Marquez, We Have To Talk – You’re Getting Horrible Advice Now I hate the race card being played, unless very obvious nasty racism where it should be highlighted and those idiots held to account. I believe not everything should be taken as offensive as in most part that continues to fuel the nasty racism if everything becomes taboo. Sometimes people can be far too offended too quickly thus making a mountain out of a mole hill but saying that it needs to be balanced, between me and my friends of various colours and creeds we are comfortable with each other's witty remarks and rib tickling.... But that's in private, we'd never ever repeat the piss taking of each other in public as from the outside others might think were being racist to each other. So let's take Marquez's Tshirt here for example, now I don't personally find it offensive but I can see why it would be perceived that way and as I'm not Japanese I don't think I have the right to say one way or another. my point is however that IF just one Japanese national could take offence, then why risk it? Marquez and his advisors clearly think its acceptable and maybe its nothing to worry about, but why run with an idea that could easily have a racial undertone as quite a few people have picked up on this throughout twitter already. its interesting that apparently the Spanish national basketball team posed for a photo for the China games in a similar way, perhaps its a culturally Spanish thing of acceptance? anyway, I'm sure it's just bad advice but you have to ask yourself is it worth it
doubtless it'll be the same inner circle that advised MM to do the extra lap last weekend. (not so long ago you would have seen Mamola and VR wearing the banzai headband, the fake "Tojo" glasses and buck teeth)
it has to be said, that despite the constant media reporting and protestations to the contrary, we, the british, are one of the most, if not the most, racially and sexually tolerant societies on earth, as is the most of northern europe.unfortunately, im my experience, ive found that mediterranean countries are where were back in the 70's. A quick look at Spanish or Italian TV 'comedy' will confirm any doubters....blacked up faces and Benny Hill girls everywhere..really embarrassing stereotypes. So, in spain, i simply dont think that they consider it a big deal....as much as i love the country (which i do), we live in a country where there has been national outrage at the badger cull, and they still stadia with cheering fans applauding the barbaric torture and slaughter of bulls for 'entertainment'... they need to get an education and move into the 21st century in some respects.
Hope he plays 'Turning Japanese' when he step up to the podium The Vapors - Turning Japanese - YouTube
from David Emmett moto matters:- While everyone was glad to have some action happening on track, there was also some controversy off the track as well. Marc Marquez was once again the cause, the young Spaniard having turned up to Motegi with a special helmet design. Meant as a tribute to Japan, it features a drawing of Marquez pulling the corner of his eyes sideways, in an imitation of Asian facial features. Predictably, the picture - and the t-shirt Marquez wore when he posted a photograph of his helmet on Twitter - proved to be extremely divisive. Many, including many fans all over Asia, as well as in the US and UK, saw the drawing as offensive, seeing it not as a tribute but as mocking Asians. That action, as one Asian blogger pointed out, was used in the past to ridicule Asians and people of Asian origin. Others saw no harm in the image, regarding it as meant with humor, rather than with malice. It is certain that Marquez meant no harm with the image, and was completely unaware that it could cause offense. Marquez and his manager, Emilio Alzamora, had come up with the idea, and when they sent it to Shoei to be painted onto the helmet, the Japanese helmet company had not remarked upon the design. Honda were less amused, but by that time, it was too late to do anything about it. Though clearly, Marquez did not mean to cause offense, his choice of tribute displays a fundamental misunderstanding of the global nature of the sport. In Spain, as it is in Italy, the action of pulling the corners of the eyes is not regarded as offensive to Asians, and so Marquez and his management didn't think twice about putting such an image on his helmet. Had they been aware of the cultural sensitivities of a global audience, they would never have even considered it, or else they would have abandoned the idea after checking with someone who was not Spanish. They could have known that there could have been a problem, however: in 2008, ahead of the Beijing Olympics, the Spanish basketball team got into a lot of trouble over a photo of the entire team doing the same thing. That does not appear to have filtered through. Whether those who object are being overly sensitive or not, Marquez' actions have caused some damage to the sport. Simple ignorance of the fact that this is a global sport, with a global audience, has meant that Marquez' helmet has upset a sizable section of the audience. It makes MotoGP look more like a Spanish backwater than a global sport, and will do severe damage to attempts to attract global sponsorship. If there is one thing major international sponsors do not want to be associated with, it is racism. Whether Marquez' helmet is racist or not is frankly irrelevant, it is how sponsors and the customers they hope to reach perceive his helmet which counts. There was enough anger among a wide section of fans at Marquez' helmet for the issue to be taken seriously. If something similar had happened in another sport, there would have been serious consequences. If this had happened in the NFL or NBA, for example, Marquez would have likely been suspended and sent on a racial sensitivity course. If this was soccer in the UK or Germany, Marquez would have been called in to the office of the organizing body and told in very clear terms that he should think more carefully. Clearly Marquez meant no offense with his helmet, but given the cultural sensitivities involved, offense was taken by some