PFA scores own goal on racism

I see that the Professional Football Association Player of The Year Awards ceremony decided it would be fun to invite the African American comic Reginald D Hunter to provide the entertainment at their spectacular annual showpiece event. This inspired move, reminiscent of a decision of the Entertainments Committee of the Wheel Tappers & Shunters Social Club ,-for our worldwide readers, a bygone bigoted comedy scene- resulted in Hunter using the word n****r 10 times in the first minute of his act.

As you can imagine, he was received in stony silence and blank stares proving that American ignorance does not travel well.

At a time when football is still seeking to cope with the virulent return of racism, including two players John Terry and Luis Suarez both being banned for using the 'N' word, the choice of a comedian whose is renown for using this word, like confetti at a wedding, is quite remarkable.There was a confused response from the PFA after the show, with PFA Chairman Clarke Carlisle rightly apologising and condemning the choice of Hunter whilst the PFA CEO Gordon Taylor defended the decision. 

All I can say is that someone needs to be sacked. It’s clear that someone at the PFA thought this would be a clever thing to do and they should be dealt with accordingly.

Of course it will be said by some, not least Hunter himself, that those who object to his continued use of the word in his act are just the ranting of “old race dinosaurs” of a bygone era and yet others who say look at Rap and Grime music where black youth are the leaders in ‘normalising’ the common usage of this disgusting term.

Call me old fashioned if you like, but as a 54yr old black guy I don’t like the word “n****r”. I don’t really care that some African Americans, who have lost their minds becoming disconnected from their culture and history continue to use the word. To me, it represents another aspect of American cultural imperialism. It signifies the co-option of black people into the project of maintaining our own oppression, proving that if you can pay enough money, offer the opportunity for celebrity status and fame,  a poor desperate people, will publically defecate on their own culture, history and customs, all day long.

Neither am I interested in “reclaiming the word and divesting it of its power” by flipping the script. Semantics or sophistry can’t change 500 years of history.The term represents the epitome of white hatred toward black people. It’s the word many of our ancestors heard as they were overboard, lynched, beaten and burned. It is the last word that Stephen Lawrence and Rolan Adams heard as they were swarmed by racist jackals intent on murder.

Too many of us these days are only too willing to buy into the idea that the word has become harmless and that racism is a thing of the past. I disagree

As a fully paid up member of the Race Political Dinosaurs Club, here in the shiny new post racial Britain, I am often described as a throwback to a bygone era, fighting battles of the dim and distant past. When I hear that tired, and now almost clichéd accusation, I am reminded of the tale of a talented young student who regularly gained A* in school. One day his teacher gave the class some homework, asking students to write an essay on keeping pets. They could choose to write about a pet that they had or one that they’d like to own.Our grade A student worked diligently and wrote his essay. The day to hand his assignment in came and he dutifully handed his to his teacher. A couple of days later, the students received their marks. Our student looked astonished and shocked as he read with great disappointment that he had received an F for his essay. He couldn’t understand how he done so badly. Taking great pride in his work he was naturally agitated and perplexed that he had received such a lousy mark. He approached his teacher and asked why and how he done so badly, in completing his assignments. The teacher told him to stay behind after class. Once class had finished the teacher sat him down and told him his essay was extremely well written, full of poetry and prose, but that he had been working in the school for a long time and he had read a very similar article written by his brother some years ago.The student leaned backed in his chair and smiled. Looking at the teacher he said

 “So you think I plagiarised the essay – copying from my brother’s earlier essay”

 The teacher nodded his head. The student drew close to the teacher and replied.

 “You see my brother and I live in the same house, we grew up together and shared the same pet dog”.

So if people like me sound the same as the activists of a bygone age it’s because we are fighting the same dog. We’re fighting the same old racism that confronted our parents.

So, no don’t go there with me - I don’t play. I side with that other “ Race Dinosaur’ Chuck D founder rapper of  Public Enemy who when performing in Paris recently, publicly condemned Jay Z ‘s N*****s In Paris track after a white fan referenced to him using that term. Chuck later sent out a tweet saying,

‪“ Standing ovation in Lyon France telling these folks we are African NOT Ngrs In Paris why I gotta travel Planet Earth cleaning shit from USA?”

I’m with Chuck D  - “Fight The Power”.

Lee Jasper