News Article: O/T: NHL league-wide...HDA releases statement: Done with NHL etc.

[lomekian]

Aboriginal population is 5%, significantly higher than blacks, considering how First Nation people are treated in northern Canada, I'd like to see efforts to increase their participation.

Also, the reason why the minority population is over 20% is because Asian population tripled between 1996 and 2016, comprising over 15% in 1996. You will see more Asian participation in hockey, that's almost guaranteed.

Canada is changing, 15 years ago when I went to Thompson Manitoba, I was treated like a First Nation person because I'm not white. Not a pleasant experience getting denied service at restaurants. Thompson, and other rural cities had a large influx of immigration the past 15 years, and now their attitude towards minorities have shifted considerably. Racism does not disappear overnight though, but at least they realize now that there are more than 2 races up there.

I think the focus on black people is entirely politically motivated, considering Canadian history I would prefer more focus on First Nation people.

Apart from the first half of your last sentence, I agree with all of this. I think the focus on 'black' is partly lazy language, partly trying to leverage BLM for coverage and change, and partly because there is greater consciousness within society regarding racism against black people because of the slave trade and subsequent abuses in the USA.

I couldn't agree more about the greater need for voices and opportunities for indigenous people from the Americas, and their treatment, in so many ways has been beyond a disgrace. When Brando tried to give them a voice in his Oscar slot, it nearly killed his career, when he should have had his fundraising efforts shouted from the rooftops.

Many countries have ugly, bloody histories, but not so many live so much in denial and so determined to perpetuate their national sins.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Those things are choices. Skin color is not. I judge choices, your choices define you.

And you seem to take issue with people who "choose" not to act white.

 

[lomekian]

There are plenty of places where there is a lot of diversity. Usually, it's poor neighborhoods.
People get money and they want to move out to the burbs, or the country around the city.
Are they running away from crime? Or running away from diversity?
I think it depends on the person.

I live in a community with a lot of white wealthy folks who complain about the lack diversity. Well...duh. You knew that when you moved here, right?
Why do they even want diversity? Just to be seen as saying it? because they had the money to move pretty much anywhere they wanted in Michigan, and chose one the umpteen towns that's white bread.
A lot of the same people oppose schools of choice, that brings kids from those more diverse district into the community.

Hypocrisy is one of the few constants of the human condition. Of course an added complication in the US is the systemic blocking of minorities from certain neighbourhoods and access to finance. The more you look at, the more disgusting it gets. Social engineering right from the top.

 

[Gniwder]

Apart from the first half of your last sentence, I agree with all of this. I think the focus on 'black' is partly lazy language, partly trying to leverage BLM for coverage and change, and partly because there is greater consciousness within society regarding racism against black people because of the slave trade and subsequent abuses in the USA.

I couldn't agree more about the greater need for voices and opportunities for indigenous people from the Americas, and their treatment, in so many ways has been beyond a disgrace. When Brando tried to give them a voice in his Oscar slot, it nearly killed his career, when he should have had his fundraising efforts shouted from the rooftops.

Many countries have ugly, bloody histories, but not so many live so much in denial and so determined to perpetuate their national sins.

I don't think we're disagreeing at all. The points you made are entirely "political".

 

[LeftWingLocked]

The NHL would be stupid to get involved with these people. Very smart move to separate themselves or we would turn on a hockey game and it will end up looking like a social justice protest which most people don't want to see when they are watching sports. The demands are basically extortion. I think the NHL can do their own outreach to various ethnic groups and introduce the game. Changing the color of the lines doesn't do anything and turns hockey into a clown show.

The NHL knows exactly what the Hockey Diversity Alliance wants

• The NHL to commit to diversifying NHL and team staff and suppliers. “‘Black suppliers’ should deliver at least 10 percent of NHL procurement expenditure by the 2020-21 season.”
• For the NHL to be fully and completely transparent regarding all information “related to the policies, targets and commitments” related to the hiring of employees who are visible minorities.
• Asked the NHL to commit $10 million per year ($100 million total) over 10 years to battle systemic racism. Westhead adds that the HDA has suggested that money go towards grassroots programs, anti-racism education, social justice initiatives, executive and coach training, and youth scholarships.
• Requested that the league run PSAs for the Hockey Diversity Alliance during the NHL postseason this summer and for the on-ice presence of the HDA logo throughout the playoffs to raise awareness of the initiative.
• Proposed “Black out” warm-up jerseys to help build awareness of the alliance’s agenda and which could be sold to help raise money for HDA initiatives.
• Proposed the NHL temporarily changing the blue line to black for some games to raise awareness.

