NBA player offended by "Year of the Monkey" tshirt team promo

[ALAYMAN]

DeMarcus Cousins was angry about the monkey shirts placed on fans? chairs by the Sacramento Kings. The NBA star felt the shirts handed out on the first day of Black History Month were racist. Before pulling the monkey shirts, team officials maintained the ?Year of the Monkey? promotion was an attempt at global inclusion.

http://www.inquisitr.com/2763320/demarcus-cousins-takes-issue-with-tees-team-pulls-monkey-shirts/



Does America need sensitivity training?

 

[Smellin Coffee]

DeMarcus Cousins was angry about the monkey shirts placed on fans? chairs by the Sacramento Kings. The NBA star felt the shirts handed out on the first day of Black History Month were racist. Before pulling the monkey shirts, team officials maintained the ?Year of the Monkey? promotion was an attempt at global inclusion.

http://www.inquisitr.com/2763320/demarcus-cousins-takes-issue-with-tees-team-pulls-monkey-shirts/



Does America need sensitivity training?

If there were no racism, it sure would be extreme to pull the shirts. Because some blacks really do appreciate Black History Month and use it as a teaching tool for their children/white society to learn of Black History, I can see why the date of the shirt distribution would create a stir for some.

If Cousins was complaining of the shirt itself rather than the timing of it, I think he overreacted. But I'm not in his shoes, I've never been called racist names associated with lynchings and hate, so I don't know how I would feel if I were in his situation.

 

[ALAYMAN]

DeMarcus Cousins was angry about the monkey shirts placed on fans? chairs by the Sacramento Kings. The NBA star felt the shirts handed out on the first day of Black History Month were racist. Before pulling the monkey shirts, team officials maintained the ?Year of the Monkey? promotion was an attempt at global inclusion.

http://www.inquisitr.com/2763320/demarcus-cousins-takes-issue-with-tees-team-pulls-monkey-shirts/



Does America need sensitivity training?

If there were no racism, it sure would be extreme to pull the shirts. Because some blacks really do appreciate Black History Month and use it as a teaching tool for their children/white society to learn of Black History, I can see why the date of the shirt distribution would create a stir for some.

If Cousins was complaining of the shirt itself rather than the timing of it, I think he overreacted. But I'm not in his shoes, I've never been called racist names associated with lynchings and hate, so I don't know how I would feel if I were in his situation.

What about the Asian-Americans that share the same community?  Is it right to deny them their heritage?  Is black culture more important than Asian?

 

[Smellin Coffee]

DeMarcus Cousins was angry about the monkey shirts placed on fans? chairs by the Sacramento Kings. The NBA star felt the shirts handed out on the first day of Black History Month were racist. Before pulling the monkey shirts, team officials maintained the ?Year of the Monkey? promotion was an attempt at global inclusion.

http://www.inquisitr.com/2763320/demarcus-cousins-takes-issue-with-tees-team-pulls-monkey-shirts/



Does America need sensitivity training?

If there were no racism, it sure would be extreme to pull the shirts. Because some blacks really do appreciate Black History Month and use it as a teaching tool for their children/white society to learn of Black History, I can see why the date of the shirt distribution would create a stir for some.

If Cousins was complaining of the shirt itself rather than the timing of it, I think he overreacted. But I'm not in his shoes, I've never been called racist names associated with lynchings and hate, so I don't know how I would feel if I were in his situation.

What about the Asian-Americans that share the same community?  Is it right to deny them their heritage?  Is black culture more important than Asian?

The Chinese New Year starts the 8th. The team could have passed out the shirts at a later date than the first day of Black History Month. Like I said...the timing was bad.

 

[The Rogue Tomato]

I was born in the year of the dragon.  The water dragon, to be specific.

Lev 19:32 Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord.

 

[T-Bone]

Bluntly...this is stupid and people need to get over themselves and looking for a reason to be offended.

 

[Just John]

It's quite possibly whoever did the promo is like many others....we don't particularly pay attention to when Black History Month is. We are reminded about it when the PSA's show up on TV or a certain movie or program comes on as a result. Maybe the guy planning it didn't remember Feb was the month or just didn't even remotely think it would be considered objectionable. (And hey, it's the NBA. It could be he's even black. Was that racist? )

 

[Smellin Coffee]

It's quite possibly whoever did the promo is like many others....we don't particularly pay attention to when Black History Month is. We are reminded about it when the PSA's show up on TV or a certain movie or program comes on as a result. Maybe the guy planning it didn't remember Feb was the month or just didn't even remotely think it would be considered objectionable. (And hey, it's the NBA. It could be he's even black. Was that racist? )

This is probably the case. I think it was out of naivety and not out of racism. I have no issues with the production and distribution of the shirt. Bad timing is all.

