White Male Privilege Is Why We Laugh At Lochte And Vilify Douglas

[mercuryblues]

Gymnast Gabby Douglas “disrespected” her entire country by not putting her hand on her heart and smiling enough during the Olympics. Swimmer Ryan Lochte is a “kid” who deserves “a break” for allegedly destroying property and lying about a traumatic robbery.

If you were wondering what white, male privilege looks like, this is it.


<snip>

Douglas, who is just 20 years old, failed to put her hand on her heart during the national anthem, and did not style her hair and/or face to every individual’s liking. For those “crimes,” she was widely criticized for being “disprespectful,” “unpatriotic” and “un-American,” and called words that we’d rather not repeat in this piece. Lochte and friends reportedly defiled a gas station restroom, fought with a security officer, lied to national news sources, and may have filed a false police report. And the four of them get to be framed as talented “kids” (reminder: Lochte is 32) having one debaucherous night of fun.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ryan-lochte-gabby-douglas-and-white-male-privilege-in-action_us_57b5e76de4b034dc73262f93

Follow
WendyBrandes
✔ ?@WendyBrandes

If Ryan Lochte lied about that robbery, how can we ever believe any man's allegations of robbery? 🤔

10:41 PM - 17 Aug 2016



Follow
Anthony Dominic
✔ ?@tmzanthony

Gabby Douglas was destroyed for hand placement. He pisses on a business and blames a country, and people are making excuses. #LochteGate

2:11 PM - 18 Aug 2016

[femmocrat]

1. It is outrageous how Gabby was treated.

Last edited Fri Aug 19, 2016, 08:08 PM - Edit history (1)

I saw the medal ceremony for shot put and neither Crouser nor Kovacs put his hand on his heart. Where is the outrage?

[roamer65]

161. I thought the same as well when I saw it. N/t

[WinstonSmith4740]

173. Did you ever notice...

Not putting your hand over your heart was never an issue until Obama did it. I remember being taught you put your hand over your heart for the pledge, and stood during the anthem.

[whopis01]

193. The law states that you should your hand over your heart for the anthem

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/36/301


Personally I find it ridiculous that there is a law saying what you are supposed to do during the playing of the anthem. But it does exist.

[WinstonSmith4740]

210. I agree.

The law is ridiculous. It looks like it was written in 1931, which kind of speaks to my point. Law or not, I really don't remember anyone putting their hands over their hearts for the anthem until the right wing went apeshit because Obama didn't do it. I'm sure we've all seen the pictures of Bush & other prominent Republicans without the "hand over heart" pose during the anthem. At the time, it prompted this reply:

Modern custom does not require a hand over the heart, said Anne Garside, director of communication for the Maryland Historical Society, home of the original manuscript of the Star-Spangled Banner . "I think the bottom line is that you show respect with your demeanor," she said. "Whether you put your hand over your heart, hold your hat at shoulder level or waist level, is really in this day and age irrelevant."

She pointed out that "the tune of the Star-Spangled Banner was originally a drinking song. If they can put the words to the tune of a rousing drinking song, to quibble over whether you put your hand over your heart is really ridiculous."

[Beartracks]

187. No more outrageous than typical Republican fake outrage...

... directed at any Democrat -- or person of color who is naturally assumed to be "not like us" -- who fails some invisible, incidental, spontaneous litmus test of "patriotism."

Forgot your flag pin, or didn't have enough flags around your podium, or saluted while holding a coffee cup, or didn't salute when ignorant Republicans thought you SHOULD have been saluting, or served in the military but then had the audacity to run for office ... AND you happen to be a Democrat... OR you happen to be black (which Republicans assume means you're probably a Democrat) -- and you have obviously Just. Committed. Treason!!!!1111!!1!!



=======================

[whistler162]

2. OKAY??????

Just goes to show why you should pay attention to real people and not some twit that tweets!

The difference between Gabby Douglas and Ryan Lochte is one has a promising future and the other pissed their future away at a gas station!

[whatthehey]

3. Well sort of I guess

Very few had any problem with Douglas but racist loons. There are plenty of them of course, but they're the only ones. Most folks as far as I can tell, once the story became known, didn't find Lochte funny, but irresponsible, dishonest and stupid.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

65. I'm seeing more people making excuses for Lochte right now than I saw attacking Gabby D.

This Huffington Post article sums it up quite nicely:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/9-tweets-that-sum-up-the-glaring-white-privilege-in-lochtegate_us_57b5f528e4b00d9c3a160fd2?section=&

[OnDoutside]

4. Is Ryan Lochte the Donald Trump of the Olympics ?

1) Full of his own importance .... check
2) Makes up outlandish stories which hurt others ... check
3) Runs away and lets others holding the steaming bag of shite ... check

[malaise]

10. Yes

I said this yesterday

[OnDoutside]

56. I must have a malise mind then .... ;)

[malaise]

122. I actually said he must be a Trump voter:hi:

[True Dough]

33. Sounds like he has plenty of potential

as a future GOP candidate!

[Igel]

5. One we watched and the other we were told about days after the fact.

One's a parvenue with no following based on past achievements and the other has string of past wins that a lot of people know about and even had a "reality show" made about him.

The first thing that a lot of people knew about Douglas was what they saw and heard about the US national anthem. First impressions and all that.


One was an action that was perceived against "us" and the other, if accepted, an action against "them." Had Douglas not "saluted" during the Brazil national anthem I really think few people in the US would care. The reaction towards Douglas or Lochte says a lot about primary, secondary, an tertiary group loyalties and disaffection.

Stereotypes matter, as well. For many, Lochte's a privileged white boy and gets judged immediately against that stereotype; he's the "them" that's against some people's "us". For many, Douglas is just a black girl, one of "us" who had an trivial but understandable lapse, for others she's "them" disrespecting "us"--follow-up for some from '68 Mexico, follow-up for some from BLM protests or personal experience. (Remember, many stereotypes have some basis in fact. Some of the "facts" may be 100 years old, or based on 1% of the population, but with confirmation bias in play that doesn't matter.) And for those who steal offense, "girl" is justified by the indirect speech also reflected in "white boy". Get one, get the other.

Because of us-versus-them thinking and entrenched stereotypes, Lochte's and Douglas' actions play radically different among different US subpopulations, and the difference in perception outside the US in general is probably going to be striking.

[NuclearDem]

12. +1. Thread can end right here.

[mythology]

13. You do realize Douglas won the all around in 2012 right?

She's not exactly unaccomplished. The people who had a problem with Douglas are idiots (and a lot of then are racist I imagine) as hands down is perfectly acceptable. Lochte on the other hand, committed multiple actual crimes.

[Squinch]

123. She's also written at least one book, possibly two - I can't remember. She was on the winning

US World Chapmpion teams in 2011 and 2015, won gold at the 2016 America's Cup.

There's a Barbie of her because little girls find her so inspiring.

And she's only 20.

But, hey. She's just an unknown who gave a bad first impression.

Can you believe the shit they're saying in this thread?

[True Dough]

50. I think most of what you've written here

is well thought out and on the mark.

I'm grateful to be able to come to a discussion forum where racism and "white privilege" are acknowledged as real things, at least by some. I used to frequent a forum where almost anything declared racist, or even questioned as such (including Trump) was laughed off.

We view life through various lenses. Sometimes we are oblivious to how those lenses affect our interpretations of events and how we perceive others. It is a useful exercise to pause and analyse why we react the way we do.

[mercuryblues]

58. no past achievements?

