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United States News Title: Game chants strike racial nerve in Lodi An incident that took place Friday at Tokay High School’s home boys basketball game against St. Mary’s has led one Tokay player to issue a statement and fellow students to take action on his behalf. Tigers senior center Kashif Afzal, of Pakistani decent, took to Twitter shortly after he said St. Mary’s fans allegedly chanted “USA, USA” when the 6- foot, 4-inch player went to the free-throw line. Afzal said he felt like he was being targeted racially and religiously and expressed how the chants hurt him. Afzal went online and wrote, “St. Mary’s fans when I was at the line: USA USA USA. That’s the coldest thing I’ve ever witnessed and have had happen to me.” Tokay student Diego Hernandez was at the game and heard the chants and has since began a media letter-writing campaign to bring light to the issue. He also felt the heckling was in poor taste and would like to send the message that this kind of thing needs to stop. By Monday, Afzal received messages of support from his peers and appreciates the outpouring. However, he’s ready to move forward. He declined to speak via phone Monday night, but did address the issue. “I’ve been dealing with comments like this my whole life,” Afzal said in a statement released to the News-Sentinel. “Almost every Muslim and others from different religions or minorities get racial comments said to them by strangers and classmates ... but I’d love for this altercation to be put to rest.” The Tigers lost 56-44 on Friday with Afzal, a retiring all-league player, finishing with five points in the game to go with 14 rebounds. Hernandez, a sophomore, wrote a letter to media outlets expressing his distaste for the actions of the fans. He asked others to write the media as well and share his letter on Twitter, which had 252 retweets and 199 favorites by Monday evening. “I was in the (Tokay) student section on the other side of the court and could hear it,” Hernandez said. “When someone finally shut them up, I thought, ‘Thank God.’” Hernandez doesn’t know Afzal well, but said he and others felt that the chants were out of line. He heard the remarks during two of Afzal’s four trips to the free-throw line. Tokay principal Eric Sandstrom was at the game but not on duty as an administrator. He caught wind of what was going on and says vice principal Seamus Eddy approached the St. Mary’s dean working the game. The dean, who both Sandstrom and athletic director Louis Franklin were unable to identify, got the students to stop the chant. Sandstrom felt like the chants were less about showing pride in the United States and more pointed as negative toward Afzal. He says some concern was also voiced to the St. Mary’s dean about the language used by St. Mary’s fans. Sandstrom has decided to leave the issue where it stands and says that it’s now up to St. Mary’s administrators to act, if they so choose. Sandstrom sent out a letter to teachers the week before Tri-City Athletic League play began last week, instructing them to read it to their classes. The letter instructed students on how to conduct themselves at sporting events and encouraged good sportsmanship. “This is not Duke where you have the Cameron Crazies doing whatever they want,” Sandstrom said. “These are young kids that we are trying to teach to do the right thing.” St. Mary’s coach Ken Green was reached Monday but declined to comment on the matter. St. Mary’s President Pete Morelli also declined to comment but recommended seeking current principal Kathy Smith, whose personal number the News-Sentinel was unable to obtain Monday night. St. Mary’s athletic director Jim Brusa also did not immediately respond to a voicemail left on his phone. St. Mary’s official website lists a code of conduct in the athletic section that athletes and fans are to conform with the “ideals and standards” in line with the league, Sac-Joaquin Section and California Interscholastic Federation. Among the instructions are to, “Be respectful; do not engage in disrespectful conduct of any sort including... trash talking, taunting, boastful celebrations, or other actions that demean individuals or the sport.” Afzal tried to quell the situation early Monday. “Its all part of the game. It was just a chant to throw me off and that’s all it was,” Afzal tweeted. “I’m fine now so there’s no need for all this.” Tokay coach Travis Okamoto held practice Monday morning and said it was business as usual. He talked with Afzal about the incident and said that the atmosphere was fine, but limited his own statements. “We’re disappointed that (the chanting) would happen,” Okamoto said. “As for further action, it’s up to the (St. Mary’s) administration. We’re moving on and have a season to worry about. We’re not happy that it happened but do not feel that it is a reflection of their coach or players.”
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#1. To: Spartacus (#0)
Did they test the basketball for psi pressure?
You poor bay-bay! Either suck it up or take your ass back to Pakistan. You obviously don't consider yourself to be an American,so why are you still here?
Why is democracy held in such high esteem when it’s the enemy of the minority and makes all rights relative to the dictates of the majority? (Ron Paul,2012)
If you don't like this country or the freedoms that come with it (like the freedom to chant USA, USA, USA).... then feel free to move back where you came from. My freedom out trumps your feelings.
Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on. Robert Kennedy
Would chanting "Allahu Akbar" have been acceptable?
"The biggest mistake that libertarians make is the way they view government and private sectors. Government is the root of all evil, and the private sector is the source of all good. Libertarians have never figured out that people are the same whether in the government or in the private sector." --Paul Craig Roberts
Anybody check the pressure in the American Founder's kiln lately? Maybe the oven needs a higher temperature to refine the impurities out of the contents. United we stand... was it?
I thought the Bay Area was supposed to be about love, peace and harmony. St. Mary's is acting like a bunch of assholes again. ''Oh, Lord, stuck in ol' Lodi again''----CCR 1969
Awwwww. Get over yourself, Kashif.
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