Are the UCLA basketball players, who shoplifted in China, also guilty of racism.

They thought they might not get caught in China. That’s the only explanation I can see here for such a stupid act. It has nothing to do with racism I think.

@josie IMHO They embarrassed our country on the world stage! They new precisely what they were doing and in view of their attitudes they should have been left in jail in China. Let their families deal with that.

It has more to do with stereotyping than racism. China has a reputation of having a confusing law system that isn’t always fair. The guy just thought maybe he could slip into another hole of the system.

If it had been racism, they could just have gone to Japan or Korea and done the same thing because those people belong to the same “race” as Chinese.

So yeah, it’s along the line with @imrainmaker‘s answer.

They did it in China because they couldn’t get anywhere near the same stores in the U.S. UCLA is not far geographically from Rodeo Drive, but culturally it is in another universe.

They got to go shopping in China as part of their tour. But they are college athletes and have no money, and the NCAA does not allow them to work.

No one brought up any racial slurs in this episode until this question appeared.

People act up when they’re away from home. Suburban kids vandalize stuff here, they see the city as a playground, not somebody else’s home. Drunken conventioneers are notorious for shameful behavior.

They are guilty of stupidity; of embarrassing themselves, their university and their country and of theft, but of racism, no.

Who used the word “chinks”?

Well, @rebbel, good point. I believe that was @josie‘s telling choice of words.

I’m trying to figure out how someone is “guilty” of racism. Is that an offense to which someone can plead innocent or guilty?

It’s more like an attitude or a behavior. Not a criminal act.

That said, @josie – your assertion is nutty. At best, it’s a stretch to call it racism. At worst, it’s just plain crazy.

The three basketball players were being stupid and naive, not racist.

What I have been enjoying is the pissing contest between DonnieBaby Trump and and the Mr. Ball, the father of one of the players. It’s hard to see how Trump could look more like an ass than he already has, but this episode is getting close.

The UCLA players committing the crimes typified the entitled mentality that is permeating through our society. They have no respect for themselves or anyone else, they believe that they are above the law and if they want something, it should just be theirs. I don’t believe racism had anything to do with their actions.

Acts of youthful indiscretion. Kids are stupid. Stupid people do stupid things.

It’s a huge jump to assume that they were racially motivated, in their actions. Stranger things have happened, I guess.

When people are vacationing somewhere they probably won’t return to, they tend to act in ways they wouldn’t at home. I see it ALL THE TIME…