Would you consider 'Green Mile' racist?

If someone is racially offended by it, then yes, it's racist.

While Green Mile is a movie that features a large black man with mystical powers and Tom Hanks with a urinary track infection, the term "Green Mile" could be referencing a number of things.

My understanding is "Green mile" refers to death row. Is the person calling Jawai a criminal? And is he being called a criminal because he is black? This could be seen as racist as in the US-where the term green mile orginates- The highest number of incarcerated people are "black" people.

My personal opinion is the world is overally too PC now, with all these social justice warriors and safe space fanatics, but that said - if someone finds something racist, then it's racist.

That said, if Hugh Greenwood ended up playing for the Wildcats, my friends and I (who are a bunch of mixed races) would have been calling him "Sunshine". After the star blonde californian quarterback in Remember the Titans. Would that have been racist?

About to say, I haven't heard of "Green Mile" before, must be a US thing

I would have thought they were saying he looks like the character in Green Mile, just as I've heard people refer to Alex Pledger as Lurch.

The definition of racism isn't whether someone is offended by it. I don't see Green Mile as being racist at all - he just happens to look like a character from a movie. And no, that doesn't mean all black people look the same.

"Gleason made it sound like it was 'N***a' this and that..."

No he didn't. He was very vague in his description.

As we say in Western Australia...

"They're a different breed over there in New Zealand!"

Yeah but they live in the most liveable country in New Zealand.

I don't actually believe that anything racist was said. I'm sure he was abused but I have no doubt Gleeson wanted to try and create a bigger issue than needed, as if getting the moral high ground is going to offset the loss.

"I don't actually believe that anything racist was said." #ThingsWhitePeopleSay

Perth Wildcats Statement

During the first half of Wednesday night's 21-point loss to the NZ Breakers, Perth Wildcats centre Nate Jawai was taunted whilst being subbed out of the game.

As this was an isolated incident limited to one person, Nate and the club have decided to move on and focus on Friday night’s home game against the Adelaide 36ers at Perth Arena.

A win will ensure the Wildcats retain second spot on the NBL ladder.

""I don't actually believe that anything racist was said." #ThingsWhitePeopleSay"

You've lived a sheltered life if you think racism is a white person thing.

Here is the update on the Breakers' investigation I posted in the game thread.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/74685382/new-zealand-breakers-investigating-racial-abuse-claims-from-perth-wildcats

Paul I have lived a sheltered life, with my complexion living constantly exposed to the sun wouldn't be fun.....

Haha! Especially not where you live!

Depends if you consider calling him Baby Shaq racist. He looks just as much like Michael Clarke Duncan as he does Shaquille O'Neal.

#Gingerlifeproblems

Seriously though, if you're going to racially abuse someone perhaps an almost 7ft 143kg man isn't the best target........

I long for simpler days when morons just poured beer on players....

Perhaps the Breakers can find a senile 83-year-old father of a valued employee to blame?

"Of Torres Strait Islander decent" The dude's Torres Strait Islander. I love it how people are defending what was said even though no one actually knows what was said. The 'Green Mile' post the other day alluded to Jawai being called it, while another black player was called "Monkey". Now is it possible they may have also referred to him in those terms or should we only worry about what was 'maybe' said to Jawai that wasn't as bad?

is Joe the cameraman still around, he was a good scapegoat

What? We're basically saying that saying one black guy looking like another black guy (as was suggested earlier in the week) isn't racist. Its got nothing to do with what may or may not have been said to Jawai last night.

I was watching the Roast of Justin Bieber and someone compared Shaq with King Kong. Everyone just laughed, including Shaq. Perhaps because it was said by a black person. So I assume we'd have to find out whether the "Green mile" or whatever name calling was made by a black person, to ascertain the veracity of the racism accusation.

^That was in response to Curtley.

I think Chalmers' POV is not at all a comment about the NZ crowd or the incident itself, but more a general comment about Gleeson's nature - that he's the type to go over the top in the heat of the moment. That's something I would agree with.
Not to say that something nasty wasn't said to Nate, but there's also the possibility that it was something borderline or misinterpreted.

