The following article was reproduced with permission from The Times
By John Barnes
IT’S not about football, it’s about destroying modern myths of colour, race and superiority
In 1987 a black friend of mine went into a shop to buy a coat. He asked the assistant if they had it in black and she said no, they only had it in nigger brown. She was a lovely woman, but what would we say if that happened today?
If I were to ask players of my generation if they had made a racist comment in a football match, anyone honest would almost certainly say yes. No one batted an eyelid 20 years ago. Now when Alan Hansen says “coloured” rather than “black” (because black used to be an insult) or Luis Suárez says “negrito”, everyone jumps up and down to distance themselves from such remarks. They believe racism has been consigned to the past.
When Thierry Henry led the campaign to kick racism out of football it might have changed attitudes towards Henry, but it didn’t change anything for the black guy on the Holloway Road. I am often asked if black players can make good managers. That is an inherently racist question, built on an assumption that a manager’s qualities are based on colour, even though the people asking it don’t mean it to be.
The Football Association ticks all the right boxes with its policies and campaigns, the Government passes legislation, the Prime Minister gets involved because someone didn’t shake someone’s hand, people queue up to say ignorance is no excuse. But they are wrong. Ignorance is the excuse. To stop it, we have to start talking seriously about race.
The idea that race is about colour is relatively modern. When Aristotle spoke about races he was differentiating between uncivilised barbarians and civilised Greeks. But it was introduced by governments, backed by the Church, to validate slavery and colonialism, to justify treating some people as less equal than others. Just as Linnaeus classified plants, so people were classified by the colour of their skin. Academics tried to prove differences in skull formation to give scientific support to the idea that black people were morally and intellectually inferior.
But race is not a scientific reality. You could find a tribe in Africa who are genetically closer to Europeans than to an African tribe a hundred miles away. Some Saudis have whiter skin than Italians.
The notion of “whiteness” is an ideology of superiority. Nothing similar has ever existed in black culture. Hutus and Tutsis in Rwanda do not see themselves as the same. When the Labour MP Diane Abbott talked on Twitter about “divide and rule” her claims depended on a sense of black identity that wasn’t correct.
Empires that conquer new territory find they cannot impose their own ideas for long. The only way to evolve is to assimilate cultures. The Greeks and Romans learnt that and we are learning it now in Britain.
In the 1970s when the Arsenal and England footballer Ian Wright arrived from Jamaica, his family would have retained their Caribbean identity. And Tony Adams, his Arsenal and England team-mate, would have had his English culture. But their children, like other black, white and Asian children, have grown up together and formed a new British culture.
I was on a train listening to four boys who all sounded like Vicky Pollard. One was black and one was white and, in what sounds like a joke, the others were Asian and Chinese. Their shared culture superseded any sense of race.
It would probably be the same for John Terry and Anton Ferdinand. If they were at a nightclub they would be more likely to gravitate to each other because they wear the same jeans and move in the same world than to someone of the same colour who had nothing in common with them.
As long as racism exists in society it will exist in football. Passing laws saying it is illegal might stop fans shouting abuse in public, but it won’t stop racist feelings any more than theft laws stop people stealing. It won’t stop if we ban players who make racist remarks.
As football finds itself at the heart of arguments about handshakes and insults, let’s use it to make real progress. There is a positive change between the generations and we can speed that up by destroying some basic myths about colour, race and superiority.
Let us move on. So what you are White,should n
Ignorance is not the problem either i can assure you. I don’t have a racist bone in my body. Racism is a form of bullying or discrimination that is just one little tiny part of a world of other forms. I have the same negative responses to someone of a different colour, race, appearance or whatever as i do with my own. If you treat someone different because you think they are ugly thats the same as if its because they are black. Words that have become “racist” is a complete joke. The words are not racist and no words should ever be banned for that truly “ignorant” reason. It’s the attitude towards a person that is the problem. A person is a person, its as simple as that. Whether you are clever, or smile a lot, you are short in height, physically handicapped, black skinned, not pretty to look at, it doesnt matter, everybody is a person. Treat a person on the merit of their interaction with you. What the hell is racism, it’s a nothing debate, it makes no sense at all.
The thing that really bothers me about this racism “thing” is that in todays society it is only a tool for those who consider themselves to be racism targets/victims to use that to their gain/advantage against others. The dumb aspect of this is that we are now all going along with it as the norm. There is really no hope for us all if we cant see this farce for the farce it is. Racism, dont make me laugh. The so called racist victims are beginning to tip over into the realms of complete control and before you know it there will be a new wave of racism. White racism born out of the stereotypical joke of the future, perpetrated by “other” races that all white people regulated themselves into slavery. You think thats ludicrous? really? do you? Someone just has to call a black person nigger and thats them branded a racist. Doesnt matter why it was used or in what way it was used or in response to what. Nope you are just a racist and need to be punished. But not the “alleged victim”. Hell, if you called a coloured person a bad racist name while they are attempting to murder you, your racist remark will instantly absolve them of all possible criminal charges against them.
