RACISM WRONG Racism is an ism to which everyone in the world today is exposed; for or against, we must take sides. And the history of the future will differ according to the decision which we make. Ruth Benedict
miguel fonseca
Introduction Racism, as we may think, is not a out-dated problem. It is still one of the most concerning problems of our world. A reflex of that is the continue increase of the number of campaigns and associations fighting racism. In this paper, I will present a brief definition of racism and a campaign called Let’s Kick Racism Out of Football.
Racism definition & quotes “Racism is the belief that the genetic factors which constitute race are a primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race. Racism's effects are called "racial discrimination". In the case of institutional racism, certain racial groups may be denied rights or benefits, or receive preferential treatment.” in Wikipedia
“I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” Nelson Mandela
“I was the only white kid in my neighborhood for most of my youth even in high school, so reverse racism was just as apparent as racism.” Shia LaBeouf
Let's Kick Racism Out of Football an anti-racism campaign The brand name of the campaign - Let's Kick Racism Out of Football - was established in 1993 and Kick It Out established as a body in 1997. Kick It Out works throughout the football, educational and community sectors to challenge discrimination, encourage inclusive practices and work for positive change. The campaign is supported and funded by the game's governing bodies, including founding body the Professional Footballers Association (PFA), the Premier League and The Football Association. 1
Interviews with Rio Ferdinand and Samuel Etoʼo Rio Ferdinand and Samuel Eto’o are both well-known football players. Rio Ferdinand is the Manchester United’s captain and one of the most important England National Team figures. Samuel Eto’o played for Barcelona where he won several championships and is currently playing for Internazionale di Milano and is the captain of the Cameroon National Team. They are both involved with this campaign, being ambassadors for the matters of racism. Ferdinand and Eto’o talked about their racism experiences in interviews they gave to Kick it Out, as we can read below. Rio Ferdinand
Kick It Out: Tell us about racism you have experienced. Rio Ferdinand: I was at a game when I was about 16 - it was a London team - and a man started shouting "black this, black that" at the players. He turned to me and said: "Not you mate, you're all right." I looked at a nearby policeman as if to say: "What are you going to do?" But he looked through me, he wasn't going to do anything. I just got up and left. […] I grew up on an estate in Peckham, near where Damilola Taylor was killed. When I was older I got a BMW convertible and used to drive around Peckham and areas like New Cross, Deptford and Hackney, and I'd get stopped on a regular basis. I wasn't really known as a footballer at the time and they'd ask me: "Where d'you get the money for this? Are you dealing? Are you nicking stuff?" I would say: "I earned this car, I wouldn't drive it if I didn't earn it." I don't get stopped now. Samuel Eto’o Kick It Out: You are well known for your strong stance against racism in the game. Have you taken up this cause as a personal challenge? Samuel Eto’o: It is an ongoing struggle, and we must keep fighting it (racism) every single day. Like I always say, they can attack us but they will never defeat us. This issue means a great deal to me and we must be prepared to use whatever means necessary. Racism is vile and we must strive to see it disappear from football.
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Conclusion Analyzing the examples of Eto’o and Ferdinand we can conclude that racism is an actual and serious problem. Despite the fact that we live in the 21st century and in a very advanced society, racism is still a real problem. This fact is the cause of the existence of several associations which daily fight racism — like Kick It Out — and also the quotes that clearly try to alert for the racism problem in this world. We usually think that people now have an open mind and they don’t discriminate. But that isn’t true! Racism has been becoming bigger and bigger and we don’t really imagine that. We have to change this way of seeing our world. We can do more than we think!
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