[/quote}

 

[MBH]

People go out and annoint themselves as thought-leaders in an area and expect big corporations to pay up as hush money.
It's successful sometimes. People have long careers doing this. Get famous enough and you'll be a talking head and best-selling author.
The bottom line is, does the NHL need the HDA to make cultural changes? Are the other orgs that could help?
And first and foremost, are the 31 NHL owners even interested in changing the culture? Or are they just virtue signalling to avoid blowback?

 

[ArmChairGM89]

I'm just saying, people do, and you brushing off the entire topic because "I don't do it" and "why would a successful busniness man not think with his wallet?" marginalizes the issue.
Pretty easy answer, it's because he's a racist piece of shit.

There's successful business men that pick their accountant based on the fact they belong to a certain religion.

Well if you’re not picking a Jewish accountant you’re wrong.

 

[ArmChairGM89]

And you seem to take issue with people who "choose" not to act white.

Honestly most white kids obsess over black culture these days. I’m not entirely sure what “acting white” even means.

 

[Snuggs]

Everyone's lumping blacks but it clearly states more than just blacks.

The organization added it will continue to operate "separate and independent of the NHL" and attempt to implement educational programs and changes to the sport to offer more role models for the "Black and Brown communities who want to play hockey."

Only white people are making it a black/white thing. I'm White, full blown Anglo saxon , conservative, republican, and I can even recognize that minority aren't exactly getting the same opportunity's. I think we can lump latino/native peoples into the "brown" category so yeah it's not JUST a black thing... So the native american argument/deferral is just that... a deferral/deflection of what the actually issue is.... Which is minority's don't have the same access/opportunity's in hockey.

I'm not so plugged into the inner hockey world to know if there are a ton of canadiates capable of coaching/mangement/ etc especailly when directly related to hocky. NON-hockey, well sure totally different story honestly. NHL has proven they can go get people like MS. Davis who's the vice president who the NHL brought in from JP Morgan.

The numbers and percentages are whatever. Not a big fan of hard-line numbers myself. I would of just agreed to them and "attempted". Made a real attempt to meet some of those goals. That would of been progress. I mean obviously you don't hire someone based on race only, but the NHL has to start looking into how to give minority's more opportunity to have a sit at the table.

I'm also not here saying anyone is purposely not hiring black/brown people. I'm simply stating that they don't have an opportunity to be hired or are over-looked often times(Most of the time not even on purpose). I mean, Lindsey Ruff was just hired by the Devils.... After having long stints in both Dal/Buf and being 60 years old. An maybe he was the best option, idk, but people are telling me there wasn't ONE black/brown candidate worth interviewing to challenge Ruff for the hire? Idk, doesn't seem exactly right. Maybe it was though, I do understand the pipeline for future black/brown coaches/management isn't exactly stacked. I can't provide a list of names... I can hardly provide more than 10 names playing in the sport... I'm still willing to recognize it's a problem though and attempt to bridge the giant gap that's there.

I'm upset the HDA walked away from the NHL. Together is better than trying to change an organization like the NHL by yourself.

 

[Bench]

Changing the color of the lines doesn't do anything and turns hockey into a clown show.

Right?

What's next... changing the jerseys? Can you imagine what a clown show that would be!

And we can't have anything on the actual ice surface distracting from the purity of the game.

 

[Ezekial]

Well if you’re not picking a Jewish accountant you’re wrong.

Is it the fact that he chose to be an accountant that makes it okay?

 

[ArmChairGM89]

Is it the fact that he chose to be an accountant that makes it okay?

More so the fact that good humor is offensive.

 

[lomekian]

I don't think we're disagreeing at all. The points you made are entirely "political".

