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Kobe Bryant slinging homophobic slur during nationally televised NBA game

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L

Lunchbox

Banned
Your Excellency said:
Why did he hit his friend?
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thats the same reaction kobe has everynight looking in the mirror realizing he'll never reach Larry bird status, he'll never equal the celtics record and

HE AINT SHIT WITHOUT SHAQ

cPcvh.jpg
 
C

Cubsfan23

Banned
Kinitari said:
Hmmm... if I started calling people who were really stupid "Niggers" - would that take the power away from the word Nigger? Does the context remove the negative association with the homophobic community? Just to be clear, I would never call a black idiot a "nigger"
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no because that word has never had a double meaning to it.
 
B

btkadams

Member
Qwomo said:
Also, for the record, faggot is an immature little word used by immature little people, and every person in this thread who's come out and said "I say faggot all the time" is a childish imbecile and should be treated as such.

But faggot still doesn't always mean "gay."
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are you gay?
 
A

A Link to the Past

Banned
"What I said last night should not be taken literally," he said. "My actions were out of frustration during the heat of the game, period. The words expressed do NOT reflect my feelings towards the gay and lesbian communities and were NOT meant to offend anyone."
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Let's say that Kobe Bryant was in a rush one day down the sidewalk and rudely bumped into me. Would he accept his excuse for his behaviour if I used it to call him "nigger" out of frustration? Hell no, he'd be pissed off, and that's why this is a bullshit explanation. You fucked up Kobe.
 
S

Souldriver

Member
Qwomo said:
Also, for the record, faggot is an immature little word used by immature little people, and every person in this thread who's come out and said "I say faggot all the time" is a childish imbecile and should be treated as such.

But faggot still doesn't always mean "gay."
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I agree with that. But in discussions like that it's always difficult to see the nuances that people try to bring to the table. Context and intent always matter, and I think most people who at first seem to be at opposite sites of an argument end up agreeing with each other. However, you only need a few people to say "I use faggot all the time" and "everyone who uses faggot is a gay-hater" and bam! It's either BLACK or WHITE. Pick a side. Funny how that goes.
 
Z

Zoramon089

Banned
ITT: No one has ever used a gay slur or said "That's gay" in as a joke or in frustration.
Hypocrites...He apologized. He's never shown himself to be homophobic before so why are people making such a big deal out of this
 
M

Margalis

Banned
do you believe Kobe was calling the ref gay, in his context?
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"Fag" and similar terms are generally used to emasculate, and yes, that's what Kobe was probably doing. Usually calling someone a fag means you think they are like a gay man in that they are not "real men", girly, etc. To use "fag" in that manner you basically have to believe that gay men are inferior "normal" men.

The use of the word "fag" typically means that the subject is like a gay man, not that you think they are actually gay. Just like calling someone a pussy means they are womanly, like someone who has a vagina, not that they are actually a giant vagina.

Whether or not Kobe thinks the ref is actually gay is totally irrelevant.
 
J

Joates

Banned
A Link to the Snitch said:
Let's say that Kobe Bryant was in a rush one day down the sidewalk and rudely bumped into me. Would he accept his excuse for his behaviour if I used it to call him "nigger" out of frustration? Hell no, he'd be pissed off, and that's why this is a bullshit explanation. You fucked up Kobe.
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Only hes black and the ref (as far as we know ) isnt gay. Call kobe a cracker in that situation and see what he does.
 
Q

Qwomo

Junior Member
ZephyrFate said:
Then you don't really understand the gravitas of the words fag or faggot.
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I'm not black either, and I "understand the gravitas" of the n-word. Also, I'm bisexual.
 
K

Kinitari

Black Canada Mafia
Cubsfan23 said:
no because that word has never had a double meaning to it.
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Think of me as a pioneer - the double meaning of faggot started somewhere, people started using it derogatorily with homosexuals, then it just started meaning 'idiot' right? Well I'm going to skip that first step, I am just going to start calling idiots niggers.
 
S

Souldriver

Member
Qwomo said:
I'm not black either, and I understand the gravitas of the n-word. Also, I'm bisexual.
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So you understand how bad it is to use the n-word as an insult, but not how bad it is to use the f-word as an insult?
 
M

MIMIC

Banned
Cubsfan23 said:
gay = feminine = insult

in kobe's context
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It didn't even mean feminine.

In this context, fag meant "annoying asshole/jerk/douche/etc". If I didn't pass the ball to my friend, and he called me a fag in response, how would he consider my actions "feminine"? I could list hundreds of examples where perceived femininity doesn't even enter the picture.
 
G

Gospel

Parmesan et Romano
Mercury Fred said:
I wasn't joking.
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I bet you're swirling around in your swivel chair thinking all the posts you've made are even remotely clever. They just make you look like a moron.
And no, not an entertaining moron, just a moron-moron.
 
M

Mercury Fred

Banned
ChocolateCupcakes said:
You're just downright pathetic. Please piss off somewhere else.
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Well I'm not into the whole watersports thing, but to each their own.

