{"id":3646,"date":"2017-08-10T08:34:57","date_gmt":"2017-08-10T08:34:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/imjussayin.com\/blog\/?p=3646"},"modified":"2017-08-25T00:04:23","modified_gmt":"2017-08-25T00:04:23","slug":"white-privilege-atheltics-weapons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/imjussayin.com\/blog\/white-privilege-atheltics-weapons\/","title":{"rendered":"White Privilege \u2013 From Athletics To Weapons"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"white<\/a><\/p>\n

I thoroughly enjoy athletics. However, athletics, despite the appearance of a level playing field is anything but. Like so many areas of life, white privilege prevails. \u00a0Paula Radcliffe<\/a>\u00a0is among a\u00a0clutch of white women runners\u00a0who incessantly\u00a0complain about Caster Semenya<\/a>. \u00a0They say her naturally high levels of testosterone is an unfair advantage in racing. \u00a0So, Radcliffe says the solution is to find a way that is fair to the majority.\u00a0In short, they are going to deny Semenya the right to race: or insist that she takes drugs to dampen her natural ability. \u00a0Unfortunately, it looks like their protests against Semenya are going to pay off.\u00a0That’s white privilege, and\u00a0the world is full of examples.<\/p>\n

Caster Semenya<\/h2>\n

Semenya’s sex, not gender (difference explained here<\/a>), is continually under examination. And that is humiliating. It\u2019s true that she naturally produces more testosterone than the average woman. But so what. That\u2019s her advantage. However, it has upset white folk, so much that they cry when they lose a race to her (video below).<\/p>\n

So, the IAAF<\/a> are working to disqualify Semenya from running; Or at least not in her natural state. IAAF president, Seb Coe<\/a>‘s \u00a0latest research suggests higher levels of testosterone increase performance. And what? Semenya does not artificially induce it. \u00a0It is as much a naturally occurring, physical attribute as Usain Bolt’s genes or Michael Phelps unusually long limbs.<\/p>\n

\"white<\/a><\/p>\n

So, I ask myself why Semenya? \u00a0Jarmila Kratochv\u00edlov\u00e1<\/a> a mere 35 minutes after winning her 400 metres heat went on to win the 800 metres with alarming ease. Her 1983 world record still stands<\/a>. \u00a0Kratochv\u00edlov\u00e1\u00a0also looks masculine, but there was no brouhaha. \u00a0There were no tears from Kratochv\u00edlov\u00e1’s \u00a0sixth placed competitor Doina Melinte or protests of a foul. \u00a0Unlike those from Lynsey Sharp, who finished sixth in her race against Semenya.\u00a0Was it because Kratochv\u00edlov\u00e1 and all but one of her competitors were white too?<\/p>\n

\"white<\/a><\/h2>\n

White Privilege<\/h2>\n

And that attitude of white privilege is all around. Take North Korea, led by Kim Jong-un<\/a>. They want a halt to America\u2019s hostility. But America, who has nuclear weapons, will not have talks while North Korea continues its nuclear weapon programme. In other words, unless it’s on American terms they will not discuss permanent peace. So, America expects North Korea to negotiate from a vulnerable position after agreeing to American terms. Why is it okay for the western countries, historically aggressors, to have nuclear weapons but not anybody else?<\/p>\n

\"white<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s white privilege, and the un-level playing field is also part of the domestic culture. American footballer Colin Kaepernick kneels for the national anthem. It is in protest at Police brutality against blacks. But, it has met with terrible abuse and calls of an unpatriotic traitor. He is struggling to find work since his 2016 peaceful civil rights protest. But the Trump family embroiled in a Russian election hacking scandal receive no such hue and cry.<\/p>\n

So, at home or abroad the playing field is far from level. Had Obama been as mediocre as Trump he would never have been president. That is without considering Trump\u2019s sexist and racist conduct. \u00a0Outstanding black sportspeople like Bolt are explained away by slavery weeding out the bad genes<\/a>. Lucky us! But, the same commentators fail to attribute the success of white athletes to the fact that plague weeded out almost half of Europe\u2019s population. Will white governing bodies ever check their privilege?<\/p>\n

i’mjussayin<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

More on how black women are treated in sport here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Bawling From\u00a0Lynsey Sharp<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n