John Barnes
WELL, WELL, WELL…. former Liverpool star and England player John Barnes has shocked me today! Barnes tells The Telegraph that he is “not surprised’’ by the latest ugly racist incidents that have taken place within the world of football because it reflects a society taking time to shed ingrained prejudices.
NOW John speaks out!
This is a good read…
‘’I’m not condoning what Sepp Blatter has said or John Terry, if he’s proven to be guilty,’’ Barnes said. “I think Blatter should resign over many things, and this is just one. But those thoughts are based on stereotypical views drummed into us over a long period of time.
“People have been told for 400 years since slavery that black people aren’t as intelligent as white.
“White players always said to me: ‘You can call me ‘a white so and so’, I don’t mind’. But that’s because society has indoctrinated us over the past 400 years to think that that’s like saying ‘you handsome so and so’. That’s why white players aren’t offended. They’re empowered. Black people aren’t empowered; 99 per cent of black individuals would be offended being called ‘a black so and so’ because we’ve had 400 years of being dehumanised.
“We don’t know whether the allegations about John Terry and Luis Suárez are true. What we do know is that it’s happened before. The words they are alleged to have said have been said in the past year but it hasn’t been reported. Now and then there’s an incident and people are surprised. I’m not. I know it’s there.
“Any black player knows this. We’ve played against players, got into an altercation, looked him in the eye, he’s not said anything, but you know he’s thinking “you black —-’. He wants to say it but doesn’t because he knows he’ll get into trouble. Click HERE to read more….
[Thanks One]
I cannot believe that this has come from John Barnes, the same man who several years ago stood up and defended former football manager/TV pundit Ron Atkinson after he called footballer Marcel Desailly a “f**king lazy thick nigger”.
I however agree with what John has said in The Telegraph article, he is spot on. But I also have a long memory and will NEVER forget him standing up and publicly defending Atkinson.
Since FIFA President Sebb Blatter sparked outrage over his remarks about racism in footballer black players have suddenly found their voice (Click HERE to read).
Categories: UK News
MAD NEWS UK 
When it rains it pours. I hope more Black players come forward and talk about the racism they experience in football. Barnes is right. Racism is a society issue. British culture rather pretend it does not exist because the majority population are fine as long as it does not affect them.
very interesting read from Barnes no less
The race riots are approaching!
Feel free to believe Barnes, but I’m side eyeing the hell out of him. I think he’s just using this news as an opportunity to be seen & heard. How do you go from defending a man who uses a strong racial slur to now speaking up and being appalled by racism? He’s probably seen & heard people on social networking sites express their outrage and doesn’t want to be seen as saying nothing on the matter, but will use this opportunity to try and right his wrong by defending that racist prick. He wants a pat on the back for the words he has spoken. I saw his actions in response to racism a while back. Those spoke louder than his words. John needs to just remain a confused Black footballing has been and shut up. He’s getting no priase from me.
You either tolerate racism or you don’t. This idiot is picking and choosing when it best suits him.
@LondonDiva I agree with you 100%.
To be honest with you, I don’t really care if someone wants to call me a Nigger. I’ll beat the hell out of him to prove a point, but it don’t bother me. I’m more bothered by black people not getting jobs because of the colour of their skin, still being told my teachers that they come from nothing so therefore aren’t nothing and all the other issues that concern black people. Players like John Barnes and Ferdinand should be out there helping and uplifting the black community if they really cared they got the time money and profile. I never see them coming out at black history month or any other time to promote postive things for blacks youths. Black players need to get together and think how they can help the black youth of the future that’s the best way to shut these fools up, crying about being called Nigger ain’t gonna get us no where.