She is 20 years old and has 3 gold medals. Two movies about her and several books. She has been on several different brands of Kellogg's cereal and a just released reality show. Not to mention her slew of other medals and awards. She didn't just pop up out of nowhere and win her 1st gold. Because gymnastics is a different sport, she will most likely be aged out by the next Olympics. Most gymnasts usually only get to compete in 1 Olympics.

What she has not done is vandalize a gas station and cover it up by lying to the police with a false claim of being robbed, then get on national TV and talk about it.

What you did there was minimize her accomplishments in favor of pumping up 30 year old, Lochte's achievements as more important.
Then used that as an excuse as to why he was treated differently.

Then completely ignored a post about the 2 men, Crouser and Kovacs, who won a gold and silver in the shot put throws, who also did not put their hands over their heart, with no news stories or backlash.

[awoke_in_2003]

112. +1000. nt

[heaven05]

108. American culture and it's dying majority

has never taken to heart AA, so bullshit and all that on your post.....I don't feel anything anymore when I hear the national anthem. It has never stood for minority, pursuit of happines, liberty and especially.....LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!! People are so willing to ignore history past and recent in favor of some emotional moment that is supposed to be observed with the winning of some bauble that make our country look good. When Simeone and the rest come back here, they are still subject to living, driving, shopping while black in this culture. The moment will pass, history and present american bigotry and racism is in our faces and won't ever be over.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

138. +2,000,000!!!!!!

[Person 2713]

6. +1000000. Plus all these excuse for a 30 year old man - what does this say to the world ?

How many claim Rio should apologize ?, or Brazil is a sore loser -wth?
That's of course in addition to the stark national differences here in reaction when it is a white athlete
Imagine 4 nonwhites in the same situation
guaranteed we would be seeing the tape 24/7 and hear how they disgraced our nation and referred to by hateful terms and

[awoke_in_2003]

113. Had they been African American

they would have been called thugs

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

150. By whom? DUers? Garden variety Racists?

[Ford_Prefect]

192. Probably at least 1/2 of MSM would take that tack if not those words. RW press certainly would.

It's part of the grand scheme of repeating cultural stereotypes as a means of dumbing down the news and reinforcing cultural divisions.
Like a Wonder Bread ad it makes the world appear to be recognizable to the target audience. It simplifies the complexities and variations in life and people using the easily repeated lies of who is safe and who is not safe to be near.

[heaven05]

199. +++1000

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

212. Assumptions aside, do you have any proof?

RW media is an echo chamber of hate and bigotry, but we already know that.

[Nye Bevan]

7. I was very surprised to see so many DUers earnestly defending Lochte (nt)

[ProfessorGAC]

42. Glad I Wasn't Among Them

He's a 30 year punk kid. Too old to still be a kid, and the punk thing isn't attractive at any age.

Now, from the video i saw, a gun actually was involved, but it wasn't a robbery. It was a security guy reacting to a bunch of guys acting like tools.

[Dreamer Tatum]

55. Not demanding his head <> defending him. nt

[Bobbie Jo]

8. Was watching last night

The shot put medal ceremony, and NEITHER of the two Americans put their hand over their heart during the national anthem.

Of course this went by unnoticed. Two white men, nothing to see here....

Personally, I couldn't care less that these young men didn't assume the "proper position," but where is the outrage??

Blatant.

[milestogo]

23. Phelps was cracking up laughing during one of his medal ceremonies

Nobody got mad at him, they just asked to be let in on the joke.

[JoePhilly]

30. I saw that too.

RW media won't mention it.

[NCTraveler]

9. Boys will be boys. nt

[sarae]

83. That's exactly the attitude that defines this.

It's also the general attitude towards this election every time Donald Trump does something offensive. He gets away with everything because "that's our Crazy Donald! Boys will be boys", while Hillary is pilloried for being less than perfect.

[NCTraveler]

90. +1 One of the most pathetic justifications. nt.

[NuclearDem]

11. They're not even remotely the same situation.

[Orrex]

174. Right--one was a crime, and the other was a trivial breach of protocol

Good point!

[NuclearDem]

176. Well, and one was a cut-and-dried case of trolls responding in real time

while the other initially started as an earnest act of national solidarity, which then turned to anger and disgust when it was discovered we had been lied to as a cover for absolutely vile behavior.

[Orrex]

179. Actually, I'd say that's a fair assessment

I'm still seeing a "he's just a kid" vibe on social media, but you're right about the real-time trolls.

[LWolf]

14. An aside:

I caught a couple of medal ceremonies last night...American gold...none of them had their hands on their hearts.

[lib87]

15. Indeed

I've enjoyed people getting called out on this defending of thug lochte and his gang terrorizing that gas station.

[Taitertots]

16. So, white privilege is people not hating Lochte enough?

If this is the sum of your grievances, then your grievances are unworthy of further consideration.

It's just wah wah wah, other people don't hate Lochte as much as I do.

[BumRushDaShow]

20. No it is disparate reactions to societal "transgressions"

And the value assigned to the "transgression". A literal crime committed by a young white male is excused in the media as a "youthful prank" where a POC would be called a "thug", "savage", or someone possessing an "urban pathology" (latest buzz term out there).

[The2ndWheel]

25. In the media?

What media?

[BumRushDaShow]

35. How about this analysis

https://mic.com/articles/105198/9-photos-of-white-people-rioting-put-the-ferguson-demonstrations-in-perspective#.Ol9vHyWeY

http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/20/opinion/kohn-ferguson-protests/

If you need to ask then you might never get it. When this story first broke, the pervasive sentiment in the media and right here on DU was that crime was rampant there and so the lie was believable. In general, POC are never given any benefit of the doubt.

[The2ndWheel]

45. What do those links have to do with the media giving

Lochte a pass on anything because he's white?

[mercuryblues]

66. or this

The general reaction to what has been dubbed #LochteGate was initial confusion, a lot of spot-on jokes, and eventually a measured dose of criticism and a plea from Rio 2016 spokesman Mario Andrada to “give these kids a break” because “sometimes you take actions that you later regret.”

Douglas, who is just 20 years old, failed to put her hand on her heart during the national anthem, and did not style her hair and/or face to every individual’s liking. For those “crimes,” she was widely criticized for being “disprespectful,” “unpatriotic” and “un-American,” and called words that we’d rather not repeat in this piece. Lochte and friends reportedly defiled a gas station restroom, fought with a security officer, lied to national news sources, and may have filed a false police report. And the four of them get to be framed as talented “kids” (reminder: Lochte is 32) having one debaucherous night of fun.

http://www.joy105.com/twitter-fans-call-out-ryan-lochte-white-privilege-actions-in-rio-vs-gabby-douglas-hand-over-heart-incident/

One of those kids is 32 years old

[The2ndWheel]

85. What media called him a kid?

What media called Douglas disrespectful, unpatriotic and un-American?

[B2G]

28. Excused in the media as a 'youthful prank'??

What media are you listening to?

[BumRushDaShow]

36. See post 25 - the OP is about white privilege

[B2G]

48. I assume you meant #35, and

neither of those references have anything to do with the Lochte situation.

[BumRushDaShow]

67. Yes 35

and it has to do with the OP subject and what I posted in #20 - "disparate reactions" and this case is just the latest.

[Saviolo]

59. The Sporting News, for one:

Excuses his lying based on the fact that it's just what Americans do:

So Ryan Lochte lied. Sort of.

At the very least, he appears to have stretched the truth a bit. He allegedly fabricated a story — or half a story — to get himself and his U.S. teammates out of a bad situation and cover up a stupid mistake.

RELATED VIDEO

So what?

Most of us are liars, too. Most of us do it every day. We either tell outright lies or exaggerate a situation or stretch the truth. It’s become the American way.

