning civil rights and racial equality, the medal ceremony for the 200m final certainly caught the public’s imagination. Winner Tommie Smith and bronze medallist John Carlos, both members of the Olympic Project for Human Rights decided to show solidarity with the Black Freedom Movement in the US, with a gloved raised fist salute during the national anthem, heads bowed and wearing just black socks without shoes. Tommie Smith later emphasised in his autobiography that it was a human rights salute, not a black power gesture.
IOC president Avery Brundage was furious, deeming it a political statement unfit for the Olympic Games (sounds familiar), and demanded that Smith and Carlos were suspended from the US team and expelled from the Olympic village. To their credit, the US Olympic Committee flatly refused, to which Brundage then threatened to expel the entire US track team, and inevitably and eventually Smith and Carlos were thrown out of the Olympic team.
However, the story of Australian silver medallist Peter Norman is an equally tragic tale. In solidarity with Smith and Carlos, Norman also wore an Olympic Project for Human Rights badge for the ceremony, and when Smith and Carlos realised they only had one pair of black gloves between them, it was Norman’s suggestion they wear one each — which certainly added to the visual impact of the gesture. Norman had temporarily set an Olympic record in his heat, with a time of 20.17 seconds, and in coming second in the final with a time of 20.06 seconds, set an all-time personal best and still the record within countries that form the Oceania Athletics Association.
Opinions differ about how Peter Norman was received when he returned home, but many claim it was very much as a pariah. The Australian Olympic Committee deny this and maintain that apart from a rebuke on the day of the ceremony, no further punishment was meted out. Norman was not selected for the 1972 Olympics, despite running several qualifying times between 1969 and 1971 — albeit he only finished 3rd in the 1972 Australian Athletics Championships. Tellingly, when Sydney hosted the 2000 Olympics, he was pointedly excluded from an invitation as a former Olympian by the AOC. When the US Olympic Committee heard about this, he was invited to join their Olympic team as an honorary guest. When San Jose State University erected a statue of the medal ceremony salute, Norman had asked to not be included so that others viewing the podium could use his place to take a stand against racism.
Peter Norman died of a heart attack on 3rd October 2006, aged 64, and on the 9th October the US Track and Field Federation declared the day Peter Norman Day. Both Tommie Smith and John Carlos attended the funeral, gave eulogies, and were pallbearers. In August 2012 the Australian House of Representatives debated a motion to issue a posthumous apology to Norman, which was eventually passed as follows:
15 PETER NORMAN
The order of the day having been read for the resumption of the debate on the motion of Dr Leigh – That this House:
(1) recognises the extraordinary athletic achievements of the late Peter Norman, who won the silver medal in the 200 metres sprint running event at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, in a time of 20.06 seconds, which still stands as the Australian record;
(2) acknowledges the bravery of Peter Norman in donning an Olympic Project for Human Rights badge on the podium, in solidarity with African-American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos, who gave the 'black power' salute;
(3) apologises to Peter Norman for the treatment he received upon his return to Australia, and the failure to fully recognise his inspirational role before his untimely death in 2006; and
(4) belatedly recognises the powerful role that Peter Norman played in furthering racial equality.
Over 50 years later, and it’s faintly depressing that we don’t seem to have moved on much at all…
Up the U’s
|  |
| |  |
| Letters from Wiltshire #21 on 18:34 - Dec 8 with 1533 views | burnsieespana |
Thank you for that Wessex. |  | | |
| Letters from Wiltshire #21 on 18:37 - Dec 8 with 1531 views | gerry_us |
I accept your views Wessex but regret this subject ever found it's way on to this board. Daniel correctly called a halt to what was an extremely unedifying diatribe from others who used our board to forward their own views.
Not needed I would suggest.
Can we just return to supporting the U's who have an unenviable wonderful mix of player "irrespective" of their colour |  | | |
| Letters from Wiltshire #21 on 20:33 - Dec 8 with 1507 views | TheOldOakTree |
Top work Wessex. It provides the perfect balance to the booing. Ignorance is the main cause of most phobias, so if just one young Col U fan reads it and goes through life with an informed opinion it will have been worth the effort.
Hopefully there will be a time soon when it’s not needed. |  | | |
| Letters from Wiltshire #21 on 10:59 - Dec 9 with 1468 views | pwrightsknees |
Hello Wessex. I'll not re-kindle the political arguments, but I want to thank you so very much for your piece on Peter Norman, the Australian athlete. His is a story I have been telling for many years to family and friends, but you've brought it to a much wider audience. Thank you.
