Posts
221
Joined
1/3/2019
Location
Kenmore, WA
US
Edited Date/Time
8/6/2021 8:42am
So a number of us had a long conversation about Cam Zink’s terrible posts. Are we going to ignore Amaury’s? IMO, this is way worse than Zink’s gaffe.
https://m.pinkbike.com/news/amaury-pierron-and-commencal-21-team-manage…
https://m.pinkbike.com/news/amaury-pierron-and-commencal-21-team-manage…
I am not a racist person by any means, and I think America and Americans nowadays are way too serious and getting offended about everything! I look at that post and I see a joke, could be a bad joke, not funny whatsoever, but he’s joking about black culture/music or whatever! He’s French, I am sure he has black or Arabic friends.
Let’s talk about mountain bikes instead my friend!
He seems like a super genuine and good natured dude. His apology seemed real. Not the first and won’t be the last pro to do something dumb on the gram or at an event. As a kid from the suburbs probably 1/2 my fifth grade class had a haircut or outfit straight out of a rap video. I assume his mimicry is out of fandom as well, but it is wildly tone deaf in 2021.
Regardless of his intention, it was an ignorant and offensive post. It is good that he apologized. I hope that he learned something. His future actions will be the best evidence of his intentions, in my opinion. If this was genuinely a mistake, and Amaury believes what he said in his apology, then hopefully this is not something he will repeat.
Have a great discussion fellas, I m out to bike checks and some other interesting stuff
Cheers
A mtb website...
God bless America! I am very , hugely proud to be French!!
But I m an asshole, what do I know
Does that mean he isn't sorry or regretful? No, but its already out there now. Maybe he didn't gully understand via translation (though every language has their derogatory terms, including French) but it still happened. If I thought I had a fake gun but it was real and I shot someone, I still shot someone and they are still dead. Unfortunately the damage is done.
As for history France does not have the exact same past as the USA, but it does have a pretty long and brutal history with colonialism in Africa, including Algiers and Senegal. They were enslaving and indoctrinating people for their benefit as well.
Its less a politics thing and more a human rights thing. If someone came here and saw banter about how cool a rider is but then sees posts disrespecting their culture, are they going to stick with the sport? No, and that sucks. Riding with friends is the best part of riding.
Unfortunately, the nuances of culture are not easily translated even to those who speak the language fluently, let alone to a foreigner who barely speaks it.
Truth is, what Amaury posted is a racial slur. Is he racist? I honestly don't think so. However, if he posts or posted a similar racial slur in French, and uses a very French context to it, then his sponsors should consider pulling the plug.
Again amaury is an idiot for not knowing better. But it’s not the same as if an American racer had done the same thing.
I'm sure that all the people drowning in the Mediterranean or the English channel for having the temerity to be brown would agree with you....
Personally I've found much of the reaction to his post very disappointing. It's mostly along the lines of "it's too personally inconvenient for us to think that he might not have innocently posted a racial slur because we enjoy his bike riding so let's not bother and all agree he's a nice guy"
Glad to see it.
And kudos to Muc-Off: https://m.pinkbike.com/news/muc-off-withdraws-commencal-21-sponsorship-…
You are taking yourself to serious. Many people here do net have english as first language and where not raised in americain culture. You should accept that a joke is a joke. Is was not the best but hey, it was a joke.
In my opinion this became way fo big just trough social media. Social media are bad. Very bad.
Peace out to all the keyboard worriors that will now eat me alive.
Leben und leben lassen
Vivre et laisser vivre
Google image search "muc off girl" to be met with scantly clad girls holding mucoff products.
comparing apples to oranges...... sort of, mildly hypocritical..... yep.
Only thing really gross is when brands have pushed their sponsored gals into sexualizing themselves.
I think muc offs handling of situation is fairly fit. A team manager should be held to a higher standard than a rider, and it’s not like they are avoiding being critical of their highest profile athlete.
Also with how many people they sponsor muc off must be doing something right. Maybe their ads is just a commentary on how the money is in fluids that stick and fluids that lube.
remember when Charlies Instagram looked like this?
He should be educated
Let there be lights, drums, guitars....
🤘🏻
This was a stupid thing done by Pierron. Hateful and racist? Well, that depends on how you define "hate" and "racist" I suppose.
It has to be confusing as hell to hear your music heroes use words you are not allowed to use. This is obvious to those of us in the US, but it also reminds me a little bit of the opening scene to opening scene to Office Space. Who among us (who like hip hop) hasn't said a bar or two out loud in the privacy of your car that 100% you would never say in public?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XASNM1XEQPs
Don't forget, he's a kid (relatively speaking). There is nothing in what he did that remotely suggests he is trying to perpetuate hateful, racist ideals. If anything, he's trying to emulate the culture he looks UP to.
All that said, its 2021. Navigating this should be something you are able to do as a top rung athlete. Moreover, Its 100% something you should be able to do as a TM. In fact, I'd say it should be in the job description.
Though I think overly woke cancel culture types are not good for society, I also don't think its all that bad of an idea for him to be educated on the nuance to "all this". For no other reason, so he doesn't post other stuff in the same vein.
Idiots like me can post whatever I want with little consequence to my career. I can get into the nuance of this stuff. I can question trans issues in racing, ask where the line is with respect to "racism" vs "tasteless joke". But if I was a top rung athlete, I'd want to know where those line are and steer as FAR away from them as possible.
Its clearly easy to be "cancelled" in 2021. Leave the crazed grand standing for when you are a washed up (or never was) 36 year old, not an in your prime 21 year old.
Oh, and the virtue signaling here by Muc-Off is equally as dumb. Like "slow clap" for the incredible care they've put into their response here.
I think "puritan americans" should stop trying to enforce the same overly offended standards they put on their society. We don't work in the same basis; we don't have the same cultural nuances and we don't profit from cancelling anyone thats a little more edgy or ignorant.
I think most Americans here are fine with jokes about us. Hell, I love Top Gear/Grand Tour and they make fun of Americans all the time. This topic is about an issue rooted in slavery that spans the globe. It’s time for you to reread the thread as well as some history books.
And yes it has all to do with France and America and frankly your view of the world. I bet you don't have a clue about how different we get along with other cultures around and how things work. America is not the world stop trying to export your culture wars.
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