For those of you that do not know me, one of the few things that will have me fuming — guaranteed — is bigotry. I have been fortunate enough to spend most of my life in diverse communities with an emphasis on respect for others. My parents raised me to explore other cultures. I went to high school at a United World College with 92 countries represented. And now I am at Earlham where the student population is incredibly diverse. However, sometimes I witness people that make me think my life thus far has simply sheltered me from the certain realities: like how many ignorant racists there actually are out there.
For example, over mid-semester break Earlham men’s soccer team played a game against Transylvania College. The Quakers have a lot of potential this year and, as Transylvania is the defending HCAC champion, this was an important match-up where both teams were going to give it their all.
It was the most disgraceful game I have ever witnessed.
Let me explain. Like Earlham’s student population, the men’s soccer team is extremely diverse. If you glance at our roster you will notice players from Uganda, Bosnia, Guatemala, Ghana, Palestine, Norway, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Colombia. These happen to be some of my closest friends at Earlham. As I watched the soccer game from the scorer’s table I heard Jimmy, our captain, say to the referee multiple times, “Listen to the crap they’re saying.” Then, at halftime, he went up to the refs and pleaded for them to do something about the comments Transylvania players were making. After the game he told me how they were yelling, “I hate f***ing internationals,” and Amir, an Earlham forward from Palestine, said they would call him “terrorist” every time he touched the ball.
The second half continued and so did the assault of racial slurs. At one point, Amir, after being called a terrorist one too many times, threw his hands in the air and screamed, “I’m done!” He proceeded to walk towards the sideline, and our coach quickly subbed him out. As Amir walked off the field he yelled, “This is the worst team I’ve played in my life.” He went straight to the locker room with thirty minutes left in the game.
I could not stand seeing one of my best friends so affected by such ignorant racism. The worst part was the way their coaches seemed to smirk and laugh. They sat through the whole game and allowed their players to act in such a manner, and from their expressions, I surmised that they have even encouraged it.
Of course, as it always seems to go, I don’t think the referees ever heard anything (except for when our player spoke in Bosnian and they gave him a yellow card).
Several of Amir’s friends wanted to confront the Transylvania players after the game. Luckily, members of Earlham’s athletic department stepped in and convinced the students to let them handle the situation. They said there were several witnesses to Transylvania’s language, that the Commissioner had already been contacted and that the team likely would be reprimanded. As the Transylvania players and coaches passed, they laughed and said to each other, “Don’t worry they can’t do anything.”
We may have lost the game, but I am not speaking as a sore-loser. I am speaking as a human being repulsed by what I believe to be Transylvania’s blatant bigotry. This was several days ago and I am still pretty enraged over the matter. That they are to “likely be reprimanded” I don’t think is justice enough for sickening hate. I think players need to be suspended and the coach needs to be held accountable. Personally, I am embarrassed to even be in the same conference as them. Such racists did not even deserve to be on the same field as Amir in the first place.
Spencer Smith is a junior English and AAAS double major.