This is a rant i know, but its because i am completely bemused by the depths of stupidity us humans are prepared to stoop to. There are bad people who deserve punishment. some are white, some are black, some are something else. Dont make excuses for someone because of their “minority” skin colour for God sake. Don’t be scared that someone else will think you too are racist because you don’t side with the “other” race person. Side with the “actual” victim, not the skin colour. Mixed race arguments and verbal abuse or worse will always continue to happen, how can it not. It doesnt mean that the white person is a racist because he said something. Maybe you think he is racist because he actually got in a fight with a coloured person in the first place. Maybe he is, but it’s by no means as clear cut as everyone would have you believe.
The way we consider racism now is as unhinged as the people that thought coloured people were their slaves back in those days. Really we have learnt absolutely nothing at all.
The article above is well written piece but as convoluted as everything else of similar content. I don’t write so expertly but i know what is right and what is wrong. I am not about to start making excuses for a person of a different race on account of the fact they are a different race and i am not always going to assume in some knee jerk reaction that a white person is a racist just because of some “new stereotype”. Stereotypes can be hugely humourous, why do they have to be generally racist? They are not! How dumb does it sound to argue against the statement “all red dots are most commonly a shade of red”. Thats an equivalent stereotype to the kind we are saying you cant make about people from a certain area, or of a certain skin colour, etc. Of course you can say it. Don’t say all black people are thieves and gangsters and then don’t employ them because of it. You can have that as a known stereotype and think it then evaluate a potential black skinned employee and not employ him/her based on the interaction they themselves have with you or what you know about that particular person themselve. Discrimination based on anything doesnt make sense to me at all. I find it incredible that someone can think that because i do something specific that may be questionable, that means that you should dislike everyone who may look similar to me or be from where im from.
Ignorance is not the problem, Respect for others and yourself is the problem.
That brings me briefly to the Suarez/Evra thing. All i will say is Evra took maximum piss taking advantage of the madness that is this racism thing regardless of what Suarez actually said to him. He has laughed at everyone since October 15th. They both had a playground dispute and if anything Evra’s comments about Suarez sister is far more offensive than the alleged racist remarks. Having the pure gall to have a fellow professional banned for the incredulous 8 matches is if anything a reason for why people act like they do to a person of a different race. The “victims” are so good at playing the victim that it’s actually a weapon. Anyway, yeah the cheat and lowlife did what he did to a fellow professional and then went on to make a huge public display of the non-handshake that he should have never expected to get in the first place. Why would Suarez shake the hand of the cheat that got away with what he did and made him suffer an unfair punishment (yes he was guilty of something but if one was to be punished then both should have been the same). Suarez should never have been expected to shake his hand. He didnt want to shake it and it makes no difference to the way Suarez feels about Evra, they wont be best friends all of a sudden because of a hand shake. Suarez self respect would be tarnished by appearing to agree that it was him in the wrong and was punished as he accepted he should have been. Wrong wrong wrong. I am not biased. If it was the other way round i would not expect Evra to shake his hand either for exactly the same reason. Mass media and a blatant misuse of racism has caused a shed load of trouble and wasted all of our time for far too long. Can i just add, I’m Scottish, Fergie is Scottish and he is a complete senile old prick for helping this whole event to start up in the first place. The man lauded by many as a genius but in actual face someone not to be trusted and willing to cheat to win at every opportunity.
Doug Macleod: While I love your idea below of the WARNING label on articles, its best to have a thought through idea at the base of your rant rather than what comes across as hysterical fear and self-interest.
You may believe that personally you have much to gain by people believing that racism is a figment of peoples imagination, but in the end the truth makes everybody stronger including yourself.
With respect to ‘words’ this is trickier but I will have a go.
Words or sounds are often not ‘intrinsically’ wrong – but they become polluted: they carry and reinforce IDEAS that act like chains keeping minorities on that dungeon floor – especially when it has polluted society at large. While it is often obvious whether a word is being used as part of a degenerate social exercise, crucially a WORD and an IDEA are connected but are not the same.
It is therefore something of a slippery target. If we could have a big light-bulb floating over somebodies head with an ‘I am a racist and me and my mates like keeping other people down’ sign, or private videos like the group who murdered Stephen Lawrence, then life would be a lot easier. Unfortunately in the absence of more obvious actions, its often the case that we only see a pernicious idea ruining/corrupting society and committing immoral/illegal acts through the medium of words.
It therefore means mistakes may be made. However this is a long way from:
” in todays society it [anti-racism] is only a tool for those who consider themselves to be racism targets/victims to use that to their gain/advantage against others.”
Sadly the day when racists only exists in peoples imagination is some way off yet. I suggest you say a prayer for the family of Stephen Lawrence and have a good hard think.
I understood Doug somewhat differently, rant elements apart, I would say that he was trying to expand the discussion of racism into that of any sort of discrimination. He’s not saying that there are no people with prejudice. On the contrary, we all have a certain amount of prejudice towards certain others and we should strive to decrease that and see people as individuals with their own worth, or lack thereof, and not as simply representative of something or other. Be that skin colour, religion, income etc.
I would tend to agree that race is a somewhat arbitrary delimiter that nevertheless permeates society, every time you fill out a form anywhere you’re asked to define yourself with set parameters that are easily digestible for whatever body is asking for them.
I think the idea of there being distinct races, instead of phenotypes within the same species, is a vestige of 19th century science and the drive to classify the world around us. However, the fact that race is largely a fiction, does not imply that there are no people who believe in race, and thereby racial superiority.
