Monkey Business

[ringdove]

During the recent Australia-India cricket test at Sydney, an Indian player, Harbhajan Singh, is alleged to have called an Aussie player, Andrew Symonds, a "monkey". Harbhajan Singh appears to have denied the charge and said that he had himself been provoked by some offensive language or gesture. However, a ban was imposed on Singh by the match referee for using "racist" terminology. Singh has appealed and his appeal is to be heard tomorrow by a New Zealand judge.

Whatever the outcome of the appeal (and it is certainly possible that the word used by Singh may have been abusive; many sportsmen are abusive to towards one another on the field, which is admittedly not a good thing), what I cannot understand is how the word "monkey" becomes a "racist" expression.
If we are NOT descended from monkeys, we are not descended from monkeys - and that is the end of the matter. On the other hand, if we ARE descended from monkeys, then all human beings have so descended.
So , what is the racism in relation to Aussies here?

Is there some linguistic or cultural nuance that I'm missing here?
I know there can be nuances which can be difficult to follow if one is not on the spot.
Meanwhile, Symonds has apparently said that he doesnt mind being addressed as a monkey by a friend, but would resent it coming from a stranger. There he may have a point. I think sportsmen tend to take too many liberties with one another. It comes from taking the game too seriously.

Ringdove

[bottlecar]

Interesting ringdove, as Symonds says monkey is an acceptable term if used in the right context, i.e you little monkey to a child.

If someone called me a monkey in a not so friendly manner I would be taken aback but don't think I would see it as a racist term. But then I am pakeha and don't often get racist comments directed at me. Sadly I think that if it was used by a white person to a brown/black person it could be seen as referring to the fact that someone with brown skin was more closely related to monkeys than the white person. And I would probably make that assumption. I don't like any racist labels, and we don't need more labels to insult people. Often it's how words are used that bring them into that popular 'insulting label' category rather than the word itself.

Sports has so much riding on it - very serious and I imagine that it is easy to become heated and say things that are unprofessional, a sad part of the game. There must be a fine line between being fired up to beat your opponant and taking it a bit too far.

[maire]

Just imagine if Symonds used red zinc around his mouth,
he would look like the back end of a baboon.
Even the white zinc makes him look a real chimp ....
so in my opinion, Harbhajan Singh would have been correct
if he had indeed called him a monkey ;D ;D

Re the racist connotation, I don't think there is anything
racist about it at all. Just sour grapes from the Aussie team.

[toerag]

Geeze can't use black, yellow and now monkey, what about dooooog.

Agree Maire there was nothing in it just an aussie.

I've heard some of those aussie mouths and it's not pruddie when talking about other ethnic groups.

For me what goes round comes round.

[ringdove]

Thanks for all your posts.
The latest appears to be that the charges have been withdrawn
and the case against Harbhajan Singh is closed.
I suppose these are the kind of things that get blown up when everybody is tense on the field.
Cheers
Ringdove

[sparrow]

maire said:

Just imagine if Symonds used red zinc around his mouth,
he would look like the back end of a baboon.
Even the white zinc makes him look a real chimp ....
so in my opinion, Harbhajan Singh would have been correct
if he had indeed called him a monkey ;D ;D

Re the racist connotation, I don't think there is anything
racist about it at all. Just sour grapes from the Aussie team.

;D

So true!

I don't see how monkey can be racist, especially when directed at Symmonds? It seems a bit silly. I had a friend that used to call people, when angry, ugly mutleys. It was almost her signature line!

[ringdove]

Hi Sparrow
Good to hear from you!
The latest is that Harbhajan Singh was cleared of the racism charge (because the charge was withdrawn) but fined for being argumentative on the field or something like that.
Indian opinion can live with that but just couldnt stomach the racism charge. So feelings were earlier quite inflamed on this side of the Ocean!

What we have learnt only now from the media here is that Symonds is of Caribbean origin and has faced racial taunts before, hence his sensitivity.

This is how cultural nuances do count. If all this had been known earlier, protests here might have been less aggressive and more understanding.

Ringdove

[sparrow]

I didn't know Symonds is of Caribbean origin? Wow. You learn something new every day. I hope from now on that Indian cricketers keep a record of what is said to them when they play Australia.

I saw an Australian rugby player, Justin Harrison, call a black South African a filthy racist name. He protested the charges and had some support, but it was there to see right up there on the TV for everyone to gawk at!

[ringdove]

I think we'll hear more of the cricket controversy because the New Zealand judge has reportedly said that Harbhajan Singh's remarks were triggered by something said by Symonds.
And the Aussies are now protesting that.
So the story goes on....
Perhaps all people need to be put through some cultural orientation programme before they participate in international events!
The world is growing smaller and more people are more often meeting other people who are less like them. And somehow we dont seem to cope with the fact of dfference!
Cheers
Ringdove

[hps]

On TV news last night the NZ Judge disputed whether the word used was 'monkey' as it is believed Harbhajan Singh did say somthing but in his own language. Also the judge felt that the Aussie players impacted the situation by making a scene.

[ringdove]

Yes hps that has been Harbhajan Singh's defence, that he did say something abusive in his own language upon provocation but that nothing racist was said or intended.
Anyway, one hopes that the fine imposed on him will be the end of the matter as he's been cleared of the more serious racism charge.
The Aussie players seem to accept now that it wasnt racist. But they feel there should have been a stiffer penalty because this is not the first time with Harbhajan.

For the New Zealand judges's very interesting decision see www.thehindu.com

Ringdove