Like Lochte, we lie to cover up mistakes or to make up for something we said or did that offended someone or didn’t go over so well. We distort the truth by supporting or sharing someone else’s lie. And then we lie about the lie.

He points to the fact that the two major party nominees for president are both huge liars:

Hillary Clinton has a long track record of lying. She’s made a career out of it. She even lies about her lies. She’s a master fabricator who excels at spinning stories to cover up her scandals and questionable judgment. It’s how she became one of the nation’s most powerful politicians. And she might just lie her way all the way to the White House. If she does, she will become the second most celebrated liar in presidential history — second only to her husband.

Donald Trump is no better. He also has told lie after lie while running for President, changing his opinion and spinning his hateful rhetoric depending on how the political winds shift. He excels at half-truths, gross exaggeration and media manipulation. That’s been his political strategy — say or tweet something outrageous, stupid and offensive, and then when he gets caught, lie about it or accuse his critics of being “so dishonest.” If he’s elected, he will have done it by pulling the wool over the eyes of most of the electorate.

And then with torturous logic:

Look, lying is wrong. Everyone knows that. Most of us were taught that from a young age.

But that doesn’t stop us. We lie anyway.

So why are we taking Ryan Lochte to task for spinning the truth?

He’s just one of us. Just another in a long line of American liars. He learned from the best.

Maybe his tall tale created an international incident and tainted the Rio Olympics, but hey, if you’re going to lie, why not make it a whopper. Why not create an Olympic-size scandal? Rio was a mess to begin with. What’s one more lie added to the mix?

Of course, this only focuses on the fact that he lied about the mugging and says nothing about the actual vandalism, etc...

(Article here if you feel like torturing yourself: http://www.sportingnews.com/athletics/news/rio-olympics-2016-ryan-lochte-lie-story-fabrication-robbery-police/1ut5nvvb6ytdx1lc7e8rmbqag4)

[Ace Rothstein]

31. Can you show us the media that are referring to this as a "youthful prank"?

All of the media that I've come across are ripping Lochte a new one.

[BumRushDaShow]

37. The OP is about white privilege - see post 25

[Ace Rothstein]

43. So the media never called it a youthful prank.

Thank you.

[BumRushDaShow]

44. So you naturally missed the point.

Thank you for confirming.

[Ace Rothstein]

47. How can it be about white privilege when everyone is ripping on Lochte?

All the media did initially was report on Lochte's original claims. They had many questions about the incident with very few answers received.

[BumRushDaShow]

73. They are only ripping him after they found out he and his companions lied.

The initial reporting tended to give validity to the assertions previously made about the venue city Just google "Rio Olympics crime" and all sorts of media reports surface that sets the stage. And you even have this for example (which was pretty much how most of the big outlets reported the incident, filling column inches with other "crimes&quot -

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/brennan/2016/08/14/rio-olympics-ryan-lochte-robbery-security-police-reaction/88733148/

Even a so-called progressive site blamed the oligarchs of Rio rather than these hoods - http://www.progressive.org/news/2016/08/188907/crimes-big-and-small-rio-olympics

[Ace Rothstein]

76. Well, yeah. Nobody is going to rip someone who claimed to have just been robbed.

Lots of people get robbed in Rio, a few people associated with the Olympics already have been.

The whole thing was just stupid from Lochte and friends. They should have just shut their mouths and went to bed. I don't know why they lied. They weren't going to get their money back. This was something that would obviously be investigated and they were figured out to be liars quite easily.

[BumRushDaShow]

79. "They should have just shut their mouths and went to bed."

Bingo. You just illustrated the point of the OP. It was essentially no big deal that they vandalized a gas station while drunk.

I went to UMASS in the late '70s/early '80s and watched similar behavior (vandalizing by young white males) with literally 10s of thousands of dollars in damage to the elevators in the dorm after flooding the floor with the fire hose and throwing furniture up and down the halls while in a drunken rage. It was chalked up as "letting off steam" and no one was ever arrested.

[Ace Rothstein]

82. I'm not excusing their behavior.

Nothing would have come of the situation if they would have done as I said. The gas station was happy with the money they received and didn't file a police report. These morons telling a lie is what exposed their bad behavior.

[BumRushDaShow]

87. So committing a crime is okay?

Um okay.

[Ace Rothstein]

89. When did I say that?

Project much?

[BumRushDaShow]

95. You do know what they did, right?

Last I heard, damaging someone's property is a crime. But see, you are doing exactly what this thread is talking about.

[Ace Rothstein]

98. When did I make excuses for them?

All I said is that they are idiots for lying about what they did. They doubled down on stupid when they decided to make up their robbery story.

[BumRushDaShow]

100. Really?

They should have just shut their mouths and went to bed.

I give up. You are not worth it.

[Ace Rothstein]

102. What you quoted wasn't an excuse, genius.

This entire thread isn't worth it.

[Skittles]

127. you are REALLY reaching

it was initially reported as a ROBBERY

Lochte and his companions have been TRASHED since the truth came out, and RIGHTFULLY SO

[BumRushDaShow]

134. But the media was quick to accept it

because they spent several years trashing the country.

There's no "reach" given the interesting statistic that Brazil is home to the largest of the African diaspora in the world.

[tritsofme]

144. You do realize crime is a bit of a problem in Rio?

The story of the robbery was plausible...that's why it was initially accepted.

[BumRushDaShow]

148. Every single city on this planet has a "problem".

It is the nature of jamming many millions together in a relatively small area. You had a similar build-up stories about crime before the London Olympics. But just as "the media" went wild with Beijing and the smog and other issues in 2008, so too did you see the dire stories about Rio. Meanwhile the athletes went about their business competing.

[tritsofme]

153. The crime problem in Rio is a legitimate news story, it's not pretend.

Lochte took advantage of this to frame his lie. His fabricated story sounded plausible, I don't understand why you think he should have been "ripped" prior to being exposed..

[BumRushDaShow]

156. "Lochte took advantage of this to frame his lie."

And that is what this whole thread is about. He was given the benefit of the doubt where had this happened to someone like his team mate Simone Manuel, would she have been believed unequivocally?

You might immediate assume "yes". But centuries of observing past practices and the numbers of dead unarmed black people, would establish otherwise.

[melman]

54. So what you're saying happened

never actually happened. Got it.

[BumRushDaShow]

81. All sorts of examples have appeared in this thread.

Get it? Got it? Good.

[melman]

88. No

No examples of the term 'youthful prank' being used have appeared in the thread. That is what you said happened, and it did not.

[BumRushDaShow]

99. Read my post again

and find where I reference anything other than an example of the OP's topic of "white privilege". I even later give examples of "disparate" responses to similar behaviors between groups. But it's obvious that you want to salve your insistence that the concept doesn't exist.

[melman]

117. lol @ salve

What's obvious is you are talking a bunch of shit you can't back up.

[BumRushDaShow]

135. What's obvious

is the infestation on DU has returned.

[bravenak]

168. exactly right

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

213. All sorts of excuses to make it appear as white privilege

have appeared in this thread.

[BumRushDaShow]

214. All sorts of denial about it being just that.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

219. Opinions vary...

[mercuryblues]

60. lapse in judgement

https://twitter.com/ABC/status/766466242261778432/photo/1



On a radio interview, I heard the USOC described how wonderful the athletes are and how we should focus on that instead of just 1 incident out of their lives.

[BumRushDaShow]

75. And there you have an example

[Ace Rothstein]

78. Wow, one whole example!

[BumRushDaShow]

84. Keep reading the thread as other examples are added

and keep changing those goal posts to satisfy the denial. And as a note, for you to reach out and take it as a personal affront to yourself rather than accept that there are those who do embrace white privilege, seems curious.

