I’m not a big racing fan, NASCAR or otherwise, but I couldn’t avoid feeling all kinds of pissed over the treatment of British Formula One racer and fellow person of color, Lewis Hamilton.

I know that America’s European buddies tend to view the US as a backwards racist behemoth that has oppressed it’s black community for decades. (And that’s true) But at least in America we’re aware that there are racists, much like drunks in racist AA, smoking the cigarettes and drinking the cold coffee of shame.

This is unlike in Europe where people still pull that “it was all in fun” crap on immigrants and minorities crying “you’re too sensitive!”

From The Guardian:

British driver Lewis Hamilton should have expected the taunts he received from Spanish fans during testing earlier this month, according to former team-mate Fernando Alonso.

In an interview last month, Hamilton said Alonso showed him “just how not to behave as a world champion” when the two were team-mates at McLaren last season. But Alonso has told Cadena Ser radio station that Hamilton had no right to say such a thing and that these comments led to the abuse. “The very next week they whistled him in Spain for saying that,” the Spaniard said. “That’s the other face of the situation. If you talk, it’s normal that they whistle.”

Hamilton – fomula one’s first black driver – was abused by spectators shouting racist slurs and wearing dark make-up, black wigs and T-shirts saying “Hamilton’s family” at the Montmelo circuit on February 2. The sport’s governing body the FIA is investigating the incident.

“If in the end it has been done, then you have to condemn it sharply,” Alonso said. But he claimed the reports of racist behaviour had been exaggerated, adding that he was treated harshly by fans in Monza after winning the Italian grand prix last year. “When I did my lap of honour, people were [making obscene gestures],” Alonso said. “That’s sport.”

So it’s HAMILTON’S fault that the SPANIARDS were racist? He somehow asked to have racial epitaphs flung at him including people in black face with afro wigs just because he mildly criticized some other racer? Wow. I mean, wow. So apparently my ancestors wanted to get hung and mutilated. That’s what they get for “existing.” She “deserved” get raped, her skirt was short. He deserved to get mugged for walking in the park at night. Seriously? Blame the victim?

Jeering is fine. Booing is fine. But being racist is crossing the line.

American learned the hard way that racism, in any form, is dangerous because it could lead to violent suppression and rampant discrimination. Even if this incident had happened in something as “good ol’ boy” southern as NASCAR, someone was going to get “banned for life” from attending a race. It’s not that NASCAR doesn’t have racists, but in America it’s considered to be poor taste to be racist in public.

News service AFP reports that Motorsport’s governing body FIA “has warned that Spain may lose its Formula One Grands Prix this year over the incidents.”

May lose it? I hate to break it to you Spain, Formula One, douche bag hater Fernando Alonso and the rest of Europe but you ARE as racist as America. Now get yourself into some diversity training workshops before its too late.

BTW: I also think that some of this Hamilton “hateration” is based on the fact that he’s good at what he does and he’s amazingly attractive. I think they’re a little jealous of The Sexy. Don’t cha think?

Yes, yes. That’s very nice.