As you say, it’s complex. The problem is how to tackle discrimination in all its forms as a society. You rightly point out that words can be imbued with power, both positive and negative. I’m not entirely sure that by setting out to tackle specifically racism, instead of the larger problems of coexistence, we’re not in fact in some way reinforcing the notion of race as a hard delimiter between people.
I do agree with Barnes that ignorance is certainly part of the problem. The more people move and interact, the more opportunities they have to realise that perhaps they are not so different after all. Sadly, it’s at times to the short-term electoral advantage of national governments to play on fear instead of trying to create conditions wherein different people can coexist in peace.
This is the best comment on the race issue I’ve read.
As long as black people consider themselves different they will be treated differently. As long as institutions keep trying to categorise people in their attempts to combat racism they will continue to alienate people. As long as white people claim that ignorance is not an issue and are unaware of the effects their history, science and language have impacted on black people they will have no empathy.
Excellent comment totally agree with you here and Evra/Ferguson played this racism card to the max out of fear of liverpool having a player/team that they are scared of and one final question how can a man who sings on you tube about mother f@?@ing niggers be upset when someone then calls him negrito that’s a case of playing the race card when it suits your agenda
Here here, a very well put piece of writing.
that post before was kind of an angry knee jerk reaction albeit generally my feelings on the subject. Post it, dont post it, i dont really care. I have thought a little about the original article and what i put. The ignorance you speak of previously would have been condemned as a result of bad parenting. Nowadays the bad examples and conditioning of people comes from the ignorant media and journalism. Do journalists have to pass a human values fitness test as well as proving an ability to put together articles? i dont think so. It’s quite clear from the Sun/NOTW that those who influence young people greatly are not fit for the job. Some of the articles i have read covering the Suarez/Evra case quite happily install incorrect prejudice in young people. It’s commonly considered when broken down that Suarez is bad and Evra is good. How wrong can they all be. They are all misguided sheep following each others opinions and tarting it up in their own words. Propogating the insanity of racism.
The sad thing is that it is not just this topic that the masses are being led down the garden path with. Any hotshot journalist can spout any old crap and people will read and believe it and take ownership of it as their own truths. Society is being led by the opinions and beliefs of, in some cases, some pretty sick and twisted individuals. Regulation of these people is not an easy task, maybe all newspapers or any journalist utterance should come with something similar to cigarettes health warning. WARNING: This article is the sole opinion of the author. As such you should use the content of this article for entertainment purposes only as the author is not appropriately accredited for teaching life values. The concepts and opinions contained herein should not necessarily be tried at home or anywhere else as they may lead to consequences that the author cannot be held accountable for
Its not the journalists opinions though, its the agenda of the editor and ergo the owner
“The notion of “whiteness” is an ideology of superiority. Nothing similar has ever existed in black culture”
I was thinking that has there not been groups that could be considered advocating black supremacy? Nation of Islam, some rastafarian groups, maybe the Black Panthers? Although it’s fair to say that the difference in magnitude is massive.
Nevertheless, a cracking post and a healthy refocusing of the subject.
“I was thinking that has there not been groups that could be considered advocating black supremacy? Nation of Islam, some rastafarian groups, maybe the Black Panthers? Although it’s fair to say that the difference in magnitude is massive.”
I wouldn’t say any of these groups used modern science to try and display the fundamental superiority of Black people.
The Black Panthers were a short-lived revolutionary group more concerned with empowerment than reducing non-Blacks to an inferior species.
While I consider The Nation of Islam to contain many biggots and racists, they were ultimately an Islamic group which seemed to support segregation from Whites rather than their supression.
Rastafarians? Bob Marley was mixed race…who ‘supreme’ could they have been?
There are definitely pockets of Black supremacy, but they are so peripheral that I would tend to agree with Barnes’ statement.
What an absolutely calm, reasoned and educated man. Unfortunately, I fear he makes a point which is far above the people who need to understand – they have their own axe to grind. YNWA Digger! From the Anfield Rap to the Anfield Wrap – a prince among men.
Why can John Barnes speak so much sense in a rather short article then the likes of Ollie Holt from the Mirror has over the last few months? Holt, had to ask if a very racist term was indeed racist but feels right to take the moral high ground?
Liverpool FC, you need to get Digger Barnes on board NOW, get him to lead a campaign to rid society of Racism by Education.
Come on LFC make this man an Ambassador. We need to have him official on board
I must say I really share with the sentiments espoused by John Barnes over here. I am an African living in Europe and I have also experienced racism in different modfes even right to my work place when Nazi stickers were placed right infront of my lockers.
This shouting over the hills that racism is not accepted is something I find very funny because we all know that this is something that can never be true. When Barack Obama won, I had a white friend telling me that he does not see the guy surviving his full term. That he feels someone will take his life. Not that he hated him, but he was stating a fear that was obvious.
The irony of the matter of that, if I were to describe myself, I would say am a “black man”. It is no different when I have to describe someone and I use the words “white”, “latino”, etc. It is the fact and this is attitude of being trying to be politically correct is something that baffles me. The truth is that, the problem lies within the conscience of the individual and nothing else per se.
I think European culture has to be realistic and know that it is not just passing of laws alone that will solve the problem. It is giving we blacks a voice and not just because we are blacks but recognising our competence as well.