[Ace Rothstein]

91. Sorry that the premise of the OP does not match with reality.

Very few people ripped Douglas and very few people are making excuses for Lochte.

And the goalpost was "youthful prank". The goalpost is still there.

[heaven05]

115. it proves OP's point

one example based in a reality that white kids and idiots like lockte get a pass, with words like "mistake", ect ect when he is actually a thug.

[Ace Rothstein]

116. Meanwhile everyone else is calling Lochte out.

One example doesn't validate the OP.

[heaven05]

119. lockte and the others

Last edited Sat Aug 20, 2016, 08:01 AM - Edit history (1)

are thugs....period. They should lose their medals and be sent home in shame. They have provided the world with a perfect example of american privilege related to skin color. If these had been black athletes, 24/7, videos and searches into their backgrounds for any other indiscretions, along with thug urbanite thrown around as an incitement, how shameful to the american ideal they are ect. ect....... and would be on their way home sans medals PERIOD!!!! No matter what excuses you're dredging up in defense of these thuggish clowns, OP is correct.

[Ace Rothstein]

121. Nah, they can keep their medals. What they did had nothing to do with their events.

I wouldn't have any issue with them being left off the Olympic team going forward though.

I also never made any excuses for these guys. They behaved badly and deserve all the shame they are receiving which is why the OP is wrong.

[BumRushDaShow]

136. 2 men stood up on a podium silent

and made a simple gesture.



and were subsequently stripped of their medals and banned from participation in the Olympics.

[Ace Rothstein]

141. Two wrongs don't make a right.

Smith and Carlos should NOT have been stripped of their medals. The USOC should have left the games when they were.

[BumRushDaShow]

142. The point is

why this type of disparate response happens at all. The reason? It is institutionalized.

[Ace Rothstein]

146. The two things you are comparing were also a half century apart.

[BumRushDaShow]

152. Yet these types of disparate responses continue.

http://www.si.com/tennis/2015/07/14/serena-williams-body-image-wta-tennis

It is the constant barrage of negativity, loathing, and accusations for seemingly innocuous things - as was noted in this OP regarding Gabby Douglas, that is generally hurled at clearly superior athletes of color.

[Ace Rothstein]

155. Again, 99.9% of the responses regarding Lochte are that he is a lying asshole.

And that he embarrassed not only himself but his country as well.

[BumRushDaShow]

157. Only after he was outed.

And the (feigned) outrage set in as part of the herd mentality.

There is an interesting article on this whole topic here - http://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2016/08/19/490629815/roundup-smart-thoughts-on-ryan-lochte-and-white-privilege

[Chitown Kev]

162. But you must admit

the Brazilian police (and Rio's police especially) do have a bit of a reputation for corruption and there are other crimes that HAVE taken place at these Olympic Games.

The story was initially plausible (even though I had my doubts...no police report, Lochte kept his cell phone, etc.).

No doubt, Lochte is using white privilege, here.

He is also being pretty roundly condemned on social media as a lying, stupid asshole.

[BumRushDaShow]

164. I went to a college

(UMASS/Amherst) with 25,000 students and only 400 blacks. I have seen what it gets like when there are drunken parties - and no, it's not just "frat parties". And the fact that early on in the "story", it was mentioned that they had been out partying, yet that still raised few red flags, and one might ask "why"? Yet let young black adults "party" and the accusations of "wilding" would have started immediately.

There have been quadrennial stories about the "parties" in and outside of the Olympic Village. But it seems this incident fed into the hyper-negative reporting about the city in general, which was suddenly transformed from the exotic "Girl from Ipanema" and bawdy "Carnivale" personas, to a somewhat distorted cesspool of crime "reality". Nothing has really changed about the city or that country except when this particular interaction occurred during a major international event, yet it will apparently become an excuse for all sorts of things apparently.

[Chitown Kev]

177. I read a lot of sports blogs

where Lochte is basically being read the riot act (for the most part) and even early in the story before the lies came to the forefront, a lot of people speculated that there was something that was going unsaid (mainly that the group of swimmers were trying to buy prostitutes)

And to be fair, there have been a couple of other instances of crime against Olympians that have made the press...this simply became a high profile one because they were Americans...

A lot of people also wondered why would Lochte tell his mother without filing a police report and knew damn well that his mother can't hold water.

[Grey Lemercier]

189. hard to rip someone as a lying asshole until it is shown they lied

I might add that you seem to lack knowledge on just how incredibly dangerous and violent almost every major Brasilian city is. I have been all over Brasil multiple times and Rio itself is levels beyond most other mega cities on the planet in terms of danger. I suggest you talk to actual Brasilians for enlightenment. Ask them about "lost bullets". We had one come through a window of a multi-million pound 11th floor flat during a party in Impanema. Posh neighbourhoods in Brasil do not insulate you from the tragic violence.

[BumRushDaShow]

194. OFFS

You seem to lack knowledge on how incredibly dangerous and violent every American city is. THIS country, where guns are legal and illegal guns are in proliferation.



Brazil essentially matches the rate of our own nation's capital.

This happened just a couple miles from where I live. I shouldn't have to list the homicide rates in the major U.S. cities that is oft-posted about here on DU, let alone tick off all the people caught in the crossfire.

I suggest you talk to some Americans and maybe open your eyes to our hypocrisy.

[melman]

195. Every American city is incredibly dangerous and violent?

Every one of them? That's a ridiculous assertion.

[BumRushDaShow]

197. I guess you missed the data I posted

There's plenty of data out there. EVERY city in the world is "dangerous", and in the U.S., moreso because of our gun laws. Those who are born and raised in cities learn where to go and where not to go. But despite that, many are unlucky.

I live in a huge tourist city (Philadelphia) and as I drove home from work yesterday by Independence Hall, stuck behind a double-decker tourist bus and a "Ride the Ducks" filled with more tourists, just 3 blocks away, this happened overnight.

Welcome to America, in the birthplace of America.

[Grey Lemercier]

204. there is NOTHING remotely close to Rio in the USA, NOTHING

[BumRushDaShow]

205. How silly

There is NOTHING "remotely close to Philadelphia in Brazil. NOTHING". See how that works?

The U.S. does not have tropical cities except in Hawai'i, so you will not see the poor jammed in "shanties" up and down mountains or open areas except in the warmer climes like California -



They are instead living in the subways that many of us use.



Or under bridges -

?w=625

So I suggest you take your fucking "finger wagging" elsewhere.

[Grey Lemercier]

206. nope, I completely stand by the entirety of my post

[BumRushDaShow]

207. Of course you would.

[Grey Lemercier]

208. you simply are applying a sort of reverse American exceptionalism

There are no US cities where express kidnappings (taken at gunpoint from street or car to atm for forced withdrawl) are as common as they are in most every large Brasilian city. In Porto Allegre I have a dear friend who I have visited 4 times, in 3 cities, and she, like millions, lives in a middle class area (Class B in Brasilian nomenclature) and every single complex in her neighbourhood has gates and guards and yet still so many are robbed at gunpoint if they get out of their car too long when entering. I repeat, talk to average Brasilians, they will confirm what I posit. I have yet to meet one whose lives (either directly or via extended familial or friendship networks) has not been touched by potentially lethal situational violence. On my mother' side (Anglo/Bajan) I have relatives who moved decades ago to Florianopolis, in Santa Catarina state, which is arguably the most LGBTQ friendly of all Brasilian areas, very touristy, and the same applies there, although not to same level as a Rio, a Sao Paulo, a Natal, or a Salvador. It is simple another world compared to the US.

