Kurt Zouma / 180 hours community service + banned from keeping cats for 5 years

Just my two cents:

The over-reaction is astounding. What did he actually do? It was a bit of deft skill, breaking the cats fall and sending it across the floor with a well-timed sweep. It's not like he volleyed its head off or punched it off a wall. The cat wasn't even injured. Yes, it doesn't look good and he comes across as an idiot, but come on! Get a grip.

The 'racism' discussion that has entered the debate is a red herring. Antonio was asked a loaded question nobody else was asking or thinking, and take into account it was coming from click-bait media (Lads bible ffs). Nobody is questioning their dubious motives as that's their only purpose, to create click-bait media which they can sell adverts on top of. Everyone engaging with the racism debate is being taken for a ride.

The most disturbing aspect of this nonsense is the social approval / disapproval aspect to it (think 'cancel culture'), which is the final goal and purpose of social media, where 'good' citizens do the bidding of faceless tech billionaires busy creating a Black Mirror style dystopia for everyone.

Could be considered controversial!

User name fits.
 
Hang on I didn't even mention race, I was more leaning towards the Vegan arguments... not sure what it has to do with race either. Man abuses cat and is pulled through the coals by social media, are you surprised? I doubt it would matter whether he was white or black, remember that woman who put a cat in the bin? She got demolished.
Yes but she was only sent death threats and had people calling for the death penalty because she was black, just like Kurt Zouma. Because as I’ve learned from this thread, we care more about cats than black people. And that’s why racism is relevant and Zouma did nothing wrong! But wait, that woman was white… so I guess that means that we have to put women below cats too, regardless of race.
 
So are you telling me just because people think that race isn't involved at all in this incident, that means they are racist? That's an absolutely ridiculous take and I'm getting sick of reading that in here.

Zouma kicked a defenseless animal and is rightly being roasted for it, that's it. It has nothing to do with his skin colour.

I don't think anybody thinks race is involved in this incident (if we want to call it that), we can pretty much all agree a white person getting caught on video doing the same would be just as under pressure. I think people acting as if Antonio has zero point in what he said of the response this got compared to racism in football is where people can make the point that there's some (blissful) ignorance on a valid point he is making.

There's only so much you can say about animal abuse, so people asking to stick to the subject....what subject? You're not going to get very far in a debate on animal abuse, are you? It's wrong and don't do it, Antonio addressed that. Racism is a much more complicated subject obviously, and while people can understandably dislike addressing it, or feel like it's overly used, that notion comes from a position where you're not really affected by it beyond inconvenience that it gets into your escape of sports. However, for someone like Antonio, or any black athletes with family and relatives that deal with it on a consistent basis, you will use any opportunity you can to bring it up, and seeing the level of vitriol aimed at Zouma over animal abuse and some of the lax response racism has gotten is obviously, clearly, most definitely going to get this kind of counter-point from a black athlete if you ask them about it, fair or not (and I think it's fair). He didn't get on his soapbox to make this point, they asked him a question and he answered them with something that I thought was far more interesting than just saying how bad animal abuse is and that he condemns Zouma's actions (which he did as well).
 
Can't it just be a case of him hitting a cat, which we all think is terrible and West Ham or whoever just try to find the appropriate punishment?
 
I don't think anybody thinks race is involved in this incident (if we want to call it that), we can pretty much all agree a white person getting caught on video doing the same would be just as under pressure. I think people acting as if Antonio has zero point in what he said of the response this got compared to racism in football is where people can make the point that there's some (blissful) ignorance on a valid point he is making.

There's only so much you can say about animal abuse, so people asking to stick to the subject....what subject? You're not going to get very far in a debate on animal abuse, are you? It's wrong and don't do it, Antonio addressed that. Racism is a much more complicated subject obviously, and while people can understandably dislike addressing it, or feel like it's overly used, that notion comes from a position where you're not really affected by it beyond inconvenience that it gets into your escape of sports. However, for someone like Antonio, or any black athletes with family and relatives that deal with it on a consistent basis, you will use any opportunity you can to bring it up, and seeing the level of vitriol aimed at Zouma over animal abuse and some of the lax response racism has gotten is obviously, clearly, most definitely going to get this kind of counter-point from a black athlete if you ask them about it, fair or not (and I think it's fair). He didn't get on his soapbox to make this point, they asked him a question and he answered them with something that I thought was far more interesting than just saying how bad animal abuse is and that he condemns Zouma's actions (which he did as well).
This was a fairly rational reply except that bs you wrote in bold. What people do on this forum, actually not this forum, on most forums is that they make daft assumptions based on absolutely nothing. How do you and others know what the person behind screen has been affected by? I could go on a tirade about the racism I was subjected through when growing up like for example when my brother and I as kids were chased by neo nazis carrying knives.