For all the noise, I still ask the question, how many blacks are officials in the game in UK? What is the FA and all the other bodies doing to encourage them? Nothing significant is being done at that level and yet, they are the first ones to come out and say it is not accepted in that society. There is an African proverb which says “when you point a finger at someone, the other four points towards you”.
I am not holding brief for Suarez here but what am saying is this, whatever shoutings that is being done at the rooftop for the whole world to hear should be backed with an affirmative action.
Spot on – we have an all-white establishment crucifying those below them for alleged racism.
It is like an episode of South Park.
This is a man who knew REAL racism not ‘boo hoo my feelings are hurt’ racism. A great man
It’s nice to know as a ‘black’ man (actually brown if you really want to make a thing of it) there are others out there that have moved on from the mindless name calling crap. It means nothing to me and only makes the perpetrator look stupid in my eyes. I applaud John for his honesty I fear how ever many people will use this to beat him with.
Yes, they have already done so. See Chardo’s comment below or check the Guardian, DM & Telegraph newspapers a few days back. To score a point, they reminded him of the time when bananas were thrown at him. This coming from righteous, anti-racist journalists.??????
At last someone who can see further than the end of their nose. Great article.
Fantastic piece and I would endorse John as an LFC ambassador. YNWA
An excellent article from a man who suffered more than most from the vile taunts & jibes. As Barnsey says about footballers how many people reading the article can honestly say they have not uttered or thought a view that would be considered racist? Footballs Mr Mandela?
As a Muslim, I can say that while Islam makes reference to race and colour, racism is in itself not a crime since every nation/race will feel more strongly about their own race or nationality. However, Islam abolishes the notion of superiority of one over another based on genetics and demographics.
Also being from South Africa, where we were oppressed because of skin colour, can I as a black/coloured cannot understand why being labelled by the colour of your skin is racism. That we were oppressed because of the colour of our skin is different to being called black.
Surely, in a football match there is no form of oppression but rather the aim of psychologically “outing” your opponent. This may often result in much stupidity.
In a country like South Africa where we have white supremecists, I have no problem with their existence as long as they are not casuing chaos and wish to live in their “laager” – these days with cyberspace I no longer have to send them postcards – I can poke them on facebook :) .
Please! racism is natural but as John has said that people with similar interests will naturally flock together.
Racism is not natural, I think you’ve mistaken it for cultural pride or ethnic solidarity or something. Racism is the specific idea that people are grouped according to discrete hereditary characteristics denote by somatic variation, and that there is something inherently negative about certain groups, or that they are arranged hierarchically. That’s not what you’re describing.
@Abu-Tameem
14 February 2012 at 8:52 am
‘Islam abolishes the notion of superiority of one over another based on genetics and demographics’
What utter nonsense! Complete rubbish!
…….so why are Muslims promoting the killing of ‘infidels’? They do so because they feel that Islam is the superior religion. Please tell us all, how that constitutes ‘Islam abolishing the notion of superiority’?
Regardless of the ‘colour’ of your skin, try going to Yemen, Saudi or any other deeply Islamic country, and trying out the ‘superiority’ test! You can’t even wear a cruxafix in Saudi…..and you’d get lashed with a ‘cat-o-nine-tails’ if you were found in possession of a bible.
I don’t want to turn this in to a religion based debate, but don’t tell me that that Islam ‘abolished the notion of superiority’.
If we are talking about demographics without religion being linked, why are countless South East Asian labourers (maids, domestic workers etc) abused, tortured, beaten and killed in Islamic countries? I’m not saying it doesn’t happen in countries that are not deemed Islamic, but you are the one claiming that ‘Islam abolishes the notion of superiority’.
I look forward to a response!
Digger – my hero. A much needed common sense voice.
I absolutely agree that JB should be an LFC ambassador for life. The guy is up there with KK for me, even if he hasn’t managed us.
Yet a journalist from the Independent said that when he heard John Barnes giving his opinion on the handshake, he wanted to go into an empty room and scream.
Who was that journalist?
Could have been any of them. They are all Ferguson worshippers !
Not the first time I have thought Mr. Barnes should be heading any kind of Race related groups/organisations in this country and perhaps internationally. Every time I hear him or read something by him its balanced, intelligent and talking about the real problems.
Education is the key and not many seem to grasp this crucial point! It is easier to be led by the “popular” view and make the right noises at the right places to show you care instead of actually doing something about racism.
And in this whole sorry mess of the “n” word that means different things to different people its the real issue of RACISM that has taken a back seat. And that makes me very sad.
Still indian shopkeepers in areas like manchester,london,birmingham face race attack almost every single day calling them things,getting beaten and their shop looted.how many times have we seen that story making headlines?real racism is still there in England…you will
see it if you close your tabloid
newspaper and
Thanks to all at TAW for reproducing this from behind The Times paywall, very much appreciated.
thumbs up for the article.. Evra must read this..
Absolutley spot on. I know he does alot of work for LFC, but I agree with some of the others….an official role at LFC (to do with racism) should be given to him.