[Rilgin]

182. Kind of like Lance Armstrong who you might agree is not black and

Here is a list of athletes stripped of olympic medals. You will note that it does not seem limited to only black athletes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_stripped_Olympic_medals

With respect to the two stories and this OP. Yes someone reports that they were robbed to the media they are usually believed and usually torn to shreds when it turns out their story is not true. This seems independent of race and seems to be happening. And in any talked about event, there are people who have varying opinions on the event some paid and some with their own axe to grind. This OP is trying to present a picture that is just not true as to whether the dominant theme with respect to lacte is minor rather than ripping him one.

[B2G]

118. How is that any different from a racist saying

that one black kid commits a crime, so all black kids are thugs?

[heaven05]

120. hey, not just racist

say stupid shit like that. OP is correct, this culture has come up with a litany of excuses ready made for white transgressors of the law, and just a couple for percieved 'thugs' who are brown skinned. I stoppedd being fooled about equality of races when it comes to american culture and attitudes of the dying majority a long time ago.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

151. What if I don't care about either instance...as I do...while white?

[LanternWaste]

39. It could simply be a recognition of a disproportional response rather than hate.

It could simply be a recognition of a disproportional response rather than hate. However, I do realize we often deny consideration to that which we are unwilling to see... it's seems to be human nature to better stoke our little biases.

[Taitertots]

57. "Disproportionate response" = not enough hate for Lochte

or are you suggesting that there is too much hate toward Gabby Douglas?

Or some combination of the two.

[mercuryblues]

64. more like

an over reaction for a minor perceived offense for Douglas and Lochtes actual crime explained away as a lapse in judgment.

2 white shot put winners did not have their hands over their heart, no reaction. At all.

The Lochte incident is creating a huge scandal between the US and Brazil, some lapse in judgement.

[Ace Rothstein]

69. The majority think Lochte is a moron for his actions and that the Douglas incident was nothing.

You're really blowing this out of proportion.

[heaven05]

110. lockte and others

are thugs and exhibited suburban thug mentality toward Brazillians. They should lose their medals and be sent home in shame.

[awoke_in_2003]

114. As always

We have you here to defend white people and deny privilege

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

17. YES!! White guys behaving badly = "kids"; innocent 12-year old black kid playing with a toy gun...

"MAN"!!!

Again, if we look at our images of blacks continue to have an impact on how blacks are treated, double standards notwithstanding, I'm hoping that people will come to understand psychological racism.

[mercuryblues]

86. more like

32 old white man is called a kid. His mates were 26, 21 and 20 years old. Some kids. Even though I would call the 20 and 21 year olds young men.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

137. NO! If you're over 18, you are an adult, not a kid. You know the difference between right and

wrong.

No more excuses!

[jmg257]

18. Just who is this "we"? I have a TON of issue with Lochte and NONE with Gabby (or the Shot Putters).

And I am a white male.


Who just happens have gown up when no one put their hands on their hearts during the national Anthem - it is not a pledge, or an oath after all. And as far as I know, making an 'offical' false statement has always been a crime.

[B2G]

19. First of all, it was some jackholes on Twitter

criticizing Gabby. If you get your public pulse from Twitter, you need to rethink your sources. The media and most of America adores her.

And how is it white privilege to be internationally humiliated, indicted, fined, and basically have to flee the country in disgrace? Not to mention the millions that will surely be lost on endorsements. You can also rest assured that bans are coming as well.

All of the above happened swiftly and they are universally reviled at this point.

How is that white privilege?

[Solomon]

22. D'oh

[B2G]

24. D'oh what?

Can you refute anything I posted?

[melman]

26. +1

The premise of this article is made up nonsense. The idea that the Lochte situation is be laughed off is just not even close to true.

[Fast Walker 52]

52. exactly

[jack_krass]

185. There is at least one of every kind of asshole on twitter (yes, that includes me)

That makes it the PERFECT place to go looking for outrage bait, which is EXACTLY what this author was after.

[The2ndWheel]

21. Who is making excuses for Lochte?

Did Rio spokesman Mario Andrada have anything to say about Douglas? The Lochte story is bigger than the Douglas one anyway, one that is an actual story, one that actually prompts a spokesman to come out and say whatever bullshit spokespeople are paid to come up with. Nobody but people on twitter care if Douglas puts her hand on her heart.

Nobody will remember Douglas not putting her hand on her heart, and Lochte will continue to be a joke for years, as he already has been for years. People have been calling him stupid for basically as long as we've known his name. He will now always be the guy that made up a story to get out of being a drunk dumbass with his friends at the Olympics. He will be the only one of the bunch remembered too, as the other guys will be forgotten. Nobody can probably even name them off the top of their heads today.

[Person 2713]

109. Whoops there it is

[MrScorpio]

27. There it is. It can't get any plainer than that. nt

[Cryptoad]

29. And they sit around wondering why,,,,,,,

Americans are treated like AHoles overseas,,,,,,,,,,, geeeez

[Ace Rothstein]

32. I've been overseas 8 times and nobody has ever treated me like an asshole.

In fact when I went to the Netherlands, a group thought my friend and I were British. When they found out we were American, they bought us a round of beers then we proceeded to hang out with them for the rest of the night.

[Cryptoad]

38. Most will not treat u like an Ahole

but it doesn't mean they dont think u are one!

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

154. Are you the spokesperson for what the world thinks?

[Cryptoad]

158. No,,,,

,,,,,only a shared observation from working and living overseas for over a decade. No need for you being rude.

[Iggo]

34. No shit.

I learned a while back, if everyone thinks I'm an asshole, I just might be an asshole.

[jack_krass]

183. The story of my life :)

[plcdude]

40. Has anyone

remarked about our shot-putters performance with the National Anthem?

[cpwm17]

41. What the hell?

Lochte is big news. Gabby Douglas is about about some nuts on the internet. You're way off.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

46. Rachel Maddow broke into her show to basically say these clowns....

.....had fostered an international incident.

I haven't heard a peep about Gabby on MSNBTrump all week.

Stop making stuff up. No one is defending this asshole. Laughing at him sure....to deflect the embarrassment he has wrought.

[oberliner]

49. Pretty much no one has villified Gabby Douglas

The vast vast vast majority of comments about Gabby Douglas have been extremely positive and supportive.

[bullwinkle428]

62. The Gabby Douglas situation was trending on Facebook, so yeah, a

significant number of people were making a big deal of it.

[oberliner]

68. The big deal was in response to a very small number of comments

There was a much greater outpouring of support for her than anything negative.

She has gotten pretty much nothing but love, admiration, and respect from everyone but a few Twitter/Facebook trolls.

Lochte, on the other hand, is a national embarrassment and has been treated as such, pretty much universally.

[Fast Walker 52]

51. First, I never saw anyone chastise Gabby about her hand placement

Second, clearly only fucking assholes would do that, and this article is smearing all white males ridiculously.

[LovingA2andMI]

61. There was PLENTY of Harassment of Gabby.....

Obviously, you missed that....

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The hope for one last trip to the Olympic medal podium gone when she stalled early in her routine during the uneven bars final on Sunday, Gabby Douglas decided to take a stand of a different kind.

Against the online criticism that's dogged the 2012 Olympic champion seemingly from the moment the gold medal was draped around her neck four years ago. Against the backlash on everything from her hair to her attitude. Against the bullying on social media that's left her staring down at her phone in disbelief too many times to count.

Douglas is over it. All of it.

