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Wed Aug 13, 2008 11:45 am EDT

Jose Calderon: 'Some of my best friends are from China'

By J.E. Skeets

Via RaptorBlog, Jose Calderon explains the thinking (if you can call it that) behind Team Spain's controversial photo: "... one of our sponsors asked us to pose with a "wink" to our participation in Beijing, we made an oriental expression with our eyes. We thought it was something appropriate and that it would always be interpreted as somewhat loving. Never the less some of the European media did not see it this way. From here I would like to declare that we have a huge respect for the East and their people, some of my best friends in Toronto are from China and one of our Spanish National Team sponsors is the Chinese brand Li Ning. Anyone who would like to interpret this differently is absolutely confused." Oh, wait, you guys were just winking? Well then, that settl— no, I'm still confused.

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140 Comments

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  1. Envigado
    1. Posted by Envigado Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:24 pm EDT

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    Darn media... the world would be such a better place if guys like you would just stop informing us about it Skeets!
  2. Donna
    2. Posted by Donna Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:33 pm EDT

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    I guess that insult has to be directed toward you before you are offended. The Spanish players and their sponser showed a lack of judgement of any kind. It is not about being politically correct, it's about common sense and respect of other cultures and races. If they don't get it , then they never will.
  3. andy
    3. Posted by andy Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:27 pm EDT

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    This kind of stupidity should be condemned and not tolerated in any form. I am an asian man living in America and saw these gestures all my life. People who makes these gestures believe they are being funny or trying to show how asians look, but in reality are creating an atmosphere of hate and racism. How would these spaniards feel if asians dressed in ponchos and sombreros grabbed bottles and depicted that all latinos were drunks and idiots? Would that cause them to rethink their actions? Racism tend to breed more racism. I applaud anyone and everyone who opposes this form of discrimination.
  4. Sky P
    4. Posted by Sky P Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:26 pm EDT

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    You expect to understand anything Calderone says in the first place?
    second language issues aside, this shouldn't even be a news story. Part of living in this world means that we celebrate our differences, and this was just an example of that. There was absolutely no malicious intent. Pau said he felt uncomfortable doing it, but others were perfectly fine with it.
    Take a poll of 100,000 chinese at the games and see how many were offended by it, my guess would be less than .01% - most of them would probably laugh, because there are some people left in this world who still have a sense of humor about life.
  5. Sky P
    5. Posted by Sky P Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:26 pm EDT

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    Andy, you confuse me 100%
    Why would spaniards be portrayed as Mexicans? and also, there's no connection between a physical thing, such as wider eyes, and acting drunk and stupid. They're not the same thing, and if you take it as such, it's because you're looking for a connection that doesn't exist.
  6. Sky P
    6. Posted by Sky P Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:26 pm EDT

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    By the way, I'm not saying it wasn't a mistake that the picture was done. They should have been smarter in this day and age about it. I'm more just deploring the state of things that allowed us to reach such a level where these things are automatically shown as being racist. People are so eager to believe they're being discriminated against. I'm the poster boy for stereotyping, and I've had it done to me on several occasions. Does it bother me? Nope. I Love my life, my wife, and my child, and nothing that someone says or does to me can change that. Most of the time I can laugh along because you know what, a lot of the stereotypes are true.
  7. Sky P
    7. Posted by Sky P Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:26 pm EDT

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    That above comment should have read "I'm the poster boy for being stereotyped."
  8. Hi There! I'm a Racist!
    8. Posted by Hi There! I'm a Racist! Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:27 pm EDT

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    What's racist about that?
  9. Hi There! I'm a Racist!
    9. Posted by Hi There! I'm a Racist! Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:27 pm EDT

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    andy c,
    Do asians really eat cats and dogs?
  10. Hi There! I'm a Racist!
    10. Posted by Hi There! I'm a Racist! Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:27 pm EDT

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    Donna W,
    It's called Relativism.
  11. poker_punker
    11. Posted by poker_punker Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:46 pm EDT

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    Sky, you couldn't have been more right. I'm form Perú, yet I won't feel offended if someone would represent my people dressed up int ypical costumes.
    This is a little different, they made a mistake - but I don't think they were trying to be racist or anything like that. Before anyone jumps into conclusions, realize that cultures are different. This is not a big deal in Spain. They - wrongfully - did it thinking locally, not globally. They made a mistake: let them say they are sorry, and let's move on.
    And believe me, I'm not trying to defend spaniards, if you know history you'll know why.
  12. clau
    12. Posted by clau Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:01 pm EDT

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    If the U.S. are so sensitive about political correctness, then they should stop calling themselves Americans. America is a continent.
  13. Hitman
    13. Posted by Hitman Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:48 pm EDT

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    Another media mental midget stiring up trouble. That photo is nothing to get upset about- unless you are looking for something to get upset about. If you want something to get upset about, check out the rest of the real world- bombings,shootings, maiming, floods, ect. I can't believe that a picture of some apologetic athletes is getting everyone upset. Get a life. And for the idiot that started this mess- may you get yours in a timely fashion.
  14. geb0007
    14. Posted by geb0007 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:07 pm EDT