By the way, I made my case more than once in this thread. I'm sorry that the fact that I won't demure to the use of a homophobic slur and its defense makes you uncomfortable.

Serenade said:
I bet you're swirling around in your swivel chair thinking all the posts you've made are even remotely clever.
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Yes, but I'm also doing my nails and sipping on a soy latte.
 
M

Masked Man

I said wow
BakedPigeon said:
+1 for posting a pic of a guy who got "gay bashed" in a thread that has nothing to do with him actually/purposely putting down gay people.
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+1 for not realizing that it has everything to do with someone of considerable public notoriety/admiration using charged language as a derogatory remark (regardless of "intent"), and thus perpetuating the hatred/stigma that surrounds homosexuality in the U.S. (particularly in sports)
 
R

remnant

Banned
A Link to the Snitch said:
Let's say that Kobe Bryant was in a rush one day down the sidewalk and rudely bumped into me. Would he accept his excuse for his behaviour if I used it to call him "nigger" out of frustration? Hell no, he'd be pissed off, and that's why this is a bullshit explanation. You fucked up Kobe.
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If that happened to me and you apologized, i would be okay with it. I

That said, i'm not a thin skinned bitch who takes everything on a personal level.
 
N

NotebookJ2

Member
Zoramon089 said:
ITT: No one has ever used a gay slur or said "That's gay" in as a joke or in frustration.
Hypocrites...He apologized. He's never shown himself to be homophobic before so why are people making such a big deal out of this
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I think it's less important whether or not people have used those phrases as it is they realize the true meaning behind them. I mean, I used those phrases before too, but I was a teenager who honestly didn't know any better. I'm not sure that would count as hypocrisy if they stopped using it altogether after a certain point.
 
K

Korey

Member
Not sure why people are still defending Kobe when he just went on ESPN apologizing.

http://lakers.ocregister.com/2011/0...d-slurs-around-after-getting-technical/52539/

Update: Kobe Bryant took to the airwaves on ESPN radio Wednesday afternoon to clarify his comments to referee Bennie Adams.

The Lakers guard said his anti-gay comment was a product of “frustration, pure frustration” after being slapped with his 15th technical of the season.

“You’re in an emotional game and athe heat of the moment, you have outbursts,” Bryant said. “You say things that don’t mean what you say. You have emotional outbursts in the course of games.’

Bryant said he knows what he said was wrong and doesn’t want others to follow his example. He also took responsibility for his actions, that prompted NBA commissioner David Stern to fine him $100,000.

“The concern I had is for those who follow what I say and are inspired by how I play or look to me as a role model or whatever it is, for them not to take what was said as something as a message of hate or a license to degrade or embarrass or tease. Because that’s what I don’t want to see have happen.”

Bryant further said it is the responsibility of athletes, or anyone in the spotlight, to bring awareness to issues, such as bigotry and racism. He said he will be reaching out to organizations, such as the Human Rights Organization and GLAAD.

“This stems from a negative light and it’s our repsonsibitliy to turn it into a positive and try to raise as much awareness as we possibly can and say that its not OK to insult, to disrespect – it’s not the right thing to do,” he said. “So I will be saying plenty to them — so that we can prohibit violence, so we can prohibit hate, hate crimes and things of that nature because it’s extremely important to do that.”

Bryant said he would appeal his fine as a matter of protocol, but owned up to his comments.

100K –plan to appeal – typical protocal. You have to own up and take responsibility – judgement call.

But as an individual you have to own up to your actions. So, the comment I made, even though it wasn’t meant as it was perceived to be, is nonetheless wrong and its important to own it.

Update: Kobe Bryant was fined $100,000 for his anti-gay comments that were directed at an NBA referee during Tuesday’s game against San Antonio. Commissioner David Stern called Bryant’s actions “offensive and inexcusable.”

Stern’s statement: “Kobe Bryant’s comments during last night’s game was offensive and inexcusable. While I’m fully aware that basketball is an emotional game, such as distasteful term should never be tolerated. Accordingly, I have fined Kobe $100K. Kobe and everyone associated with the NBA know that insensitive or derogatory comments are not acceptable and have no place in our game or society.

Human Rights Campaign president Joe Solmonese supported Stern’s action.

“We applaud Commissioner Stern and the NBA for not only fining Bryant but for recognizing that slurs and derogatory comments have no place on the basketball court or in society at large. We hope such swift and decisive action will send a strong and universal message that this kind of hateful outburst is simply inexcusable no matter what the context.”
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TLDR: You don't need to defend him, because he doesn't need you to. It feels like the defensive people in this thread are defending their own right or desire to use the word.

Instead of fighting it, maybe think about growing up because society has.
 
C

Cubsfan23

Banned
Kinitari said:
Think of me as a pioneer - the double meaning of faggot started somewhere, people started using it derogatorily with homosexuals, then it just started meaning 'idiot' right? Well I'm going to skip that first step, I am just going to start calling idiots niggers.
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too late, the word already has a rich history to it.
 
Q

Qwomo

Junior Member
Souldriver said:
So you understand how bad it is to use the n-word as an insult, but not how bad it is to use the f-word as an insult?
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Faggot is contextual in ways that the n-word is not.
 