Yes, her comeback didn't end quite the way she envisioned. Yet Douglas isn't second-guessing her decision even though she'll leave Rio with "only" a team gold, pushing her total to three spanning two games.

"In my head I pictured it a little bit differently," she said after finishing seventh in the uneven bars final. "You want to picture yourself being on top and doing amazing gymnastics."

At times Douglas did. She was second to teammate Simone Biles at the 2015 world championships and validated national team coordinator Martha Karolyi's choice to bring her to Rio by putting up the third-highest score in the all-around during qualifying before helping send Karolyi into retirement with a dominant performance in the team final.

The trouble with Douglas, however, is that gymnastics is typically only part of the story.

A small but vocal portion of Twitter lashed out when she was the only member of the "Final Five" to not place her hand over her heart during the playing of "The Star Spangled Banner." It grew louder during the all-around final when cameras caught her quietly sitting while the rest of Team USA cheered on Biles and Aly Raisman to a one-two finish.

"I apologize if that made me seem to be really mad in the stands," Douglas said. "I was supporting Aly. I will always will support them and respect them. I don't want anyone to take it as jealous or I wanted attention. Never. I support them and I'm sorry I wasn't showing it."

It followed a familiar pattern that's followed Douglas around since London, when she oddly found herself having to defend her hair minutes after becoming the first African-American woman to win the Olympic title.

"When they talk about my hair or not putting my hand over my heart or being very salty in the stands, really criticizing me ... for me it was really hurtful," Douglas said.

She later added: "Did I choose my hair texture? No. I'm grateful for having this hair on my head. When you read that hurtful stuff you're like 'OK, wow.'"

While Douglas tried to block it out, it hasn't been easy. She became a sensation in 2012, had her life story made into a TV movie, switched coaches three times and became the focal part of "Douglas Family Gold," a reality TV series executive produced in part by herself and her mother that focused on Douglas' bid to become the first repeat Olympic champion in nearly 50 years.

In a way, her final performance on the Olympic stage mimicked the last few years. She lost momentum early in her set and could have bailed. Instead she powered through it and nailed her dismount. Her score of 15.066 wasn't near the top three but she walked off the podium with a hug from coach Christian Gallardo and a smile.

"I wanted to finish on a stronger note," she said. "But fighting through that routine, you know what I was like, 'I'm just fighting through.'"

Perhaps for the last time as a competitor. Douglas will be a fixture on the post-Olympic barnstorming tour but is in no hurry to discuss her long-term future. She'll move from Columbus, Ohio — where she's been training the last two years — to be with her family in Los Angeles. It's been a long and occasionally bumpy ride. She's fine if it stops.

"When you go through a lot and you have so many difficulties and people against you sometimes, it kind of just determines your character," she said. "Are you going to stand or are you going to crumble? I have no regrets coming back for a second Olympic team. It's been an amazing experience. It's been teaching me a lot.

http://www.nbc26.com/sports/olympics/rio-2016/gabby-douglas-hurt-by-twitter-harassment"

[oberliner]

71. There was a huge outpouring of support and love directed at her in response to the Twitter/FB trolls

The morons who tweeted negative stuff about Gabby were attacked and shamed for their comments across social media and beyond.

Love4GabbyUSA become a popular hashtag.

She got major love from the MSM and numerous celebrities and other athletes.

Lochte has not and will not receive any such support (nor does he deserve to).

[Fast Walker 52]

124. Yes, I missed it... I don't know why athletes pay attention to such assholes

Was it anyone in person or just on twitter? If the latter, they should really stay off twitter, or not read comments!

[Rilgin]

191. Try reading your own article.

In quotes "a small (EMPHASIS ON THIS WORD) but vocal portion of twitter". The problem with this whole thread is you are trying to read the word small, small but vocal, and twitter out of this and imply that all of mainstream society, all of the media, all white people have been endlessly dogging her.

Like all of twitter and most of online including this site, you find trolls and flamefests. On the other hand the Lochte story is all over the media. You will still find a small but vocal portion of the internet (emphais added) defending him but most of mainstream society, most of the media, and most white people are not defending him.

At the same time, his offense should be looked at proportionate to the crime of perjury and obstruction of justice. Further, I am not sure of the facts. It would only be an actual crime if he lied to authorities. It is not a crime to lie to the press and the american public. If a crime he should be punished, if not a crime he should be shamed but either way its not something that calls for the death penalty or life imprisonment. Because he is a celebrity and the issue is in the press now, he will receive quite a lot of shaming probably disproportionate to the actual crime or offense he committed. Because some things are not about race. Some things are about press need for sensationalism with celebrities.

[LovingA2andMI]

202. Thank you but Reading is a Skill Us Black Folks Have....

Excelled in such, since the days of being deleted books and a right to an education - during the days of Slavery. #FYI....

Meanwhile, apologying for Ryan Locthe "Privilege" while Gabby Douglas WAS HARASSED for straight up BS similar to not placing her hand over her heart during a National Anthem that was NEVER meant for African-Americans and Her Hair Texture - is SO NOT A GOOD LOOK.

#FYI -- Again!

[Rilgin]

215. You do know, I did not know your race or gender. I just read the article you posted.

I did not know your race or gender and frankly still do not. I did read your article that you posted to prove your point that Gabby Douglas was harassed. Since you posted an AP story, I assume you were saying the harassment was universal and widespread by the media and much of American society. I read your article because it was not an internet post but an AP article so would seem germain to the thread. However, it said the opposite of what you were alleging. It only said that a "SMALL BUT VOCAL" number of twitter people criticized her.

I was in the mountains when both events occurred. However, currently, all I see is one story in the news and discussion. It is all about him and will be in the future. I currently see nothing criticizing her although I believe everyone on this thread that a "SMALL BUT VOCAL" twitter posters went after her for stupid stuff the first day. Since I was not connected, I have no idea how harassed she was. However, I did read your article saying it was a 'SMALL BUT VOCAL" number of twitter users. I am sure some idiots on right wing radio too. However, that was not your point or the reason you posted your article and is the problem with this thread. You posted this articl to try to proved that American Society used her race against her. The AP article said no such thing. It said a 'SMALL BUT VOCAL" number of twitter users. In the US a small but vocal number of people post all manner of stupid stuff on every subject imaginable especially about celebrities.

The problem with this thread is the assumption that all stupid stuff is about race, kind of like you thinking my post about your article related to some magical knowledge I have about your race or gender rather than reading an article that proves the opposite of your general argument.

[LovingA2andMI]

216. So....

You try and justify your bias. TOTAL FAIL....Moment In Time....

"The problem with this thread is the assumption that all stupid stuff is about race, kind of like you thinking my post about your article related to some magical knowledge I have about your race or gender rather than reading an article that proves the opposite of your general argument."

Here, We Will Make It A Bit More Clear For Ya. Keyword: "Urban" Blog.

I.E. = We Are African-American....

[Rilgin]

217. I have no idea what point you are making about your signature line.

Besides not even understanding why you directed me to your signature line, I do not understand why you try to make this about a claim of my bias on an anonymous web site. Are you claiming that I know you outside of the internet or that my eyesight travels through the internet to determine your race or gender to address an article you posted which does not do what you said it does

Again the article that YOU posted does not criticize her itself. It also does not say the criticism was widespread. It says it was a small but vocal number of twitter users. The article could be wrong and every single American could have harassed her rather than a small but vocal number of people. I actually read the article because since it was being discussed on DU, I was curious how much harassment she was getting. However, reading the article seemed to indicate the opposite, that it was not widespread criticism.

