TheNewsGuru

Tag: Racism

  • Uncle Ben’s: Racism forces popular rice brand to change identity

    Uncle Ben’s: Racism forces popular rice brand to change identity

    Mars, owners of Uncle Ben’s has revealed intentions to phase out the identity of the popular rice brand over harmful racial stereotypes.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Mars made this known in a statement published on its website on Wednesday.

    Uncle Ben’s, a brand name for parboiled rice, and other related food products, was first introduced by Converted Rice Inc.

    Converted Rice Inc. was later bought over by Mars, Inc., retaining the brand identity of Uncle Ben’s.

    “The brand name Uncle Ben’s was first used in 1946. But who is Uncle Ben? Actually, he was two people!

    “The name comes from a black Texan farmer, known as Uncle Ben, who grew rice so well, people compared Converted Brand Rice to his standard of excellence.

    “The proud and dignified gentleman on the boxes of Uncle Ben’s rice, who has come to personify the brand, was a beloved Chicago chef and waiter named Frank Brown,” Mars wrote on its website.

    However, Mars has been faced with a backlash over renewed fight against racism, following the death of George Floyd.

    The reason for the backlash is because “Uncle” was a common appellation used in the Southern United States to refer to older male black slaves or servants.

    Mars stated that it would be evolving the Uncle Ben’s brand, including its visual brand identity, but that the exact changes or timing are not known yet.

    According to Mars, the evolution is coming after listening to the voices of consumers, especially those in the Black community.

    “As a global brand, we know we have a responsibility to take a stand in helping to put an end to racial bias and injustices. As we listen to the voices of consumers, especially in the Black community, and to the voices of our Associates worldwide, we recognize that now is the right time to evolve the Uncle Ben’s brand, including its visual brand identity, which we will do.

    “We don’t yet know what the exact changes or timing will be, but we are evaluating all possibilities.

    “Racism has no place in society. We stand in solidarity with the Black community, our Associates and our partners in the fight for social justice.

    “We know to make the systemic change needed, it’s going to take a collective effort from all of us – individuals, communities and organizations of all sizes around the world,” Mars stated.

  • Players must use status as role models to fight racism, says Arsenal’s Leno

    Players must use status as role models to fight racism, says Arsenal’s Leno

    Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno has called on his team mates to act as role models for racial equality.

    This is in the wake of the death of African-American George Floyd in Minneapolis, after a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes while detaining him on May 25.

    Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder.

    Several Premier League clubs have shown their support for protests against racism and police brutality.

    “We as players have so many people looking up to us as idols. We have to show as Arsenal that we support you,” the 28-year-old Leno told Sky Sports.

    “It is sad in 2020 we are still discussing these things but this is the reality and we have to keep pushing on this.

    “It doesn’t matter if you are black or white. We have to respect each other and everybody should have the same chances in life.”

    The Premier League on Friday approved a proposal for player surnames to be replaced with the words “Black Lives Matter” on the back of their shirts as a tribute to the anti-racism movement.

    Arsenal, who are in ninth place, face a trip to Manchester City on June 17 when the Premier League resumes after a three-month pause, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Amid protests, Trump says no racism in America

    Amid protests, Trump says no racism in America

    U.S. President Trump flatly denied the existence of institutional racism in the U.S., but went on to contradict himself by acknowledging the need for racial healing.

    But he warned that there won’t be healing in the U.S. “by falsely labelling tens of millions of decent Americans as racist.”

    Trump was speaking in Dallas, Texas today, ahead of a fundraising dinner for his November election campaign.

    He announced what he called a broad four-part plan on Thursday to improve policing nationwide and improve conditions in minority communities.

    He called the vision “force with compassion”,

    that will not allow liberals to defund police departments.

    However, he did not invite three top African-American law enforcers to his discussion on policing.

    At a megachurch in Dallas, Mr. Trump said he’ll sign an executive order soon requiring police departments to meet high professional standards for the use of force.

