Gym Denies Gabby Douglas' Racism Claims: Who Do You Believe?

nope, this is a secret plot by the right to make the left look bad. lol.

Girls can be bitchy. Sure I believe a few of them made racist comments and the others laughed.

She is the one who put the time and effort and train her arise off to be an gymnasts!

I really don't know, if it did happen...how very sad, that people are that ignorant. If it didn't then the gym can sue her for defamation, she better be very careful, either way.

I do applaud her performance at the Olympics and the hard work she put into the great job she did.

I think these are hard things to say about people that you work with and are likely to continue to work with. For these two men to dismiss this young women's feelings as ridiculous and without merit is what is sickening.

I don't think she would lie about anything like that.. and of course the gym is going to deny it. It's not like they're going to admit to racist remarks, considering it would affect the business.

Gabby is an adorable girl and an amazing athlete. I cannot see why anyone would talk to her that way.

I think she's probably exaggerating things. Unless she can prove it, she really shouldn't go around saying things like that.

It's like when someone bullies you at school, if you say something the bully will probably deny it. But, I'm not saying you're wrong, you have a very good point.

I have to say that I believe Gabby, one employee is no defence and racism is still quite prevalent.

What was said about the slave remark could have not been meant in racism although it was taken as such... ie in reference to the slave trade. However, it could have been more because of her introverted nature and they were having a dig. Unacceptable nevertheless.

For now the gym.

The example given sounds more like ribbing of the newer person vs racism. Saying someone is your slave is not necessarily racist just by virtue of her being black, context is very important.

If I said, you're the new guy so you are our slave till you're more experienced around here... That is not racist, no matter what color you are.

If I said you're the new guy, and you're black, so you are our slave... That is racist.


I'm not going to say I don't believe Gabby, but I will need more than the given example.

While I agree, I'm going to point out anyways, I have a friend who was tormented all of middle school because she was black with those same comments like, "Hey! Slave! Pick up my pencil!" among others. However those kids took it way too far and all thought they were doing it as a joke. Different senarios, yes, but the same context. It might have been a joke to them, but it seemed like it hit hard with Gabby.

Im not saying she couldn't have been bullied, just that based on the example I don't believe that it was racism without any other context. A classroom and a sports "team" are very different, making the new person to the team do the grunt work is common and accepted as a way to prove your worth to members who have been there longer. Calling a classmate slave is not quite the same thing.

Christian Conservative are always the first to defend actions like this.

Actions like what? The word "slave" is not in and of itself racist. If they used the word "slave" in breaking in the new girl then that isn't racist, they may be bullies but it doesn't automatically make them racist bullies. I am withholding full judgement until I see more compelling evidence. This anecdote does not prove anything by itself.

A wise person would avoid making sweeping generalizations maligning two separate groups with inaccurate accusations. Particularly with such limited information.

I guess is someone made a Gassing joke about a Jewish person that would be ok .

That's not even close to the same and you know it, you are purposefully being intellectually dishonest. The word slave is not synonymous with African Americans, even if you want it to be.

Slave: noun
1.a person who is the property of and wholly subject to another; a bond servant.
2.a person entirely under the domination of some influence or person.
3.a drudge.

Pay close attention to the third definition, drudge. Since I doubt your intellectual capacity, I'll define it for you. A drudge is "a person who does menial, distasteful, dull, or hard work".

So lets go back to the original statement, "One of my teammates was like, 'Could you scrape the bar?' And they were like, 'Why doesn't Gabby do it, she’s our slave?'" That certainly seems to fit the definition, in fact, that seems the most logical use. Seems like a giant stretch to call that racist without any corroborating evidence.

I doubt this will sway you as you clearly have an agenda and do not have any desire for meaningful debate. I'm quite sure that if Gabby's teammate had said "she's our butterfly" you would still think it is racist. I feel sorry for you, being the perpetual victim is no way to live your life.

How is that not the same.. It is the typical thing .. since that effect black people are laughed off , but when it something happens to someone else it is so bad. Funny you have to use the definition that is the LESS used to justify what this girl said to Gappy . And Being Gassed not synonymous with Jewih people .

Gassed does not have the varying connotations slave does. To say that slave is used less in the particular manner I described is once again intellectually dishonest. The fact that one definition (a definition that STILL isn't inherently racist) is used more often then another doesn't invalidate the lesser used definition. This is particularly true when the totality of circumstances show that one is more likely than the other.

