{"id":356,"date":"2015-08-08T00:57:40","date_gmt":"2015-08-08T03:57:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/otaviopinto.com\/?p=356"},"modified":"2024-04-26T19:24:24","modified_gmt":"2024-04-26T22:24:24","slug":"pele-and-racism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/otaviopinto.com\/index.php\/2015\/08\/08\/pele-and-racism\/","title":{"rendered":"Pel\u00e9 and racism."},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"padding-bottom:20px; padding-top:10px;\" class=\"hupso-share-buttons\"><!-- Hupso Share Buttons - https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/ --><a class=\"hupso_counters\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/lang\/pt\/share-small.png\" style=\"border:0px; padding-top:2px; float:left;\" alt=\"Share Button\"\/><\/a><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var hupso_services_c=new Array(\"twitter\",\"facebook_like\",\"facebook_send\",\"pinterest\",\"email\",\"print\",\"linkedin\");var hupso_counters_lang = \"pt_BR\";var hupso_image_folder_url = \"\";var hupso_twitter_via=\"blogdootavio\";var hupso_url_c=\"\";var hupso_title_c=\"Pel%C3%A9%20and%20racism.\";<\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/js\/counters.js\"><\/script><!-- Hupso Share Buttons --><\/div><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Criticism on Pel\u00e9\u2019s role in the fight against racism is frequent. Even former players and teammates in the national team, <a href=\"http:\/\/esporte.uol.com.br\/futebol\/ultimas-noticias\/2014\/04\/10\/paulo-c-caju-diz-que-pele-tambem-tem-culpa-por-racismo-no-futebol.htm\">like Paulo Cesar Caju, charge \u201cthe King\u201d with some guilt for racism in football.<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There is some truth to the criticism, since, undoubtedly, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.espnfc.com\/futebol-brasileiro\/story\/2029606\/pele-says-dont-over-publicize-racist-acts-in-brazil\">Pele has given unfortunate statements<\/a>\u00a0(like, for example, when he wrongly criticized the impeccable acts of Daniel Alves and Aranha against racist acts suffered by them)\u00a0and has never actively participated in antiracism movements and with those defenders of black people\u2019s rights in Brazil and all over the world; he has never behaved like other sports legend from his time, American boxer, Muhammad Ali. Even if it would be anachronistic to attack &#8220;The King&#8221; for that omission during his career (after all, there was not in that time a\u00a0strong and combative anti racism sentiment among Brazilian celebrities), there are strong arguments to criticize Edson Arantes do Nascimento&#8217;s stance, from his retirement to today, for not following society&#8217;s evolution\u00a0on that subject.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_2539\" style=\"width: 519px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/4ddCZn4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2539\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2539\" src=\"https:\/\/otaviopinto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/xbox.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"509\" height=\"397\" srcset=\"https:\/\/otaviopinto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/xbox.jpg 509w, https:\/\/otaviopinto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/xbox-300x234.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 509px) 100vw, 509px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-2539\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Click on the image below to buy Xbox Series X with EA FC 24 and play with football legends<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">However, although ideal and worthy of praise, it is essential to say that Pel\u00e9 (or any other person) had no obligation of getting personally involved in militancy of any kind. Nonetheless, even not participating in \u201cblack activism\u201d, Pel\u00e9, specially during his reign as football&#8217;s superstar (1958-1977), was important in the fight against racism. For that, it was only needed the blackness of the most popular sport\u2019s greatest player and worldwide idol in extreme racist time. In that position, he shattered almost unbroken barriers, like being treated as royalty and living legend in Europe, and being the first black man on the cover of \u201cLife Magazine\u201d (from a country, United States, where segregation laws were still common. Furthermore, Pele was an inspiration for many by not being ashamed of his skin color; that was the opinion of his time and of the legendary journalist M\u00e1rio Filho (author of the classic book \u201cO negro no futebol brasileiro\u201d \u2013 \u201cThe black man in Brazilian football), as explained by Brazilian historians Francisco Carlos Teixeira da Silva and Ricardo Pinto in the book &#8220;Futebol e Pol\u00edtica &#8211; Mem\u00f3ria Social dos Esportes&#8221; ( \u201cFootball and Politics \u2013 Social memory of sports &#8211; \u00a0free translation):<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to M\u00e1rio Filho, the recrudescence of racism in result of Brazil\u2019s defeat in the 1950 Final would only be defeated with the winning Brazilian team in the 1958 World Cup. That overcoming would pass through the magical feet of a mulatto and a black man, respectively, Garrincha and Pel\u00e9.\u00a0 Actually, it was up to Pele to change the status of the black player. Differently from the great black players from the past, Pele was not ashamed of his skin color, he was proud of being black. He liked being called &#8220;the Negro&#8221;, &#8220;The black man&#8221;. That behavior from the best Brazilian player was an example for the other players who still felt inferior because of their skin color. Because of that, the journalist concludes: &#8220;Someone like Pele was missing to complete the work of Princess Isabel (note: she signed the law the emancipated slaves in Brazil). The black man was free, but felt the curse of color. The slavery of color&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">That is why, in opposite to what people like Caju says, Pel\u00e9, even passively, was essential in the fight against racism in Brazil and the world. That was done without violence, without incendiary speeches*; it was enough being black, it was enough being Pel\u00e9, like the great Mario Filho taught us (free translation):<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The black players in football really tried, as they rose, to be less black, They had their hair straightened, did plastic surgeries, escaping their color<\/p>\n<p>There lies Pele&#8217;s important role, the Kind of Football, who is proud to be black. Not to confront anyone, but to exalt his mother, father, grandfather, uncle, the poor family of black people who prepared him for glory.