Anyhow, enjoy yourself. And yes everyone who thinks you have a logical problem with an argument you post on the internet is biased and has a magical ability to know your race and gender. Seemingly, you are always right and everyone who responds to you unless nodding vigorously with your point is biased against you. Once again, despite kind of being interested in this thread, I regret both reading and posting. Its given me a sick feeling.

[Skittles]

128. it's smearing white people

we're all privileged assholes, don'tcha know

this meme has become very tiresome

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

165. You have it wrong.

We're all privileged assholes until we admit we're all privileged assholes.

[Vattel]

53. I see no evidence that Lochte is getting treated well by the media or social media.

He has justifiably got plenty of criticism.

And yes, there are many assholes who use Twitter, and the stupid criticism of Douglas by some of those assholes illustrates that well-known fact.

To turn this into a white male privilege thing is really a stretch.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

63. I never vilified Douglas or jumped to Lochte's defense...

... when the supposed robbery story broke out.

After being on this site awhile, it's starting to make sense to me why some white people are leery of the Democratic party. I imagine that Appalachian people are wondering about that privilege they're receiving too.

[Ace Rothstein]

92. This place is getting too crazy for me with the identity politics.

[Throd]

70. Everyone thinks Lochte behaved like a dick.

[treestar]

72. The only people with that combo of opinions

are probably Donald's base.

I could not give a hoot about the hand on chest thing. And I do not see how the girl was "destroyed." Young people these days use such extreme language.

[oberliner]

74. This article is idiotic

The response to Ryan Lochte is not what white, male privilege looks like.

Almost no one is saying the things that the OP claims, and almost everyone is saying the exact opposite (i.e. that Lochte is a national embarrassment).

Gabby Douglas has received an outpouring of love and support on social media, in the mainstream press, from athletes, from celebrities, and from bloggers who have rightfully jumped on the idiots who gave Gabby flack for stupid reasons.

Lochte has received an outpouring of criticism and indignation for his behavior. He has quite literally become a national joke, who will be losing millions of dollars worth of endorsements, while Gabby appears on cereal boxes and has dolls being made in her image (both of which are totally deserved).

[melman]

96. It's straight out of Bizarro World

What the OP claims is happening is demonstrably not happening, but people will just keep insisting that is because they want it to be so.

[Takket]

77. This article is 50% correct.

The Douglas situation is disgusting. she has been treated awfully.

But to say Lochte is somehow skating by on white privilege is simply not true. They cherry picked an NPR article with a quote from a Rio spokesperson. Good on them for pointing out that stupid comment, but the idea that youthful indiscretion is how this is being painted in the public eye is simply not the truth. Been listening to many sports talk shows discussing this issue and everyone is pointing out that Lochte is 32 and, frankly, an idiot. I have heard him described as a "disgrace" for embarrassing the country he is supposed to represent.

And NO ONE is "laughing" about all this.

Here is an editorial saying Lochte "embarrasses America"

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/aug/18/how-ryan-lochte-embarrasses-america/

Here is one saying Lochte is a showcase for "showcase for the Ugly American"

http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/olympics/article96582797.html

If anyone can find an opinion piece of editorial out there from a reputable news source saying we should just "laugh at this" or "boys will be boys", feel free to post it here.

[oberliner]

93. Mario Andrata: "Let's give these kids a break."

The police clarification comes as the case has generated new and conflicting details — and, particularly in Brazil, accusations online that Lochte is a liar. But even as new details emerged in recent days, Rio 2016 spokesman Mario Andrada downplayed the case's significance at a briefing Thursday morning.

"Let's give these kids a break. Sometimes you take actions that you later regret. They are magnificent athletes," Andrada said. "Lochte is one of the best swimmers of all times. They had fun. They made a mistake. It's part of life. Life goes on. Let's go."

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetorch/2016/08/18/490491448/rio-official-on-lochtegate-lets-give-these-kids-a-break

[DinahMoeHum]

80. "There Is No Sin Below The Equator"

Dave Zirin stated this European/American attitude re Brazil on today's broadcast of Democracy Now:

http://www.democracynow.org/2016/8/19/dave_zirin_brazilians_are_fed_up

(snip)
to have Ryan Lochte and friends literally and figuratively urinate all over . . . and also be the kind of stereotype of the ugly American who believes there is no sin below the equator, who exploits people’s biggest stereotypes about Rio and crime, and attempts to leverage the fact that they’re wealthy and white and Olympians and could somehow just blame it on the brown people, get on a plane and go home, what it manages to do is touch every nerve in Brazilian society right now and create a kind of bizarre unity of Brazilians, who are saying, "Wait a minute, we deserve a lot better than this for the effort that we have put in to staging these Games under unendurable circumstances."
(snip)

That expression is also a chapter in his book Brazil's Dance With The Devil

[romanic]

94. Every situation has to placate the identity politics crew.

[BumRushDaShow]

101. How RW a talking point.

[romanic]

103. Put away the purity test.

I don't see anyone except a few media folks "laughing" at Lochte and the other guys for thier stupid lie. This article is bullshit meant to stir the pot of discussions that fizzle and go nowhere.

[BumRushDaShow]

106. Are you on the right site?

That term is clearly used by RW hoods who prefer a Eurocentric world and don't value diversity.

[romanic]

125. Yeah I am.

Is there a list of terms not allowed here? Please show me, im sure you have plenty of free time on your hands.

[Skittles]

132. we are on the LEFT SITE

the one that expects examples that REFLECT REALITY

that OP is WAYYYYY off in its assessment

[BumRushDaShow]

133. No "left site" should call discussion of perceptions of racial disparity "identity politics".

[NuclearDem]

139. One would think the liberal position would be judging people individually on their own merits

and not arbitrarily defining people based on something they have no control over.

I think there's a word for that latter position...

[Skittles]

140. it's just pitiful

some racist losers trash Gabby, and somehow that is used to trash white guys in general

yes there is a word for that: STEREOTYPING

[BumRushDaShow]

145. No one is "trash(ing) white guys in general"

If you feel that discussion about those who engage in certain expressions of privilege when caught participating in raucous behavior, hits home, then yes you are being trashed. If not, then why contort yourself to force-fit this discussion to mean you?

It's one of those "if the shoe fits, wear it". If it don't fit, then we must acquit.

[Skittles]

147. bullshit

it happens all the time on DU - white people are trashed in general for a what racist assholes do and say - it is STEREOTYPING

who exactly is the WE in the article's title? That article is CRAP

THIS ONE reflects reality

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/ryan-lochte-a-champion-swimmer-caught-in-a-riptide-of-self-absorption/2016/08/18/673d9bdc-6540-11e6-96c0-37533479f3f5_story.html

[BumRushDaShow]

149. Yet there are white people on DU who don't see it as that at all

Again - if the shoe fits, wear it. If "you" (or one) are (is) not engaged in the type of behavior being described, then it is not "you" (or one) who is the problem.

[Skittles]

159. AND THEY DON'T REPRESENT MOST WHITE PEOPLE

STOP IT ALREADY

DONE HERE, *SICK* OF THIS SH**

[BumRushDaShow]

160. And you do?

Ciao!

[bravenak]

169. Poor white folks.

Always stereotyped. So oppressed. Glad to see you defending the poor stereotyped white folks. No need to clean up white privilege or racism since it is not EVERY SINGLE WHITE PERSON on earth who is racist. Best to just ignore it so as to not offend those poor oppressed white folks.

I LAUGH and LAUGH at this DESPERATE defense of white supremacy every time I read an IMPASSIONED post about how oppressed white folks are by being stereotyped, and the fact that we cannot mention that they do the most stereotyping of any folks on EARTH. shhh. better not mention it. Might upset you. Because NOT ALL OF THEM do the most stereotyping.

