People who have never experienced racial discrimination before scoffing at someone claiming they have been victimised by it is a bit like priests doing marriage counselling.
It makes zero sense, but it happens pretty damn often.
When Tyron Woodley argued that the colour of his skin played a part in him being ‘by far the worst-treated champion in UFC history,’ people were quick to shoot down the comment. Even UFC president Dana White belittled the claim by labeling ‘The Chosen One’ as a ‘drama queen.’
One cannot get the full picture of Woodley’s experiences by peering from afar. In his eyes, he is being mistreated and discriminated and that’s something none of the people who aren’t UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley can really dispute.
wow really? Show what I did 2 Koscheck, Condit, Kim, Lawler, Daley, Hieron. The disrespect! Also tell about the TRT exemption
— Tyron T-Wood Woodley (@TWooodley) September 21, 2016
It’s a simple concept, but it’s one that’s lost on a lot of people. So let the man himself break it down for those who are still confused in the simplest terms possible. Woodley dropped this life lesson at the media day ahead of his rematch against Stephen Thompson at UFC 209.
“People don’t have to experience certain things to become oblivious to them. I’ve said this earlier, but I’ve never consumed a pineapple, when somebody tells me how delicious a pineapple is, I might be like, ‘Oh yeah, a pineapple’s not good. Oh my God, I’ve never seen a pineapple before. It doesn’t exist because I’ve never consumed it.’ But the person that has, they might have a different situation or a different feeling.”
“If you’ve never experienced racism or you never experienced racial discrimination, if you don’t know what happens behind the scenes, if you don’t see my feed on social media, therefore you just don’t recognise that it exists.”
Woodley doesn’t point the the finger of blame at his opponent. However, if his addressing of the racial abuse problem from certain fans continues to be ignored or laughed off as ‘whining,’ he fears for what that says about our society.
“It’s not his (Thompson) fault. He doesn’t have to go on the defence for his fans, because they are out there. If we as a society want to sit back like it don’t happen (shakes his head), they’re in for a rude awakening.”
Well said.
