your rainbow connection

tim wise originally posted this on the facebook
Double Standard for Serena Williams

By Dave Zirin

A top-ranked tennis player in a moment of rage cursed out a judge and shocked the world, headlining every sports and news program from ESPN to MSNBC. Meanwhile, another champion tennis player hurled expletives at a judge and the media barely yawned. While the tennis world still reels from Serena Williams's f-bomb-laced tirade against a line judge on September 12, the "classy" Roger Federer pulled a similar tantrum two days later and didn't get half as much coverage.

In US Open finals on September 14, Federer lost in five sets to the previously unheralded Juan Martín del Potro. In a tense third set, after a challenge by del Potro, Federer became infuriated with the line judge. After the judge told Federer to settle down, he said, "Don't tell me to be quiet, OK? I don't give a [expletive] what [del Potro] said, OK?" The 6-foot-6 power-serving Argentinean frustrated Federer throughout, and the favored player lost his famous cool. But after the match, there were no press conference apologies from Federer. And there were no calls for him to be suspended, fined or sanctioned. This despite the fact that his profanity was directed toward del Potro, a serious breach in tennis etiquette.

Williams without question lost control as well. After being called for a critical foot fault in her semifinal match against Kim Clijsters, she said to the line judge, "If I could, I would take this [expletive] ball and shove it down your [expletive] throat." The foot fault was a terrible call, and it cost Williams the match. After her rant, she was given a point penalty, and the match was effectively over as Clijsters looked on in a state of bewilderment. It's worth mentioning that the call by the line judge was the equivalent of calling a technical foul in Game 7 of the NBA finals with the score tied in the closing seconds.
( oh, media, how much of haters you all are )
The Williams sisters' ascendance from Compton to queens of the tennis world has been well documented and earned them millions of dollars plus fans around the world. But it has also gained them tons of detractors, from the stands to the blogosphere. This doesn't excuse Serena Williams's conduct, and it's not an attempt to "play the race card"; it's just a fact. When it comes to conquering race and gender in tennis, we are nowhere near match point.

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090928/zirin

zirin is my new favourite writer. check out the other stories, as well.

september 3, 2005. 6:36 P.M.
- WASHINGTON (AP):
Top White House officials are discussing allegations that racism may have slowed down the response to Hurricane Katrina.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and a number of President Bush's other advisers met tonight with some black leaders, including Maryland Democrat Elijah Cummings.

Cummings says that the Bush administration indicated it's sensitive to the issue and that it doesn't ignore African-Americans.

At the same time, Cummings admits the discussion of race was a small part of a two-hour meeting. He says right now the White House is more concerned with how to get resources to people still in need.

http://www.wwltv.com/local/stories/WWLBLOG.ac3fcea.html
(it's a news-update blog)

of course they're not ignoring african-americans. that's much too passive for what's been going down. they've been actively not helping. there's a difference.