It’s seems silly that the club didn’t consult him when this all kicked off. One of the greats who has suffered racism an knows all about it all talks with honesty and intelligence an opportunity missed which needs to be rectified
Real racism is out there…u will see it if you close your tabloid newspaper and read the real stories of these poor shopkeepers.When did shaking hands became a bigger agenda than stopping race attacks towards non-white people.
A good, thought-provoking piece by someone who knows what he’s talking about.
I’m in agreement with those hoping LFC can find a way to have Barnes involved in the club in some official capacity but I’m concerned it would be seen as a window-dressing event and not something of any substance.
I was 8 years old when I fell in love with football and Liverpool FC. It was 1988 and John Barnes instantly became my hero. Very proud to say he is still a hero of mine today. YNWA
Absolutley spot on. If only current members of the Liverpool FC board would come out with something similar rather than doing and saying what keeps things “sweet” with other parties. Well done John, great piece!
MAKE THIS MAN AN AMBASSADOR FOR LFC NOW!!
That’s very insightful and intellegent by the big man and also banishes another myth that all footballers are thick
Thanks John for the most sensible rhetoric of the week YNWA
At last – a keen, lucid argument free of foul outrage and stinking indignation.
Well done John. Hope the hacks take note.
a cracking piece and perhaps even more helpful to the club working off his own initiative.
When he does his thing, the crowd goes bananas.
Fabtastically well written piece by JB. Thanks TAW for publishing free and I agree with other that JB should be part of LFC in an official capacity.
Digger yet again showing up ‘journos’ like Holt and Taylor for their sensationalist faux outrage… They don’t have a clue about Race or Racism yet peddle their idiocy to the masses like it’s gospel. LFC get John Barnes into an official position where he is speaking on behalf of LFC as soon as possible.
Thanks John, Very, Very, enlightening, not just from the heart, but from self knowledge and understanding, a truly fine contribution.
This article exemplifies how thoughts on this topic can and should be put across – with absolute honesty & lucidity! Unfortunately some short-sighted members of the Press have totally missed the point. Analysis and constructive debate is required to understand and gradually eradicate complex, deep-rooted issues such as racism/sexism/xenophobia/homophobia, etc. Pontification won’t get us anywhere. Well done, Digger for the insight.
Has Fergie made a comment on this piece or is he still too busy ranting about Suarez?
I can imagine the mouth breather Holt thumping his fists on his keyboard now like a villain caught out by the kids in Scooby doo not knowing how to respond to this kind of intelligent piece.
Barnes isn’t saying that he had it worse than anyone else, he is saying that it is all made up. The whole concept of skin colour and different ‘races’ is made up. Complete and utter fiction.
To give you an example, using skin colour to try and distinguish any characteristics about someone is exactly the same, biologically, as using eye colour. Abusing someone, referring to their skin, makes as much sense as shouting to someone ‘you blue eyed ****!’
I studied racism at University and, even though ‘race’ is absolutely made up, racism is real. If people believe that ‘race’ is real, and continue to racialize people, then the concept stops becoming a concept and it becomes real, and therefore, becomes a problem that needs to be adressed.
What Barnes is attempting here is to try and explain the origins of ‘race’ and show that it is all a myth. He has a huge task on his hands, but not an impossible one. So, as long as he is given a platform, and not left to do this single handedly, then maybe he can show people just how absurd racism really is, which is the real way of eradicating it for good. Like he says, laws don’t work, laws are broken all the time, we need to change beliefs, something that is much harder. If we can make racism look as silly as someone still proclaiming that the world is flat then that would change things completely and for good.
It is not going to be easy though. I have first hand experience of the reaction from people (racists) when putting these facts to them. It looked like their heads we going to explode. They laughed at me and I could see in their eyes that they thought I was deluded, and they cast their sympathy on me. I was (and so will Barnes be) wasting my breath with these people. There are some people that will change their mind, but there are many that will not. These are NOT the people to waste time on though. If we can educate the next generation, from as early as possible, that different ‘races’ simply do not exist then it will disappear into the history books as did the myth that the world was flat.
Good luck to you John, I wish you all the best. It can not simply be left to him, however.
Phil Divers
(@phildivers)
The Suarez and Terry cases have created a lot of publicity about racism in football and the inherent racist structure and consciousness of society. Use this to kick start a reform, to kick start a campaign that aims to educate rather than preach social obedience. If the FA wants no part of it then Liverpool FC should take the reigns and do this thing.
I have listened to John Barnes’ interviews on ESPN and the Stephen Nolan show and I believe he has a firm grasp on the issue, not to mention the passion to see an end to racism, and as major role model in English football he has the attention and trust of many people. Club and country can do a lot worst than giving Mr. Barnes the time and resources to address the issue of racism from his perspective.
John Barnes speaks a lot of sense and the media who are just desperate to condemn us are just ignoring him.
As the lads said in the podcast, I think we should get Barnesy on board with us. He has the profile and the knowledge to help us get through this.
People should be listening to him, he is in the best situation to talk about racism and the effects it has on everyone around them.
John Barnes – Liverpool legend, who will never walk alone
I have to say that parents are the key too. I was raised by my parents to know right from wrong. My parents never enforced any of their beliefs on us (there are things myself and my mother dont agree on) and we were also told to educate ourselves too as much as we could. Its a sad truth but there are parents out there who teach their children to hate black people or white people etc. In Northern Ireland the hatred between Catholics and protestants is still rife. That comes from parents and its only a religion!! Whats unfortunate is that it will never go away but I think introducing something along these lines into the education is definitely a start.
