Is the Spanish basketball team slant eyed joke picture stupidity ?

Question

We know that it wasn't mean spirited.

Cultural misunderstanding of what's funny or just plain stupid.

Answer 1

It was both men and women Spanish basketball team, and argentinian women soccer team. Possibly more.

It is amazing how so many non-Asians are unable to understand why it's offensive.  Some non-Asians even think it's blown out of proportion! Let me spell B U L L.

Have you forgotten what had happened to Mr. Don Imus when he made remarks about ethnic trait of African-American women basketball players? Doing such thing to African-American was gross, wrong, outrageous, racist and even required restitution, and yet it's just innocent, harmless, and humorous to treat Asians and Chinese this way?

No one dared to say that when Blacks were protesting in uproar about Don Imus that Blacks were blowing things out of proportion lest they be labeled as a racist.

So many people lack ability to empathize or are simply stupid in this issue for lack of better words, because Asians are so much more tolerant of racial discrimination toward them.

If Spanish team or any other team made a gesture to mimic stereotypically big size of lips of Blacks, then this would have become much more bigger issue.  Those team, and anyone else having anything to with the team, would immediately get banned from Olympics for long time, and stripped of any medals they may have won.

Answer 2

Definitely bad taste, but i think they did not mean any harm. I think its being blown way out of proportion.

Answer 3

Well, I suppose it is stupid...but I usually find stupid things very funny.  I have a vast variety of cultures in my large group of friends.  We all crack racist jokes at each other...sure they are stupid, but we all laugh anyway!  And I agree with the other lady, it was blown way out of proportion.  

Answer 4

We (Spaniards) not angry when foreigners dress up of bullfighter (torero), for example.

I'm sorry my english.

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Pekín 2008 - La selección zanja una polémica inventada

Eurosport - jue 14 ago 07:38:00 2008

La selección española se ha visto envuelta en una polémica creada por la interpretación que un diario inglés, 'The Guardian', ha hecho de una foto publicitaria donde el equipo español aparece rasgándose los ojos con las manos para parecerse a una persona asiática. ¿Un problema de racismo?.

La polémica, tan banal como grotesca, ha disgustado profundamente a los jugadores españoles y José Manuel Calderón, uno de los hombres de mayor proyección internacional del equipo, aprovechó la pregunta de un periodista alemán, tras ganar al combinado germano, para poner las cosas en su sitio y zanjar el asunto: "Eso que ha sucedido no es una mala noticia para nosotros. Lo hemos hecho con todo el cariño, pero hay quien quiere hablar de esto. Hemos venido a China y alguien ha querido verlo desde el lado negativo. Quienes lo ven así son los que deben pensar que es lo qué pasa".

Calderón prosiguió: "Nosotros lo hicimos con cariño y no pensando en ofender a nadie. Somos uno de los países más multiculturales del mundo. Quizá alguien tenga algún problema con nosotros, pero nosotros no tenemos ningún problema con nadie". "No sé si en Inglaterra o en Estados Unidos hay gente que tiene problemas con algún grupo. Pedimos disculpas a la gente asiática con el corazón, eso es lo primero, pero nosotros lo hicimos sin ninguna mala intención. Lo que queríamos era acercarnos a ellos".

El extremeño declaró: "Nuestro patrocinador es Li-Ning, hemos venido aquí y creo que no es apropiado hacer o decir algo malo de un país que nos acoge un mes. No tiene sentido, así que, el que quiera hablar de esto, que lo haga, porque nosotros queremos hablar de baloncesto". Aíto le siguió en la conferencia de prensa y, con menos extensión, pero con la misma nitidez, señaló que España participó en el anuncio, precisamente, por hacer un guiño simpático de complicidad a los anfitriones de los Juegos.

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I will try to translate the text from Spanish to English or if someone can help me.

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Beijing 2008 - The selection finish a controversial invented

Eurosport - Thu 14 Aug 07:38:00 2008

The Spanish team has been wrapped in a controversy created by the interpretation that an English newspaper, 'The Guardian', has become a publicity photo where the Spanish team appears traits eyes with his hands to resemble an Asian person. A problem of racism?

The controversy, as banal as grotesque, has deeply upset the Spanish players and Jose Manuel Calderon, one of the largest international men's team, took the question from a German journalist, after winning the combined German, to set the record straight your site and settle the matter: "That has happened is not bad news for us. We have done everything with affection, but some people want to talk about this. We have come to China and someone wanted to see it from the negative side. Those who see it thus are the ones who must think that is what happens."

Calderon continued: "We did it with affection and not thinking about offending anyone. We are one of the most multicultural countries in the world. Maybe someone has a problem with us, but we have no problem with anyone." "I do not know whether in England or the United States there are people who have problems with any group. We apologize to Asian people with heart, that's the first thing, but we did it without any bad intention. What we wanted was closer to them ".

The Spanish said: "Our sponsor is Li-Ning, we have been here and I think it is inappropriate to do or say something bad for a country that welcomes us one month. It makes no sense, so who wants to talk about this, do it because we want to talk about basketball". Aito (Spanish coach)was followed at the press conference and, with less extension, but with the same sharpness, pointed out that Spain participated in the announcement, precisely, to do a wink of complicity sympathetic to host the Games.

Answer 5

Mean spirited or not, it was insensitive and stupid. You don't insult your host country.

Answer 6

Bad taste.

There are times and places to poke friendly jokes. It was all in good and fun, but there are millions of Asians that are angry.

Vox,

There is a difference between a bull fighter costume and slanting your eyes.

Costume=not racist,

pulling your eyes like an  Asian= racist.

Answer 7

Let me ask a question about the article in The Guardian. I’m trying to prove to you that we are all bias in many ways (most of the time unintentionally), including the famous article.

The Guardian shows the now famous picture of the men’s basketball team depicting the Spaniards making slit-eyed gestures. The article notes that both, the men’s basketball team and the one of the women’s team did exactly the same. Yet, The Guardian decides to show the picture of the men’s team only, even though the Spanish national team women basketball is at a similar European level as the men. Why did the British newspaper decide to show the men’s picture instead of the women’s? Is the newspaper implying that no one cares about women’s sports and that no one would pay attention to the article if they showed the women’s picture instead? Why not choosing the women’s picture only, why not putting both pictures side by side? Think about it. Isn’t time for The Guardian to treat women the same as men. Are they doing this intentionally? I don’t think so. But why  don’t we bring this point to all the women of the world to see what they think.