this is a non-issue, stop giving it more attention

You nkow nothing about spanish people, in spain racism is not like the hipocrits americans or englands who only nkow to tell other how to do what they never do, even china people who was asked tells is nothing bad to see what a country is most famous for what is worst is to think about that is something bad. You're pathetic with this way of think.

I'm no supporter of the Spanish players, who still refuse to admit they made a joke in bad taste, but that quote from a National Post writer doesn't have nearly the impact that it should have. These days, people only respond to money, and Li Ning (one of the team's biggest sponsors) should drop these guys like a bad habit. Maybe then they'll understand.

This is in no way a non-issue!

As an Asian, I have been constantly ridiculed for the shape of my eyes; you can relate that to the verbal abuse African-Americans can receive through the "n-word". Making slant-eyed gestures is not an innocent act; its incredibly intolerant, and it has been used as a mocking gesture against Asians for a long, long time.

What I don't understand is that you say this is a non-issue; what if the Spanish basketball team started referring to people of African-ancestry with the "n-word", but claim it was with no ill intent? Well, it would still be incredibly intolerant!

yeah, non-issue my butt!! The slant eye gesture is definitely a derogatory thing. What's the first thing an unimaginative racist does to taunt Asians? the slant eye gesture or the requisite "ching chong" noises. John is right.

And some of the Spanish players at least privately have the decency to be embarrassed.

Ok, it seems most poeple don't even understand the definition of the word racism. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, racism is defined as: "The belief that all members of each race possess characteristics, abilities, or qualities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races…"

Somebody explain to me how pointing out agenetic difference between groups of humans with different ancestry is racism? There is no pejorative intent in pointing out these things, ASIAN DO HAVE DIFFERENT EYES. So What? Who said this is a bad thing? C'mon political correctness has gone way too far. As a matter of fact, those so keen on associating these incidents to racism appear to me to be the racists as they infer a negative quonotation to a characteristic inherent to a race of people.

BTW John : Racial slurs area whole other ballgame. Invented to stigmatize a whole group of people these are in fact negative and unacceptable. Nobody is throwing around racial slurs in this incident… except maybe you.

Nope, it's not at all bad that Asians have different eyes. However, what you have to understand is, Asians have, in the past, been RIDICULED by the fact that they have different eyes. Society, in this way, has attributed the shape of our eyes too a negative quality. The fact that Spanish would make a gesture that, in the past, has been used as a form of abuse towards people of Chinese ancestry indicates how intolerant they are, if not racist.

And is that not why this is a big issue? If this is not racist, at the very least it is ignorant of the racism and prejudice that Asians have had to suffer for decades. In that sense, it is a big issue because society must realize we can not casually throw around gestures that have been used as a form of abuse in the past.

And "racial slurs" are a whole other ballgame? A racial slur evolved from the shape of Chinese eyes, one that I would prefer not the repeat here. Regardless, how is a word so different from a gesture? Are they both not used to demean another due to their race? The "n-word" was constantly used to demean those of African ancestry, while the "slant-eyed gesture" was constantly used to demean those of Asian ancestry… is that something you're trying to deny?

Please, open your eyes. If you do not agree with me, fine, but at least try to read over my points. You might not see if as offensive, but many Asians do because, as early as elementary, we have been taunted and bullied with people mocking the shape of our eyes. Try viewing it from our point of view, and ask yourself: "how is a word so different from gesture?"

so, if i walked around, with my skin covered with dark shoe polish, that's not insulting? i'm not racist… I just have leftover shoe polish.

or if i went to eastern europe, put on a tank top, stuck fake fur under my armpits, that can't be bad, right? i intend it to be funny….some of my best friends don't shave.

or if i spoke with the slow, slured speech of a person with down syndrome on the radio. c'mon! its funny! they all talk like that!

some things just aren't nice things to do.

