NFL proposing ban on racial slurs

[Irondawg]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/10...al-slurs-games


Very interesting and I'd say I'm all for it. In the end it's just a word and the whole sticks and stones theory should apply.

However, you have one group of people (political groups, journalist, etc) that want to define it as the most vulgar, insulting word you could use for an African American and want to try and rid the world of the word. All fine and noble.

But then you have a group of people (athletes, entertainers, musicians) that are very much in the public eye and are African American using the word all the time and think nothing of it.

Of course the NFL then has to figure out the whole "Redskin" thing as well if they want to enforce this rule.

 

[Lawdawg.sixpack]

Just trying to prepare for the Nkemdiche brothers making it to the League. Don't need any more beatings/lawsuits...

 

[aTotal360]

I love hearing Wilbon crawfish on this. Cris Carter and Herm Edwards backed him into a corner with their take on the matter and now he just deflects and spins.

Is outlawing the word in the NFL workplace a step in the right direction? I have to say "yes". I'm not saying its the magic bullet that makes the word disappear, but it's undeniably a step in the right direction.

You can argue that the penalty is too stiff or not stiff enough. You can argue that the enforcement will be next to impossible. But I don't think you can argue that this isn't a step in right direction. They should ban all racial slurs and references to sexual orientation while they are at it.

My thoughts...don't make it a penalty in terms of yardage. Do like golf, and penalize the player with fines ($25k per offense). Refs just need to write names down and turn in a list at the end of the game AND make the list public. A silent penalty of sorts. My only concern with this proposed rule, is it interfering with the flow of the game. I don't want refs stopping the game for trash talking. That may sound insensitive, but oh well.

 

[Philly Dawg]

Give them a yellow card and write their name in the book.

 

[00Dawg]

Honestly, I wish the word would disappear forever, but this just smacks of more forced political correctness. It's very Orwellian.

 

[Desoto]

I saw where Wilbon didn't like the nfl sticking their nose in it. He said that the n word is a term of endearment. I agree with that to a degree. But what got me was that he said it depends on who uses it. If he means it's only a term of endearment for black people and not any one else then that's kinda what we r trying to avoid. Discrimination based on color.

 

[aTotal360]

Wilbon missed the entire point. The NFL (for the most part) doesn't care what you say at home or what language you use when hanging out with your friends. This is all about language on the field aka "at the workplace".

 

[futaba.79]

work environment rules.............

are pretty common. I can't go to meetings dropping F bombs or racial slurs. You probably can't either. Now if the govt starts trying to control language, yeah, it becomes "Norwellian."

 

[00Dawg]

Cursing is at least a once a day thing, a lot more in stressful situations. Racial slurs, not so much. Then again, I'm in a white-collar office. I've been in plenty of blue-collar places where racial slurs were thrown back and forth like candy. I don't equate the NFL with white-collar work.

 

[DerHntr]

It's funny that it has come to this

 

[rabiddawg]

I was listening to Mike & Mike on radio yesterday morning when they had Herm on. Then some old player was interviewed and he went through the whole dead horse victim speak about the true meaning of the word. He stated "how can you use a word that caused so much harm to so many so casually". Well Mr. old Football Player, whoever you were, they did what you never could do. They turned the word around to mean something completely innocent. In other words, they refused to be victims anymore of a 17'ing word.

 

[Dawg1976]

I think they will have a tough time enforcing it. They might see someone say it, but what will they do when they hear it but can't tell who said it? Poll the players on the field? Refs have enough to keep up with.

Perhaps they are not concerned with enforcing the rule. Just want it as a deterrant.

 

[Optimus Prime 4]

I imagine NFL locker rooms are an HR nightmare. If anyone actually brought a suit around inappropriate workplace environments, it would be a slam dunk. We had several people fired recently due to inappropriate conversations and emails. Stuff that two years ago no one would have blinked an eye. We are about as laid back and casual as a company can be, but legally if this **** is learned, it has to be acted on. The NFL is ultimately a workplace, and I assume falls under normal laws.

 

[Optimus Prime 4]

I drop F bombs frequently at work. I also cuss like a sailor half the time. But sexual and racial stuff don't fly. Except all my Mexican coworkers make fun of Mexicans. That's apparently fine.

 

[DerHntr]

You are right about it being a nightmare. No way I would want to step in that pile. I expect it is under normal rules but interestingly is overlooked. Hostile Work Environment. Remember those three words. I could easily see a lawsuit like that happening.

 

[RocketDawg]

Presumably the ban is just agains Caucasians using racial slurs, not other races doing the same? Have to wonder which is predominant.

 

[MedDawg]

If they had this rule in soccer, players would fake being offended.**

Give them a yellow card and write their name in the book.

nm

 

[Optimus Prime 4]

You presume wrong**

Nm

 

[karlchilders.sixpack]

So words like:

Honkey or Cracker are to be included?

I doubt it.

Don't bother me, but it will some.

 

[rugbdawg]

My boss/coworkers/secretaries routinely

drop the f bomb in meetings specifically when referring to judges and the police. One of the reasons I have the greatest job in the world.

 

[Optimus Prime 4]

That wasn't his question

He said it's just against Caucasians, it's not. No one can say it, so it's actually targeting black players more than white players, as they drop far more N-bombs.

and does being called a cracker actually offend anyone?

 

[karlchilders.sixpack]

I've changed my mind

IT now offends ME!

Relief is now sought!

 

[Optimus Prime 4]

Pipe down cracka *** cracka

 

[SwampDawg]

One of my section managers was from Boston and cussed like a sailor. Dropped FBombs without even thinking about it. We were told a woman from another group was coming over to talk to him about something so we all warned him (joking) to watch his language. After she left I congratulated him - he had dropped the bomb only six or seven times. He honestly could not stop saying it.

 

[Optimus Prime 4]

It's probably my favorite word. It's so useful. It's like the swiss army knife of cuss words.

 

[Sutterkane]

Can you play movies with the word in it?

 

[boatsandhoes]

heard on espn radio

that almost 70% of the league is african american. I don't know how factual that figure is. You know most white players probably don't use it. you going to add more to the refs that have trouble keeping up with everything now. This pc business is getting out of hand.

 

[tb2]

Mike Conley once told a story about Lionel Hollins on the radio

He said that Hollins came into the locker room and asked all the white players to leave. He then had a heart to heart with the remaining black players and implored them not to use the n-word. He said it was disrespectful to each other and that it was a word that needed to go away. I am pulling all that from memory so those are not the exact quotes, but i remember being very impressed by it.

If the word is bad when used by one group of people, then it should be bad when used by others. I think double standards where you treat two groups of people differently based on the same actions breeds racism.

 

[Rockydawg]

I was listening to Mike & Mike on radio yesterday morning when they had Herm on. Then some old player was interviewed and he went through the whole dead horse victim speak about the true meaning of the word. He stated "how can you use a word that caused so much harm to so many so casually". Well Mr. old Football Player, whoever you were, they did what you never could do. They turned the word around to mean something completely innocent. In other words, they refused to be victims anymore of a 17'ing word.

This is good. More people need to see it from this perspective. To add to that: If my wife and I are playing around and I call her a ***** in jest, it's okay with BOTH of us. But if another man calls her a ***** in ANY context, then something's about to get broke.