    This will include tactics for de-escalating confrontations.

    It will also include pilot programmes to allow social workers to join certain law enforcement officers “so they can work together,” he said.

    “That means force, but force with compassion,” the president said.

    “We’re not defunding police. If anything, we’re going the other route.

    ” We’re going to make sure our police are well-trained.”

    He said he’ll renew his call on Congress to approve school choice, calling it “the civil rights issue of our time.”

  • Tunde Obe narrates how white woman unleashed her dog on him

    Tunde Obe narrates how white woman unleashed her dog on him

    Nigerian singer, Tunde Obe has narrated how he faced racial discrimination as a child in the United States of America.

    The music star in a series of tweets shared via his Twitter page on Friday, June 5, 2020, recounted how a white woman released her dog on him because he was black.

     

    According to him, the sad event occurred when he was 7 years old and went to visit a classmate who was ‘white’ at home.

    He wrote on Twitter:”If you have suffered racism, it will forever leave a sour taste in your mouth. My father was a diplomat (Ambassador), so he was always transferred to different countries. In 1974 he was transferred to America. We lived in Washington DC. I grew up with a free mind,” he tweeted.

     

     

    “Towards all races. I had friends of all races in school and I never discriminated. One day I went to visit one of my classmates at his home. He was White. His house was not too far from mine, so I walked. I got there and I rang their bell. His Mom, a White lady, came out.”

     

    “Looked at me with disgust and asked what I wanted. I mentioned my friend’s name and she opened the latch on the gate to let me in.. She said I should follow her, as she walked towards the backyard, where I assumed my friend was. As soon as she turned the corner she called.”

     

     

    “Their dog’s name and shouted, “Sick Him!!”.. This huge Alsatian dog just went for me. But I guess because God still had plans for me, I made it to the gate before the dog could pounce on me. Luckily for me, the dog stopped at the gate. I didn’t stop running till I got home.”

     

     

    “That experience has remained engraved in my mind till today. I will never forget how she was shouting “Get the Nigger”, as I ran for my dear life. The first time I would experience such hatred. I had done nothing to deserve. I was only about 7 or 8 years old.”

     

     

    “This was in 1975, or thereabouts. Racism has been around for a very long time. I pray that one day it will be relegated to the dustbin of history, where it belongs. People should be judged by their character and not their skin colour.. #SayNoToRacism.”

     

     

  • Casilla gets eight-match ban for racism

    Casilla gets eight-match ban for racism

    Leeds United goalkeeper Kiko Casilla has been banned for eight matches and fined £60,000 after being found guilty of racially abusing Charlton Athletic forward Jonathan Leko.

    The 33-year-old, who denied the charge, has also been ordered to attend a face-to-face education session.

    The incident took place in Charlton’s win over the Whites on 28 September.

    “I do not feel at all that the guilty verdict is a clear reflection of the incident,” Casilla said in a statement.

    The charge was found proven by an independent regulatory commission.

    The Football Association began an investigation in October and subsequently charged Casilla with a breach of FA Rule E3.

    It was alleged the Spaniard’s words “made reference to race and/or colour and/or ethnic origin”, constituting an aggravated breach, and the FA granted Casilla extra time to respond to the charge.

    Under rules introduced for the 2019-20 season, the minimum suspension for a player found guilty of an aggravated breach of the FA’s discrimination rules is six matches, which can be increased depending on any additional aggravating factors.

  • Racism: Porto striker Moussa Marega walks off pitch in protest, gets yellow card (Photos)

    Racism: Porto striker Moussa Marega walks off pitch in protest, gets yellow card (Photos)

    FC Porto striker Moussa Marega left the pitch in protest at being subjected to racist insults during his side’s 2-1 win away to Vitoria Guimaraes in Portugal’s Primeira Liga on Sunday.

    The 28-year-old Mali forward scored what proved to be the winning goal in the 60th minute.

    He celebrated the goal by pointing to his skin in response to a section of the home fans who had targeted him throughout the match.

