Shaq--A Racist?

[Starlet]

Shaq merely misguided, not a racist
By STEPHEN C. SMITH Jr.
January 14, 2003


Here in Wichita Falls, Texas, if you should happen to take I-44 heading out of town, you'll see a gigantic billboard featuring Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal off to your right.

"Because life is more than a game," the billboard says.

Ironically, O'Neal thought he was just playing games last week when the subject of Houston Rockets rookie center Yao Ming came up.

When asked about their upcoming game on Friday night, O'Neal quipped, "Tell Yao Ming, 'ching-chong-yang-wah-ah-soh.' "

Now, the first thought that springs to mind immediately is whether Shaq's patently racist remark makes him a racist.

In this case - no.

I don't say this because of the highly dubious and plain old incorrect thought process that claims that blacks can't be racist. I say this because in my view O'Neal is obviously immature, misguided and a tad ignorant, but probably not racist.

That's the thing about racism.

Most of us view it as being something ignorant - something we should have all outgrown by now - when actually there's a fine line between racism and ignorance, and it's pretty obvious what side O'Neal has put himself on.

"I mean, if I was the first one to do it, and the only one to do it, I could see what they're talking about," O'Neal said.

What we're talking about, Shaq, is how this incident damages your image, which was pretty clean up to this point, and how you've placed yourself in the company of those who most of us refer to as bigots.

You know, people like former Los Angeles Dodgers executive Al Campanis, former Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott, and former Braves and Rangers pitcher John Rocker - all of whom probably had something else in mind when they made their career-altering statements, but like O'Neal, just kept talking anyway.

You see, a person's intent when they say something never excuses the impact of the statement they make.

So what impact will Shaq's ludicrous comment carry?

It will most certainly further hype ESPN's broadcast of the game featuring the first O'Neal-Yao Ming match up, but not the way you think. Yao has so far taken the high road and doesn't appear to be angry about the situation.

"I believe Shaquille O'Neal was joking," Yao said, "but I think that a lot of Asian people don't understand that kind of joke."

True, but not too many people of any race, color, national origin, religion or gender understand those kinds of jokes - especially when they're aimed squarely at them.

This is no mere incident of trash-talk between athletes and cannot be dismissed as such. It's a lot more than that because this comment comes from someone who should know better.

A comment like this from a world-famous celebrity who has dressed up in Asian-style clothing and referred to himself as "Shaq-Fu" for fun and profit tells you a lot about the person who made it.

"At times I try to be a comedian," O'Neal said. "Sometimes I make a good joke and sometimes it's a bad joke."

Maybe O'Neal had better stick to playing basketball and try to get the Lakers above the .500 mark while leaving the jokes to people who at least have a clue as to what they're saying, because life is more than just being stupid.



(Contact Stephen C. Smith Jr. of the Wichita Falls Times Record)

* What do you all think about this? In my eyes, I believe this was a racist remark and should not go unnoticed, nor be ignored. The media has chosen to turn the other way and not report about this. The only reason anyone knows about this is because Fox Sports Radio's Tony Bruno Morning Extravaganza played a recording of the taunt several times to its nationwide audience on Dec. 16 and 17. Bruno commented that Shaq's comment was "not racist," and then asked listeners to call in jokes making racist fun of Chinese.

I've read a few columns about this issue, and some people chalked Shaq's comment to the fact that he doesn't know any better. Doesn't know any better? He doesn't know that when you say a racist remark, there are going to be repercussions and people will be angry. As someone who is a public figure and has Asian American fans, he of all people, should definitely know that what he did was wrong. What's your take on this?