Press Release on Gary Dolphin Suspension

[skinnykilmer17]

That is racist because of the kkk costume. That is what people's problem is. They group things together and label it all racist, regardless of intent. I probably should have expanded on my post. Ive seen quite a few blackface things on social media recently. Some stories were kinda bad. One guy got fired from work by showing up as some racist character from the past that I had never heard of. I agreed that the guy was stupid and deserved what he got. But there was another story of a mom dressing her little girl in blackface because the girl wanted to go as her favorite character who happened to be black. That was extremely innocent but people were outraged because they are too lazy to separate each individual case and make a decision. Instead they label it all in one group and blindly call it racist. That was the story I was referring to in my post but I should have elaborated more. My bad.

Look, white people don't get to decide if blackface is complimentary or not. Blackface originated in the mid-19th century. It was used to ridicule and demean an entire race of people. Blackface was and is a caricature of the worst kind. Why is this so difficult to understand? It has historical racist baggage and that doesn't go away on a white person's say so.

 

[PCHawk]

Look, white people don't get to decide if blackface is complimentary or not. Blackface originated in the mid-19th century. It was used to ridicule and demean an entire race of people. Blackface was and is a caricature of the worst kind. Why is this so difficult to understand? It has historical racist baggage and that doesn't go away on a white person's say so.

The ridiculing and demeaning of an entire race was the racist part.

 

[Win5002]

Can the discussion take place without the people talking about the topic being couched lbeing liberal or conservative?

And I’m not picking on you? I’m talking to everybody one here.

It naturally takes the path when the University of Iowa tries to carry out a vendetta against Dolph due to the basketball coaches distaste from him.

What Dolph said was a flat out compliment. He was talking about the players physical dominance and play under the basket, ANY post player white or black should receive it as a compliment. Someone posted a comment by Dan Patrick on national radio commenting on an altercation between Stephen Curry and Roy Hibbart and where he described Hibbart as King Kong and I don't remember a peep about it.

The university FALSELY claiming racial insensitivity which leads to claims of racism to cover their real agenda is the equivalent of a woman falsely claiming sexual harassment because it demeans the issue when true injustices have been committed.

 

[pekurhawk]

I'm pretty much sick of all this bullshit, Fran can be a complete idiot, drop a thousand F bombs, act like a fool, and Dolph gets the boot for?

 

[tksirius]

 

[pekurhawk]

If you're old like me you probably remember Howard Cosell describe a running back as "bouncing around like a monkey" on a kick off return. He meant no offense but it forced him out of Monday night football. Howard was instrumental in helping Ali's career and all that was washed out the window when he was canned. Dolph should have known better, but this is PC vigilantism at its worst.

It was Art Monk for the Redskins who was a WR, LEARN THE GAME!

 

[smhawk]

He probaly should have just said beast mode :/, poor dolph but this probably would have became national drama if university didnt do anything. It sucks.

 

[PCHawk]

He probaly should have just said beast mode :/, poor dolph but this probably would have became national drama if university didnt do anything. It sucks.

Lol if you think you can get away with calling a black man a beast.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

Well, there are studies of this sort of thing, various cultural studies courses as well as sociology. It's all out there available to be read too, by all sorts of academics over history.

Speaking frankly, I do think being aware of how words affect others and consciousness about class, race, sex, etc, is generally a good thing. My personal belief is that considering how what we say and do affects others, we can all move towards a place where we all live together in mutual understanding and just enjoy life.

And as far as unintentionally saying something you later find out is problematic/insensitive, you just learn about why it's considered as such, and try to apologize and move on, I don't think it really warrants a person being suspended or losing their job, like this situation.

Where it gets tricky is when it's harder to separate out intent from words/actions. Which is where I think a lot of the controversy from things like blackface comes from. It's not so much that I want to crucify people for doing something they truly thought was harmless, I just want them to learn why it does upset some people and apologize for it.

The conservative ideas of "f***you, got mine" and "I dont care if my words or actions hurt you" just have never really sat true with me.

Wow I never thought this would be the kind of place i'd type out a long form political reply!

<<The conservative ideas of...>>

What constitutes those ideas as "conservative"?

And how are you with liberal ideas of hypocrisy and double standards? What we have seen in Virginia are infinitely worse/more offensive than Dolph's "sin". And I have NO idea how someone can think a politician--of ANY party--can do a blackface routine and stay in office. Anyone post-1950 doing that can not EVEN claim they didn't know it was offensive, just as nobody can say they didn't know inhaling smoke from a cigarette was bad for them.

