Double standards outside the boxing ring

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Ari Siletz
by Ari Siletz
12-Aug-2012
 

Salon.com writer Ted Mcclelland very likely knows the difference between nuclear technology and nuclear warheads...except, it seems, when it comes to Iran. Recently an Iranian.com sports piece brought a "double standards" charge against the German referee who disqualified Iranian boxer Ali Mazaheri. The IC article suggests that double standards extend to how Western nations assess Iran's nuclear program.  Ironically, Mr. Mcclelland has quoted the IC article with the same double standard that the IC article laments. 

In an engaing slideshow essay highlighting the most embarrassing moments of the 2012 Olympics, Mr. Mcclelland lists boxer Ali Mazaheri's disqualification fiasco as an example of poor sportsmanship. So far Mr. Mcclelland is spot on; there was no excuse for Mazaheri's disrespectful behavior towards an Olympic referee even if the referee had been so unfair as to be later suspended by the officials. It was not for Mazaheri to show disapproval of the referee's calls. And if Mazaheri had not acted in such a hot-headed fashion he may have had a second chance on appeal. Mazaheri's boxing fouls were quite minor, but he certainly fouled big time with his unsportsmanlike conduct while squandering his nation's chance for another medal. Yet Mr. Mcclelland himself delivers an unsportsmanlike below-the-belt when he brings up the IC article with a quote:

 

Columnist Ari Siletz blamed the German referee’s decision on the same
Western Iranophobia that prevents the country from building nuclear
warheads.

“Whenever there’s a regulation against an accepted tradition there’s
room for double standards,“ Siletz wrote. “The ref can be lenient to
some referring to tradition and he can disqualify others by referring to
regulations. Yet Mazaheri also had a part in this tragedy. He should
have been careful not to give excuses to the ref to disqualify him. He
failed to take into account the fact that on the international scene
Iran is usually on the punishment side of the double standard. Whether
the regulations deal with boxing or with nuclear technology.”  
 

Importantly, the IC article says, "nuclear technology;" it does not say "nuclear warheads!"

Why is it that Fukushima is regarded as technology, but the Bushehr reactor is defined as "warheads" in the lexicon of the normally progressive Salon.com? This is exactly the double standard that the IC article decries.

 

Putting words into another writer's mouth is not a minor journalistic offense, yet  in the interest of sportsmanship we hope the editors of Salon.com are more lenient than the Olympic officials who suspended the German referee.    

 

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more from Ari Siletz
 
P_J

Dear ARJ!

by P_J on

I could not agree with you more!

Trouble is that we are from a CULTURE that preaches modesty and exercises humbleness; yet WE should not allow that to be interpreted as signs of weakness or cowardice.

Although, we can never change the behavior of the CONGENITAL and degenerate A-Holes, but by being aware of, and excercising our LEGAL rights would enable us to stand our ground.   This would sent a strong message to these coward IMBECILES.

Don't forget that;  The BEST defense is a GOOD offense!


Arj

Truth vs reality!

by Arj on

You are absolutely right Ari, but unfortunately, we don't live in a perfect world! Not all racist A-holes come in KKK costumes or Neo-Nazi/skinhead outfit. Racism and prejudice come in different shades and forms. However, there are certain circumstances that allow the prijudicial treatment of specific groups and individuals to be taken for granted or even appear justified. IRI's gross mirepresentation of our nation is one of the circumstances that create the suitable grounds for our people becoming the whipping boys of the international community.

Let's look at this from a different angle; why would these guys not be as easily able to disqualify a Saudi athlete or have the courage to make similar presumptions about the Israeli nuclear program?! The reason is that the cost of disqualifying a Saudi athlete (which are well represented in athletic organizations, thanks to generous flow of petro-dollars) or talking freely about the Israeli nuclear program (which dispite its proven military component, is guarded as an off-limits media issue by powerful lobby groups) is quite high, and in some cases career ending!

-------------------------------------------------

PJ, as per the old saying: "Dar masal monaghesheh nist!" Az ma'st keh bar ma'st does not mean that these athletes are at fault for their rights being taken away from them --nor is our nation whose right to peaceful nuclear energy is being ignored -- due to IRI's misdeeds. Whether Islamofascist or not, IRI is the government that represents these people for as long as it exists in the eyes of the international community. The point, however, is that without the utter misrepresentation of our nation, bigots and racist A-holes the world over, would not have the audacity to mistreat us with sheer impunity! 


Examiner

Ari, don’t be so hard on this poor soul

by Examiner on

Ted McClelland is doing his job: the job he is trained for,
hired for, and paid for. He is following the traditions, if not the
regulations, of his profession. His career and worthiness depend on his doing exactly that. And, you don’t want to see him in the unemployment line. Do you?

Salon.com is published where the politically correct term for ‘nuclear technology’ is ‘nuclear warhead’; politically correct term for ‘nuclear energy’ is ‘nuclear weapon’; politically correct term for propaganda is journalism; and politically correct term for bullying, blackmailing, sabotage and assassination is diplomacy. You shouldn’t expect Ted McClelland to ignore the rules of the game, unless you want him lose his job.

Just imagine what would have happened if pitiful fellows like Ted McClelland – if not he – had not propagated GWB’s lies about Iraq’s non-existing WMDs, or about Saddam’s purchase of uranium yellow cake from Niger, or about the “nuclear mushrooms over American cities” story? Aren’t you expecting too much from him?

Give him a break. He wants to be “patriotic.”


P_J

Agree & Diagree!

by P_J on

These CHARACTERS are, CLEARLY, taking out their frustration(s) with the Mullahs on our athletes.

I disagree with the "Az ma'st keh bar ma'st!" statement.   These young men... totally innocent of what their LOUSY government is doing...out of frustration and feeling discriminated against, were taking the law in their own hand…wrong approach.

Iranian coaches should have been more knowledgeable/vigilant and should have exercised their RIGHTS under the auspices of the Olympic and International Law and promptly protested the incident.

I am all with you, on double standards against Iran and the Iranians that has been going on for the past 30+ years.   It is all due to the MISHANDELING of international affairs…poor judgment and terrible public relation, all done by the BACKWARD thinking ISLAMOFascist Akhoonds.   And our nation has been suffering the consequences! 

We CAN NOT/SHOULD NOT feel INADEQUATE in taking LEGAL action(s), against aggressor(s), just because we come from the same country that the ISLAMOFACISTS are.

We live in countries that believe in, and exercise the supremacy of the rule(s) of LAW...let's not be afraid of TESTING and putting them to GOOD use.

That means, we should ALWAYS stand our ground, and not allow our RIGHTS to be trampled on.    

Ari Siletz

Valid point, Arj

by Ari Siletz on

The IRI bears much responsibility for the current state of affairs with the West. Of course this does not absolve anyone from the responsibility of ethical conduct towards innocent Iranians who are caught in the situation.


Arj

Right purpose or wrong style?!

by Arj on

Indeed, not only the German referee was suspended for five matches, but the IOC officials noted that had the Iranian officials not failed to file an official protest in time, they would have considered reviewing the result of the match.

Mutch like the nuclear issue in which our rights are being trampled on due to our representative government's -- and in broader terms the ruling regime's -- utter ineptitude and by misrepresentation, our nation has become the Pariah nation in the international community, so that any two-bit, racist A-hole like the German referee and this Mclelland guy feel free to unleash their frustrations at us!

As Rumi's anciet epic goes: Az ma'st keh bar ma'st!