A couple of minor points to add, if I may. Peter Norman was a member of the Salvation Army. When Tommie Smith (now Reverend Tommie Smith) and John Carlos told him of their plan, Peter Norman said that he would support them, but couldn't join in the protest, as he wouldn't be disrespectful to another nation's flag or national anthem. That's why the U.S. athletes made him the badge which he wore on the podium.
Thanks again for telling the story.
Up th U's | | | |
| Letters from Wiltshire #21 on 14:01 - Dec 9 with 1449 views | wessex_exile |
| Letters from Wiltshire #21 on 10:59 - Dec 9 by pwrightsknees |
Hello Wessex. I'll not re-kindle the political arguments, but I want to thank you so very much for your piece on Peter Norman, the Australian athlete. His is a story I have been telling for many years to family and friends, but you've brought it to a much wider audience. Thank you.
A couple of minor points to add, if I may. Peter Norman was a member of the Salvation Army. When Tommie Smith (now Reverend Tommie Smith) and John Carlos told him of their plan, Peter Norman said that he would support them, but couldn't join in the protest, as he wouldn't be disrespectful to another nation's flag or national anthem. That's why the U.S. athletes made him the badge which he wore on the podium.
Thanks again for telling the story.
Up th U's |
That's a lovely footnote PWK - many thanks for that! | |
| |
| Letters from Wiltshire #21 on 23:11 - Dec 9 with 1411 views | noah4x4 |
From the heart.....and I love the U’s.,,
I come from (and I mean lived within) an ethnic minority community and often need to show my heritage cards when I (sadly, too often in Colchester) hear sentiment that “Eastern Europeans should go home”. My father arrived on these shores as a persecuted refugee and then fought for the liberty of this country. I am married to a woman of Asian heritage who has personally seen military service for this country. The desecration of Churchill’s statute and the Cenotaph with BLM slogans upset us, but we must not judge any organisation based on the actions of a stupid minority.
My wife and I have both personally suffered from quite spiteful verbal racial abuse and career discrimination in our lifetime. I solved the racism problem at school with my fists after years of being bullied and called “the Polak”. Not my finest hour, as my values have now matured and I deplore violence. My wife, notably when in Preston, was frequently called a “Paki” (she isn’t Pakistani) . We both advanced our careers by extra outperformance to overcome employer prejudice. In 1981, I was verbally abused at my place of work in the “city” and openly referred to as the “Polak Brummie”, but it was then deemed acceptable and “mere banter”. Before our lifetimes, members of our families suffered persecution, indeed ‘ethnic cleansing’ at the hands of the Nazis, Soviet’s and Japanese simply because of who they were. History matters , lest we forget, but we also need to bury the hatred. I understand the tearful results of racist discrimination.
BLM reached these shores focused on the defeat abhorrent institutional racism, notably the shocking police brutality towards the Black community in the USA. Fair enough, that is a very important cause. I have worked in Chicago and New York and have seen some of the issues first hand. But surely, other ethnic minorities are important too? My (not black) wife was horribly verbally racially abused by a local bus driver in Mill Road merely five weeks ago, but without witnesses or evidence, not much can be done. But her distress was awful as it has not happened to her before in ‘safe’ Colchester.
We abhor all racism given these experience, but don’t consider that BLM represents our own diverse mixed ethnicity groups, notably after 14 police officers were injured, and criminal property damage caused during Manchester, London and Bristol protests leading to 240 arrests, with little or no cognisance of prevailing social distancing regulations. Being in a deemed COVID vulnerable group it was the latter lawlessness that upset me most as that was the actions of a majority, not a stupid minority.
I wholly respect the players right to protest in any manner that they think fit, so deplore the booing. But I don’t feel it correct that I should now be asked to applaud an organisation that doesn’t represent me, my values, or the the discrimination battles still faced by many other law abiding mixed ethnicity communities. Racism doesn’t limit itself to one skin colour. Lawlessness, when police are injured and criminal damage caused is not peaceful protest.
