Spanish tennis team joins in on the Chinese-eyes "fun"

As you may have noticed by the hundreds of comments that this blog has received over the last few days, if there's one thing that Spaniards and Spanish athletes share is their love of making "Chinese eyes" and defending their countrymen and women who do so publicly.

When LAT columnist Bill Plaschke had the nerve to call foul on the Spanish national hoops team's controversial advertisement, which starred the Lakers' Pau Gasol, he was met with close to 400 comments that asked why the United States, of all countries, should have  a problem with alleged racism when the country has a long laundry list of skeletons in its closet. Here is a comment (with spelling corrected):

Just think this little country, as you call it
Did not throw atomic bombs anywhere,
Did not invade any country for the sake of oil,
Did not support Sadam Hussein in the '80s,
Did not support Chilean dictators in the '70s, and so on, and so on.........
Does not have any  Guantanamo to be ashamed of, no Iraq, Panama, or Afghanistan invasion to be proud of. - sebastian

The International Olympic Committee, however, agreed with Plaschke (and LAT columnist Mark Heisler) and said that, indeed the ad was "clearly" inappropriate.

Today a new photo surfaced of the Spanish tennis team in front of a dining table full of drinks performing the same "Chinese eyes" gesture for a photo, drawing criticism from U.S. blogs like Gawker and Digg.

To be continued?

-- Tony Pierce

photo via Spanish Tennis Federation

Comments

[netmusme]

The photo was uploaded on 5th February (at least that is the server response).

Should they knew on 5th February that months later it would be a polemic with the same gesture?

Should they (or anyone in the world!) know and consider every way of thinking and every connotation of every culture and every human being for everything they do even in a private dinner? Absurd.

A term related with this issue: Ethnocentrism

“Ethnocentrism is the tendency to look at the world primarily from the perspective of one’s own culture. [...] individuals will judge other groups in relation to their own particular ethnic group or culture, especially with concern to language, behaviour, customs, and religion.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnocentrism

In Spain that gesture has neither racist nor offensive connotations.

[lee]

So because Americans "invaded a country for oil," the Spanish feel Americans have no right to call them out. If the Chinese were to object to this kind of behavior, I suppose they'll respond with a ready made "Your country violates human rights so there" arguments.

I wish Spanish people like "Sebastion" (who I assume is Spanish) would just admit that they're excusing their athlete's behavior because they feel defensive about Americans pointing fingers, and not out of some righteous anger over American double standard. Many Americans are also Chinese, and whether you agree with US policy or not, we had nothing to do with Iraq of Guantanmo. The Spanish teams are mocking citizens from the host nation, not Americans.

Sebastion, get a life.

[oscar]

Spanish basket team photo is not rasism. Perhaps american peaople must think why your gobern kill people in other countries.

[oscar]

Perhaps american people must think why their gobern kill people in other cointries. Spanish basket photho is not racism.

[antihero]

talk about adding fuel to the fire...i could maybe understand the original ad where the basketball team can feign some innocence...

given that there are many people who were offended by the original ad...you gotta wonder what was going on in the minds of these imbeciles

what was the purpose of this? to show solidarity for a stupid act by commiting another stupid act?

someone needs to teach these spainiards some manners...

[H tran]

Hypocrisy is overrated.

[LukeHero80]

Again?
Clearly, this sell a lot. Because now is coming a lot of people saying things like "You are a racist country!" (just because you can see a FEW of people doing a gesture that doesnt mean anything bad in their country"), or in the other hand "Your are not the appropiate people to give us lesson, you racist country" (Do you think everybody is bad in a country just because you dont like a few people?)
Stop insulting everybody. Everybody can say prejudice, its so easy.

In USA there are good people, and bad people, like anywhere.
And in Spain there are good people and bad people, like anywhere.
Worry about what kind of person are you

[Nicholas]

Since this is a continuation on the purported "racism" of the Spanish basketball team's photo, I'd like to make the assertion that there are many Chinese people living in Madrid, and Spain as a whole; there's a wealth of immigrants that operate day-to-day just like millions of other Spaniards do. Chinese men have Spanish girlfriends. They speak flawless Spanish. Now, many of them could have been offended by the photo, but the idea that the Spanish are racist, xenophobic citizens - as clearly asserted by Mr. Plaschke - showcases a startling lack of cultural understanding and awareness.

Mr. Plaschke - and The Guardian - display a painful obliviousness: the world doesn't revolve around their own American and British, respectively, moral standards. I'm sure Mr. Plaschke has given the "thumbs up" sign before. Does he know it's considered quite impolite in parts of Italy and France to do so? Does he know it's polite to burp after a meal in certain parts of the Middle East?
While these differences have nothing to do with race, they have everything to do with customs: what you may see as offensive at something done in *another* country doesn't mean you should be less offended, or not offended. However, it doesn't give you the authority to tell that person to apologize. It is ludicrous.

