Why aren't football fans doing more to tackle extremism?

[Bounce]

With recent news reports of football fans stopping a black man from boarding a metro train in Paris and singing racially abusive chants at people in St Pancras International, the question arises as to what other fans were doing about it?

 

We know that this racist extremism has been a part of football in England and across Europe for many decades. If these extremists are a small minority and the vast majority of fans are not racist then surely they should be challenging the extremists when they become racist in large groupings of football fans? Many a time we find the racists going unchallenged by other supporters of the same team. Why is this?

 

The allegation is often made against Muslims even though the extremists don't have much to do with mainstream Mosques or Muslim gatherings so its difficult to see what the ordinary Muslim could do about it.

 

In instances like Paris and St Pancras it's very clear what can be done. The majority intervening to stop the minority. So why isn't it done?

[Flanker7]

I don't think the paragraph about Muslims was wise and therefore I won't question it.

 

However, the answer is the same in both cases.

 

There are only negative reactions to doing anything, like a smack in the face. There is no positive side to it.

[mjw47]

Because these hero's are almost invariably in a group, and they would welcome trouble a fight would make their day.

 

It should have been nipped in the bud when it first started but it's gone too far.

 

They are a minority, but unfortunately a significant and aggressive minority.

[Mister M]

I think a lot of people don't intervene when they see wrongdoing for fear of reprisals.

 

With regards to the behaviour of some football fans, I don't know why they behave in that way. Fans of rugby or cricket for example don't seem to engage in that sort of behaviour, so what is it about football that seems to bring out the worst in people?

 

The cost of tickets to football matches, especially to a club like Chelsea, must be very expensive, so I'm assuming that those who engage in racist behaviour hold down jobs which have good salaries attached.

Plus the fact that over the last 30 years society has changed, racism and bigotry are considered much less acceptable nowadays than they once were - so the football fans know full well that racism is unacceptable.

It is ironic though that these fans support a club who attract players from all over the globe.

[GLASGOWOODS]

What I don't understand is one minute those divs are jumping up n down when their star black striker scores, then they go out on the streets and abuse a black chap just going about his business.

 

I guess it boils down to the ringleader, then the sheep follow. He could start a chant with "we are the Chelsea small dick army" and they'd follow suit.

Edited February 21, 2015 by GLASGOWOODS

[chalga]

With recent news reports of football fans stopping a black man from boarding a metro train in Paris and singing racially abusive chants at people in St Pancras International, the question arises as to what other fans were doing about it?

 

We know that this racist extremism has been a part of football in England and across Europe for many decades. If these extremists are a small minority and the vast majority of fans are not racist then surely they should be challenging the extremists when they become racist in large groupings of football fans? Many a time we find the racists going unchallenged by other supporters of the same team. Why is this?

 

The allegation is often made against Muslims even though the extremists don't have much to do with mainstream Mosques or Muslim gatherings so its difficult to see what the ordinary Muslim could do about it.

 

In instances like Paris and St Pancras it's very clear what can be done. The majority intervening to stop the minority. So why isn't it done?

 

Why just talk about football supporters intervening?............do these racists flick a switch after the football has finished and become non racists for the rest of the week,then flick it back and become racists again on Saturday?

[kelly4danny]

With recent news reports of football fans stopping a black man from boarding a metro train in Paris and singing racially abusive chants at people in St Pancras International, the question arises as to what other fans were doing about it?

 

We know that this racist extremism has been a part of football in England and across Europe for many decades. If these extremists are a small minority and the vast majority of fans are not racist then surely they should be challenging the extremists when they become racist in large groupings of football fans? Many a time we find the racists going unchallenged by other supporters of the same team. Why is this?

 

The allegation is often made against Muslims even though the extremists don't have much to do with mainstream Mosques or Muslim gatherings so its difficult to see what the ordinary Muslim could do about it.

 

In instances like Paris and St Pancras it's very clear what can be done. The majority intervening to stop the minority. So why isn't it done?

