Racism And Its Fans, by Mike Gold – Brainiac On Banjo #363 | @MDWorld
May 5, 2014 Mike Gold 0 Comments
I am a hockey fan. That’s not as exclusive as it used to be, but I’m beginning to be concerned about the fans sitting next to me.
We’re in the semi-final round of the playoffs when tensions always run a bit high, even by hockey standards. Last week the Boston Bruins played the Montreal Canadiens in the first game of their best-of-seven series. Like many playoff games, at the end of regulation play the score was tied and the game went into overtime – an infinite number of 20-minute periods unless ended by “sudden death,” which is a misnomer. But maybe not so much in Boston.
In the fifth minute of the second overtime, Montreal’s P.K. Subban got the biscuit in the basket, understandably frustrating the local crowd to no end. In response – and, damnit, you’d think with all that beer some of these guys would have split immediately for the bathroom – some fans started tweeting their most profound thoughts. According to CBS-Detroit, these thoughts included:
• That stupid nigger doesn’t belong in hockey (#whitesonly; by the way, the first black NHL player was on the Boston Bruins)
• Fuck you nigger Subban you belong in a fucking hole not an ice rink
• Fuck PK Subban. Fucking nigger. Wish he got sold.
• Someone needs to smack PK Subban across his big nigger lips.
• Subban is a fucking porch monkey
I think you get the point. There were plenty more. Plenty.
Did I mention P.K. Subban is African-Canadian? I’ll bet you figured that out.
These Boston bigots and their ilk across the continent must be having a very hard time these days. There have been no fewer than 72 black players in the NHL, 27 on the ice this season – including Jarome Iginla, who happens to play for the Bruins. With hockey being played in an ever-increasing number of high schools in the United States, more black kids are getting into the game and, therefore, more black kids will be selected in the draft. Them racists better get used to it. Their brothers in baseball, football and basketball survived just fine; they will, too.
By the way, did I mention P.K. Subban’s brother was drafted by the Bruins and currently plays for their minor league team?
One would think with Donald Sterling’s basketball team being sold, possibly to Oprah Winfrey (gotta love that one), these idiots would have had second thoughts. But these idiots are… idiots.
Bruins President and hockey living legend Cam Neely said “The racist, classless views expressed by an ignorant group of individuals following Thursday’s game via digital media are in no way a reflection of anyone associated with the Bruins organization.” And I’m sure this is true. Cam Neely doesn’t bullshit around.
I’m a fan, but I’m not embarrassed for the sport. I’m not embarrassed for my race. Or even for humanity.
I just wish there were fewer jerks around.
Mike Gold performs the weekly two-hour Weird Sounds Inside The Gold Mind ass-kicking rock, blues and blather radio show on The Point, www.getthepointradio.com and on iNetRadio, www.iNetRadio.com as part of “Hit Oldies” every Sunday at 7:00 PM Eastern, rebroadcast three times during the week – check www.getthepointradio.comabove for times and on-demand streaming information. Gold also joins MDW’s Marc Alan Fishman, Martha Thomases and Michael Davis as a weekly columnist at www.comicmix.com where he pontificates on matters of four-color.