The blog post by Plaschke was impolite, lacking courtesy, insight, and tact. Once again, the world doesn't revolve around American morals and ethics. It's called "opening your eyes."

[HR_Jr]

I expect an apology from those journalists who manifested a lack of journalism ethics (accuracy, objectivity, impartiality, etc.) on some articles.

To look on the bright side perhaps it's a nexus between USA, UK and Spain.

[GetALife]

Shouldn't any criticism on this issue come from the Chinese?
I think it is more racist to criticize the gesture then to really do it. If the Chinese aren’t offended by the gesture why should some yank or brit be offended by this. Or is it that who criticizes the gesture thinks that those eyes are fault in their race, in which case that would be a lot more racist then doing the gesture.

[Bo]

I am not American and my country has never invaded others so I guess I am qualified to say something about the disgraceful if not downright ugly behaviours of the Spanish, right?

Right, I am East Asian myself but have never attempted or even thought of making fun of people of other race or culture just because they are different from me. On the contrary, I have always been respectful toward other races and cultures, trying to embrace difference as good, just as God intended.

I first came across the very un-civilised behaviours of Spanish people when they famously monkey-chanted at some black English football players. The sight of this one particular, ourwardly 'respectable' woman doing a monkey chant in front of her little son just plainly shocked me, because I am also a mother who is always very conscious of what my sons may learn from me. That was a sight of one very disgraceful 'mother'.

Spain, with it's brutal colonial past wherein they pepetrated crimes against humanity in South America against the natives there, has shown that the passage of time has not really enlightened or civilised its people, despite what they might like to believe themselves. These ugly pictures belly the spirit of the Olympic games and I stronly believe the teams should be expelled from the current Olympic games with future bans in place.

Amen.

[Marcus]

Tony Pierce - congratulation for a second pathetic attempt to escalate this non-sense. Hope your American brain allows you to process the following:

1) The Spanish Tennis team: what Spanish team? Do you see any tennis players there? Oh sorry, you forgot to double check the data like any serious journalist would do. Or is it maybe that in typical Yankee attitude you only know and care about American tennis players? Well, it would not be bad that you read and get informed a little bit, considering that a Spaniard is number 1 in the world and Spain is the country with the most players in between the top 100 of the ATP ranking.

2) Yours is a gross attempt to manipulate the reality by choosing a certain email vs the majority of the others which portrayed:

(i) that the gesture in our culture is not considered to be mean (Spanish children do not laugh at Chinese children by pulling the corner of their eyes);
(ii) that it was intended to be friendly and salute a nation that is orginising a fantastic olimpic event;
(iii) that if it nevertheless it made any Asian person feel bad, we apologise (as Pau Gasol said)
(iv) that BP has proven to have a poisoned mind, as only a person with racial prejudices can think there is something "wrong" or "ugly" in Chienese shape of eyes;
(v) that he went on to call a whole nation racist. Note it was BP and not the 400 comments who first pointed the finger at a whole nation, so what comments do you expect to receive in reciprocity about holy America?
(vi) that BP's attempt to put the blame on Pau is again manipulative. America and the Lakers are not doing any favor by paying big money to Pau. He earned his money, and contributed to LA getting to the finals, which would not otherwise had happened. Pau is with the national team, so he has nothing to explain to the lakers, LA or indeed Mr. BP.
(vii) that, once again, with this issue BP and other Americans, including yourself, have proved their ignorance and lack of interest in relation to anything that lies past the borders of your country, the total lack of a minimum education and culture, as well as a willingness to understand culture differences.

Would you now be fair and reproduce this comment in your blog so that everybody can have the arguments which you forgot to mention?

Regards

Marcus

[Roberto]

To Mr. Tony Pierce:

You don't want to understand the situation. The chinese embassy in Spain said, the ad was not offensive at all.

Everything you write is just political. Madrid, Chicago, Tokio and Rio de Janeiro want to be Olympic for 2016 and you attack with your article because you want that Chicago wins.

If you are a person who really cares about racism and human rights, you don't need to point your finger outside your country. You have in the US (and just only in L.A.) a lot of problems with racism and human rights, like death penalty or the way your police department work.

Next time, try to write and to denounce something about your country, if you are a brave man. If not, you should work in Britain for the newspaper "The Sun" or "The Daily Mirror".

Regards

[Kev]

Hey wait a sec...isn't this the same country that "celebrated" British F1 driver Lewis Hamilton with a stunning blackface performance wearing t-shirts saying "Hamilton's Family"?

http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/Hamilton-39saddened39-by-racist-taunts.3742449.jp

Is anyone really surprised that this country is racist? Very classy...

