The racism creeps in when black people don't conform to the societal norm. In your comment, you said Athing is "very respectful, confident yet humble." That's what our society wants from athletes. We often let white athletes off the hook when they get outside those boundaries, and pass it off as quirky. But as soon as a black athlete does it, people freak out about their behavior and link it to their upbringing or culture or something like that.
The racists are getting better at covering up their true reasons for belittling black athletes who don't conform, but it still does play a role.
Personally, I see Sha'Carri is troubled and I love her for it and root for her because of it. She interprets the world differently than I do but I won't judge her, I hope she resolves her issues in her own style and does not conform.
In a sense, I do agree with you.
But on the other hand, letsrun does make fun of anyone that talks the talk and doesn’t walk the walk. Think of Cade Flatt. He has caught lots of flak for how cocky he is, similar amounts to Richardson on this site and he’s gotten a lot closer to his goals than shacarri has.
I think sportsmanship is very important in athletics. It seems you’re implying that we should tolerate and maybe even celebrate those that throw fits and make excuses when they lose, and I can’t stand behind that. To me, excusing that behavior just because someone is black feels more racist than calling out that kind of behavior.
The difference is people aren’t saying he’s a clown because he’s redneck trash and his lack of intelligence reflects his inbreeding or something. They just talk about how they’re annoyed with him.
I mean, I think SCR exhibits the classic, “I hate you, don’t leave me.” She courts negative attention and then is unable to handle it and is clearly too sensitive to criticism for an athlete who wants to be in the spotlight. When things don’t go her way, she reverts to the immature “I don’t care about track anyway” instead of being able to process her disappointment. She self-sabotaged at nationals and clearly cannot cope with pressure on a consistent basis. She badly needs mental health support or therapy before she completely destroys her career due to her unaddressed trauma and abandonment issues and recent abusive relationship that suggests she is repeating unhealthy patterns. I think she has a bad team around her, that the hype came too fast and she can’t live up to it, and that she is surrounded by sharks and enablers. I wish she’d get off social media, get some help in handling her emotions, and focus on running before she squanders her talent.
I can express all this criticism without calling her ghetto, talking about how wearing a wig or long hair means she wants to be white (and that she wants tattoos to cover her black skin or whatever), or calling her a hood rat or hood trash. It’s not that people don’t like her, it’s that they explicitly frame their increasingly hysterical dislike in rhetoric around her blackness. Someone is in here literally talking about her covering her black skin with tattoos and wearing a wig to look white and you think this thread is color blind?
I mean, I think SCR exhibits the classic, “I hate you, don’t leave me.” She courts negative attention and then is unable to handle it and is clearly too sensitive to criticism for an athlete who wants to be in the spotlight. When things don’t go her way, she reverts to the immature “I don’t care about track anyway” instead of being able to process her disappointment. She self-sabotaged at nationals and clearly cannot cope with pressure on a consistent basis. She badly needs mental health support or therapy before she completely destroys her career due to her unaddressed trauma and abandonment issues and recent abusive relationship that suggests she is repeating unhealthy patterns. I think she has a bad team around her, that the hype came too fast and she can’t live up to it, and that she is surrounded by sharks and enablers. I wish she’d get off social media, get some help in handling her emotions, and focus on running before she squanders her talent.
I can express all this criticism without calling her ghetto, talking about how wearing a wig or long hair means she wants to be white (and that she wants tattoos to cover her black skin or whatever), or calling her a hood rat or hood trash. It’s not that people don’t like her, it’s that they explicitly frame their increasingly hysterical dislike in rhetoric around her blackness. Someone is in here literally talking about her covering her black skin with tattoos and wearing a wig to look white and you think this thread is color blind?
How/who gets to that person and helps her change lanes as your analysis is probably most correct?
Shes an adult and probably surrounded by people who think they know whats best for her even if they have alternate intentions. The bottom line is that when a person doesnt like the results they are getting, it has to start with some personal introspection/reflection and then start finding those that can actually make the difference shes looking for. Some people figure it out, others might too late and others dont at all and play the victim.
I dont buy the accusations of people hating on her because of her skin color. I felt somewhat bad for her because of the cold shoulders she recieved by the other athletes last weekend. She says she doesnt care but i watched her pause, spin in circles looking for someone to acknowledge her. Shes getting what she has been asking for. Her 15 min if fame may not look like most but it is her 15 minutes and nobody elses. Others just see her potential to be better and all of her own distractions are keeping her from being the best she can be. I think a lot of people donwant her to be successful but not in the way she is trying to get there but its her life.
