# Modern racism as double standards rather than overt bigotry and segregation **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 29, 2016, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-racism-as-double-standards-rather-than-overt-bigotry-and-segregation/773357 "2016-11-29T03:43:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-racism-as-double-standards-rather-than-overt-bigotry-and-segregation/773357/41 "2016-12-02T17:04:45Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > If we can play hypothetical for a moment: > > IIRC, Jackie Robinson was held to a much higher level of scrutiny in terms of athletic performance than his white peers. Opposing white pitchers tried their absolute, absolute best to strike him out, and if Jackie struck out or had a bad game overall, it was a bigger deal than if a white player did the same, which was just “normal.” (Someone correct me if my understanding is off) > > Now that black players are the majority in the NFL, NBA, etc. I don’t think this is much of a big deal. However, seeing the way Jeremy Lin was treated by some makes me believe that for a “newcomer race/ethnicity” there will be an unfair double standard in sports. For instance, black people were newcomers to baseball in Jackie Robinson’s day, and Asians are newcomers in a sense to the NFL, NBA, etc. > > So if a white quarterback throws three interceptions in a game, he’s just having a bad day which is normal, but if an Asian NFL quarterback were to throw 3 interceptions, I guarantee you there’d be a furor, and people would be saying it was because of his slanted eyes and how he can’t see properly, etc. I don’t know if that’s really true though; the assumption is that the opposing pitchers were trying their absolute, absolute best to strike out ALL the players, not just the black one. It’s in their interest to do so as players. I don’t think there was a double-standard with respect to Lin; for one thing, he wasn’t the first famous Asian player in the NBA- Yao Ming already had that taken care of. Lin was just a player whose starts lined up with an extended winning run by the Knicks. So he was seen as something special by the NY media and got a lot of popularity and some catchy phrases like “Linsanity”. There may be some merit to the idea that he wasn’t drafted because people assumed Asians can’t play basketball though. Nobody talked any shit that I’m aware of about the Asian-ness Dat Nguyen at Texas A&M or on the Cowboys a decade ago, or of half-Asian Roman Gabriel, Hines Ward or Tedy Bruschi. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-racism-as-double-standards-rather-than-overt-bigotry-and-segregation/773357/42 "2016-12-02T18:32:38Z")
> [@planetcory](#): > > What is the ‘mainstream?’ and who developed and determined it? And why should I, a black person, aspire to what I’m not? The simple answer is that it is your best shot at succeeding. Stop thinking of mainstream as white. Mainstream is where the money is. It is all colors. You are also making a contribution to future generations by very slightly lessening the impact of stereo types. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-racism-as-double-standards-rather-than-overt-bigotry-and-segregation/773357/43 "2016-12-02T20:02:48Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > The simple answer is that it is your best shot at succeeding. Stop thinking of mainstream as white. Mainstream is where the money is. It is all colors. You are also making a contribution to future generations by very slightly lessening the impact of stereo types. One of the tiny contributions that I try to make is to not treat people differently for speaking in different dialects (such as African American vernacular) or dressing in hip hop clothes, and the like, and encouraging others to do the same. If enough people do this, then the “mainstream” changes such that it is less discriminatory. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-racism-as-double-standards-rather-than-overt-bigotry-and-segregation/773357/44 "2016-12-02T20:33:03Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > If we can play hypothetical for a moment: > > IIRC, Jackie Robinson was held to a much higher level of scrutiny in terms of athletic performance than his white peers. Opposing white pitchers tried their absolute, absolute best to strike him out, and if Jackie struck out or had a bad game overall, it was a bigger deal than if a white player did the same, which was just “normal.” (Someone correct me if my understanding is off) > > Now that black players are the majority in the NFL, NBA, etc. I don’t think this is much of a big deal. However, seeing the way Jeremy Lin was treated by some makes me believe that for a “newcomer race/ethnicity” there will be an unfair double standard in sports. For instance, black people were newcomers to baseball in Jackie Robinson’s day, and Asians are newcomers in a sense to the NFL, NBA, etc. > > So if a white quarterback throws three interceptions in a game, he’s just having a bad day which is normal, but if an Asian NFL quarterback were to throw 3 interceptions, I guarantee you there’d be a furor, and people would be saying it was because of his slanted eyes and how he can’t see properly, etc. I don’t think that is true. Jackie Robinson was rookie of the year his first year, received and MVP title and was an all-star 8 out of 10 seasons. It seems like he was celebrated in line with his accomplishments. Roman Gabriel had a really good NFL career and that was fifty years ago. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-racism-as-double-standards-rather-than-overt-bigotry-and-segregation/773357/45 "2016-12-02T20:48:01Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > I don’t think that is true. Jackie Robinson was rookie of the year his first year, received and MVP title and was an all-star 8 out of 10 seasons. It seems like he was celebrated in line with his accomplishments. > Roman Gabriel had a really good NFL career and that was fifty years ago. I don’t think you know much about Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in baseball. His outstanding performance was even more remarkable because of the constant harassment from other players and the public. Asians in major sports haven’t generally had bad reactions from fans and colleagues, just difficulty getting the opportunity to play in the first place as was the case with Lin. