[Closed] Greek Athlete sent home after racist twitter remark. HUGELY disappointing.

It gets lazily wheeled out every so often by the professionally un-offended

hmmmm, I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it

someone has learnt a new word today

I agree with what he said and I will kill anyone who says differently

Every day's a schoolday on STW. 😀

have never heard the phrase to many X race here end witha positive note.

But she didn't say "[u]too[/u] many" did she?

"Wow, there are so many Polish people living here" is a rather different sentence to "Wow, there are too many Polish people living here"

Oh do give over - jesus christ!
Read the Olympic charter/values.

You admit her statement wasn't in itself racist - so you're saying she should be thrown out because what she [i]thinks[/i] goes against the Olympic charter.

Also, why is everyone is focussing just on the joke:

As well as the comment on Sunday referring to the West Nile virus and Africans living in Greece, Papachristou had also reposted a tweet by Ilias Kasidiaris, a politician with the far-right Golden Dawn party, criticising Prime Minister Antonis Samaras's stance on immigration.

[b]She had previously retweeted several links to videos promoting the views of Golden Dawn[/b], which won 7% of the vote in Greece's recent elections

This is a nasty, violent, racist party that she has promoted and expressed support for - this conflicts with the values/ideals that the olympics is supposed to uphold as stated in the Olympic charter. Pretty simple really.

Once again, proves that racism is an asymmetrical concept - the severity depends on the target rather than the words itself.

Silly comment, unpleasant background perhaps, racist abuse that warrants expulsion from the games, hmmmm...?

No worse or better than the choc ice joke IMO, so given that STW deemed that inoffensive then I guess we should come to the same conclusion here?

Grim. Isn't she in trouble for her joke rather than her background.

This is a nasty, violent, racist party that she has promoted and expressed support for - this conflicts with the values/ideals that the olympics is supposed to uphold as stated in the Olympic charter. Pretty simple really.

And THAT is a good reason to throw her out.

maybe they were worried shed do something really nasty at an olympic event...........

[img] [/img]

No worse or better than the choc ice joke IMO

Really? Oh dear - I really expected better from you.

And THAT is a good reason to throw her out.

Which is the 'context' I referred to earlier when you started talking about the thought police. I'm sure the joke wasn't really the main reason, but for some reason everyone has decided to focus on it and ignore the other more serious issues, in a rather pathetically tabloid fashion.

And THAT is a good reason to throw her out.

Oh, OK. So you were only upset about her punishment because you were ignorant?

Oh, OK. So you were only upset about her punishment because you were ignorant?

No. If the [b]official reason[/b] given for her being thrown out is that Tweet (as reported) then it is frankly pathetic and I am upset.

If, on the other hand, the official reason is her continued support and public promotion of a violent far right group, in direct conflict with the Olympic "values", and that tweet is just some incidental bollocks that the tabloids got hold of and decided to focus on, then fair enough and I am not upset.

Clear?

No. If the official reason given for her being thrown out is that Tweet (as reported) then it is frankly pathetic and I am upset.

Still ignorant then? Relying on journalists to provide the full story in a single article? Try reading the article I linked before - here it is again just to help http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18987678

But the Hellenic Olympic Committee said her posts mocking African immigrants and expressing support for a far-right party went against the Olympic spirit.

Remove "to" then Graham and the point still stands

Have you ever heard anyone suggest there was a large number of immigrants [many] somewhere and then end it in a positive note?
Like i said it could happen but it is very unlikely , I doubt you disagree tbh
We both accept it may or may not be racist depending on intent. It seems clear what her views are re immigration so really what are we discussing?

Ah thanks aracer. That's the article with the headline [b]"Greek Olympian Papachristou expelled for 'racist tweet'"[/b] ?

Yeah I can't think where I got the idea she was being expelled for that tweet.

Yeah I can't think where I got the idea she was being expelled for that tweet.

So now you're basing your knowledge on headlines? 🙄

It seems my "So you were only upset about her punishment because you were ignorant?" point still stands.

Just for the record. There is a large number of Indian, Kashmiri, and Benghal immigrants in Leeds, and its ace, the asian run fruit and veg shops are fantastic, big bags of spices and veg i'd never heard of before. They will often suggest ways to cook them and advised me how to render tamarind

#felt the need to throw one in there.

Well Grum, since I felt that choc ice was a racist comment, and clearly so (ignoring the irony of a mixed race guy applying it to another mixed race guy, but this was Rio F!!!) then I hope you don't think I was being supportive of racist comments. Actually, I think choc ice is worse.

P.s. the auto spell check on your name is so annoying!

It seems my "So you were only upset about her punishment because you were ignorant?" point still stands.

You're quite right. I was ignorantly discussing the same thing as everyone else here, whether her tweet was racist, without taking the time to review the Olympic Charter and the minutes of the disciplinary meeting of the Hellenic Olympic Committee.

Oh, actually they seem to have [i]officially[/i] cited that tweet too.

I was ignorantly discussing the same thing as everyone else here, whether her tweet was racist, without taking the time to review the Olympic Charter and the minutes of the disciplinary meeting of the Hellenic Olympic Committee.

and continuing to do so when plenty of us on here had already pointed out her history and background, and even provided links to articles which gave more detail.

Oh, actually they seem to have officially cited that tweet too.

Yep - though not in isolation.

WunUndred

(and on my own thread too)

So we are now discussing research and reading accurate accounts of the story.

The thread title was 'greek athlete sent home after racist twitter remark'. The headlines on a variety of websites have essentially stated 'greek athlete sent home after racist twitter remark' and up to page 2 we were discussing the rights and wrongs of being sent home because of a ''racist' Twitter remark'.