In the end, I think there was a greater uproar caused by Christians concerning Starbucks going to red Christmas cups.

 

[ALAYMAN]

It's quite possibly whoever did the promo is like many others....we don't particularly pay attention to when Black History Month is. We are reminded about it when the PSA's show up on TV or a certain movie or program comes on as a result. Maybe the guy planning it didn't remember Feb was the month or just didn't even remotely think it would be considered objectionable. (And hey, it's the NBA. It could be he's even black. Was that racist? )

I understand that the NBA is a business, and they're just doing what it takes to make money, but this is the kind of PC dung that is ruining this country.  Why should the Chinese Calender have to take a backseat to hypersensitive African Americans?  The stinkin' shirt had ZERO intents or motives of being racist.

 

[ALAYMAN]

i totally agree..... it;s a silly thing to get offended over...... and just shows the ignorance
of the persons who took offense more than anything else........ i have seen the t-shirt
in question..... and while it;s not the best... (in my opinion)... of all the year of the monkey
shirts out there.... it;s still a really nice one.........

this is it..........




but if i had my choice..... personally....  i like this one better......... ...



but would that one have offended anyone?...... who knows..... the red paint
does kinda look like blood splatter...... maybe a different precinct of pc police
would have objected to it as promoting violence.... : ... sometimes you can;t win......

I ain't very tech-savvy, and your post pics only give me the little box with "x" in its place.  Computers......


grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

[Ransom]

Does America need sensitivity training?

The NBA does. What's Cousins got against Chinese people?

 

[Smellin Coffee]

Does America need sensitivity training?

The NBA does. What's Cousins got against Chinese people?

Cousins has been known to be confrontational toward his coaches, teammates and opponents so I'm not at all surprised he would be at the center of this.

 

[ALAYMAN]

Does America need sensitivity training?

The NBA does. What's Cousins got against Chinese people?

lol, precisely.

Whatever happened to "having a dialogue" about race relations?  Cousins could get a little schooling about the culture of those he's offending if he'd not slam down the race trump card.

 

[ALAYMAN]

I ain't very tech-savvy, and your post pics only give me the little box with "x" in its place.  Computers......


grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

hmmm... i got an error message right after posting that photobucket was down for maintenance.... maybe it will come  up for you later..... ..

Yep, it did, and you're right, pretty cool graphics.

 

[Just John]

It's quite possibly whoever did the promo is like many others....we don't particularly pay attention to when Black History Month is. We are reminded about it when the PSA's show up on TV or a certain movie or program comes on as a result. Maybe the guy planning it didn't remember Feb was the month or just didn't even remotely think it would be considered objectionable. (And hey, it's the NBA. It could be he's even black. Was that racist? )

I understand that the NBA is a business, and they're just doing what it takes to make money, but this is the kind of PC dung that is ruining this country.  Why should the Chinese Calender have to take a backseat to hypersensitive African Americans?  The stinkin' shirt had ZERO intents or motives of being racist.

You have no argument with me.  Choosing to be offended by something so lame is in some way giving power to the stupid people who would make such a racist connotation. Ignore it.

 

[T-Bone]

Incredible to me that anyone who sees a monkey automatically thinks of an African American...that thought would not cross my mind.

 

[Smellin Coffee]

Incredible to me that anyone who sees a monkey automatically thinks of an African American...that thought would not cross my mind.

Me neither. But imagine a kid grew up way overweight and all the people at school called him "Piggy" which damaged his view of himself. He eventually slimmed down as he got older but periodically would be called "Piggy" because that is who he was. His high school reunion coincides with his birthday and someone in the class gets him a birthday card that happened to have a cartoon pig and funny caption on it.

How do you think he would perceive it?

Not condoning Cousins' (over?)sensitivity but not condemning it either. We don't know what triggers from his past may have ignited with the timing of this particular thing.

 

[ALAYMAN]

Incredible to me that anyone who sees a monkey automatically thinks of an African American...that thought would not cross my mind.

Me neither. But imagine a kid grew up way overweight and all the people at school called him "Piggy" which damaged his view of himself. He eventually slimmed down as he got older but periodically would be called "Piggy" because that is who he was. His high school reunion coincides with his birthday and someone in the class gets him a birthday card that happened to have a cartoon pig and funny caption on it.

How do you think he would perceive it?

I'd be fine with his reaction, until he jumped up on the table and began petulantly screaming at all his classmates to BURN ALL THEIR  BIRTHDAY CARDS AND TURN OFF THEIR JENNY CRAIG COMMERCIALS! 8)