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-racism-as-double-standards-rather-than-overt-bigotry-and-segregation/773357/46 "2016-12-02T22:28:41Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > One of the tiny contributions that I try to make is to not treat people differently for speaking in different dialects (such as African American vernacular) or dressing in hip hop clothes, and the like, and encouraging others to do the same. If enough people do this, then the “mainstream” changes such that it is less discriminatory. I agree with you 100% and as a white person thats the contribution I try to make as well. I think a simple contribution that the country as a whole could make would be to simply give more publicity to how being discriminated against affects us. Maybe call it walk a mile in his shoes. I am not so sure how I would respond if I felt I would never be able to support my family at the standard I knew I was capable of doing. Awareness can sometimes create empathy. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-racism-as-double-standards-rather-than-overt-bigotry-and-segregation/773357/47 "2016-12-05T16:57:28Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I don’t think you know much about Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in baseball. His outstanding performance was even more remarkable because of the constant harassment from other players and the public. > > Asians in major sports haven’t generally had bad reactions from fans and colleagues, just difficulty getting the opportunity to play in the first place as was the case with Lin. Jackie Robinson went into an 0 for 20 slump early in the season. Despite this he was still given the opportunity to play. This directly contradicts the hypothetical. His manager knew how good a player he was and gave him the chance to prove it just like he would have any white player who goes into a slump. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-racism-as-double-standards-rather-than-overt-bigotry-and-segregation/773357/48 "2016-12-05T19:30:03Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > If we can play hypothetical for a moment: > > IIRC, Jackie Robinson was held to a much higher level of scrutiny in terms of athletic performance than his white peers. Opposing white pitchers tried their absolute, absolute best to strike him out, and if Jackie struck out or had a bad game overall, it was a bigger deal than if a white player did the same, which was just “normal.” (Someone correct me if my understanding is off) > > Now that black players are the majority in the NFL, NBA, etc. I don’t think this is much of a big deal. However, seeing the way Jeremy Lin was treated by some makes me believe that for a “newcomer race/ethnicity” there will be an unfair double standard in sports. For instance, black people were newcomers to baseball in Jackie Robinson’s day, and Asians are newcomers in a sense to the NFL, NBA, etc. Scrutiny from whom? Some number of players opposed Jackie, true, but he had full support of Dodger management, ownership, the league commissioner’s office and, perhaps most importantly, the media. > [@Velocity](#): > > So if a white quarterback throws three interceptions in a game, he’s just having a bad day which is normal, but if an Asian NFL quarterback were to throw 3 interceptions, I guarantee you there’d be a furor, and people would be saying it was because of his slanted eyes and how he can’t see properly, etc. Are you serious? ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-racism-as-double-standards-rather-than-overt-bigotry-and-segregation/773357/49 "2016-12-05T22:33:14Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > I think modern racism also includes the old-fashioned racism (“I don’t like those niggers and spics”). But yes, I think racism is often manifested in the ways you describe, **Wesley**. > > It’s a matter of empathy. People are more likely to feel empathy for people who 1) look like, 2) talk like, and 3) act like them and their family members. So when there’s a terroristic attack in Europe, Americans express grief and sorrow on their Facebook pages. But let the same thing happen in Africa or Asia, and there will be crickets. Because Europeans visually resemble the majority of Americans and Americans have cultural familiarity with European countries. At least the western ones. > > If you feel empathy for someone, it becomes easier to care about them. It becomes easier to overlook or excuse their flaws. > > The biggest double standard of them all right now? Obama versus Trump. Take all the personal flaws that Trump has (impulsive, arrogant, showboating, womanizer, foul mouth , anti-intellectual, lying, adulterer, shady businessman, likely cocaine user) and pretend they belong to Obama. Ain’t no way Obama would have been elected with that kind of profile. The Dems would have been a laughingstock for trying to elevate a “nigger” stereotype to the highest officer–and rightfully so! But the rich white guy can get away with such trifling behavior because HEY! HE’S ONE OF US!! \*The Dems would have been a laughingstock for trying to elevate a “nigger” stereotype to the highest officer–and rightfully so! But the rich white guy can get away with such trifling behavior because HEY! HE’S ONE OF US!! - Trevor Noah did a bit about this recently on The Daily Show. He points out the US seems to have elected an African dictator as its president. ---
**Author:** ![Covert\_Harris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f6c823/32.png) [@Covert\_Harris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covert_Harris)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-racism-as-double-standards-rather-than-overt-bigotry-and-segregation/773357/50 "2016-12-06T16:59:11Z")
I didn’t see that this is a very old thread before I composed a response. I’ll post it anyway. Carl Jung said racism against Black people stems from the innate association of blackness with amorphous darkness of which humans naturally fear, both ambiently and within the unconscious psyche. There are also rational associations at play, for example when Black men engage in more crime in a given area, than, say, pretty White girls. Even Black people in test environments react more negatively toward Black faces than White. (Please don’t ask for a citation. I’ve read this more than once in psychology books, but I don’t have references. Discard this point if you want to.) Racism is natural, unfortunately. Having a higher IQ helps because smart people apply more cerebral oversight and executive control of natural impulses. For less intelligent people, many of whom have racist tendencies, the only remedy is cultural immersion, which our society is trying to accomplish by inclusion, - on TV shows, in sports, and in electing Presidents (but he’s half White), which takes a long time; or, more rapidly, concentrated immersion by dating and / or marrying a Black person, if one is White. That usually dispenses with knee-jerk racism by Whites against Black people. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-racism-as-double-standards-rather-than-overt-bigotry-and-segregation/773357.md?page=2)