Gymnastics Ireland in Racism row

[Puffin]

I can totally understand that the parents wanted the governing body involved.
It still doesn’t explain why the letter was supressed

 

[irichluck21]

I think that even if it was not intentionally racist, the perceptions that it was an act of racism was there.
While it might have been accidental, it is hard for anyone to say how the mother/family felt about the incident.
People of color experience micro-aggressions and subconscious racism constantly, it could have felt that way to this mother/family who were supporting/advocating for their child.

 

[Petra]

I think the pqrents of the child are just looking for financial compensation … you know “compo culture” .

 

[irichluck21]

I think the pqrents of the child are just looking for financial compensation … you know “compo culture” .

Hard to form an opinion on that, we do not know what the family has faced or gone through or if they had previously been victims of racism.

Non-Irish (white) make up less than 6% of the population.

We really have no idea of what that small minority has to live with on a daily basis.

 

[irichluck21]

BTW are you Irish?

Yes. I am.

Though I was born in the US, my heritage is Irish.

 

[Petra]

People really need to stop copying race issues in America and applying them to countries that have only recently taken in immigrants.

 

[irichluck21]

applying them to countries that have only recently taken in immigrants.

This doesn’t mean that there are not racist acts being committed.

 

[MaryClare]

I’m Irish (no, really I have more passports than Chuso).

Ireland is, by a country mile, THE most racist country in the Anglosphere. The difference in attitude between Ireland and the UK is stark when it comes to this. I have a few friends in Ireland who are of non white european heritage,but they largely came over as young adults to work or study. I cannot begin to imagine what it’s like for a child from a minority background growing up in Ireland. Literally Britain in the 50s. Ireland is about 70 years behind

 

[JaJa]

People really need to stop copying race issues in America and applying them to countries that have only recently taken in immigrants.

I am American, but my ancestry is half Irish and we have relatives there. Sorry to say but racism is absolutely a big problem in Ireland. Although I am not saying it’s systemic and I have no clue about racism in sports specifically.

 

[J175]

I don’t claim to know the truth of the situation, but Hanlon’s Razor applies here. Disorganisation and incompetence are not unusual things at largely volunteer-run events. It is apparently true that the correct medals were awarded before the event concluded.

If it was racism it’s still amazing that this incident has gained so much coverage outside Ireland. Gymnastics Ireland are to blame for not sorting it out sooner, but we have international news coverage and people making generalisations about a whole country based on the actions of one “official” (by the sounds of it a volunteer) at an obscure kids event.

 

[Petra]

MaryClare don’t presume to know the country you don’t even live in. Immigrants have only relatively recently arrived into the country.
Try imagining what the average Ukrainian child is going through in Russia … or the average Irish child in UK , NI .

 

[Petra]

Keep your racism out of other countries.

 

[JaJa]

I really don’t know what you mean.

 

[KristyJ]

I find it hard to believe that there were no immigrants in Ireland until recently (I would buy the line that there were comparatively few, but not none), and that their experience is always that of anyone else in the country. The tricky thing about the type of racism that is buried in society is that it is often almost entirely invisible to those who don’t experience it, but it is very visible to those who do, leading to a mismatch of perceptions. I remember thinking racism mostly didn’t exist where I grew up until I personally experienced it as a teen simply for listening to hispanic radio with my car windows down and then getting cussed out (and worse) by a driver in the car next to me because they made assumptions based on that. It was eye-opening because I never would have experienced that had I not chosen that radio station on that day. What if I had an accent every day or spoke Spanish often? How much more would I have experienced? Just because we don’t see it doesn’t mean that those who say it exists are wrong. Now, in this specific event there seem to be some muddy details and I hope they can be clarified, but the overall point of the anecdote is that it’s often the minorities who know the true scope of racism, and not those in the majority.

 

[MaryClare]

Try imagining what the average Ukrainian child is going through in Russia … or the average Irish child in UK ,

You’re new here

 

[JaJa]

People really need to stop copying race issues in America and applying them to countries that have only recently taken in immigrants.

This is not about immigration, it’s about racism. Although there has been some fairly recent (starting in about 2015 I think) immigration to Ireland from Africa, black people have been there since the 18th Century, having been brought there by the British as both servants and slaves. Why assume this girl was an “immigrant”? Is that itself not a sort of racism?

 

[MaryClare]

MaryClare don’t presume to know the country you don’t even live in. Immigrants have only relatively recently arrived into the country

I’m Irish since birth. My mother was born in and grew up in Ireland. I know the country very well. Dundalk for instance has gone from being a complete shithole to being a complete shithole with a halal butchers.

If that isn’t Irish enough for you, then I’m going to assume that the black girl in the video isn’t Irish enough for you either. You clearly operate some sort of hierarchy.

Which rather proves my previous point, that Ireland is the most racist country in the English speaking world and attitudes are about 70 years behind where they are in Britain.

 

[irichluck21]

Ireland has always had a troublesome past with racism.

I have cut ties with relatives whom live there because they are very stuck in their way of thinking and are blatantly racist and use derogatory language that is unacceptable.

The issue with the gymnast is not an isolated incident.
In the 1940s-1990s there were major issues with how people of color were treated, including children in childcare.

It even got to the point that the United Nations got involved for past aggressions.
https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements...l-adequate-redress-systemic-racism-and-racial

Racism in Ireland is very real even in current times.

Is racism is rearing its ugly head in Ireland?

Is Ireland a racist country? This is a question that has been asked frequently over the last few months, and it raised its head once again this week with reports that gardai are investigating “vile and horrific racist abuse” on social media platforms aimed at Republic of Ireland underage soccer...

www.irishcentral.com

 

[Petra]

If that isn’t Irish enough for you, then I’m going to assume that the black girl in the video isn’t Irish enough for you either. You clearly operate some sort of hierarchy.

Don’t presume to assume.

Given the statistics it’s an educated guess that she comes from an immigrant family.

Which rather proves my previous point, that Ireland is the most racist country in the English speaking world and attitudes are about 70 years behind where they are in Britain.

You haven’t proved any point. My point is you can’t back up what you claim.

“Ireland is, by a country mile, THE most racist country in the Anglosphere.”

Well that proves your colonial mentality.

 

[RichardL]

Well that proves your colonial mentality.

You clearly don’t understand what colonialism is, and your nationalist views are very much on display.