[NuclearDem]

172. "since it is not EVERY SINGLE WHITE PERSON on earth who is racist"

"And some I assume are good people."

[melman]

190. Here

Have some eyerolls:

You earned them. As always.

[jack_krass]

97. Nothing like cherry picking events to portray your own version of reality....

Objectively:

-Lots of people condemned Lochte, (rightly so)

-Very few people "vilified" Douglass, almost every news feed, tweet, and post I've seen defended her from the one or two Yahoo's who did criticiZed her.

You are trying to invert these objecitve realities to push whatever agenda it is your trying to push (all white men are evil?), But it's a pitiful failure, and I see right through it.

[heaven05]

104. typical

but you are right.....one has brown skin and the others are bearers of white skin. Instant fucking privilege and a pass for behavior. America never took AA to heart, so why the big blowup about the placing of a hand. To the so-called "cherrypicking" by a poster.....please, your motives are showing.....

[jack_krass]

180. Yes, Cherry picking....

A common tactic among those who thrive on perpetual manufactured social outrage. In this case:

A) Find one or two racist anonymous internet trolls dissing Gabby

B) interpreting this as "everybody is condemning Gabby"

C) and therefore all white men are evil.

Rinse lather repeat

[Chitown Kev]

105. I think that the only people that were offended

by Gabby Douglas were out and out racists and they were LOUD and posted frequently spamming the bullshit.

Ryan Lochte is already seem as being a bit of a dumb ass and most people (from what I have seen) have been condemning him...there is no universal (white v. black) reaction to these things...granted that the white privilege issues in play do need to be discussed but there s no universal "white vs. black reaction" to this.

[niyad]

111. exactly

[Skittles]

126. who the FUCK is laughing at Lochte?

in a previous post I said he is a DISGRACE to himself AND his country - STOP ACTING LIKE ALL WHITE PEOPLE ARE EVIL - IT MAKES YOU LOOK SILLY

[mercuryblues]

163. no it is making you look silly

because that is not what is being said. Douglas doesn't put her hand over her heart she was called disrespectful, un-patriotic and so on.

as for lochte he gets funny memes for a crime and causing an international kerfuffle..

http://coed.com/2016/08/18/ryan-lochte-memes-funny-photos-best-images-tweets-jokes/

http://uproxx.com/sports/ryan-lochte-robbery-rio-olympics-2016/3/

[melman]

166. memes?

He's being ridiculed in those memes. Is that a sign of privilege now?

[mercuryblues]

171. oh FFS

Yes, he is being laughed at for breaking the law, lying and creating an international incident. While Gabby was called vile names. You see that is exactly the point. Laughing and mocking him, not called unpatriotic, not disrespectful, not angry, not militant and so on; while Douglas was raked over the coals.

Are you aware that 2 shot put medals winners did not put their hand over their heart while the anthem was played? Nothing said

[Takket]

175. she was raked over the coals by a few idiots, but the vast majority of social media lifted her up

Last edited Fri Aug 19, 2016, 11:16 PM - Edit history (1)

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/how-social-media-outpouring-lifted-up-gabby-douglas-during-olympics-034705395.html

Meanwhile Lochte is widely being regraded as a disgrace to America.

your assertion that Lochte is coming out of this with a better result that Douglas because of white privilege is simply not true.

[BumRushDaShow]

196. He committed an actual crime

along with his compatriots - destroying property. And that should have the negative response.

Meanwhile, she did not commit any legal infraction unless you believe that there are fascist laws in place that require Ms. Douglas to cover her heart with her hand or style her hair according to white beauty standards. And because of the proliferation and magnification of "social media", something that millennials like her utilize as "their media", then the pain was swift and direct. The so-called "few idiots" banked on the nature of social media having their views "go viral", and that initial pain is hard to throw, despite the eventual "lifting up" on self-same media. The problem being that "traditional media" continues to be slow to condemn what should never have been considered an "infraction" in our society. It is not unlike the ugliness thrown out there about the Williams sisters and their physiques. Disparate responses.

[mercuryblues]

198. not with a better result

people are joking about crimes he committed which created an international incident. While Douglas was bullied for not putting her hand over her heart. It is the reaction to the different scenarios.

[melman]

209. Looks like the NY Post didn't get the memo

[img][/img]





If the New York Post is calling him the Ugly American, then you know your premise is BS.


And it is.

[workinclasszero]

130. Poor Gabby does something most americans would do

inadvertently and is vilified by white racist radio and republicans.

White blond drunk out of his mind frat boy destroys someones property in a foreign country while repping the USA.
Lies about it and slanders that country and its people and....

Hey boys will be boys you know?

[Takket]

143. yeah that would be terrible, if anybody was actually saying that

hyperbole

[davidn3600]

167. With Lochte, people don't have all the information

For the first 24 hours, there was reports he was the victim of a robbery. Then we don't know what to believe. The news is cycling.

Gabby is being attacked mostly by internet trolls on social media.

Im sorry but this is not the same situation.

[tonyt53]

170. I just wonder who that "we" shit is anyway.

[HassleCat]

178. Sports and patriotism

I know some sports fans who seem to believe sports, particularly football, are somehow patriotic, and being a rabid football fan is just like serving in the military.

[JackRiddler]

181. False premise: That there is one "we" here.

I certainly would never criticize anyone for failing to meet some fanatic standard of participation in meaningless nationalist rituals, let alone a young black woman. She can sit down during the national anthem for all I care, I certainly have done the same.

The false premise is that the same group vilifies Douglas but makes excuses for the Drunken Swimteam Rowdies. I say these are two separate groups of respondents. The Douglas attackers are stupid concern trolls and a minority.

As for making excuses for the rowdy men, whatever. They were stupid, but they really complicated things with their lies. That was their main transgression by far. They should have just taken the rap up front.

But is it a national embarrassment? Hardly. They don't represent all Americans, no one does and that shouldn't be the role of athletes who actually compete as individuals.

Drunken men being stupid vandals breaking a bathroom door when they want to piss -- all too common and not to be excused. But if they had not made up a vile story about Brazilian muggers, if they had spent their night in jail and then left, it would have been forgivable and totally forgettable. That's where they attempted to make use of their white American privilege. IN this case, for a change, it backfired!

[7962]

184. Whose laughing? Everyone I know says he's a jackass for this

[Javaman]

186. or...

the right wing media sets the tone and the public goes with it.

[calimary]

188. Hah! Double standard much?

What a stupid nitpick to sling at her.

Meanwhile he's a frickin' hoodlum acting like a spoiled frat boy out making drunken mischief with his equally rowdy younger teammates. And THEY wind up creating an international incident, pissing in public not only on the exterior walls of a local gas station bit on the reputation of the entire US Olympic team. And hers is the greater offense?

"Boys will be boys"??? Well, MAYBE... IF they're 8 or 9 years old or some such. NO excuse for 20-somethings and a 32-year-old - especially one with 6.2 million bucks in bigtime commercial endorsements and his own black Rolls Royce parked outside.

[Iggo]

200. Again, that "we".

Who is "we"?

[AngryAmish]

201. I wonder why the author is vilifying Douglas.

[Iggo]

218. The author and the mouse in her pocket.

[SMC22307]

203. "We." LOL

I couldn't care less about the hand placement (or the hair), and think Lochte and his little buddies should be nailed to the wall.

If people need assholes on social media to further their belief system (like FUX viewers lapping up the propaganda), so be it. But attributing what a few assholes say to a group as a whole is pretty fucking dumb.

[Egnever]

211. You are trying too hard