Could you imagine if they were to go after a Supreme Court-designate with manufactured--even refuted--evidence from high school days? Oh, wait...

 

[hawkeyebob62]

He probaly should have just said beast mode :/, poor dolph but this probably would have became national drama if university didnt do anything. It sucks.

<<this probably would have become national drama if university didnt do anything>>

Uh...if the U of I "didn't do anything", nobody would even know it happened, nor would anyone have taken any offense. The U of Maryland saying they/team/players have "no comment" just confirms my suspicions that Fran and U of I are behind the whole thing.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

I hope you aren't serious. The only thing that makes it racist is white people who are finding something racist about it. Announcers say "he's a monster on the boards" all the time; that's exactly what he meant and anyone with half a brain knows that. To find anything racist about that comment is just looking for trouble where there is none. People really need to get a life. Why don't we ask the player himself whether he thought the comment was racist or a complement? I bet I know the answer.

Last I saw, the whole U of Maryland is saying "No comment". (I.e., U of I probably requested that so as not to f-up and accidentally find out Dolph was actually complimenting the player for being the difference at the end of the game).

 

[hawkeyebob62]

You're probably right. It was a little untactful of me to bring the word conservative into it.

It wasn't "untactful", it was "offensive" and/or "insensitive".

 

[hawkeyebob62]

Its a controversial subject, but the consensus among academics who study such things as racism have found that racism isn't so much direct actions of intolerance but more referring to specific power structures in place that systematically hold back minorities.

So while a white person can participate in the racism or not, it's hard for a minority to actually be racist to a white person because whites are the color that is in power (look at almost all leadership roles today, although some companies are selecting token minorities/women).

I don't think you are intentionally racist or even unintentionally racist (i havent seen anything from you that would indicate that), but I do think that if someone is accusing you of racism you should check within yourself and see if maybe it is overly insensitive.

And as far as white privilege goes, remember that privilege doesnt necessarily mean you had an easy life, doesnt have to mean that at all. It just means you had less systemic barriers to entry/mobility than a comparable person who was a minority.

"Academics" will get you zero, from me, in terms of "credibility" or moral/ethical high ground. "Consensus" is also a dirty word to me. I think if we've learned anything about "academics" in recent years, it's that 1) They get $$ to do "studies" and 2) They get more $$ if they come to a "conclusion" which satisfies those paying the $ for the studies so they can do further studies. "Consensus" gets thrown around a lot by people who want to push an agenda, not learn or reveal "fact".

 

[hawkeyebob62]

So do you believe the picture that surfaced of the current Virginia governor, who was in extremely exaggerated blackface, standing next to the person in costume of a hooded KKK member, being complimentary or something with his depiction of a black man? I don't get how that is UN-racist?? Please explain.

Is that person still in office? (Yes) Is that person a "D"? (yes)

Where I come from, they call that a double standard...

 

[hawkeyebob62]

Not a person on here that isn't sensitive about something. Not a one of you. Why not error on the side of something that is so deeply injurious to many in an ethnic group. My daughter has serious scarring on her face from a tumor. Also has a serious potentially life threatening health condition. She doesn't here many comments from peers except for some really mean ones. She gets comments from little kids in innocence and from adults asking her if she was in a car wreck or in a fire. I see the shame that it brings on her. Most adults have no clue, even if she mentions it or I mention it. It's obvious to me, but many just don't get it.

Some of you just don't get it for blacks.

Still say that there is no way that Dolph didn't know that would be a problem. It might have been an accident, but no way he didn't. It is possible that the U gave some training on this. If they did, no excuse. If if they didn't he should have known better. If they didn't he's not the only one to blame.

<<Some of you just don't get it for blacks>>

Yes, including the author of the post....

 

[BigD]

If Dicky V. says this it's a non issue. Stupid, wish I had time to print up #FREEDOLPH shirts for the game.

This is actually a great Idea. Let’s see how many of the Cheeto eating, keyboard typing, and lazy forum fans buy into it. We could have the shirts produced and given out free with ticket sales or at the door and worn at next home game after the shirts are produced.

Jon, make it happen. Put me down for five shirts. We can set up one of those internet tye accounts that are legit that we can donate to. Jon can come on and verify the account and give the details.

What you say Jon? Are your prepared to do something about it or are you one of these keyboard bravado’s that just like to sit on their fat azz and run their mouth’s (technically fingers)? I don’t believe you are Jon just trying to light a fire under you enough to motivate you to do it. Maybe there won’t be enough interest but I have a strong hunch there would be.

