It was February 2014 and about 111.5 million Americans were watching Super Bowl XLVIII, but it wasn’t the Seahawks immense victory over the Broncos that everyone was talking about, it was the ad by Coca-Cola that was aired. The ad featured the song “America the Beautiful” sung in a variety of languages. As seen here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=443Vy3I0gJs, many people turned to social media to rant and express their concerns over Coca-Cola by using very racist tweets and comments.
Former Olympian Tweets Racist Jab at the President and First Lady
Irina Rodnina, former Russian Olympic figure skater, had the honor of lighting the flame for the 2014 Sochi Olympics, but after what she did back in September, it is questionable if she should’ve had the privilege or not. She decided it would be acceptable to post a racial tweet about President Obama and the First Lady.
This three-time Olympic gold medalist, posted a picture with the Obama’s at a social event with a banana placed right in front of their faces. This action can be pegged as racist. It can be seen this way because African Americans have been referred to as a “monkey” in the past. Obviously placing a banana, which is what a monkey eats, in front of President Obama, who is African American is not the smartest decision.
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Thursdays in India
It was a Thursday. Just a normal Thursday in Delhi, India until Nido Taniam stepped into a crowded store front.
As the 18 year old son of a local politician from Arunachal Pradesh, Taniam exhibited the lighter complexion of a Northeast Indian. As he entered the store front looking for addresses, Taniam began to be mocked by local shopkeepers about his northeastern features and blonde tipped hair. As a fight erupted, Taniam was beaten by the shopkeepers. Immediately taken away by police, he was arrested and the shopkeepers were fined. Later he returned and was again beaten. This would be Taniam’s last Thursday; his last Thursday alive.
Miss. France 2014 gets attacked on Social Media
Every year France hosts their annual pageant in December, and the winner is nominated by the year that begins the following January. 2014’s winner, Flora Coquerel, was a beautiful, intelligent woman with a French-Beninese decent. She captured people’s hearts through her words and elegance. She stated during the pageant, “I desire to represent a cosmopolite, modern France claiming that today’s France is a mixed France, where there is every culture, and I think a lot of people will see themselves in me.” Coquerel shows confidence in herself and is proud to be the mixed race she is. Some of the people of France had very different, vicious and nasty opinions about the winner of the 2014 pageant.
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An Olympic Commotion
Excitement spiraled across the globe just a couple of weeks ago as the 2014 Olympics whirled around in Sochi, Russia. With opening ceremonies starting up on February 6, millions tuned in worldwide to watch the highly anticipated “Parade of Nations”, art program, and torch relay. What a wonderful cultural immersion to recognize the talents of nations near and far- sounds like a lot of fun and games, right? But there has always got to be a little trouble.
Meet Irina Rodina. For starters, she was born in Moscow, Russia on September 12, 1949. In addition to being known as a legendary Soviet figure skater and three-time gold medal winner, she was a torch lighter at this year’s opening ceremony, serves as a member of President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia Party and is the mother of one teenaged daughter. Seems fine, right?
Well maybe we should be a little weary that on December 17 2012, Rodina supported legislation in Russian Parliament calling for a ban on the adoption of Russian children by American citizens. Could one argue that she is anti-American? Maybe, but maybe she has some rationale. If you do not find this to be a little shady, maybe her Twitter account will prove you otherwise.
From left to right: Rodnina’s racist twitter post, Rodnina herself pictured at the Russian Federation in 2010.
Race and Social Media 