I applaud John Barnes for his insightful comments. I also admire his character in being able to brush off the ignorance of fans (and media) 20 years ago and not allow it to over shadow his career.
John Barnes – a breath of fresh air and common sense in amongst the sensationalising and headline grabbing that’s been going on since October, and showing no signs of letting up!! A role as an educator/mentor to the younger players would appear to be ideal for him. I wonder if LFC think so too.
I would just add this, what if Suarez had called Evra a c**t? No one would have complained, no one would have minded, there would have been no enquiry and it would have been well forgotten, after all it’s the sort of thing that happens every day on a football field. But it is still horribly offensive.
If respect is the important thing it should cover all insulting and offensive language and behaviour.
It is ironic that only our JB and Clarke Carlisle, chairman of the PFA, ( check out the video of his interview with Sky ) dared to say in public their fair & honest view of the incident on Saturday.
He really is making the other public comment on this matter look very pedestrian indeed. Well done Mr. Barnes. If only all matters in football could be approached with the same calm reasoned rationality then the footballing world would be a better place where managers don’t get sacked for a few bad results after 5 years good work. Simple fact is that Barnes is the only person out there that i’ve heard make any point worth remembering about this sordid affair. That said, i’m about to go listen to the latest episode of TAW so i’m hoping for some more!
Credit to The Times for letting this one escape from behind the paywall.
Love his honesty and understanding on the subject of racism within society.
Nothing similar has ever existed in black culture? I think it has.
There have always been ideologies of superiority between tribes and races of all types, all over the world. But we are making progress in our attitudes which, as you say, is the important thing.
Good article.
I have posted elsewhere my views on this.
John has it absolutely spot on. You call any black man a n***** and then withdraw the comment and apologise. I can guarantee that that black man will reply “you are not sorry, the fact you even said meant you thought it”
Whilst I think this is a fair comment with lots of credibility, I also think this comment makes a judgement about the person who said it.
Both are wrong and both are right. Ie the person apologised because he realised it was derogatory. But it was a social disease that made him think it. It was a rational mind that made him withdraw it.
So where am I going with this?
The Suarez/Evra case is similar. I don’t think any apology by Suarez would have made any difference.
I am not getting into the whole saga but LS admitted to referring to Evra as Negro. FACT. According the FA RULES you cannot do that and a 4 match ban is put in place.
If the FA accepted this and the said ban was issued we would not be where we are today
The FA decided that in all PROBABILITY he said it 7 times. This is the crucial factor that has made this whole thing explode. If someone was to say something once then it can be accepted as a mistake, or ignorance. But 7 times is malicious!
The FA conclude that they don’t believe him to be racist but by implying he continued to say it to Evra in a manner that he knew he was abusing him THEY ARE IMPLYING HE IS RACIST!
Everyone outside of LFC thinks the same.
But let’s go back to where this all started. LS referred to him as negro/negrito. This a descriptive word NOT a derogatory word.
This would be no different then if I was asked to describe a scene of a crime. I would say 2 white men and a black youth ran that way! It’s not racist… Is it?
Where this has gone wrong is LS speaks Spanish! I believe that because the spanish word for black is Negro.
Look for something on Amazon.es for an item in black and you will see.
I believe us IGNORANT English have interpretted this in the English sense.
We dont see a colour. We see a word!
So Luis is guilty of being Spanish speaking, a little naive and being too honest.
Contrary of what he has told the FA. He gas been hung out like a lamb to the slaughter. No understanding has been taken into account that he us NEW to this country.
People say he should know that in England you can’t say that. It doesn’t matter whether it is normal in South America.
The hypocracy is amazing. We allow Muslims to have mosques, cover their faces etc because we are told to embrace multiculturism. It is THEIR culture. But we don’t accept that he said what he said because that is what he is used to in HIS culture.
John Barnes is right. There is MASS ignorance in this country and I think 90% lies at the feet of British people. Not the foreigners.
I can understand why Suarez us upset. A British institution called the FA have tarnished his name for the rest of his life. And they then expect him to shake the hand of the person that instigated it?
The arguement that the FA found him guilty does not make him guilty in society. But his now tarnished in SOCIETY.
Try asking the Guildford 6 to shake the hands of the officers that hung them out to dry!
Simulcra
What a fantastic piece!!
Doug Macleod’s piece is the most sensible piece I have read on the subject of racism and the Evra/Suarez saga. The key issue is one of ‘respect’. ‘Respect’ should transcend race, colour, nationality, gender, sexuality etc etc.
Well written Doug. At last someone addressing the real issues at play here.
For the record, I am Asian, a lawyer and a Liverpool fan.
Doug MacLeod (comments above) you are a wise man. Well said.
And great article JB, you are a welcome voice of reason from within the press at last.