Can’t we please now simply embrace Kick it Out (for all) regardless of skin colour, race, creed, gender, sexuality, age, disability (or whatever) rather than having weekly focus on solely one group that is equally deserving of equality? Is that an unreasonable plea? [Post edited 9 Dec 2020 23:42]
|  | | |
| Letters from Wiltshire #21 on 19:44 - Dec 10 with 1347 views | wessex_exile |
| Letters from Wiltshire #21 on 23:11 - Dec 9 by noah4x4 |
From the heart.....and I love the U’s.,,
I come from (and I mean lived within) an ethnic minority community and often need to show my heritage cards when I (sadly, too often in Colchester) hear sentiment that “Eastern Europeans should go home”. My father arrived on these shores as a persecuted refugee and then fought for the liberty of this country. I am married to a woman of Asian heritage who has personally seen military service for this country. The desecration of Churchill’s statute and the Cenotaph with BLM slogans upset us, but we must not judge any organisation based on the actions of a stupid minority.
My wife and I have both personally suffered from quite spiteful verbal racial abuse and career discrimination in our lifetime. I solved the racism problem at school with my fists after years of being bullied and called “the Polak”. Not my finest hour, as my values have now matured and I deplore violence. My wife, notably when in Preston, was frequently called a “Paki” (she isn’t Pakistani) . We both advanced our careers by extra outperformance to overcome employer prejudice. In 1981, I was verbally abused at my place of work in the “city” and openly referred to as the “Polak Brummie”, but it was then deemed acceptable and “mere banter”. Before our lifetimes, members of our families suffered persecution, indeed ‘ethnic cleansing’ at the hands of the Nazis, Soviet’s and Japanese simply because of who they were. History matters , lest we forget, but we also need to bury the hatred. I understand the tearful results of racist discrimination.
BLM reached these shores focused on the defeat abhorrent institutional racism, notably the shocking police brutality towards the Black community in the USA. Fair enough, that is a very important cause. I have worked in Chicago and New York and have seen some of the issues first hand. But surely, other ethnic minorities are important too? My (not black) wife was horribly verbally racially abused by a local bus driver in Mill Road merely five weeks ago, but without witnesses or evidence, not much can be done. But her distress was awful as it has not happened to her before in ‘safe’ Colchester.
We abhor all racism given these experience, but don’t consider that BLM represents our own diverse mixed ethnicity groups, notably after 14 police officers were injured, and criminal property damage caused during Manchester, London and Bristol protests leading to 240 arrests, with little or no cognisance of prevailing social distancing regulations. Being in a deemed COVID vulnerable group it was the latter lawlessness that upset me most as that was the actions of a majority, not a stupid minority.
I wholly respect the players right to protest in any manner that they think fit, so deplore the booing. But I don’t feel it correct that I should now be asked to applaud an organisation that doesn’t represent me, my values, or the the discrimination battles still faced by many other law abiding mixed ethnicity communities. Racism doesn’t limit itself to one skin colour. Lawlessness, when police are injured and criminal damage caused is not peaceful protest.
Can’t we please now simply embrace Kick it Out (for all) regardless of skin colour, race, creed, gender, sexuality, age, disability (or whatever) rather than having weekly focus on solely one group that is equally deserving of equality? Is that an unreasonable plea? [Post edited 9 Dec 2020 23:42]
|
Terrible to read what you and your wife have been subjected to Noah, you have my profound sympathies. Although the 'taking the knee' gesture started under the hashtag Black Lives Matter (and they do), I think it's worth bearing in mind that this has now been adopted (particularly by the EFL) to be a symbolic gesture against all forms of forms of inequality and discrimination facing society, both within the game and our communities. As such, it very much challenges the sort of treatment that you and yours have suffered - at least that's my reading of it. Commentators do rather lazily refer to it as BLM, but the EFL's "Not Today Or Any Day" is a far better way of referring to it, and thus really is just a part of their Kick It Out campaign. | |
| |
| Letters from Wiltshire #21 on 21:47 - Dec 10 with 1335 views | burnsieespana |
One if my friend's is the guy who be introduced George Elokobi to the club.
He has been a referee and a scout and the stories he has told me over the years regarding racial discrimination are staggering.
He is a believer in the position adopted by the EFL as outlined by Wessex above and would certainly take the knee.