[anti-hipocrits]

how can you be so hipocrit? do you remember this? http://estaticos01.jjoo.marca.com/2008/imagenes/2008/08/14/1218698005_1.jpg

did you say a thing about this photo in japan?hiroshima,you remember?
do you know,we don´t have gettos in spain as you had,we don´t hava kkk ,we don´t have the racist problems hou have in your "big" country. how can you be racism in a simple photo?do you know what racism is? You who call the black people afro-american althrought the can be born in France for example. Is bad for you to be black? Is for you something to hide and for this reason you look for another name? you are the racist,you see racism in the photo because you have a dirty look ,because you have the racism inside. So ,don´t try to have leasons about this,hipocrits.

[dandarx]

Why don't you speak clearly? Do you want Chicago'16 and you are scared of Madrid's Then say it but stop talking with no sense.

Why is US always trying to say the world what is good and what is not? Are you China? No, so shut up. Have you asked chinese people? No, because if you did you've noticed they don't care at all this stupid thing. They don't even understand the gesture, and once you explained it to them, THE DON'T CARE.

Do you want to talk about REAL RACISM? How many mexicans are in your prisons?
How many americans are in Guantanamo?
BTW Robert Downey JR perform a black guy in his last film. Should he apologize as well?

What about this picture about NBA players in China? Is as offensive as spanish one http://www.lacoctelera.com/myfiles/asya2day/51482288.jpg

[Atreyu]

This is just a propaganda against Madrid 2016. Irresponsible journalists of some newspapers are just taking these images out of context, avoiding some notable information about them. It´s just pathetic. As a translator and Spanish I´m just astonished how a picture can be misinterpreted and used to create polemic. Don´t be surprised if another picture appears

[true is not an american patent]

recently, racist american diver:

http://www.jamd.com/image/g/77933775

Obviously that disgusting hat is an flame towars all asian people, wich is a caricature very popular in american and british newspapers of "yellow monkeis" during XIX and XX centuries, world war II and Vietnam war in 40-50-60-70.

I can't belive how racist, intolerant and cinical are american media and america pepople.

Same american media did with France during Iraqui war and their denigrating campaign against that country because France didn't agree with the preventive war.

And ..."Here is a comment (with spelling corrected):"... such cinical and sarcastic and underrespectic commentary against pepople here we don't have english as mother language.

Expose your arguments in spanish so, perhaps our stupid brain will finally understand your glorious and absolute TRUE.

TRUE AND RESPECT ARE NOT AMERICAN PATENTS ( never was, and obiously, never will be)

[dandarx]

Hey I found another offensive photo from the Spanish. It was in Japan, and they are doing a military gesture ¡¡pretty offensive!1

But that is not all They've also painted themselves in black and seemed to be the U.S team... oh no wait IT IS THE U S TEAM

[jose perez]

Stupid Spaniards

[dandarx]

Oh I see you allow to post the commment about Hamilton but not mine about US team in Japan with a picture doing the militar salut...

¡¡¡Well done Censor ¡¡¡¡ Such a bunch of cobards

[Antonio]

Well I'm Spanish and I'd like to say that if someone is seeing any offensive -and not affectionate- content in this picture is because he or she has some kind of perception problem or is slightly prejudiced against it. I think there's some kind of paraoia in the States and the racial problem is exacerbated. Many Americans want to hide the problem they have and they're always showing they are obsessed with it. Is there any will to ruin Madrid's candidacy to celebrate Olympics in 2016 again?

[FP]

Whoever is free from sin cast the first stone...

US basket national team( Saitama (Japan) 2006 World Championship). While receiving the bronze medal, they stand up performing a military salute. The gesture was hugely critiziced in Japan and Europe... Nobody mentions it in the States.

Do you think it is polite to mimic an army salute, while playing basketball in the last country you have conquered?...

People didnt like it...

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9990

The explanation is very good of the Americans in that forum was really good... but you know the Japanese didnt get it... Is the US a racist little country?

[Tony Wang]

I am chinese and I feel offended. It's about growing up being called slanteye and being gestured to in that manner. Even if the photo was done out of fun, there are a group of people that are offended. Instead of continuing with the ignorant comments such as "it doesn't bother anyone, etc etc", people should also see it from the point of view of those offended.

It's not just an "american" thing or a "spanish" thing. It's about a people thing. And the gesture of slanteye offends a lot of us. Those that are not offended are probably based in China or have little experience of it growing up. Ask those in hong kong. You'll get a different response.

[Claire]

And who ever said that the americans as individuals are at all proud of the political moves that have been made by few?