I recently heard on the news that a hockey coach had been fired for using a racial slur in an argument with a black player. Not to condone this type of behaviour, but does using a racial slur automatically make one a racist?
For instance, if I called someone a cocksucker, would that automatically make me a homophobe, since I’m using the term in a negative manner?
Is it possible that someone will use a term like this “in the heat of the moment”, but is not a racist, or do you think it exposes the arguers underlying feelings?
But why even use a racial slur “in the heat of the moment” if there is absolutely no trace of racism within the arguer? Surely there are other insults to be hurled other than racial slurs. Think of it this way. If you were arguing with someone of your own race, in a heated argument, would you throw around a racial slur? Would you even be tempted to? $10 says you would not. So why would that temptation be there when arguing with, mmm, say a black person? So yes, I say it does expose some underlying racist sentiments.
I would dsagree with MeanOldLady if only to point out that one could theoretically use a racial slur in the heat of the moment in an attempt to “hurt” the other person, without being a bigot. Such an insult would ring hollow if that other person happened to be of the same ethnicity.
Of course, I doubt this would apply to very many real word scenarios.
I’m not psychic, and I can’t judge whether the coach in question is a genuine bigot or a fundamentally decent man who lost his cool and said something he regrets. But in either case, he deserved a stern punishment, and I can’t blame management for firing him.
Quite apart from the moral issue, there’s a practical issue: how can any coach hope to command respect from black players who have good reason to regard him as a racist?
I think “heat of the moment” does count for something.
About 2 years ago 2 black guys jumped my son and assaulted him, just to steal his CD player. While they were running away (with the CD player) he yelled out “you God damn ni**ers!”.:eek:
His head was bleeding, his eyse were all puffed up and bruised, he was laying on the ground, and he’d just been robbed. In that situation does yelling that automatically make him a racist? I say no.
But that coach wasn’t being assaulted, was he? He just sounds like a hot head who can’t watch his mouth. There is a difference here!