Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

Every person or each ethnic category has different feelings about words used to describe them. Problem is, our words are controlled by politicians who have decided word a is bad and word b is ok. 

Seems to me he was of the opinion his conversation was private, even to the point where he chose that word becauae he thot it was private.

Canada isnt in the same spectrum  due to our less diversified population and i don't support racism in any way but i bet every driver has said something in private that if you heard it said you would change your opinion of that driver a little bit.

Words are like swords and i know i have cut people with mine, maybe not racially,  but emotionally or othet ways. He slipped and it went piblic. Shame on him, sad it has consequences and more sad we live in a world where words have those negative connotations fixed to them.

If sponsors want to withdraw they have their right and best interest to consider. I personally dont like when people use the word but I won't change my opinion of him very much as it wasnt said to or about that group and it was a private, in his knowledge, comment. 

People use names in negative ways every day very few are broadcast live.

Apology has been posted.

https://twitter.com/KyleLarsonRacin

His Mom is of Japanese descent

True. "colored" isn't PC anymore, but its what people used to say in the old days who didn't want to be seen as bigots. Hell, its in the name of NAACP. "Negro" is out of style too, but it used to be the proper term.

I didn't know there were any African Americans on HH.... good to hear from you!

Is African American a fair statement if that individual was born on American soil?  This next statement has nothing to do with any soecific ethnicity but if you want to move to another country assume their laws and embrace their freedoms. Become a citizen of that country and respect that country and its leadership. Imo anyone born in Canada is Canadian, they are all native. To me, no such things as Chinese Canadian or Irish American or...... you are what you are born in.

Every person or each ethnic category has different feelings about words used to describe them. Problem is, our words are controlled by politicians who have decided word a is bad and word b is ok. 

Seems to me he was of the opinion his conversation was private, even to the point where he chose that word becauae he thot it was private.

Canada isnt in the same spectrum  due to our less diversified population and i don't support racism in any way but i bet every driver has said something in private that if you heard it said you would change your opinion of that driver a little bit.

Words are like swords and i know i have cut people with mine, maybe not racially,  but emotionally or othet ways. He slipped and it went piblic. Shame on him, sad it has consequences and more sad we live in a world where words have those negative connotations fixed to them.

If sponsors want to withdraw they have their right and best interest to consider. I personally dont like when people use the word but I won't change my opinion of him very much as it wasnt said to or about that group and it was a private, in his knowledge, comment. 

People use names in negative ways every day very few are broadcast live.

Great...The dumbing of America continues. Some corporate asshole is contriving a path to move their corporate support to cartoon racing in lieu of real racing now that they are creating a fan base that will equal real racing. Not that I give a shit about NASCAR anyway. But if you the fan are that bored, stop watching cartoons that rely on a programed algorithm to make it look real and competitive and go watch some of the thousands of hours of killer past races on YouTube. Just my $.02

First of all, I'm a HUGE Kyle Larson fan, but....

He should get every bit of the punishment he is going to receive.  No matter the context, platform, if he was out with his family, on vacation, or in the race car, it doesn't matter------he's going to lose a lot, if not everything, over this.  I truly think he was using the word playfully and not maliciously.  However, it's not acceptable to be used at all and especially not a celebrity in the public eye.  

That said, into my early-adult life, I was a very racist person.  I grew up in a small all-white town, with racist parents and grandparents.  All of my relatives were racists.  All of my peers were racists.  Many still are.   It wasn't until I started working with people of all races and backgrounds before I came to realize how wrong that mindset was.  I am now as "non-racist" as anybody you will ever meet.  I work with, and am friends with people from all backgrounds and races.  My kids best friends are African American.  I cringe when I think of how my parents would have handled that with me as a kid----they wouldn't have---which is ridiculous to me.    

Why am I making this point?  Because Kyle should be punished and judged for this right now-----and only right now.  He should not be judged by this 5 or 10 years from now.  People can see the error in their ways and he is still a young man.  It really doesn't matter if you think his apology is sincere or not.  It only matters what he thinks about what he said, and what he does going forward.  