 

Its not just in football. We all must do our bit to highlight racism in all walks of life. The people responsible for being racist or for using racist words and terms, have clearly not had a good upbringing. How a person can wilfully disrespect another is beyond the reasonable expectations of a rational human being. Yes, we all dislike the actions of the Muslim extremist's, but why take that out on a regular Muslim person? Yes, the historical slave trade has led modern racists to believe Black people are second class citizens, where we all know the slave trade to be a historical embarrassment to humankind. Even here on the forum, there are those who find it amusing to use racist terms in a manner that can only suggest they get a sexual kick from it. Again, a situation that has no place in todays modern world.

I was appalled at the football hooligans treatment of this man, just like the vast majority of us are. But this kind of behaviour is not just in football. It coverts itself in many guises, and when it is uncovered, we should all make a stand against it, whatever religion we are.

[Michael_W]

People are tribal by nature, since time began people have formed groups, immediate family, extended family, clan, village, town, city, county, country, creed, colour, religion, language. People identify and associate themselves generally with similar to form these groups and sub groups, they live, fight and die together within those groups and have done since time began.

As much as people try to get along there will always be fractures and disputes that put individuals and groups against each other, hence we still have wars and across the globe people kill each other over territory, religion, politics and historical differences.

If anyone has the answer to stopping all that, then maybe they will eventually have the answer to people not being 'racist', which at it's very basic level is people calling each other names, personally I doubt it will ever happen.

I'm sure some wet lefty will come along soon and tell us how I trivialise racism or even suggesting that I am one, what some need to realise is that there are racists of every creed, colour and religion in this country and probably every other country across the world, it is certainly not an exclusively white British problem, and definitely not just a football fans problem, far from it in fact !

In terms of 'extremism' a few racist football fans pale into insignificance compared to the type of extremists who wish to blow people up or chop their heads off, that's an absolute no brainer.

[SteveJ68]

People are tribal by nature, since time began people have formed groups, immediate family, extended family, clan, village, town, city, county, country, creed, colour, religion, language. People identify and associate themselves generally with similar to form these groups and sub groups, they live, fight and die together within those groups and have done since time began.

As much as people try to get along there will always be fractures and disputes that put individuals and groups against each other, hence we still have wars and across the globe people kill each other over territory, religion, politics and historical differences.

If anyone has the answer to stopping all that, then maybe they will eventually have the answer to people not being 'racist', which at it's very basic level is people calling each other names, personally I doubt it will ever happen.

I'm sure some wet lefty will come along soon and tell us how I trivialise racism or even suggesting that I am one, what some need to realise is that there are racists of every creed, colour and religion in this country and probably every other country across the world, it is certainly not an exclusively white British problem, and definitely not just a football fans problem, far from it in fact !

In terms of 'extremism' a few racist football fans pale into insignificance compared to the type of extremists who wish to blow people up or chop their heads off, that's an absolute no brainer.

 

My old man liked this and it stuck.

[Flanker7]

There's been a lot of sense written on the thread so far.

 

It's not an exclusively a football problem. It's not education. It's not slavery. It's not a British problem. It's not sexual. It's not trivial.

 

Its a human problem.

 

People love to hate. Its easy. Its unscrupulous. It's natural.

Name a successful positive action and there will be 10 negative successful ones.

Against expansionism (German) = WW1

Against Nazism = WW11,

Against Poll Tax and all successful Elections campaigns.

Against the Aristo's = French Revolution.

Against the English = Many including Scottish Independence, . . .its not done yet. We're waiting for a credible against the Nationalists campaign ;0)

 

Notwithstanding that hate is a powerful emotion and that it can be harnessed for good we must question its motivation and when found wanting . . . oppose it.

 

"It coverts itself in many guises, and when it is uncovered, we should all (*try to) make a stand against it, . . . . ." - kelly4danny, Reply 7 above. (* my insert)

 

AND its a darn site easier to oppose when not exhibited by a gang of hooligans.