    The player was shown a yellow card for the reaction and after the abuse continued he tried to leave the pitch, pointing his thumbs down to the crowd.

    Moussa Marega taunts the racist crowd

    Moussa Marega shows off his black skin

    But he was restrained by his team mates for a number of minutes.

    FC Porto coach Sergio Conceicao was eventually forced to substitute Marega in the 72nd minute.

    “We are completely indignant,” Conceicao told reporters.

    Marega being restrained by officials before he left the field two minutes after

    Moussa Marega being restrained by team mates before leaving the pitch

    “They insulted Marega since the warm-up. We are all a family here, regardless of our nationality, skin colour, height or the colour of our hair and we all deserve respect.

    “What happened here is outrageous.

    “I know the fans here are very passionate about their club and many fans are not represented by some of the people who were in the crowd today.”

    Marega later posted a message on Instagram calling the supporters who targeted him as “idiots”.

    “I’d also like to show my thanks to the referee who did not defend me and who gave me a yellow card for defending the colour of my skin.

    “I hope I never meet you on a football pitch ever again. You are a disgrace,” he added.

    Porto’s director of communications Francisco Marques added on his own Twitter account: “Marega was fed up and left the pitch and FC Porto was forced to make a substitution due to racism.”

    Portuguese newspaper A Bola reported that no FC Porto players spoke to the media after the game in solidarity with Marega.

    Vitoria coach Ivo Vieira said he did not want to comment on the incident as he was not sure about what had happened.

    “I prefer not to speak about a situation without being aware of all the facts. But if the player was provoked, then he should not have been,” he said.

    FC Porto are second in the Portuguese top flight, trailing leaders Benfica by a point after 21 games

  • ‘I was told I was too dark to play’

    ‘I was told I was too dark to play’

    Former QPR forward Antonio German says he left Malaysia Super League side Selangor after being told by fans he was “too dark to play” for the club.

    The Londoner, 27, joined Selangor in January but left after a month, having scored once in three games.

    After being booed during matches, he was sent racist messages on Instagram.

    Selangor acknowledged “racist remarks” were made towards German, and said they had “blocked fans who repeatedly made racist comments on our platforms”.

    The club’s coach, B Sathianathan, has also spoken about receiving racist abuse.

    Grenada international German has played for clubs in Scotland, England and India since leaving QPR in 2011.

    After joining Selangor he got eight goals in 10 pre-season matches, then scored on his league debut.

    Despite that, he says he was booed by some fans, then received messages on social media from a “minority” of supporters.

    “When I realised the messages were about my skin colour, that was crazy – it was a massive shock,” he told BBC Sport. “I have played in a few countries but never experienced racism.

    “The third game of the season, I was playing well but didn’t score and came off after 80 minutes. After the game I was told it was best to leave for my own protection.

    “I was thinking, ‘why am I getting punished for the behaviour of some of the fans?’ But I decided to leave.”

    German played alongside Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling in the QPR youth team.

    Sterling has spoken out against racism, and German says the England international’s comments “resonated” with him.

    He is now looking for a new club, but believes the experience in Malaysia is hurting his prospects.

    “I am 27, I am in my prime and should be playing games,” said German, who scored his first international goal in March.

    “When clubs see I left [Selangor] they don’t know the true story.

    “I did love Malaysia, it’s an amazing country. Most of the fans were great – it is just sad that move kind of hindered my career.”

    Selangor, who have supported anti-racism campaigns in Malaysia, said in a statement: “We acknowledge there were racial remarks made towards him online.

    “He was also booed on occasion during matches in the stadium, but that was due to the perceived (from the fans’ perspective) lack of effort from Antonio during matches in a period where the team was not playing very well.

    “We have blocked fans who repeatedly made racist comments on our platforms from seeing our content again. Unfortunately, we do not have the vast resources needed to carry out punishments on fans who make racist comments in the stadium.”