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    this is just the kind of ignorant problem that comes form the american society. while most of not all the world can make fun of life and enjoy our life to the fullest, it is with regret that the u.s.a. and england in this case bring to center stage something done out of fun with no attempt to belittle other individuals. our society after all does not even accept drinking a beer while walking down the street, unless of course you want to wrap it like a bum would in a brown paper bag... i'm sure some bum using the public library computer will be offended after reading this post.
  15. geb0007
    15. Posted by geb0007 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:07 pm EDT

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    i lived within the u.s. system of life and after moving to a foreign land have found myself more offended by the system that only bothers to show the ugly side of life on a daily bases. when was the last time the news reported about your local dance team making the finals, or reported on the local little league games and which team was on top, and criticized local parents for their foul language and rude behavior at the local games?not ever would be my guess. no, what you heard about was a bunch of spanish guy's making chinese eyes just like we did in grade school! the media has lost it's objectivity and is focusing on any news it can find, in an attempt just to find news!
  16. Charlie
    16. Posted by Charlie Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:06 pm EDT

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    If you're not Asian then I don't see how you can even have the platform to say this is or isn't offensive. If I see someone of another race/nationality/group being made fun of, it's much easier for me to say it's not offensive because I'm not part of that group and I'm not the target. I think that this picture is offensive. I'm not necessarily saying the Spaniards were being malicious but they're definitely stupid and ignorant.
  17. Andrew F
    17. Posted by Andrew F Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:46 pm EDT

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    People now a days are so touchy and sensitive. Media has to blow it out of prportion and context. You cannot even do anything even a no malice gesture without being scrutinize. YOU ARE MAKING SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING.
  18. TGkyuubi
    18. Posted by TGkyuubi Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:15 pm EDT

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    if there is no malicious intent, then how is it offensive?
    No ones intelligence is being insulted.
    no one is threatening anyone.
    People need to step down from their soapboxes and lighten up.
    this is no different than if the team had put on blonde wigs if the games were held in sweden
  19. Charlie
    19. Posted by Charlie Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:06 pm EDT

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    so if a team out there made fun of a African nation by painting their faces black and made their lips puffy, no one would be offended?
  20. poker_punker
    20. Posted by poker_punker Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:46 pm EDT

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    IA, I don't think anyone find this acceptable - at least, I don't. I think what we all are trying to say here is that this was a mistake. It's their culture, the way they were raised: I'm not saying it was right, but I don't see why this should be taken as some kinf of international incident.
    They should apologize for it, and never do something like that.
    By the way, I'm also part of a minority in my country.
  21. wahoo
    21. Posted by wahoo Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:50 pm EDT

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    to all those who would deny that there is any negative racial intent in what the spanish players did - you're all a bunch of brainless idiots that do not know the first thing about asians or what that gesture means to asians. it's a racial insult and slur that denigrates asian features - there's no ifs, ands or buts about it!! it does not matter that the spaniards were ignorant of their actions - they can't do anything about their ignorance before the photo but they can certainly apologize afterwards instead of trying to hide their ignorance and trying to deny away the insult!
  22. TGkyuubi
    22. Posted by TGkyuubi Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:15 pm EDT

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    "If you're not Asian then I don't see how you can even have the platform to say this is or isn't offensive."
    and by that you mean "only if you have slanted eyes"
    you just asserted the fact that asians have slanted eyes with that statement there
    It is a fact.
    They were not perpetuating a stereotype or poking fun. they just tried to pay homage to the olympic hosts
  23. TGkyuubi
    23. Posted by TGkyuubi Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:15 pm EDT

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    Putting on blackface brings up strong racial emotions here in the US. That is because it was used to make African Americans look inferior. Maybe if slavery had not occurred and there was no racial tension then reactions would be different.
    If the games were held in Sweden and the spanish had put on blonde wigs, would the same reaction still have occurred?
    What if it were in Israel and they wore yamalkes?
    Cultures assign reactions based on their own unique history.
    My point is that different cultures react differently and we should do our best not to judge.
  24. Charlie
    24. Posted by Charlie Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:06 pm EDT

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    Oh yea I'm definitely saying that Asians have slanted eyes, that's biologically true, but the fact that other people would imitate that is an absolutely an affront to Asians. Asians definitely take offense at such gestures. Some people think that it's not a big deal but it is. How do you pay homage by offending an entire race? If you're not sure if something you do is offensive or not, then don't do it. Just because Asians do in fact have slanted eyes doesn't mean they think it's cool for other races to imitate it.
  25. Charlie
    25. Posted by Charlie Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:06 pm EDT

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    The difference between putting on a costume and making slant eyed gestures is that people don't make fun of others for their hair colors really but frequently Asians are poked at because of their eyes.

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