Petting Zoo Rejects: Casual Racism at the Gym

Photo Credit: Johannes Eisele, AP

Jemima Jelagat Sumgong of Kenya won Gold in the Women's Marathon today with a total time of 2:24:40. I can't even walk for two and a half hours. So, spectacular finish for her with the added bonuses of picking up Kenya's first Gold event these Olympics as well as being Kenya's first woman to win Gold in the Marathon.

I got to watch her cross the finish line, and the woman is a machine. As were the rest that finished with her. But, I digress. The reason I bring this up is because while I'm in the middle of Day 16's squats, minding my own business, with my headphones in, listening to Fancy (BECAUSE I AM SO FANCY, that's why), watching Jemima pull away from the pack of about 6 or 7 runners, a runner named Shalane Flanagan was amongst that group. Shalane, American, finished 6th at 2:25:26.

Between sets, some old white guy (American) comes up to me, looks up at the T.V. and says, loud enough for me to hear over "Put that paper over all. I thought you knew that, knew that," "Well, that's something you never see; a white girl at the front of a marathon, usually it's just-"

I stopped him. "Sir, I have a feeling I know what you're about to say, I'm just going to stop you right there and ask you to move on with your workout." He looked pretty offended. I didn't give a shit. In what world is it okay to come up to a random stranger and spout some casual racism? Probably left thinking how everyone is so PC these days and how no one complained back in the day about little comments like that.

Since we're discussing the Olympics and awful things going on at them, let's talk about Judo.

Specially, this:

Photo Credit: Toshifumi Kitamaru, AP

You probably know the story by now: Or Sasson of Israel (Bronze Medalist), after a clean victory over Islam El Shehaby in Men's +100kg Judo, went to shake his opponent's hand. Shehaby, an Egyptian, refused the gesture, and then, in an incident that the IOC is now investigating refused to bow to Sasson after the match. In Judo, a sport that is all about respect for your opponent, combined with the Olympics, an event meant to promote unity, this is considered about as insulting as possible.

You're a fucking loser, Shehaby. Even if they find that you've been politically coerced to snub your Israeli counterpart, you failed to stand up against that kind of millennia old pointless hatred. So, congrats! Gold medals in losing AND being a coward. This is why Egypt is still a shitpit.

And while this has garnered a lot of attention for the right reasons, there's still this ... item ... that popped up in my Facebook feed:

Don't worry, you're reading that correctly.

Yeah, this from the same people that are bashing ol' Jackass Al McJudo up there.

A couple things:

1 - She's an American Muslim

2 - She's a she, and both of those things in #1 competing in the Olympics

3 - Are you really so strapped for jingo-fuel that you feel the need to attack just anyone?

4 - Where the fuck are you? Not in the Olympics, that's where.

5 - WHO FUCKING CARES WHAT SHE IS WEARING ON HER HEAD?! She's proud to be both American AND Muslim.

If that's truly a problem for you, rethink your priorities. That's the thing, though; when Egypt (still assholes) fielded a beach volleyball team, no one said "Holy shit, Egypt has its first women's beach volleyball team." Everyone commented instead on how they were fully clothed.

Newsflash, every religion has dumbass rules. Most are oppressive and terrible, and yeah, it sucks that they are required to wear garments that cover them, but trust me, you aren't any better for thinking that I'm going to hell because I don't believe in Jesus. People suck, regardless of relativity.

Which brings us back full circle to the casual gym racist. Keep your xenophobic remarks, thoughts, attitude, intentions to yourself. Don't foist your bullshit on other people. Shake your opponent's hand, even if you've hated each other for two thousand years.

...because you all look the fucking same to me when you're bleeding out in the back of my helicopter after shit's gone down.

-Saint 81, out.