I watched Game Three of Montreal's playoff series with a white anglo-Montreal woman in her 60s. The woman was purportedly supporting the Canadiens but had no shame in singling out P.K. Subban for various alleged sins, which she had a hard time describing.
She was apparently oblivious to the awkwardness of the fact that she has singled out the only visible minority on the team.
I wanted to suggest that she put herself in his place, being the only white competitor in a group of blacks, whether she'd be impressed when the black onlookers singled her out for harsh invective.
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Later I went onto a YouTube video of Subban and noticed countless commenters unhesitatingly using the 'n' word and other insults towards him. It made me wish that there was some sort of filter I could click on to not have to see that horribleness.
This crazy reaction to this beautiful hockey player saddens me tremendously, as Subban is not just obviously a helluva player and passionate competitor but he's a lot of fun to watch, not just for me but for countless hockey fans.
So why the widespread resistance to the top-notch, artful display that Subban puts on every night?
I imagine that when certain hockey fans see Subban skate by top white players with relative ease, it provokes the fear of hockey becoming a black sport, or exposes them to the notion that NHL players are inferior athletes to those of the NBA and NFL, which are dominated by Afro-Americans.
Subban, being the first bonafide black hockey superstar, has to bear the brunt of these anxieties through not fault of his own.
Sixty years ago Jackie Robinson played in this city and broke down some important barriers of racism and prejudice. The same thing is playing out before our eyes, as this beautiful young player fights similar battles, cloaked in different forms.
She was apparently oblivious to the awkwardness of the fact that she has singled out the only visible minority on the team.
I wanted to suggest that she put herself in his place, being the only white competitor in a group of blacks, whether she'd be impressed when the black onlookers singled her out for harsh invective.
Later I went onto a YouTube video of Subban and noticed countless commenters unhesitatingly using the 'n' word and other insults towards him. It made me wish that there was some sort of filter I could click on to not have to see that horribleness.This crazy reaction to this beautiful hockey player saddens me tremendously, as Subban is not just obviously a helluva player and passionate competitor but he's a lot of fun to watch, not just for me but for countless hockey fans.
So why the widespread resistance to the top-notch, artful display that Subban puts on every night?
I imagine that when certain hockey fans see Subban skate by top white players with relative ease, it provokes the fear of hockey becoming a black sport, or exposes them to the notion that NHL players are inferior athletes to those of the NBA and NFL, which are dominated by Afro-Americans.
Subban, being the first bonafide black hockey superstar, has to bear the brunt of these anxieties through not fault of his own.
Sixty years ago Jackie Robinson played in this city and broke down some important barriers of racism and prejudice. The same thing is playing out before our eyes, as this beautiful young player fights similar battles, cloaked in different forms.