Gassed is also slang for having a high opinion of oneself. THe totality of the circumstances show that this ONLY black girls was called these damn slave and you have nothing wrong with that. And you think somehow teen girls were using a almost never use meaning for a word. I bet if these girls burnt a cross in Gabby Lawn you would say that they were just giving her light . Hell the school said that it did not happen at all . Not that they were just calling her a slave with another meaning .

"Almost never used meaning"? There you go making things up again.

The fact is they didnt burn a cross in her lawn they made one innocuous comment that in context doesn't sound remotely racist to objective listeners

And even if they said she was their slave with the "most" widely used definition (since you're so hung up on it), it still isn't racist unless they said it BECAUSE she was black

Yeah calling the ONLY black girl there ... their slave has nothing at all to do with right . People like you would defend any racist action. Besides that Gabby said there were JOKES meaning more than one . It was so bad should would cry at night. Gabby HAS nothing at all to gain by making a claim like this if it was not true. People like you make me sick. I know how racism feels . I know how it feels for people like you to write off ever racial happening so someone who you can live in this make believe world were everything right as wrong. You are worse than the people who burn the crosses, or tell the jokes. At least they are true to themselves on just what the hell they are. You do back flips to justify this wrong treatment and that says a lot .

You keep thinking whatever you want to. You are the only one with an agenda here. You saw racism and would have seen racism no matter what was said.

As far as people making other people sick...You should look in a mirror. You prejudged me based on a neutral statement and 20 something questions on a profile. You saw all those and rushed to tell me what a racist christian conservative I am.

I did not once change anything ive said, I dont know how you would call that back flips, I've said from the beginning that I wanted more information.

No your profile answers have nothing to do with anything . You doing back flips to take up for a young black girl being called a slave and other racist jokes. While saying you would mind if someone made a gassing joke to a Jewish person . Then you use a starwman argument saying I would have found racism in anything .. this is not true .

I'm done with this. I've argued long enough. I've made no back flips, I've objectively analyzed the situation presented... You've made wild allegations. Nothing will convince you because you don't care about truth, you read the headline and made up your mind.

Seeing as you claimed that it was ONE joke .. when the article states that it was more than one shows that you are the person that did not read anything . I hope if you are an EMT you don't run cross any black people .. I would hate to see what you would do to them.

Im a Paramedic and soon to be RN and EVERY SINGLE African American I encounter gets the best care I can offer so you can keep that racist garbage to yourself.

She claimed multiple jokes but gave only one example. I never said there wasn't more, i said I needed to HEAR more. Gabby gave one example, two people from the gym denied it. Forgive me for holding off on declaring an entire gyms staff and patrons racist on ONE example.

Your own quote.

The fact is they didnt burn a cross in her lawn they made ONE innocuous comment that in context doesn't sound remotely racist to objective listeners

So you did say they just made ONE joke. Tell me why would Gabby Lie about this. She has money , she is not getting anything out of it . However the people who did do have reason to lie and say they did not do it . But it is clear who you would believe .

Why would she lie about this? It's not like it would benefit her in some way. She's not asking for reparations from the gym. I can certainly see this happening in some parts of Virginia, since racism is still a big factor in most of the Bible Belt.

I believe Gabby. What would her motivation be to fabricate this? It's pretty clear why the gym would want to deny her claims.

Why would it benefit her to lie? Also, the other gymnast does not know everything- bullies and jerks will continue to snipe as soon as he's looking elsewhere or out of ear-shot.

Also many people who are harassed do not file complaints because they believe that no one will actually take action. Quite a few people have something to be ashamed of, I think.

She has little reason to fabricate charges.

oprah does

Oprah has reason to fabricate charges? Why - do you think the highest earning celebrity in America needs the publicity?

Yes she does, starting in 2008 when she went to support obama, she displayed her racism.

"Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts." - Daniel Moynihan

And oprah has displayed her racism. Just as obama and holder have

OK; since you want to press that slander, here is the definition of "racism":

[QUOTE]
rac·ism   /ˈreɪsɪzəm/ Show Spelled[rey-siz-uhm] Show IPA
noun
1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others.
2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.
[END QUOTE http://dictionary.reference.c... ]

EXACTLY how does their behavior meet this definition?

"Truth is generally the best vindication against slander." - Abraham Lincoln

And oprah has displayed her racism, just as obama and holder have done