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Me Spanish, Me Play Joke...

Posted Aug 13th 2008 1:33PM by TMZ Staff

...me slant eyes like Chinese folk.
Spanish basketball team
That's basically the apology members of the Spanish Olympic Basketball team have issued to the Chinese people after mocking their eyes in a photograph that ran in a Spanish newspaper.

In a statement, Spain's Pau Gasol -- who's also a Laker in the NBA -- said, "It was something like supposed to be funny or something but never offensive in any way. I'm sorry if anybody took it the wrong way and thought it was offensive."

But wait -- it gets better. Another Spanish player, Jose Calderon -- who also plays for the Raptors -- wrote on his blog, "We felt it was something appropriate, and that it would be interpreted as an affectionate gesture." He added, "Without a doubt, some ... press didn't see it that way." DUUUUHHHHH!!?!?!!?

Confucius say: It's not wise to make fun of those who are different from yourselves.

Lucky numbers: 10 15 21 26 28 43

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106. Secretly kinda funny but it is offensive. My take.. it was politically incorrect and unecessary.

Posted at 9:08PM on Aug 19th 2008 by Divalicious

107. IS THIS REALLY SURPRISING COMING FROM THE SPANIARDS? They are one of the most racist groups of people out there! They think they're better than asians, black people..they even treat people from other spanish-speaking countries like crap!! Spain needs to let go of that "conquerer" mentality and realize they are nothing but Europe's rejects!!

Posted at 10:53PM on Aug 22nd 2008 by Diana

108. We forget that at the base of every act what truly matters is the intention. Racism takes a deliberate and conscious choice to belittle and hurt a race. The players slanting their eyes while visiting a chinese court can only show that they are eager to be as much a part of the chinese culture as possible while enjoying the games. And more when all they are doing while they have their eyes slanted is seating at the court. It would only be racist if while some wore their eyes slanted others made motions of domination over them. It is true that it is not funny if it has to be explained but also it is true that whomever says the first line about a situation has more impact and more chances to bend more people to see the situation through the point of view they express. I think whomever got this picture first bended the story in a negative way with a racist connotation, and that is all most viewers will see, because it is easier to go with the flow than to have a more analytical pattern of thinking. Is as if a canadian was insulted if a chinese person came to america and wore a t-shirt with the canadian flag on it. Or if a mexican received an european and wore a mexican hat and a poncho.

Posted at 6:15PM on Oct 15th 2008 by Frida

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