Rob also can do it but Jon is more outwardly spoken on it so it would make more sense for him to take charge of it. Plus Rob has a job and paycheck to be concerned about.

I’m not trying to be derogatory towards anyone on here with the Cheeto comment but let’s face it; talk is cheap. Lets see you all put your money where your mouth is for a change.

Would love to invite the player the comment was made about don on a shirt to show he even thinks the out cry is out of line. That would be a great picture!!!

It’s time for ALL GOOD AND DECENT PEOPLE of all races to stand up and defend this kind of over exaggeration against a good and decent man. Eff the haters if they don’t like it!!!

On a more personal matter. I am a white straight male. Walter Payton was my idle as a young teenager. I was deeply saddened on the day of the news of his passing. I have a special needs son whom we hired two black teenagers to come into our home and help us take care of him while my wife and I both had to work to make ends meet. We love those boys like they were are own son’s and treated them like they were our own. I despise racism of any kind towards any person for any reason. It cannot be denied that discrimination exist and I find it deplorable. In all honesty in my heart of hearts I don’t sense any intent by Dolph in his comment. All that needed to be said here was a public apology by Dolph stating he meant nothing derogatory by the statement but he apologizes if it offended anyone. Yes he did that and that should be the end of the story, but the real racist are out there and they are constantly stirring the pot. These are the people that need to be called out.

 

[PCHawk]

This is actually a great Idea. Let’s see how many of the Cheeto eating, keyboard typing, and lazy forum fans buy into it. We could have the shirts produced and given out free with ticket sales or at the door and worn at next home game after the shirts are produced.

Jon, make it happen. Put me down for five shirts. We can set up one of those internet tye accounts that are legit that we can donate to. Jon can come on and verify the account and give the details.

What you say Jon? Are your prepared to do something about it or are you one of these keyboard bravado’s that just like to sit on their fat azz and run their mouth’s (technically fingers)? I don’t believe you are Jon just trying to light a fire under you enough to motivate you to do it. Maybe there won’t be enough interest but I have a strong hunch there would be.

Rob also can do it but Jon is more outwardly spoken on it so it would make more sense for him to take charge of it. Plus Rob has a job and paycheck to be concerned about.

I’m not trying to be derogatory towards anyone on here with the Cheeto comment but let’s face it; talk is cheap. Lets see you all put your money where your mouth is for a change.

Would love to invite the player the comment was made about don on a shirt to show he even thinks the out cry is out of line. That would be a great picture!!!

It’s time for ALL GOOD AND DECENT PEOPLE of all races to stand up and defend this kind of over exaggeration against a good and decent man. Eff the haters if they don’t like it!!!

On a more personal matter. I am a white straight male. Walter Payton was my idle as a young teenager. I was deeply saddened on the day of the news of his passing. I have a special needs son whom we hired two black teenagers to come into our home and help us take care of him while my wife and I both had to work to make ends meet. We love those boys like they were are own son’s and treated them like they were our own. I despise racism of any kind towards any person for any reason. It cannot be denied that discrimination exist and I find it deplorable. In all honesty in my heart of hearts I don’t sense any intent by Dolph in his comment. All that needed to be said here was a public apology by Dolph stating he meant nothing derogatory by the statement but he apologizes if it offended anyone. Yes he did that and that should be the end of the story, but the real racist are out there and they are constantly stirring the pot. These are the people that need to be called out.

You may not be racist, but you have unconscious bias. Why else did you use cheetos? They have a cheetah on the package and cheetahs live in the jungle. It's been said that black people are from the jungle. You need to think before you talk. You're fired.

 

[skinnykilmer17]

Is that person still in office? (Yes) Is that person a "D"? (yes)

Where I come from, they call that a double standard...

I agree with you on this one. He should be gone.

 

[DDThompson]

<<this probably would have become national drama if university didnt do anything>>

Uh...if the U of I "didn't do anything", nobody would even know it happened, nor would anyone have taken any offense. The U of Maryland saying they/team/players have "no comment" just confirms my suspicions that Fran and U of I are behind the whole thing.

Exactly

 

[ssckelley]

The fact that Maryland has "no comment" is very telling. Maryland isn't going to say anything that will go against what Iowa is doing, otherwise they would have came right out and supported their actions.

Iowa is looking like a bunch of dumbasses and nobody addressing this from the AD is making it worse.