But as soon as you just ask people to please not bring these topics into every thread you hear the most deluded things like for example not being able to comprehend that racism is an issue just because you don't want to see it brought up everywhere. It's a sensitive subject. And it is completely delusional to make assumptions when you've no idea whom you are talking to or what they have gone through.
 
The Police have left a ‘criminal investigation’ to the RSPCA? Right. And the RSPCA are still conducting their investigation, yet have removed the cats already?

The Police clearly don’t care, and might just about put out a couple of tweets due to pressure from the UK Twitter government.
What’s to be investigated - he grubber kicked the cat to the corner of the kitchen, black and white nothing further to look into.

The police aren’t doing anything, nor should they.

Hes been punished enough, maybe a suspension from the FA but that isn’t happening, obviously.

That’s simply not true.

The RSPCA can bring about a prosecution without the police. It would be common practice for them to be the lead agency with something like this and lack of involvement of the police is irrelevant.
 
We can say for certain if this was for example a Starbucks employe he would be fired on the spot. But once again just because it's a celebrity they get away with nothing. 2 weeks fine is piss in the river for someone that rich anyway. Multiple football players getting away with millions of dollars in tax fraud without serving a day in prison.

It's a big problem.
 
We can say for certain if this was for example a Starbucks employe he would be fired on the spot. But once again just because it's a celebrity they get away with nothing. 2 weeks fine is piss in the river for someone that rich anyway. Multiple football players getting away with millions of dollars in tax fraud without serving a day in prison.

It's a big problem.
This is actually a crazy thought. Normal people get fired for similar. I mean normal people routinely get fired for racism. It’s crazy that players only get a certain amount of matches ban. It should be grounds for dismissal and baked into any players contract - if you are found guilty for racist abuse you get your contract terminated. But I guess these players are multi-million pound assets so it serves the club better to wait it out and have them continue playing. I guess this is the weird thing with footballers and their contracts, they aren’t just employees they are assets to the brand. Most employees can be fired and replaced within a month, a footballer is fired and the team have to BUY another one whilst also losing out on any fee they could recoup.

Perhaps the best option is to suspend and then sell at the next window.
 
Calls for him to be sacked are a fecking joke.
You think so, I don't think your employer would none to happy for one of their employees to be plastered all over the news for being a lowlife animal abuser.
Seen people sacked for les, the abuse shown towards the cat is signs of a bigger problem.
The only joke here is your post.
 
This was a fairly rational reply except that bs you wrote in bold. What people do on this forum, actually not this forum, on most forums is that they make daft assumptions based on absolutely nothing. How do you and others know what the person behind screen has been affected by? I could go on a tirade about the racism I was subjected through when growing up like for example when my brother and I as kids were chased by neo nazis carrying knives.

But as soon as you just ask people to please not bring these topics into every thread you hear the most deluded things like for example not being able to comprehend that racism is an issue just because you don't want to see it brought up everywhere. It's a sensitive subject. And it is completely delusional to make assumptions when you've no idea whom you are talking to or what they have gone through.
It's not an assumption, those people absolutely exist in every community, my comment simply wasn't aimed at you. To say it's based on absolutely nothing when you can read how anytime those discussions go is...comical.
 
We can say for certain if this was for example a Starbucks employe he would be fired on the spot. But once again just because it's a celebrity they get away with nothing. 2 weeks fine is piss in the river for someone that rich anyway. Multiple football players getting away with millions of dollars in tax fraud without serving a day in prison.

It's a big problem.
That has literally nothing to do with it, he's an asset that cost them millions of pounds, and is worth millions of pounds. If Starbucks paid 25m for Tina the barista, they would not be sacking her for doing something like this.
 
Are we slowly getting round to the silly argument that if someone thinks it's ok to watch a horse race, then they have no right to be upset about a puppy being punched in the face?
Once a vegan told me if I'm not vegan I shouldn't complain about human rights issues... So yes, probably.
 
That has literally nothing to do with it, he's an asset that cost them millions of pounds, and is worth millions of pounds. If Starbucks paid 25m for Tina the barista, they would not be sacking her for doing something like this.
Not just about him. It's a broader issue. They are being treated differently because they are rich celebrities or sportsmen. It is a problem, simple as. They even get charged for serial rape and get away without serving a days imprisonment.
 
What’s to be investigated - he grubber kicked the cat to the corner of the kitchen, black and white nothing further to look into.

The police aren’t doing anything, nor should they.

Hes been punished enough
, maybe a suspension from the FA but that isn’t happening, obviously.

Would you say the same thing if he kicked his child across the kitchen like he did to the cat?