I think wessex has been far more eloquent than I could ever hope to be and also this week can be 'put to bed' as racialism however mild in any shape or form cannot be tolerated. | | | |
Login to get fewer ads
| Letters from Wiltshire #21 on 00:09 - Dec 11 with 1325 views | noah4x4 |
Can I echo your comment Wessex;
“....commentators do rather lazily refer to it as BLM, but the EFL's "Not Today Or Any Day" is a far better way of referring to it, and thus really is just a part of their Kick It Out campaign”.
Sky Football still uses BLM captions. Why not instead use Kick it Out?
My BAME wife and I disassociate ourselves with the lawless, violent, criminal damage causing, possibly anti-police (why injure them?), anti-establishment actions of some (but obviously not all) supporters of Black Lives Matter.
But having personally suffered verbal racial abuse and some career discrimination we are 100% supportive of the players laudable intentions with the “knee”. But why are some (notably, only black, but not all black players) then performing the additional Black Panther/Black Power "fist”, which I recall was the direct antithesis of abhorrent White Power supremacists in the 1960’s and a group seeking self determination rather than equality? The "fist" is, admittedly now a recognised symbol of BLM. But the “knee” had emerged independently and could easily be accepted as THE symbol of a new paradigm of racial tolerance. So why employ both symbols? I am confused by this dual symbolism and would welcome an explanation.
What is perhaps now needed (in my humble opinion) is a new gesture not referenced to BLM to declare ‘kick it out’. Linking arms (like Millwall/QPR) would be fine. But once again, I noticed at least one Millwall player added the (Black Power?) “fist” whilst standing, while QPR took the knee. Why did he not simply take the knee? This smacks of less than 100% unity. This has become an utter mess and the PFA, EFL and FA need to resolve it fast.
Let’s Kick Out and cease focus on any single, albeit much suffering group. Racism and discrimination isn't confined to one skin colour. Anti-Semitism is vile, disability discrimination vile, violence is vile, lawlessness is vile. Rant over.
[Post edited 11 Dec 2020 0:33]
| | | |
| Letters from Wiltshire #21 on 07:45 - Dec 11 with 1304 views | Moor_Pinot |
| Letters from Wiltshire #21 on 00:09 - Dec 11 by noah4x4 |
Can I echo your comment Wessex;
“....commentators do rather lazily refer to it as BLM, but the EFL's "Not Today Or Any Day" is a far better way of referring to it, and thus really is just a part of their Kick It Out campaign”.
Sky Football still uses BLM captions. Why not instead use Kick it Out?
My BAME wife and I disassociate ourselves with the lawless, violent, criminal damage causing, possibly anti-police (why injure them?), anti-establishment actions of some (but obviously not all) supporters of Black Lives Matter.
But having personally suffered verbal racial abuse and some career discrimination we are 100% supportive of the players laudable intentions with the “knee”. But why are some (notably, only black, but not all black players) then performing the additional Black Panther/Black Power "fist”, which I recall was the direct antithesis of abhorrent White Power supremacists in the 1960’s and a group seeking self determination rather than equality? The "fist" is, admittedly now a recognised symbol of BLM. But the “knee” had emerged independently and could easily be accepted as THE symbol of a new paradigm of racial tolerance. So why employ both symbols? I am confused by this dual symbolism and would welcome an explanation.
What is perhaps now needed (in my humble opinion) is a new gesture not referenced to BLM to declare ‘kick it out’. Linking arms (like Millwall/QPR) would be fine. But once again, I noticed at least one Millwall player added the (Black Power?) “fist” whilst standing, while QPR took the knee. Why did he not simply take the knee? This smacks of less than 100% unity. This has become an utter mess and the PFA, EFL and FA need to resolve it fast.
Let’s Kick Out and cease focus on any single, albeit much suffering group. Racism and discrimination isn't confined to one skin colour. Anti-Semitism is vile, disability discrimination vile, violence is vile, lawlessness is vile. Rant over.
[Post edited 11 Dec 2020 0:33]
|
It wasn't a rant at all. It was absolutely accurate and a clear observation on the wider issue. It - racism in all its forms - needs to stop. This thread has been educative and that is how people notice aspects of their own behaviour and perhaps start to make changes. I know I've done that in my life when I have reflected on my actions/behaviour or thoughts and consequently changed a paradigm.... And felt better for it.
As you say 'vile' - an apt word for the behaviour of far too many. |  |
| |
| Letters from Wiltshire #21 on 10:23 - Dec 11 with 1293 views | burnsieespana |
Eloquently put guys. | | | |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
