Is "monkey" offensive

[karnog]

^^kinda looks like Symonds. Look in India parents call their children monkeys for behaving in a mischevious and idotic manner. One thing many Indians can't stand is Symonds lack of ability to talk. In a one day international in Australia against India Symonds stated "its good to see theiir kind of people here and supporting their team". I know Symonds meant well but he spoke in a idiotic and dumb manner that earned him the name "Bander" which means monkey. Well my parents termed it for him. Look if Harbhajan did say something and used it to make fun of his colour then thats racist. If he used it to describe Symonds less than intelligent behaviour and speech then it certainly falls into the description of a "bast*ard".

 

[Cricketdude]

Yes but in an aggressive manner is it still labeled as god? Why dont they call Tendulkar a monkey and carry on the same?

 

[IloveGilly]

Depends on the context it is used in. The Indians chanting "monkey", winding him up for each ball and the roar when he got out is the way that monkey was clearly negative.

 

[karnog]

Not sure about Tendulkar but Ganguly was often labelled as a monkey whenever he got run out. Never threw him off. I understand Symond's anger as it because its possibly a racial slur from where he came from (England right?).

 

[symonds_sixes]

Of course it is not offensive. People are too touchy. What's with all the ACB logos with a cross through them? Imagine if we did that to the Indian logo, we'd be called racists no doubt.

 

[SciD]

I bet now every time Symmo goes to bat outside of Australia there will be few chantiing Monkey Monkey.

 

[sohum]

I think it should be that the visiting teams should respect the home nation's culture. If India comes out here and hears the b-word they should just accept that it is part of our culture to be loose of the tongue. But if Australia goes to India, I am sure they would respect India's culture and be tight-lipped the whole way through their stay! It's merely down to respecting the HOME nation's culture. Don't bring a team over here if you aren't going to accept our culture, simple as that!

So what you're saying is Symonds had no business complaining in India about the treatment he got from the crowds?

 

[ivanvdm15]

Monkey offensive?
it depends if the person said it in an aggresive manner or in something like a joke

 

[sohum]

But did you guys see on the Cricket Show where the aussie was going angry and everything with the indian crowd and they put they middle finger out when symonds got out first ball. So the people who say no to this would you like this done to you when your playing a cricket "game" and when i define game its ment to be fun not a war

There are always sections of the crowds who are stupid. I remember going to the India-Australia test match in Mumbai in their last tour here and there were people in my section swearing and flipping off the Aussies whenever they were fielding near it. It was uncomfortable to say the least. It probably also has a lot to do with the fact that the first thing Aussies do when they land in India are insult the fans or the team in some way, in the media.

Yes but in an aggressive manner is it still labeled as god? Why dont they call Tendulkar a monkey and carry on the same?

Because Tendulkar doesn't behave like a monkey?

Depends on the context it is used in. The Indians chanting "monkey", winding him up for each ball and the roar when he got out is the way that monkey was clearly negative.

Yes. Of course the difference is whether it was racist or not. While the Indian fans would find it illogical to have that labelled racist, they clearly shouldn't have done it since Symonds had already complained about it and how he found it racist. Same with Bhajji. In fact, Bhajji has less benefit of doubt since he definitely should have known about it, whereas the average, uneducated Indian person watching the cricket may not have known about it, but just may have been following the herd.

 

[WORLD CHAMPIONS]

In India Monkey is worshiped as a GOD. Its noway offensive for us.

Let me post picture for you all.

Jai Hanuman.

Yeh, God of all Monkies . Jai Hanuman :hpraise

 

[BONED!]

So what you're saying is Symonds had no business complaining in India about the treatment he got from the crowds?

I see that you are attempting to take my words out of context. I shall counter you!

The way the crowd acted should have been looked into by the home side and the home side's representatives. Australia has put emphasis on our crowds about squashing racist behaviour by the crowd. Anyone caught making racial slurs is ousted and banned from attending matches. If Symonds complained about the crowd, then it's India's job to ask/tell their fans that racist behaviour is not acceptable! If an Indian complained about our crowd, since we have already taken the precaution of warning the crowd about our policy, we would probably have investigated the individuals and banned them.

As for complaining about the 'monkey' thing, I couldn't care less. Sledging has been a HUGE part of the game (between England and Australia anyway) since forever. I think it is merely sledging/banter that has been perceived as something else. The conviction and ban of Harbhajan was wrong, I personally agree with that. But I don't want to pass judgement on any players. What if we all agree that he didn't say it, and ten months from now, he admits that he did say it? (I am not saying he did. This is a hypothetical situation) We would look silly wouldn't we! So until there is proof, there should be NO judgement. There is no proof that he DID say it, there is no proof that he DIDN'T say it. It's the ICC's failing there.

 

[sohum]

It's the ICC's failing there.

Yeah. What do you think we're complaining about--the weather?

 

[BONED!]

the way your response was worded, it seemed like you were saying that Andrew Symonds had no right to complain about the crowd in India, based on what I had said. Perhaps I misunderstood you. I was just trying to re-iterate that Symo DID have the right to complain, just it should be dealt with by home country. anyway, there is no more need for me to argue on this point since we agree!

 

[barmyarmy]

In the UK "monkey" definitely is racist when used when used to describe a black person. At football matches in the 80s, fans would make monkey chants and throw banana skins onto the pitches when black players got the ball.
There is obviously a cultural issue here over the interpretation of this - any player calling another one a monkey here would have the book thrown at them but from what I've read in this thread the term isn't thought of as offensive in India.
That said it was still unacceptable for Singh to say it, as he was saying it to a non-Indian (doesn't matter whether it was in India or Australia). We can accuse him of cultural naivity and insensitivity at best and blatant racism at worst.

 

[usy]

Colin, it's not just 80s, it's still on spanish football and other european football nations.

Symonds is a "black" Aussie, and Harbajan is Indian, so in that case it would be racist, even if Harbajan knows or he does not.