John, you continue to display naivety. A few months ago you spoke of a Suarez ‘witchhunt’; now, you continue to insist that the whole Evra/Suarez episode has been blown out of proportion! Racist attitudes in this country have changed partly due to of a zero-tolerance policy of combating racism robustly whenever it occurs; things are not perfect, but huge improvements have been made. Suarez apologists like yourself completely miss the point: he admitted making reference to an opponent’s skin colour during the course of a bitter argument – this constitutes racism. The word ‘Negro’ may be acceptable among friends in Uruguay, but it could never be acceptable when uttered to a stranger during an argument. You also display ignorance in thinking that this latest furore was over a ‘handshake’ – it wasn’t – it was about an ignorant, arrogant individual stabbing his manager in the back i.e. the one man who had stuck by him through thick and thin. Suarez is obviously untouchable: he racially abused Evra and never apologised, he has now undermined his manager and discredited a great club. English football will rightfully turn their back on him; I expected better from you.
I’m not sure where you get the idea that John Barnes is a Suarez apologist. As for naiveté, well that is a very brave criticism of somebody who not only has endured so much racism but has a deeply educated intellectual grasp of what its about and where its from.
As for Suarez he did NOT admit to using negro with racist intent. Nor is it easy to see why from his version of events it would be. Language is not some computer game where you press the ‘NEGRO’ button in an argument and automatically get ‘RACISM’. As an idea that is dangerously close to hypocrisy. Do you get it ‘pal’ ? (see what I did there ?).
As for shaking hands – after having agreed to do it I agree he definitely should have, although under the circumstances I find it hard to be histrionically judgemental about it. Shake hands, get your club and manager out of being in the spotlight for the wrong reasons, then if necessary write a book/ get Max Clifford in to get the message out about what a lying toad Evra was afterwards.
Why is it necessary to make reference to someone’s skin colour during an argument, unless your intent is racist? The Independent Commission found the word ‘Negro’ was used 7 times. Suarez’s anger seems to stem from the fact that a) Evra reported him, and b) the Independent Commission gave him such a lengthy ban – he didn’t expect that a player of his profile would be brought to book! He is soiled goods, why else did Ajax get rid of such a talented, prolific goal-scorer (81 goals in 110 matches)? The biting incident was obviously the last straw in Holland. Star player or not, he is not above the law. More to the point, can he ever look Kenny Dalglish in the eye again?
in the heat of an argument people look for anything at all they can use as derisive against the other. it actually may not even be close to being racist to use the others skin colour but merely a derisive statement just like any other abusive statement. In this case i would hazard a guess that Suarez doesnt really know much about Evra other than the fact he is a footballer who plays for Man Utd and is black skinned is the reason for this happening. Evra on the other hand seems to have the stereotypical prejudice that Uruguayans do their own sisters or that their sisters are promiscuous or something like that.
I’m sorry to flog a dead horse here but seriously how anyone cannot see that it is wrong to infer that the word ‘Negro’ was used 7 times from facial expressions is beyond me. The Independent Commission Report contained so many inconsistencies and contradictions I find it comical that people continue to use it to point the finger at Suarez.
Hey Chuck you must have missed the memo but Ferguson has already moved on to giving his opinion on the next ‘disgrace’ to football… move along…
The real villains is this sorry mess are the FA. They have used this incident to try and make a point to FIFA. JB article is fantastic and I applaud him for it. Mr Macleod makes a good point too. I get called a thieving Scouse bastard, fat, four eyes on a regular basis and it’s seen and light hearted banter but I find it offensive. I don’t like people for the way they act not the way they look. If football clubs can pay a player a £100.000 a week they can afford to pay someone £50.000 a year to educate players how to act in a respectful way on and off the field.
No, I don’t get it. I’m white, John Barnes is black. That’s race. JB takes race, culture, nationality, identity, ethnicity and a few other ingredients, puts them in a big pot and mixes them up. Out of the mixture comes a comforting list of platitudes and generalisations that try to pretend there’s no such thing as race. And if you think JB has experienced ‘real racism’ and has some kind of unique victimhood then you have led a very, very, very sheltered life.
@Concerned – you have spectacularly missed the point.
Maybe I have. Explain it to me.
‘Race’ does not exist. You are white, Barnes is black, that is skin colour.
‘Race’ emplies that people are inherently different because of their skin colour. As I said in a comment above, saying someone is a different ‘race’ to you based on skin colour makes as much sense as saying someone with blue eyes is a different ‘race’ as someone with brown eyes.
It only came about as a way of justifying slavery. Black people from Africa were taken to work in America, and other places, under lock and key like animals. They justified doing this to other human beings as they were ‘savages’ of a completely different ‘race’ and that they had no feelings or skills, other than manual labour…like animals.
That’s the problem.
I’m white because I have white ancestry, Barnes is black because he has black ancestry. There’s your races. You can use a different label to describe those differences, but differences they are. In fact I do have blue eyes, and that’s ancestral too. It’s passed on in the genes. Chinese people don’t have blue eyes because their ancestry, their genes, are different from mine. Objecting to a hierarchy of races don’s mean that races don’t exist. Plenty of white people have been kept as slaves. The Romans, Berbours and Normans kept my ancestors as slaves.
From afar, I really have trouble seeing the entire UK media and a large part of the UK public as a higher moral authority capable of judging anything Suarez said or did.
For anyone with a vague interest in the matter, it should be obvious that Suarez is hardly a white supremacist, has hardly acted like one, and that the UK media and other actors have enforced a very narrow and selective notion of what constitutes a racist act.