<\/p>\n<p>No black man in the world has contributed more (note: it was written in the early 60&#8217;s) to sweep racial barriers than Pele. Whoever applauds him, applauds a black man. That&#8217;s why Pele never had his hair straightened: he is black like his father, like his mother, like his grandmother, like his uncle, like his brother. To exalt them, he exalts the black man.<br \/>\nThat&#8217;s why he is more than a black man: he is the &#8220;Black man&#8221;. The others black players recognize him: for them, Pele is just &#8220;the Negro&#8221;.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<div id=\"attachment_352\" style=\"width: 490px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/otaviopinto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/pele-celeste.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-352\" class=\"size-full wp-image-352\" src=\"https:\/\/otaviopinto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/pele-celeste.jpg\" alt=\"Pele with his parents and sister. Foto\/photo retirada de (taken from): http:\/\/blogmiltonneves.bol.uol.com.br\/blog\/2014\/10\/23\/hoje-e-o-natal-do-futebol-obrigado-pele\/\" width=\"480\" height=\"260\" srcset=\"https:\/\/otaviopinto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/pele-celeste.jpg 480w, https:\/\/otaviopinto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/pele-celeste-300x163.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-352\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pele with his parents and sister.<br \/>Photo taken from: http:\/\/blogmiltonneves.bol.uol.com.br\/blog\/2014\/10\/23\/hoje-e-o-natal-do-futebol-obrigado-pele\/<\/p><\/div>\n<p>*Indispensable to say that I don&#8217;t undervalue the imense value of passionate speeches and direct and express fights against racism. They were and still are essential&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:20px; padding-top:10px;\" class=\"hupso-share-buttons\"><!-- Hupso Share Buttons - https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/ --><a class=\"hupso_counters\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/lang\/pt\/share-small.png\" style=\"border:0px; padding-top:2px; float:left;\" alt=\"Share Button\"\/><\/a><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var hupso_services_c=new Array(\"twitter\",\"facebook_like\",\"facebook_send\",\"pinterest\",\"email\",\"print\",\"linkedin\");var hupso_counters_lang = \"pt_BR\";var hupso_image_folder_url = \"\";var hupso_twitter_via=\"blogdootavio\";var hupso_url_c=\"\";var hupso_title_c=\"Pel%C3%A9%20and%20racism.\";<\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/js\/counters.js\"><\/script><!-- Hupso Share Buttons --><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div style=\"padding-bottom:20px; padding-top:10px;\" class=\"hupso-share-buttons\"><!-- Hupso Share Buttons - https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/ --><a class=\"hupso_counters\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/lang\/pt\/share-small.png\" style=\"border:0px; padding-top:2px; float:left;\" alt=\"Share Button\"\/><\/a><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var hupso_services_c=new Array(\"twitter\",\"facebook_like\",\"facebook_send\",\"pinterest\",\"email\",\"print\",\"linkedin\");var hupso_counters_lang = \"pt_BR\";var hupso_image_folder_url = \"\";var hupso_twitter_via=\"blogdootavio\";var hupso_url_c=\"\";var hupso_title_c=\"Pel%C3%A9%20and%20racism.\";<\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/js\/counters.js\"><\/script><!-- Hupso Share Buttons --><\/div><p>Criticism on Pel\u00e9\u2019s role in the fight against racism is frequent. Even former players and teammates in the national team, like Paulo Cesar Caju, charge \u201cthe King\u201d with some guilt for racism in football. There is some truth to the criticism, since, undoubtedly, Pele has given unfortunate statements\u00a0(like, for example, when he wrongly criticized the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:20px; padding-top:10px;\" class=\"hupso-share-buttons\"><!-- Hupso Share Buttons - https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/ --><a class=\"hupso_counters\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/lang\/pt\/share-small.png\" style=\"border:0px; padding-top:2px; float:left;\" alt=\"Share Button\"\/><\/a><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var hupso_services_c=new Array(\"twitter\",\"facebook_like\",\"facebook_send\",\"pinterest\",\"email\",\"print\",\"linkedin\");var hupso_counters_lang = \"pt_BR\";var hupso_image_folder_url = \"\";var hupso_twitter_via=\"blogdootavio\";var hupso_url_c=\"\";var hupso_title_c=\"Pel%C3%A9%20and%20racism.\";<\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/js\/counters.js\"><\/script><!-- Hupso Share Buttons --><\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":351,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[179,25],"tags":[7,78,2,23],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/otaviopinto.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/356"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/otaviopinto.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/otaviopinto.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/otaviopinto.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/otaviopinto.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=356"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/otaviopinto.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/356\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2561,"href":"https:\/\/otaviopinto.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/356\/revisions\/2561"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/otaviopinto.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/351"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/otaviopinto.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=356"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/otaviopinto.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=356"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/otaviopinto.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=356"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}