I will also admit that I have uttered the word when I was a dumbass teenager and had some tendancies that would be considered racist when I was young. It was inexcusable and stupid on my part. Low in behold I got a job early in college and one of my best friends is African American. We actually became friends over racism because we were cracking jokes at work one day using some "stereotypes." It all started innocently and at the very beginning was funny but then there was one joke that he said that was kind of at the line so I countered by another one. Needless to say few more jokes later the line was crossed and we both knew it. Our boss at the time, who is actually our other best friend now, had to have a talk with us about it. My best friend did not think at that time that I respected him simply because of the color of his skin and that I hated him. I told him I kind of got the same impression by him as wel and he looked puzzled. I informed him that the start of the whole issue was by him making the first stererotype insult towards me and then I told him the first joke he said that I felt was a little bit over the line but said I was fine with it because I thought it was all in good fun and we were laughing about it all. Our boss & friend informed us both that were both in the wrong and were saying things that were insensative and stupid and could either fire both of us or keep both us on condition that we could work it out. All of us after work that day ended up staying in the parking lot until about 4am  the next morning after close to discuss that and a variety of other topics and saw we saw eye to eye on a lot of stuff. He was able to explain how those words and stereotypes made him feel and give examples of it and I could see where he was coming from and likewise he from my side. I told him that night I felt ashamed for having said and thought some of the things I had sadi and done and we decided we would judge each other on our actions going forward and now we have been friends for 13years now. Whenever topics like this happen in sports we either call or text the other as I did with him today just to kind of let each other know how it all got started so we don't make any of the same mistakes.

I don't think Larson's Nascar career is over however I think his ability to be in a top quality ride is over for awhile now.

I will also admit that I have uttered the word when I was a dumbass teenager and had some tendancies that would be considered racist when I was young. It was inexcusable and stupid on my part. Low in behold I got a job early in college and one of my best friends is African American. We actually became friends over racism because we were cracking jokes at work one day using some "stereotypes." It all started innocently and at the very beginning was funny but then there was one joke that he said that was kind of at the line so I countered by another one. Needless to say few more jokes later the line was crossed and we both knew it. Our boss at the time, who is actually our other best friend now, had to have a talk with us about it. My best friend did not think at that time that I respected him simply because of the color of his skin and that I hated him. I told him I kind of got the same impression by him as wel and he looked puzzled. I informed him that the start of the whole issue was by him making the first stererotype insult towards me and then I told him the first joke he said that I felt was a little bit over the line but said I was fine with it because I thought it was all in good fun and we were laughing about it all. Our boss & friend informed us both that were both in the wrong and were saying things that were insensative and stupid and could either fire both of us or keep both us on condition that we could work it out. All of us after work that day ended up staying in the parking lot until about 4am  the next morning after close to discuss that and a variety of other topics and saw we saw eye to eye on a lot of stuff. He was able to explain how those words and stereotypes made him feel and give examples of it and I could see where he was coming from and likewise he from my side. I told him that night I felt ashamed for having said and thought some of the things I had sadi and done and we decided we would judge each other on our actions going forward and now we have been friends for 13years now. Whenever topics like this happen in sports we either call or text the other as I did with him today just to kind of let each other know how it all got started so we don't make any of the same mistakes.

I don't think Larson's Nascar career is over however I think his ability to be in a top quality ride is over for awhile now.

To Rod's question about "hyphenated Americans"... a bit of levity:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHegSV-Ad3U

Great story.

I think because Larson's chance for a top quality ride is over, so is his Nascar career.  

BLACK FLAG THIS SHIT NOW!   Cancel the cartoon racing now!!! Its terrible to watch and the drivers who participate are frustrated and upset there not really racing but instead playing baby games on a video and the drivers know its not real and feel the have a freebie to get pissed.    EVERYONE! STOP WATCHING THE STUPID BABY TIME CARTOON CRAP and shut down us losing drivers and giving these money grubbing networks more money.  You think they care about losing drivers???  Ridiculous.  

BLACK FLAG THIS SHIT NOW!   Cancel the cartoon racing now!!! Its terrible to watch and the drivers who participate are frustrated and upset there not really racing but instead playing baby games on a video and the drivers know its not real and feel the have a freebie to get pissed.    EVERYONE! STOP WATCHING THE STUPID BABY TIME CARTOON CRAP and shut down us losing drivers and giving these money grubbing networks more money.  You think they care about losing drivers???  Ridiculous.  

I think the only top team that he may have a slight flash of hope with is Stewart-Haas. Tony has said that he wanted Larson to replace him back a number of years ago and how the contract years just didn't line up. Plus not to start another conversation but, if any team has had to handle bad publicity, it would be that one. Plus a number of sponsors under that umbrella such as Rush, Bass Pro, Haas, and others seem to be close personal friends with Tony. Some of the sponsors are also not everyday consumer product companies to where a consumer boycott will effect sales too much. Plus they also had Kurt Busch who although it was not racial, had a profane laced tyraid amoung other issues that Gene Haas was willing to forgive after a couple years, and a domestic violence allegation where they stuck behind Busch when you had several movements stating that they should fire him just based on the allegation. It did turn out that charges were dismissed I believe, and yes this is some apples to oranges but the main thing is that they are no strangers to controversy if it means keeping winning drivers. Plus with this incident, I am sure he will not have many offers and they can get him at a heavily discounted rate and considering Tony has put unproven talent in his car to make money, I wouldn't put it past him to put proven talent in to save money. As long as the sponsorship stays there.