F

Forceatowulf

G***n S**n*bi
As I already said in the NBA thread

What Kobe did was flat out inexcusable, as David Stern commented. And he definitely deserved to be punished in some facet. 100k is more than enough punishment in my opinion. And lol@ people asking for suspensions. Give me a fucking break...

Personally, I grew up using that word willy-nilly when I was a kid, and I certainly wasn't thinking about hating Gay individuals when I was saying it. Much like when I used to use the word "retard" I wasn't thinking about how much I hated mentally challenged individuals as I said it.

I've since grown out of that fucking stupidity though, having realized the severity of the word and how offensive it can be to a large group of people. It's part of the growing up process, something Kobe clearly hasn't done and has been punished for it accordingly.

I don't see any reason why this should go any further honestly. The man has acknowledged it was a dumb thing to do and has apologized for it. At least he was man enough not to try and deflect it and harbor no blame for his actions. This really is open and shut as far as I'm concerned.
 
C

Cubsfan23

Banned
MIMIC said:
It didn't even mean feminine.

In this context, fag meant "annoying asshole/jerk/douche/etc". If I didn't pass the ball to my friend, and he called me a fag in response, how would he consider my actions "feminine"? I could list hundreds of examples where perceived femininity doesn't even enter the picture.
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which even furthers my point as the word having extra meanings to it.
 
J

Joates

Banned
ZephyrFate said:
Cool. I bet you don't, either.
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Awe. Look at that. Goes from portraying the two words as equals.

But others who arent part of the group dont understand meaning of word.

Yet you yourself dont fall into one of those categories that you say "if you arent a part of it you dont understand".

So how could you possibly know if you arent black and gay?
 
K

Kinitari

Black Canada Mafia
Cubsfan23 said:
too late, the word already has a rich history to it.
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Bitch, all these rules!

Seriously though - you have to see what you are doing right now - you know damn well it's no different, but you just don't want to admit it. This word offends people greatly, nigger offends people greatly - continuing to use it as a slur, even not directed at them, will STILL offend these people greatly. To expect anything else is short sighted and frankly intellectually dishonest. If you don't CARE that you are offending these people greatly, own up to it, admit it and move the fuck on.
 
Riposte

Riposte

Member
Souldriver said:
You should be pretty indifferent towards intrinsic qualities of people, like eye color, skin color, sexual orientation, sex, ... because they can't be changed, and because they have no bearings on the character and attitude of people. You can however dislike the character, attitude, principles and actions of people.
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Hmmm, well, why can't you dislike certain intrinsic qualities, even if someone can't change them? It certainly isn't an impossibility, in fact I'd argue it is common to dislike something that people can't change. Moreover is it really any better to dislike someone's character or principles? I mean for them to become agreeable, you'd have to (forcefully) change who they are. In such a case, how is it ever "fair" to make fun of someone's intelligence(as every person arguing for PC has done)? As a child what we learn is completely out of our control and as an adult our education is based on what we have already learned(most adults show unwillingness to learn what opposes what they already know, that is how they tick).

In the end though, it all still matters how nice the person is. I admit I can be thrown off by the femininity of a gay guy when I first meet him, but after like 5 minutes I don't even notice it anymore and whether I appreciate the guy or not solely depends on what he says, not how he says it.
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That makes sense, and there are a lot of famous "homophobes"(not really) with homosexual friends. The distaste is still there though(just like one might have a distaste for racism, but still have racist friends. Or fat or lazy or etc). It doesn't account for people making fun of generalities.

Kinitari said:
Although get used the idea that people will like you less because of it. It honestly is no more complicated than that.
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How is shunning people for their controversial opinions not hurtful as well? Shouldn't people who shun people also be shunned? I mean that's where this got started in the first place. Sure it is easier to hate the guy who thinks gays should be murdered, but how about the father who wants his son to be physically fit/into sports or produce grandchildren? (This applies to virginal nerds just as much as feminine gays.)
 
C

Crumpet Trumpet

Banned
Qwomo said:
Faggot is contextual in ways that the n-word is not.
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Let's be honest, how many Americans use faggot in a way that isn't meant to be insulting to gay people?

Y'all can say that the meaning of the word has changed to motherfucker, prick, whatever. Its origins are still pretty damn bigoted.

And good for Kobe for explaining himself.
spurs 2011 nba champions
 
B

BakedPigeon

Banned
Joates said:
Awe. Look at that. Goes from portraying the two words as equals.

But others who arent part of the group dont understand meaning of word.

Yet you yourself dont fall into one of those categories that you say "if you arent a part of it you dont understand".

So how could you possibly know if you arent black and gay?
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ZephyFate has a history of throwing snarky, smart ass remarks as his defense for most everything. dont take it personal bra.
 
A

afternoon delight

Member
Um, words are just words? Sticks and stones and what not?

I just want to say, that reading this thread the GAF Gold way (imagining all of your avatars are saying your responses) is the best entertainment I've had all week.
 
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