There's something a lot of people aren't really picking up on. Racism isn't simply just a case of saying things like (and I beg your pardon in advance, I'm merely using these terms as example) n*gger, p*ki, desert rat, k*ke, etc. It's perfectly possible to be racist without using explicit language.
In 2003, the day war was declared on Iraq I decided to carry one of the placards that were used in the protests in London against the prospect of going to war. It was one of the official 'Stop the War' ones, so not something I made myself. All I did was carry it around. I took it with me to school and displayed it prominently in the car and carried it around the school campus. My school had a large cadet movement and quite a few teachers were members of the TA who faced the prospect of being called up. Needless to say, it was a massive talking point and I was well aware that I would be drawing attention to myself but I did it anyway. Many teachers commented in class or in private to me that they either agreed or disagreed with my point of view but respected the way I protested.
Except one teacher who stopped me in the hallway and asked me what passport I had. I'd never been taught by this particular teacher so I was confused that she'd ask such a blunt question without introducing herself or even asking me why I was protesting. I asked her why she wanted to know and why it was important and after going around in circles, she conceded that she was interested in my insight. I explained that I was British but my roots were from Iraq. She seemed satisfied by this answer and walked away.
The next day, I was telling a mate about this and told him it was really confusing. He said that he'd been in her class that afternoon and she asked them if anyone was friends with me or knew me. Then she started asking them if I was British and then wondered if I "paid any taxes" and then concluded that my family and I "must have enjoyed the benefits of the education and health systems."
Now, forget the details for the time being. For someone, anyone at all, to say that about me and my family is utterly disgraceful and at best xenophobic and at worst horribly racist. I was absolutely appalled and shaken and the only thing I could think of doing was calling my dad. Who incidentally worked in the public sector the entire time he was in this country (so directly giving something back to the country) as well as sending me to a private school (albeit on a large scholarship, otherwise there was no way we could afford it). So our 'burden' on the state was much lower than average, not to mention directly contributing to this daft cow's pay.
Needless to say, my dad went nuclear and was on the phone to the school, solicitors, you name it. Official statements were taken and the best the school could offer was that she 'didn't recall' what she said and she apologised for any distress caused. She didn't even have the guts to say this to my face, let alone in public similar to the initial comments to the class I wasn't even in.
Given the school's weak stance, I ended up simply leaving the week after.
She didn't call me a sand n*gger, she didn't even say anything to my face. Basically, she just regurgitated the sort of crap you read in the Daily Express or Mail in front of other people. I doubt you'll find anyone who will defend her actions, though, at the very least in airing political views in school. I found it incredibly insulting.
What does this have to do with the Suarez issue? In my opinion, this dilutes the issue of racism in such a way that can only harm the fight against prejudice and ignorance. I said when the allegations first surfaced that I couldn't believe Luis was racist but if he was, I wouldn't want him at the club a day longer. When I heard he said the word 'negrito', rather than immediately jump to conclusions I waited for the club's reaction and for a more informed explanation of the connotations of that term.
In fact, the whole issue has just made Evra look much worse. Saying 'get your hands off me, you South American' is far worse in my eyes than calling someone 'negrito'. The connotations of Evra's statement suggests that 'South American' is a derogatory term, much like that teacher implying that my family had no place in the country and that we offered nothing to society, are far more serious than Suarez calling him negrito. In fact, if Evra was communicating with him in Spanish, would that not suggest that Evra was well aware of the nuances of Spanish-speaking cultures? Particularly with Hernandez at the club who has shown since 2007 that he uses that term as well.
I wish that we lived in a society here that didn't give two shits about someone's skin colour or ethnicity. I don't label myself as anything other than British because what else am I? I was raised here and my mother tongue is English. Sure, I have a different background and I'm not ashamed of it. But why am I different to any other Brits because of where my parents or grandparents were from? Is coming down hard on Suarez for using the word 'negrito' going to bring us closer to that? I doubt it. But I can tell you that letting Evra's words slide is more damaging.
Racism comes in many shapes or forms, to different degrees. You could argue the toss about the place of 'negrito' in British society all you like but there's absolutely no call for saying something like 'get your hands off me, you South American.' And right now, there's only one person who has admitted to saying something in anger and it wasn't Luis Suarez.