    BBC

  • Real racism lies with football authorities – Kompany

    Real racism lies with football authorities – Kompany

    The lack of diversity in football organisations is part of the problem in tackling racism, says former Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany.

    The Belgian was speaking in the wake of compatriot Romelu Lukaku being racially abused by Cagliari fans while playing for Inter Milan at the weekend.

    Lukaku said the abuse showed the game was “going backwards”.

    “Romelu is a victim of something disgraceful not just in football, but also in society,” said Kompany.

    Speaking to Sky Sports News, the Anderlecht manager added: “It goes back to who is expected to make a decision on these issues, and it’s in these organisations that the problems lie.

    “The real racism lies in the fact none of these institutions have representatives that can actually understand what Romelu is going through.

    “You are dealing with a crowd of people and decision-makers who are telling him how he should think and feel about this when you have no decision-makers who are remotely in touch with what he has experienced in his life.

    “That’s the real issue – if you go through the boards at Uefa or Fifa, the Italian League or the English League, there is a real lack of diversity.

    “If you don’t have diversity in places of power like boardrooms then you can’t have the right decisions in terms of sanctions – it’s a simple as that.”

    Lukaku, who moved from Manchester United to Inter in the summer, was subjected to monkey chants as he scored a penalty for his side’s winner in a 2-1 victory.

    A group of Inter Milan fans claim Cagliari supporters were showing Lukaku a form of “respect” and the the abuse was gamesmanship.

  • Racism: Tottenham defender Rose ‘can’t wait’ to quit football

    Racism: Tottenham defender Rose ‘can’t wait’ to quit football

    Tottenham defender Danny Rose says he “can’t wait to see the back of football” and is frustrated at the lack of action taken against fans’ racism.

    Racist chanting was directed at several England players, including Rose, during the Euro 2020 qualifier in Montenegro.

    Uefa has charged Montenegro with racist behaviour but Rose, 28, does not expect a significant punishment.

    The left-back said: “When countries get fined what I probably spend on a night out in London what do you expect?”

    Rose, who was also abused while on England Under-21 duty in Serbia in 2012, says he will play on but has “had enough” of racism in the game.

    “How I programme myself is that I think I’ve got five or six more years left in football, and I just can’t wait to see the back of it,” he added.

    “Seeing how things are done in the game at the minute, you just have to get on with it.

    “There is so much politics in football. I can’t wait to see the back of it.”

    The Montenegro disciplinary case will be dealt with by European football’s governing body on 16 May.

    The minimum punishment is a partial stadium closure, while a second offence results in one match being played behind closed doors and a fine of 50,000 euros (£42,500).

    Montenegro coach Ljubisa Tumbakovic said he did not “hear or notice any” racist abuse, but England manager Gareth Southgate said “there’s no doubt in my mind it happened – it’s unacceptable”.

    Rose said he had been ready for more chanting in Podgorica last week but does not expect the situation to change any time soon.

  • Clubs should lose points over racism – Michail Antonio

    West Ham forward Michail Antonio has said clubs should be docked points or forced to play behind closed doors if their fans are guilty of racial abuse during games.

    The latest in a number of recent high-profile incidents saw Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah targeted at West Ham’s London Stadium last week.

    The club handed evidence to the police and vowed to ban the fan for life, but Antonio says authorities must do more.

    “Finding an individual does nothing,” said the West Ham forward.

    Speaking to Sky Sports, he added: “That one person, he gets banned for life but no-one has a picture of his face. He can get back into the stadium.”

    Antonio wants to see the Football Association impose stricter sanctions on clubs where such incidents take place.

    “If you start playing games behind closed doors and deducting points, then the problem is inside themselves, they’re going to deal with it themselves,” he said.

    “If you affect their team, the fans, his friends, are going to turn on him.

    “I would blame the FA and Uefa because I don’t feel like they’re strict enough when it happens. If they want to hammer down on it next season, it could take five or 10 years.

    “If they keep thinking of other solutions rather than just hitting it straight on the head, then it could take generations.”