I would suggest we disagree a bit because our definitions are different! But its hardly a blazing row ;-)

 

[lomekian]

The NHL would be stupid to get involved with these people. Very smart move to separate themselves or we would turn on a hockey game and it will end up looking like a social justice protest which most people don't want to see when they are watching sports. The demands are basically extortion. I think the NHL can do their own outreach to various ethnic groups and introduce the game. Changing the color of the lines doesn't do anything and turns hockey into a clown show.

The NHL knows exactly what the Hockey Diversity Alliance wants

The problem is, we don't know what discussions were had. If the NHL simply dismissed their 'demands', then its a bad look. If the HDA refused to compromise on the scale and timescale, then its them that look bad.

But make no mistake, in PR terms, this puts pressure on the NHL to announce some initiatives beyond the lip service seen to date. If the NHL does nothing concrete, it makes the HDA look like the good guys, and makes the hockey establishment look even more like a group of ignorant old white men that it could be very easy to perceive them as, if so minded.

If the NHL is smart, it will steal the HDA's best ideas or at least the kernel of those ideas, and layout a series of initiatives. However, the whole ownership structure and franchise system of North American sports does mean that things wait on the blessing of owners (who are, surprisingly enough, usually rich old white men), and given the demographics of NHL consumers, the pressure to implement change is not at the same level as in certain other sports. (Although I think there are a lot of really positive things about hockey culture less visible in other sports).

 

[lomekian]

People go out and annoint themselves as thought-leaders in an area and expect big corporations to pay up as hush money.
It's successful sometimes. People have long careers doing this. Get famous enough and you'll be a talking head and best-selling author.
The bottom line is, does the NHL need the HDA to make cultural changes? Are the other orgs that could help?
And first and foremost, are the 31 NHL owners even interested in changing the culture? Or are they just virtue signalling to avoid blowback?

Not sure I enjoy the sentiment of your first two lines here, as they sound a bit dog-whistle like. Your third line is a very valid question. The fourth is exactly the crux of the issue.

 

[lomekian]

Everyone's lumping blacks but it clearly states more than just blacks.

The organization added it will continue to operate "separate and independent of the NHL" and attempt to implement educational programs and changes to the sport to offer more role models for the "Black and Brown communities who want to play hockey."

Only white people are making it a black/white thing. I'm White, full blown Anglo saxon , conservative, republican, and I can even recognize that minority aren't exactly getting the same opportunity's. I think we can lump latino/native peoples into the "brown" category so yeah it's not JUST a black thing... So the native american argument/deferral is just that... a deferral/deflection of what the actually issue is.... Which is minority's don't have the same access/opportunity's in hockey.

I'm not so plugged into the inner hockey world to know if there are a ton of canadiates capable of coaching/mangement/ etc especailly when directly related to hocky. NON-hockey, well sure totally different story honestly. NHL has proven they can go get people like MS. Davis who's the vice president who the NHL brought in from JP Morgan.

The numbers and percentages are whatever. Not a big fan of hard-line numbers myself. I would of just agreed to them and "attempted". Made a real attempt to meet some of those goals. That would of been progress. I mean obviously you don't hire someone based on race only, but the NHL has to start looking into how to give minority's more opportunity to have a sit at the table.

I'm also not here saying anyone is purposely not hiring black/brown people. I'm simply stating that they don't have an opportunity to be hired or are over-looked often times(Most of the time not even on purpose). I mean, Lindsey Ruff was just hired by the Devils.... After having long stints in both Dal/Buf and being 60 years old. An maybe he was the best option, idk, but people are telling me there wasn't ONE black/brown candidate worth interviewing to challenge Ruff for the hire? Idk, doesn't seem exactly right. Maybe it was though, I do understand the pipeline for future black/brown coaches/management isn't exactly stacked. I can't provide a list of names... I can hardly provide more than 10 names playing in the sport... I'm still willing to recognize it's a problem though and attempt to bridge the giant gap that's there.

I'm upset the HDA walked away from the NHL. Together is better than trying to change an organization like the NHL by yourself.

Excellent post. Thank you

 

[Ezekial]

More so the fact that good humor is offensive.