The Rock, Cold Stone Steve Austin etc...all became anti heros and changed the culture for everyone to cheer for the bad guys instead of the good guys. We'll see if she can get that done in track since so many think shes what the sport needs.
Letsrun does not love Mu. Did you forget the thread accusing her of drug use because she got covid and missed Pre? The Brojos dragging her on the front page? The many deleted posts where people call her ugly (“she looks like the predator”)? The many posts by US posters cheering on Hodgkinson over her?
Also, playing off black women against each other and designating one as the good respectable one, and one as the bad one isn’t the “I’m not a racist” flex you think it is. You should tell us how MLK is your hero next.
The current thread on Sha’Carri isn’t just people criticizing her running or being annoyed with her. It’s full of language calling her “ghetto,” a “hood rat,” talking about Nike appealing to “tokenized minorities” and dragging in Kaepernick for some reason…you really think none of that is racial? If it’s not racial stick to criticizing her without characterizing her in clearly racist terms.
Those using racist language and hating on both because of race are in a loud minority. Notice how those posts are getting bombarded by downvotes? Which world champion hasn’t been accused of being dopers at one point or another on this site?
Its hilarious that I get called racist for naming an example of a black athlete who is more commonly praised than criticized on this site to counter your argument that shacarri gets the criticism she does just because she’s black. Do you even know what race I am? No, you don’t.
You are correct that there are a good amount of racists on letsrun, but you are incorrect that letsrun as a whole is racist and that shacarri is getting the hate she does because she’s black. She’s getting hate because she’s arrogant, narcissistic, a poor sport, and a horrible example for younger athletes in the sport.
There are plenty of us who would disagree about the overall tone on LRC. The posts and threads that stay up for long periods, the others that disappear within minutes of posting, the tenor of threads discussing black athletes and racial issues. It's clear to see to those who remove the blinders. Remember, privilege almost never sees privilege.
I don’t know what anyone can do unless, as you say, she’s able to recognize a problem and right now she just seems to be spiralling. I don’t know if USATF can step in or Nike (wasn’t it Brooks who stepped in with Allie and pushed her into ED treatment?) But Nike probably just wants to milk her, not help. She’s probably going to have to learn some hard lessons and take some consequences before she wants to change, and it’s not like she’s the only runner out there. How much grace will anyone give her with no results before moving on?
Remember we're talking about LRC posters here. She is not liked here because she is an authentic, outspoken black woman. Strike one is that she's black. Strike two is that she is an outspoken woman. LRC posters prefer skinny, blonde, 'nice' white women who know their place.
I call bullsh!!t! There were tons of black women competing. Several of them in the races who trounced her. Is anyone talking badly of them or hating on them?
Letsrun deleted my post simply saying that it would be tough for SCR to change if she didn’t recognize the problem but has left up all the insulting, racially charged posts?
It is old conservative white men with no flava and slave fetishes who cannot stand a strong black woman.
ShaCarri is not strong at all but she does try very very hard to fake it.
I remember a guy from a place called 3 Mile that once said "I am who you say I am" but he didnt let it stop him from being arguably the best at what he does. She cant figure that part out yet.
She's the biggest showboat in the sport with almost no results to back it up. It's cool if you're good. If you suck, it's sad and pathetic. I was a big fan when she was running great and looked like the gold medal favorite. But now she just looks like Bill Gramatica tearing his ACL celebrating a field goal in the 1st quarter of a 0-0 game.
I'd love to see her get back to performing at a high level, but maybe leave the wonder woman crown at home until you can get out of the first round.
Authentic? Other than the fake hair, fake nails, fake eyelashes, fake boobs, about the only authentic thing about her is her skin tone, and between the clown make-up and tattoos, she's trying her damnedest to cover that up too.
Oh sure you aren’t racist, you don’t dislike her because she’s black. You just dislike the display of black culture and seeing something different. That right there is the subtle racism that people are talking about.
Justice for 20 year old woman pusing baby carriage in NYC.
Remember we're talking about LRC posters here. She is not liked here because she is an authentic, outspoken black woman. Strike one is that she's black. Strike two is that she is an outspoken woman. LRC posters prefer skinny, blonde, 'nice' white women who know their place.
While it's not the best attitude imo, I would understand it more if this type of behaviour came from an Alyson Felix - one of the highest achieving athletes in T&F. She has the credentials to back up certain behaviours. Not saying I would like it, but I may understand.
Sha'carri is far from that, is still in her first year as a Pro, is immature and argues with journalists and publications online just for posting about her, and has actually proved very little so far on the track but acts like she's made it.
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