If the comment was seriously racist then I would expect the club to take a proper stand on it, as opposed to their pointless "statement" today, and I would also guess that the Breakers' own investigation - in which presumably they spoke with other people in the area who may have heard the taunts - would have found something.

It's all just speculation for now though.

Saying somebody looks like another individual is not racist, if the N word or monkey/ape etc is used then that is terribly racist.
Saying he looks like Shaq or "green mile" is no different to saying Knight looks like the sleazy cook from Two Broke Girls!

No shortage of drama in the NBL this season.

Sounds like it's been overblown, from Clarke's comments you would think they'd find some evidence (ie: A witness) by now if anything racist had been said. All will move on and will be forgotten shortly, I imagine.

Hi All, I always read the posts topics but really need to input into this as i was right there.
My season seats are in row B right behind the visitors so about 5metres away. i can hand on heart say i did not hear any racial comment, nor any comments specifically directed to Nate. I did hear a few comments to Wagstaff and Jervis but those were about fouls and dirty play. Be interesting to see if any audio or similar or any witnesses appear?

What comments were directed at Jervis?

"Hey Tom, ya knob, you don't deserve to have four fouls because the refs just f***ed you over!!"

BTW bats, thanks for your comment. I believe you when you say nothing racist was directed at Nate, although others have said there was definitely a bit of abuse given to him.

I think the Cats have moved on for a reason.

Really sad story. Just want to find the guy and give him a spray.

Sad that one guy lets the whole crowd done with that kind of behaviour.

Yes, in NZ, we are probably slightly backwards in our use of technology etc.

But we were the most socially advanced country in the world in 2014 and number 5 this year. We're certainly not backwards when it comes to social matters - very diverse, accepting and open arms country.

Therefore this is really disappointing and makes me angry. If racial, ban the guy for life

The Wildcats have backtracked and the Breakers investigation has found no evidence, so there's no need to get angry mate!

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/74715732/nz-breakers-boss-says-club-vindicated-by-perth-backtrack-on-racial-abuse-claims

I'm also pleased the Breakers took a very mature approach to this, rather than lashing out with the type of sentiments used above to get the moral high ground, which is often the first reaction in an instance like this rather than finding out what happened.

Melbourne is the most LVable city, for sure. (Please tell me no one's beaten me to that joke yet...)

The real tragedy of this issue is that we were forced to read articles from Stuff.co.nz

"So it's not racist to say someone looks like somone something what if someone does look like a monkey/ape?"

EXACTLY!

The Adam Goodes thing springs to mind. Goodes with his hair and beard genuinely does/did look like an ape. It was such a beat up at the time and sadly it divided the community. If he shaved his beard and ceased looking like an ape....does it then become racist to call him an ape....or was it racist all along?

I don't think you should compare a long-running racist smear of likening black people with apes because they are supposedly less evolved (even though I doubt the little girl was intending that) with comparing two people who look alike. They are two very different things.

From the article:

{Asked if the fan in question had gone over the line of decency, Clarke said: "Not at all. My understanding is the comments were along the lines of 'Get back in your seat or get back on the bus'. That is not abusive."}



Not hard to see that Nate could mishear that as "Get to your seat at the back of the bus"

Why would anyone sledge anyone with "...get back on the bus"? Silencer's explanation makes much more sense.

Reports of Facial abuse on Jawai...

No, it means you are ignorant for saying it.

Presently illegal to racial abuse. Fed Govt keen to change that and make it legal to racial abuse

You're really defending your right to use racial slurs to insult someone, instead of the complete opposite which is not using slurs? Best to err on the side of racism, I guess.

Anon, thankfully you're not embarrassing yourself associating wilful ignorance with an alias or name. Must be quite the burden suffering a minor restriction in order to not offend someone.

Where did he get told to sit?

Yeah but it's the most liveable capital of sjw progressive tolerant society.

Wow this thread went downhill quickly. Poor white people, the true victims of racism.

From the latest article about it.

However,The West Australian understands the Wildcats are adamant the term "monkey" was used. Perth asked for more security after the incident.

The Wildcats sought to distance themselves from the controversy early yesterday, holding off on any submission to the NBL.

But it is understood they could change their position after tonight's game against the Adelaide 36ers at Perth Arena.