Those who are quick to put the blame on the little mixed race uruguayan guy turned villain, pushed to the circus of UK media and race politics, should take a good look around at dig more into their own set of deeply seated prejudices.
Suarez is hardly the only one who needs to learn how to live in the 21st century.
Mr. Barnes is doing us a great service holding a mirror for us, and he’s more charitable than I will ever be, so thank you for that.
very good point
What i don’t particularly like is that it appears now that racist remarks can only be made agianst minority groups, i.e. black people, asian people etc. However racism is much further afield from this. If a player from a team called Dirk Kuyt a ‘Dutch c**t’, is that not racist? Didn’t part of the desciption that Suarez was banned for include ‘Nationality’.
Yet no one in this situation would complain. Unfortunately, it seems to only be people of the minority groups that complain. I once had a long chat with a black friend of mine around what he perceived the problems was between white and black people. He said slavery. i said ‘that was 500 years ago’. When does it end? We don’t enslave black people these days, why are we the ones who have to pay for it.
One thing that got my back up a few years ago. In a paper, a rather large headline stated that a black lad was attacked by a number of white youths (15 or so). It was a racist attack. This was given 2 or 3 page coverage.
2 days later, in a small column or page 6 of the same newspaper, a storry about a white boy, beaten into a coma by a large number of black youths. ‘He must have said something to them’ was the reason.
Not only was the attack on the black boy given 2 or 3 pages, but it had to be a racist attack. When the white boy was attacked, it got 3 column inches and it was his fault.
The media do not help in this – they are such a focus for people nowadays that they need to be brought in line.
i appreciate it where people have understood what i was really trying to say in my comments above. I read back my comments and regrettably i should have mentioned that there are a great many people who would be left helpless without the existence of protection against racism. For that reason it does need to exist (unfortunately). I think i sounded heavily against any need for it at all which is just not true. I consider racism to be the description of the subset of discriminations that exist and we very much do still need good protection against all of these with equally as much importance.
It was just the fact that this “unreal” racism case was used as a warning to all, and whilst firing warning shots against mistreating and disrespecting others is admirable, this was not the case to choose for that purpose. It certainly is not the case that Evra is in need of protection against racism, on the contrary he is very comfortable with the phrase used as he uses it himself. He is also very at ease with giving as much vitriol as he gets which was also clear from the statements made.
Protection from racism/discrimination exists to protect those who are unable to defend themselves against the “attacker” and Evra does not even remotely fall into this category.
It saddens me that i and so many others have been drawn into so much comment and consideration on this subject.
Someone above didnt quite understand my motives for what i said and mentioned Stephen Lawrence case. That is a case that deserves all the inquiry and time spent on it that it didnt get as quickly as this particular affair has already gotten. That was truly a case of clear cut racist discrimination with protagonists and a (very much and fatally so) victim. That is why we need to stamp out discrimination and learn to respect others whoever they are, not so that we never have any instance of a “playground dispute between two profession footballers”.
I guess what i am trying to say here is that by The F.A. taking the action they did and even getting involved in the first place they have cheapened the true victims of actual racism. Well actually if i am being honest, i would say Patrice Evra has cheapened the victims of true racism by his actions in the first place.
what should have resulted after Evra’s “complaint(s)” was a statement from the FA telling us that both players are to be punished for becoming embroiled in behaviour that was inappropriate for the professionals and role models for millions that they have both indirectly accepted to be in choosing the careers they have. Comments have been made by both players during and after the match, which they both regret and they have both agreed to settle their initial differences amicably.
That could have been followed by a minimal match ban for each player to serve as warning “to them” (not to would be racists) to avoid getting involved in future petty argument in front of the viewing millions including all the impressionable children and young adults.
i promise to try and shut up on this topic now :)
We are never really going to know the true intent of Evra, Terry or Suarez, or the level of that intent as that is entirely in their own heads. I don’t think that many of us, whatever race or origin, are going to believe what any of the three now tell us about their respective incidents whether that is in a court-room or as a future exclusive to some tabloid newspaper.
However, slow though any progress may be, I think we are getting there. In the US, baseball celebrates “Jackie Robinson day”. He was the first afro-american that was allowed to play in a white league – and this was surprisingly recent history. Watching a fair amount of ESPN, I am constantly surprised by the comments of their pundits suggesting that racism has been kicked out of baseball – yet they all appear to know (without having to think it through) how many afro-americans and how many hispanic players they have in their teams.
When I first noticed this, I realised that I didn’t didn’t have a clue how many black/coloured players my team had until I went through a team line-up and worked it out. But if I think back to the 1970’s, I probably knew then how many West Brom, Watford, and my own lot had, as it was pretty frequently highlighted in the newspapers (and of course Shoot magazine!).
We’ve come a long way……
If John Barnes thinks Suarez called Evra a negrito he obviously hasn’t even read the FA Report. How can someone so ill-informed about the issue be given a platform to pontificate on this matter? And why are TAW publicising his ignorance?
As Jim Boardman said on Twitter on 11 Feb: “If you’ve not read the report you can’t really comment on the case without a certain level of ignorance”
I´ve found after this greek tragedy made by the media that Suarez is well below average of racism in England
And as Evra said correctly he is a “Sudaca”. If he were English another Sudaca will be in his place now.