Their Blackface Should Make F1 Fans Red-Faced

Obviously you can't judge an entire group by the actions of a few of its members. Especially if those few act in a way that is blatantly ignorant, and hopefully against the ideals of the majority of the group. In any case, F1 fans can't be pleased with the way that some of their brethren treated Lewis Hamilton in Barcelona.

"Lewis Hamilton says he expected a backlash from Spanish Formula One fans following his falling-out with former team-mate Fernando Alonso, but he has been shocked by the level of abuse he received on Saturday.

The McLaren driver, 23, was subjected to racist comments and was faced with a group of spectators wearing wigs, dark make-up and t-shirts with the slogan 'Hamilton's Family' on the front during pre-season testing near Barcelona. And although the Briton insisted he still loves being in Spain, he admitted he was not prepared for what occured at the Circuit de Catalunya, in Montmelo."

Apparently, fans of Fernando Alonso believe that Hamilton cost him a shot at winning a third straight F1 world title last year. Instead of booing him, or crafting a witty sign displaying their dislike, they decided to dress up in full-on blackface and yell racist remarks. As if that would somehow cause Hamilton's driving skills to suffer, and make them look like genius superfans. It sure made them look like something, but I don't think "genius" is the right word.

And all this time I thought that NASCAR would be the racing league with fans most likely to overtly display some type of racism. Who knew that the open-wheel guys and gals would venture into that territory? Actually, the saddest part is that it looks like the parents have encouraged their child to participate, and that should draw the ire of more than just the F1 fans.

Magazine Cover Wasn't The First Noose Incident Related To Golf

By now you've probably heard about Kelly Tilghman's use of the word "lynch" in reference to stopping Tiger Woods, and the subsequent Golf Week magazine cover that featured a noose. However, as unfortunate as it may be, that's not the first noose related incident that's impacted golf in Florida over the past year. In June of 2007, an employee of Orlando's Orange County National Golf Club placed a noose in a room at the course that was visibile for all to see.

David Brice, a former African-American employee with Orange County National Golf Club in Winter Garden, filed a formal complaint to the PGA Tour after witnessing the noose in one of the club's offices in June, Brice and the Tour confirmed to the Sentinel.

The Tour held an investigation of OCN before it hosted Q-School, PGA Tour spokesman Ty Votaw said. Votaw said OCN assured the Tour that Q-School would run smoothly after learning the man whom OCN determined had placed the noose was no longer working there. The course also promised diversity training for employees.

Bruce Gerlander, OCN General Manager, confirmed the man who hung the noose was no longer there, but he declined comment about all matters pertaining to the incident. The person, a former supervisor, could not be reached for comment.

Brice said he returned to his job as a golf-services worker on June 4 to see the noose with the sign "1-800-whiners" hanging from the right corner of the outside-services office, which was located underneath the pro shop. The office had a window on the door, Brice said, making the noose visible to the public upon a closer look.

Obviously, putting a noose up anywhere is a disgraceful action that shouldn't be taken lightly. To me, it's an example of some of the racism that I believe still exists within the sport of golf. While the sport as a whole has tried to engage people of differing ethnicities, I think that some involved with the sport have struggled with the newfound diversity. Granted, not every golfer in America is against seeing minorities playing on their course, but it seems to me that golf still has a long way to go before it reaches the level of diverseness that other major sports have reached. Hopefully, both of these incidents just serve as catalysts that keep the sport moving towards a goal of equality for individuals from contrasting heritages.

It's Like High School Basketball In The 50's

We all know that sporting events can get rather heated. Players talking trash, fans elbowing boobs and parents rushing the court are just part of the excitement. But waving a Confederate flag? Come on, who invited David Duke?

Moments after the 48-47 Port St. Lucie victory, students and fans followed the visiting team out of the gymnasium to their bus, the report said.

Students yelled at the bus and blocked its path. Some students were waving a Confederate flag at the bus, Florida Today reported.

This unfortunate incident has caused increased police presence at Satellite Beach High School basketball games, and the principal considered the Confederate flag waving "inciting" and stated that it was handled "very severely". Hopefully there won't be any retaliation when the teams face each other again in January, and everyone keeps their "Battle Flags" at home.

Wearing "Racist" Football Jerseys Is Never A Good Thing

Once again we get another example of how things are a little different south of the Mason-Dixon line. Nathan B. Forrest High School in Jacksonville, FL is still named after a prominent KKK member, and their football jerseys are representative of the uniform he wore during the Confederate War.

The school, named for a Confederate army general and prominent Ku Klux Klan participant, is not performing to the academic standard set by the state's educational authorities.

The student body also happens to be 51 percent black.

Ironic?

We could argue until the end of time about the fairness of Florida Comprehensive Assessment Tests and the circumstances of each student, for which there are many valid points.

But I challenge you to think about this simple question: How much power does a name carry?

When the school's doors opened last week, some community members feared and others hoped Forrest would have a new name. A community survey indicated the majority of residents -- albeit mostly outside the school district -- wanted a less controversial figure to represent the school.

But football players, again, will wear maroon and gray Rebels jerseys for Nathan B. Forrest this fall.

This situation reminds me of the Ole Miss Rebels, and the actions they undertook a few years ago to get rid of symbols that are considered "racially diversive".

Mississippi will sideline its Colonel Rebel mascot this football season(2003), taking another step to distance itself from the South's Confederate past.

In the last decade, Mississippi has been steering its image from the Old South by phasing out symbols that some say are racially divisive. Confederate battle flags, once pervasive at football games, have been banished and "Dixie" has been dropped as the school's unofficial fight song.

It seems odd that a high school would continue to function under the name of someone who had an association with one of the most racist organizations to ever exist. Especially after what transpired at Ole Miss, and after the confederate flag was brought down from over top the state Capitol in South Carolina. There is a petition to change the name, and it will be interesting to see if the Duval County School Board approves a change.