sections of fans, especially by many Asian fans. The biggest problem is that Marquez was unaware. He could perhaps be forgiven for that - he is still relatively young - but a manager's job is to protect their rider and prevent them from getting in such situations in the first place. When Marquez - or whoever it was in his circle - came up with the idea, someone should have taken Marquez aside and explained to him that whatever his intention, it could all too easily be misinterpreted, and the lighthearted intention behind the design could be conveyed in a way which would not cause offense. Marquez is not the only rider to innocently cause offense. Johann Zarco's helmet design features a prominent Japanese Imperial flag, and I have had several Korean fans contact me to express their unhappiness with the design. In that part of Asia, that flag is seen as a symbol of a very dark part of Japanese history, when the country occupied large parts of the region, and subjected them to a very brutal regime. A rider's manager should be aware of such things, and check before allowing them to use such a divisive symbol. Unfortunately, the MotoGP paddock is all too parochial. The vast majority of the people in the paddock are male, from similar backgrounds, and from a small number of countries (and in fact, given the preponderance of people from Catalunya in Spain and Emilia Romagna in Italy, a small number of regions), and so a common pattern of thought and social code is easily established. There are very few people in the paddock taking a wider view of the sport, and seeing it in a global context. Allowing the man leading the championship, and perhaps destined to be the youngest ever world champion and the global face of the sport for years to come, to accidentally offend a large section of your audience, especially in a market seen as key to the future of the sport, does not bode well for the professionalism of the sport. If MotoGP is to grow as a sport, it needs to guard its image very carefully indeed. As one insider so eloquently put it, the sport needs some adult supervision.
I'm sorry but PC'ness is becoming ridiculous. http://ducatiforum.co.uk/f18/taking-offence-industry-15714/
I think you'll find the T-shirt is an in-joke between him and the japanese crew, and therefore a bit of fun - and should be taken as such.
Oh c'mon Fig, that's just bollocks mate. Like I've said I'm not offended but even with my small amount of marketing experience even I immediately wondered why the hell you'd bother if there was even a remote chance of offence being taken, as it happens it's proven to offend possibly 1000's of people as the twitter uprising would suggest. My bloody feed was full of moans about it yesterday and they were only retweets of the English written ones. If it's an 'in joke between friends' that would usually suggest you keep it between friends, not emblazon your race day helmet and PR tshirt with it. As Dave Emmett points out , MotoGP is bigger than that, it's not (or shouldn't be) Spanish owned or Italian owned, just because they think its funny I think it show immense naivety on the part of the Marquez team and/or management structure. I don't blame Marquez or hold him to account of being a racist, far from it. i just think if you're managing the latest golden talent within Motogp on an international level you really should be advising him much better, that all.
Why not? If you're saying it's a major calamity then he has to take responsibility same as everyone else on the team. He clearly thinks it's funny, the racist bastard Is that how you want me to react Damo? If so I'll carry on in that vein. But in my world I'll still think it's an in-joke between the team members. Nobody in the top office stopped it cos they knew nothing about it until the pictures were tweeted. So fucking what, no-one died.
No, i think it should be his advisors (whoever they are) that need to take stock and do a proper job. It's not a question of whether I think he's racist as I've clearly stated within my posts that I don't think he is. But that doesn't change what a stupid idea it was as many people have been offended, and from the race in question. Who are we to argue against that? Im simply saying that as a 'global' ikon I think it's frankly stupid to even consider making any play (jovial or not) on race, probably just massive naivety from all concerned but I just found it surprising when I first saw the pictures. This is more about the kids management than anything.
But many being offended equally means many are not. Like all of Spain I'd imagine. This was on the other week...kids tv...maybe you should write to ITV Peter Ustinov is lost - YouTube
His 'advisors' wouldn't have known a thing about it, that's my point. this wasn't a corporate stunt to drum up sales, it was the team (and by that I mean the hands-on guys in the garage and on the bike) who came up with it. As a laugh. So please laugh, otherwise it will have been wasted.
Look lads, I get it from his perspective I honestly do, he's a soft kid and was just having a laugh, nothing wrong with that to an extent. BUT when you're very likely to be crowned a world champion at Motegi I don't get that 'they' , whoever 'they' are, thought to run with the idea and nothing would be said. Maybe I should be his manager as even I could have seen that coming. It's not offended me which is what I've said over and over. He's publically apologised in the last hour or so which is a situation people shouldn't have let him get in, Its not exactly good for the kid to be having to tweet sincere apologies about offence caused from a stupidly thought out helmet design when in fact he could well have been crowned champion on the same day. so, Mr Marquez, if you're reading, I'll be your manager. I've got a beautiful swasticker design in mind for next years Germany race
That's the trouble with all this racist bollocks , those that want to be offended will be , even at the slightest hint , taking umbrage to be seen to be whiter than white ( shit sorry) can nobody take things with a pinch of salt , hell if the nips (sorry) don't like it they can paint him up as batman's joker on a Repsol