non-asians would not find the gesture racist or mean. they would only find it funny.
if the chinese team would put fake mustaches, pot-bellies and a bottle of coors light in one hand and a little 12 year old girl barefoot, pregnant with 5 small children running around in the other hand……would that be funny? or if they would hoot , holler and whistle and moan and grunt everytime a female walked by….would that be funny? or maybe the chinese team should wait outside of home repair stores and try to get people to hire them as day laborers……
asians are not the only ones with slant or small eyes…..i have seen many a latino with tight eyes. or maybe they should start raising chickens, not to eat, but to have cockfights.

or…….
what if Spain's basketball team all flipped their lips over to increase the size of them and smashed their noses to appear wider?
what if they all put red paint on the back of their necks and slept with their sisters?
what if they all put little coffee filters on top of their heads like yamakas?
what if………

Learn some English, you idiot! "YOU'RE pathetic in this type of think" - what a dumba$$

"math"
just by your post on this website…it is obvious that people in spain are extremely ignorant…no make that stupid…ignorant people can be taught, stupid people just stay stupid and sometimes get even more stupid as they grow older. spaniards are not above any other people…in fact, you might say they are "below" most other cultures and races. they have not kept up with the rest of the world. i think their prejudice and racist hatred towards people different from them comes out of knowing they are inferior to others. the only way they can feel any power or self-worth is to make fun of others. but. we all know that most(let's stereotype here) latinos are stupid. why in the world would anyone have more babies than they can afford to raise? because they are like "dogs in heat"!!!

Time-slip, if you will, back to the 1950-1960's. The boss (of course, male) walks into the office, and pats his female secretary's rear end. He says, " I like them round and plump." Now, someone from the 21st century tells this boss that he has done and said an awful thing, and he is being downright sexist.

His response: "I was giving my secretary a friendly greeting. It was just harmless fun. It is absurd for anyone to make a big thing of it. How could women possibly take offense at this? I'll have you know that I am friends with many women!"

Dear stupid Spaniards, don' t you think it's about time you learned that it is offensive when the people you direct your words and actions think it's offensive. The one dishing it out has no say in whether people should be offended or not.

Join us. We have already moved into the 21st century. Hope you can catch up.

You’ve heard of the fearsome team from Spain:
They persevered for Gold in vain.
Poised with confidence, unrestrained,
Their eyes betrayed the heart they feign.

“Friendly and harmless, simple and plain.
You read into it; it’s all in your brain.”
Such words of comfort they hope have regained
The misplaced trust ever more to attain.

Good humor they claimed they wish to retain,
But it all came under fire and rain.
In centuries passed, their glory has waned,
In clueless oblivion they choose to remain.

Shell-struck people of Asian terrain
Witness again the white man’s refrain.
Branded “sub-human”, they once were detained
In the confines of their master’s domain.

So goes the story of the team from Spain:
They persevere for support in vain.
Poised with resolve, but now restrained,
Their shame foreshadows all that they feign.

I am your slant-eye, but this I maintain:
My blood is as red as that in your vein.
My insides are torn, my emotions drained,
To hear you proclaim there’s no one in pain.

…by Slant-eyed Asian…

i heard spain used a bunch of underaged girls in their olympics team too …… THEIR MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM! … loved watching a bunch of racist pathetic losers at their best!

All you apologists for Spain, go here:

Spanish Basketball team: Asian response to Slant-Eye picture
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=.....re=related

These babes (I guess you would call them China dolls, but I call them “way above your pay-grade”) will eat you for breakfast, hands tied and blindfolded.

How come is that sign racist when exactly that same sign is the word used in British Sign Language for "Chinese" and in American Sign Language there is one variation of the sign with only one hand pointing to the eye in the same way to indicate the different eye shape to mean "Chinese" or "Asian"?
And the Brits and Americans didn't notice until today? So, they are using a racist and offensive sign in their sign language? Are they going to ban it?
Come on, this is ridiculous.