It is an unfortunate fact of life that social media allows people to say all sorts of horrible things that they would never say to a person's face. This is what happened after three black English soccer players missed their penalty kicks in England's EURO championship loss to Italy on Sunday. But for Monday's CNN Newsroom, the fact that people are racist jerks on the internet provided an opportunity to cynically blame Brexit and "leadership" on both sides of the Atlantic.
World sports contributor Darren Lewis alleged that Brexit, the very simple idea that British laws should be passed in London and not Brussels, was responsible for the hate:
Football people here in England and even in the wider society have been calling on social media companies to do far more for a sustained period of time, and the help simply hasn't come. The abuse that the players had yesterday, I would suggest, is a symptom of something much bigger in this country here in the UK.... There have been tensions in this country ever since Brexit.
Also to blame is Prime Minister Boris Johnson, "There have been divisions in this country ever since the election of a prime minister who has used racially offensive language. We are a divided nation."
Johnson responded to the racist abuse by telling those people, "Shame on you. I hope you will crawl back under the rock from which you emerged."
However, that did not prevent Lewis from saying later on in the segment that, "it is a sad reality, because on both sides of the Atlantic, we have seen division, and we have seen that division stoked by people in leadership. That's why we are where we are, and that, unfortunately, is why so many people on both sides of the Atlantic, I would suggest, feel empowered to say the kind of thing that black -- young, black men in this country are facing right now."
After Lewis left, host Victor Blackwell concluded the segment by declaring, "We know on this side of the Atlantic exactly what that is, and Darren's point, that there's an overlap between what we're seeing in football and what we're seeing politically there and the Brexit, that there is a strain that continues from one to another, and it's so interesting how deep voices are online when you won't show your face, that they won't say that in-person."
It's horrible what some people are willing to say on social media, but there is no reason to project that on to the whole of Brexit and conservative leadership in two countries.
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Here is a transcript of the July 12 show. Click "expand" to read more.
CNN
CNN Newsroom with Alisyn Camerota and Viktor Blackwell
2:40 PM ET
DARREN LEWIS: Well, there isn't much they can do, Victor. I wish I could tell you about the raft of measures that they're trying to bring in place to see -- to ensure that this doesn't happen again. But the truth is that it's the responsibility of the social media companies, and there simply doesn't appear to be a will with the social media companies to address the issue. Football people here in England and even in the wider society have been calling on social media companies to do far more for a sustained period of time. And the help simply hasn't come. The abuse that the players had yesterday, I would suggest, is a symptom of something much bigger in this country here in the UK. I saw Nick Robertson's report about the anti-Brexit, post-Brexit tensions. There have been tensions in this country ever since Brexit. There have been divisions in this country ever since the election of a prime minister who has used racially offensive language. We are a divided nation. Even the response to the mural that was defaced featuring Marcus Rashford kind of sums up the division in this country. Some people find it acceptable to use racially offensive language towards black men, but other people say, 'no, we're not going to accept it. We're going to push back against it. We're going to show our support and our love. We are a divided country. This is not about football.'…
Your viewers must think it's ridiculous. But it is a sad reality, because on both sides of the Atlantic, we have seen division, and we have seen that division stoked by people in leadership. That's why we are where we are, and that, unfortunately, is why so many people on both sides of the Atlantic, I would suggest, feel empowered to say the kind of thing that black -- young, black men in this country are facing right now.
ALISYN CAMEROTA: Yeah, Darren Lewis, thank you for the reporting on that. It's just sickening, and I think that obviously, it helps every time, you know, a Prince William or Prince Harry from here or some sort of big figure speaks out but it doesn't seem to be quelling the problem.
VICTOR BLACKWELL: No, no, I don't think it is quelling the problem, but I think you made a good point that we know on this side of the Atlantic exactly what that is, and Darren's point, that there's an overlap between what we're seeing in football and what we're seeing politically there and the Brexit, that there is a strain that continues from one to another, and it's so interesting how deep voices are online when you won't show your face, that they won't say that in-person.