Yea, "my Jew accountant" is super cutting edge and original shit

 

[Gniwder]

The organization added it will continue to operate "separate and independent of the NHL" and attempt to implement educational programs and changes to the sport to offer more role models for the "Black and Brown communities who want to play hockey."

Just exactly who are they referring to when they say brown? I have friends of all ethnicities, nobody describes themselves as brown.

Seems to me they're out of touch with whomever they claim to represent.

 

[Red Stanley]

I'm sure that $100 mil was the biggest point of contention. Call me cynical, but when giant for-profit corporations pledge to fight for anything other than money I
Also, Gary Bettman, a Jewish man, runs the NHL and could easily play the anti-semitic card if they crawl too far up his ass about this. Don't you just love identity politics?

On a side note, can we classify hispters as a race so my hatred of them would gain some gravitas?

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

Just exactly who are they referring to when they say brown? I have friends of all ethnicities, nobody describes themselves as brown.

Seems to me they're out of touch with whomever they claim to represent.

Not sure who the HDA thinks of as "Brown", I'm sure they're easy to contact...send them an email maybe?

 

[ArmChairGM89]

Yea, "my Jew accountant" is super cutting edge and original shit

No it’s not. It’s age old text book stuff

 

[lomekian]

Just exactly who are they referring to when they say brown? I have friends of all ethnicities, nobody describes themselves as brown.

Seems to me they're out of touch with whomever they claim to represent.

I'm definitely brown. A sort of English Breakfast Tea...

 

[Gniwder]

I'm definitely brown. A sort of English Breakfast Tea...

Anyone of your heritage in the NHL? Would that player self describe himself as "brown" in a racial context?

Next they'll start referring to Asian players as yellow.....

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

Honestly most white kids obsess over black culture these days. I’m not entirely sure what “acting white” even means.

@ArmChairGM89 @Red Stanley Stanley
Unfortunately it often "means" many things that they don't agree with is labeled (smeared) as white/Kyle/Karen.

Many kids (of numerous races/colors/ethnicities) have been "obsessing" over the current version of black culture since Rap/Hip-Hop/R&B (current version of the last 35 yrs) broke into mainstream/Hollywood in 1985. It has grown like a weed since then.

Thank God my musical tastes & cultural views were formed long before them. If I wore saggy pants growing up, even once, my mom/dad would've beat my ass & rightly so. Nobody wants to see (unsolicited) asscrack etc.

Meanwhile in heaven, classic Rock 'N Roll/original & real R&B/Blues/Soul music Gods: Jimi Hendrix, Chuck Berry, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino, Chubby Checker, Ray Charles, Bo Diddley, Buddy Guy, Johnny Lee Hooker, Howlin' Wolf, Llyod Price, The Isley Bros., The Temps & The Tops & countless others roll over in their graves (or will soon if not passed). They gave the world beautiful & amazing music. In the immortal words of beloved Beatle, Sir George Harrison, "Rap is Crap".

...some street thugs turned it into rap/hip-hop/r&b. What a shame.

Keep that volume down at the stop light, you're making the baby Jesus cry & scaring old people.

So much of so-called racism is a cultural divide. Belt Loops Matter. Ebonics is non-sense considering English is a perfectly good language already. It is verbal diarrhea at best. UrbanDictionary.com must be making a mint in site traffic.

(Current) black music & culture are severley disproportionately represented via the MSM, Hollywood, Music Industry, Radio/TV commercials & Advertising, online etc. etc. VS. their % of the U.S. Population (13-17% iirc). Don't believe me, just look with an open mind.

I say all of this as: 1. A Minority 2. Non-Anglo-Saxon/white 3. My family are legal immigrant minorities from the 1960's + a few are white. 4. I've experienced racism myself, numerous times personally & professionally....So No Racial/Cultural Bias one way or the other.

Lastly, Comedian Chris Rock did a skit in the early/mid 90's that still holds true today...you know the one, about Crime, Blacks vs. Whites (who's more racist?) etc.




I hope this clarifies a few things for the younger generations/millenials/zillenials etc.

 

[Bench]

I hope this clarifies a few things for the younger generations/millenials/zillenials etc.

You certainly did some clarifying. Well done.

You laid out a thinly veiled racist manifesto of the attitudes they are leaving behind.