If John Terry’s actions don’t matter to you, then that’s fine. Honestly. The media...

On the accusations of racism against John Terry and another opinion

Let’s begin with a big ‘if’. If John Terry racially abused Anton Ferdinand, then sure, open the floodgates. I don’t know John Terry and given his track record I find it absolutely conceivable that he has quite a few racial slurs in his vocabulary. But that’s neither here nor there. Allowing suppositions the opportunity to run wild is a precarious path. It’s also one that understandably exists.

If John Terry’s actions don’t matter to you, then that’s fine. Honestly. The media latches on to new cases of racism in sport and politics every week. Injustice fills the papers. That’s nothing novel to reveal. An individual has to choose between succumbing to an ever-changing, continuous sphere of chaos or assuming a sense of autonomy and allowing one’s reason to dictate everyday life. I’m not here to tell you otherwise.

Ultimately, my voice is another opinion. Perhaps it provides more insight than the average football fan belting “CFC 'til I die!”, but it’s an opinion nonetheless. Some things, on the other hand, transcend opinion. The problems surrounding racism extend far beyond a breach of social norms. Racism, however common, is an undeniable form of alienation. Racism undermines the dignity, the humanity of an individual. Invariably, the fact that racism persists with such strength in developed cultures bothers some more than others. 

For better or for worse, John Terry is one of the faces of English football and has become one of England’s most iconic personalities. Nevertheless, if he is just another footballer with too much money and an inexplicably dysfunctional moral compass to you, then so be it. But if he did call Anton Ferdinand a “f****** black c***”, then is he simply another footballer? When does he begin to represent something horribly larger?

Comments below please. Follow Eric Beard on Twitter.