Forgive me for making an assumption that a Greek athlete was sent home for making a racist twitter remark and commenting on that point in an online forum. I said that with the full story and facts it does indeed put her Twitter comment in a different context but on its own, without that information, simply makes her remark ill judged and silly but on its own far from being worthy of a flight home.

Indeed why, with her history, was she considered for the Olympics in the first place?

and continuing to do so when plenty of us on here had already pointed out her history and background, and even provided links to articles which gave more detail.

Yes but that's kinda the point. It is THAT tweet and the reaction to it that has caused the situation. Their official reason cites that Tweet, all the headlines cite that Tweet, and that is the story that will be remembered.

That's the kind of nonsense that gets people all worked up about political correctness gawn mad, you can't say anything these days etc etc

I see also that:

"What we did after this is was to [b]ban all statements on social media (such as) Twitter and Facebook, that are not related to the games. They can't express personal opinions[/b] on other, third subjects, but only about themselves, their athletic condition, if they're on form, or about the games, until the games are over," Hellenic Olympic Committee spokesman Tassos Papachristou told The Associated Press in London.

Is suppression of free speech also one of the Olympic Values now?

It does quite clearly have racist undertones. You can read into it that the mosquitos are as welcome as the africans - or maybe you can't and I'm racist - I'll expel myself from the olympics immediately.

Interestingly we do allow whole nations in like North Korea which has more serious moral implications when you consider their human rights record.

MSP, although I didn't deem your photo as racially offensive (in light of the topic), others may not be so level headed.

Is suppression of free speech also one of the Olympic Values now?

I may not agree with what you say, but I'l defend your right to say it (though, probably not to the death per se, not sure I feel [i]that[/i] strongly about it if I'm honest).

MSP, although I didn't deem your photo as racially offensive (in light of the topic), others may not be so level headed.

No no no no no no no.

Typical Ouilympigs PC reaction ... those officials should be hung, drawn and quartered.

grum, If you're desperately grasping for ways to deny she's a racist and was making a racist joke, yeah.

Junkyard, You are right and this what Nick griffin argues and he is not a racist and nor are thos nice skin heade dfellas in the Bomber jackets with the convictions who support him and his views.

You are right, and thanks for enlightening me on Griffin and Bomber jackets, you have some interesting views. I wasn't aware its "his" argument but was more basing my statement on what I've read by Ha-Joon Chang who writes on immigration as a political and economic topic rather than a racist one.
( http://www.amazon.co.uk/Things-They-Dont-About-Capitalism/dp/1846143284 )
He's far more literate than me so I'll just quote directly.

[i]"Countries have the right to decide how many immigrants they accept and in which part of the labour market. All societies have limited capabilities to absorb immigrants, who often have very different cultural backgrounds, and it would be wrong to demand that a country goes over that limit. Too rapid an inflow of immigrants will not only lead to a sudden increase in competition for jobs but also stretch the physical and social infrastructures, such as housing and healthcare, and create tensions with the resident population...

Wages in rich countries are more determined by immigration control than anything else, including any minimum wage legislation. How is the immigration maximum determined? Not by the 'free' labour market, which, if left alone, will end up replacing 80-90% of native workers with cheaper, and often more productive immigrants. Immigration is largely settled by politics."[/i]

(BTW, from you other posts I reckon you'd find it an interesting book)

I thought it was quite funny actually. Not as racist as listening to Tim Westwood.

Their official reason cites that Tweet, all the headlines cite that Tweet, and that is the story that will be remembered.

The official reason cites the tweet AND her expressed support for Golden Dawn. Pretty stupid to ignore that and focus only on the joke wouldn't you say?

Forgive me for making an assumption that a Greek athlete was sent home for making a racist twitter remark and commenting on that point in an online forum.

Try reading past the cheap tabloid-style headlines and look for the factual content in news articles before forming an opinion.

THM - why is choc ice racist?

all the headlines cite that Tweet, and that is the story that will be remembered.

by the ignorant

Try reading past the cheap tabloid-style headlines and look for the factual content in news articles before forming an opinion.

As soon as you climb down off your horse.

The official reason cites the tweet AND her expressed support for Golden Dawn. Pretty stupid to ignore that and focus only on the joke wouldn't you say?

It is, but a quick Google of the story suggests that is exactly what every news source has done, at least at the headline level.

I've yet to find one that quotes or links to the full statement from the Hellenic Olympic Committee - so it is difficult to know exactly where they placed the emphasis - but it does seem to have been as a direct result of this particular tweet (given this one got thousands of responses and the other ones were made some time ago and her support for Golden Dawn was already known).

Is suppression of free speech also one of the Olympic Values now?

@ loum - I will see if i can get it from the library but my stated view is the free market and morality are unlinked and I prefer the later to the former.

you can say what you want about immigration but when you suggest folk should go "home" [ very often to those born here] then you overstep the mark IMHO [ does not aply to the ulster plantation who are th eonly immigrnats I think who should **** off back home 😉 ]
Me i would open the floodgates as it may makes us share the wealth around a bit more fairly so they would have no incentive to come here. I have seen the third world and lived there i would deny no person the right to leave that behind them.

we may be OT here but cheers for the link

I've googled sententious and I'm still not 100% sure what it means, I'm guessing "waffles a lot" in which case check with the local heraldry see if it's taken junkyard 🙂

SO how do you correctly render tamarind unklehomered?

You'd still do her,though 🙂

Ton's post on page 2 doesn't make any sense now... ?

Was that racially dubious???

Maybe it was a clumsy attempt at an enigmatic and mysterious, Cantona-esque "When the seagulls follow the trawler....." remark

I still don't understand why so many fail to see Cantona's point on that occasion