Animals are living creatures and should not be treated as a lower level than humans just because they have an inferior brain capacity. I wouldn't treat you or anyone on this site as a lower level person just because you have an inferior brain capacity to Richard Dawkins.

A persons pet should be given just as much love as a persons child.
 
Are we slowly getting round to the silly argument that if someone thinks it's ok to watch a horse race, then they have no right to be upset about a puppy being punched in the face?

Once a vegan told me if I'm not vegan I shouldn't complain about human rights issues... So yes, probably.

That's like saying we have no right to complain about any issue in the UK if we aren't actively trying to prevent famine on the other side of the world.

I find it ridiculous when people say 'you have no right to say this or that' just because there are worse issues going on.
 
This was a fairly rational reply except that bs you wrote in bold. What people do on this forum, actually not this forum, on most forums is that they make daft assumptions based on absolutely nothing. How do you and others know what the person behind screen has been affected by? I could go on a tirade about the racism I was subjected through when growing up like for example when my brother and I as kids were chased by neo nazis carrying knives.

But as soon as you just ask people to please not bring these topics into every thread you hear the most deluded things like for example not being able to comprehend that racism is an issue just because you don't want to see it brought up everywhere. It's a sensitive subject. And it is completely delusional to make assumptions when you've no idea whom you are talking to or what they have gone through.
Spot on, man.
Look at timeline of this thread. Topic is animal abuse, first big as this one on this forum for ages. First day, people who care for animals and animal abuse were on this thread wanting to talk about that social problem. Then, look at last 20 pages. Who is left on this thread and what topic is? Racism and people who want to talk about racism. Last 20 pages animal abuse topic just died.

Society today has dozen and dozen major problems (sexism, racism, powerty, hunger, child abuse, domestic abuse etc...) and you can't cover them all in every topic. That doesn't mean that you don't "care" for all of them. For everything there is place and time
 
See, that is what we’re trying to change. For me there’s no difference if you kick a child, a woman or a cat, you are a scumbag anyway.
Well there is a difference but I guess we aren't supposed to say that anymore?

Sleeping with your brother's wife isn't criminal.
Pretty fecked up though right? Giggs is such a snake.... One of my favourite players.
 
Quite abit of nonsensical strawman to unpack here. Does my post not say ‘I don’t think it’s about race’; yet asserting that for some it may or may not be seems to have drawn your ire. I’m not sure why you feel the need to tell me ‘This is Britain’ in some tub thumping manner either, I’m quite aware of where I was born & reside. Also did you not actually read my post where I say I’m an animal lover, oh no you jumped on the keyboard to Whitesplain racism to me. ‘There’s no perhaps about it’, to you. I haven’t even said it is to me but why so aggressive at the thought it may be to someone else.

Who said the forum didn’t react to Terry &/or Suarez? Not me but let’s unpack this, are you saying because the forum did this it can have no problem with race? Have you checked the Elanga thread, the multiple Rashford threads or the General Chat forum in the last year or so.

You’ve just hurled a bunch of white characters at the issue & said they get criticised so racism can’t exist. What a strange take for a non-issue.


No one has said it does lad but that sentence alone lets me know you’ve obviously got some things you could do with getting over before pounding away at your keyboard next time. I enjoy posters like yourself immensely, you’ve done exactly what the post you got upset about asserts. Dismissed race completely when it’s only mentioned, despite the post saying I don’t believe it do be the issue. Well done.

I’d suggest taking the issue up with Chris Kirkland in the future.
Jesus. It's not even worth the time to unpack all your crap. I will highlight this part about 'Whitesplaining' though. You've literally just assumed that because you disagree with me that I must be white and 'whitesplaining'. At no point have I stated my colour, you've just viewed me negatively and therefore assumed me to be white. How ironic that you've only succeeded in outing yourself as a racist.
 
You sure mate? I mean, imagine the exhaustion one must feel upon being subjected to ad nauseum discussions of racism on the internet. Like someone graciously offered earlier, one would rather be racially abused in real life...

The state of this post..

So you’d rather be racially abused than discuss racism on the internet.

sound like a typically privileged individual
 
Well there is a difference but I guess we aren't supposed to say that anymore?

It shouldn’t be a difference but I suppose you don’t have a pet. Those of us who have pets and actually treat them well, see them as a part of our family, with equal rights, love and respect as any other member. I don’t see why some people are so eager to point out that there should be a difference. What do you gain? Those who treat pets well are so much less likely to hurt humans too. Had I been a woman I would be very scared to get in a relationship with an animal abuser. It’s likely a matter of time before he abuses me too.

I really don’t get this self importance we as humans have. We are literally the worst animal to ever exist on this planet. A pet won’t care if you are black, white, yellow, ugly, poor, in a wheelchair, stupid, smart, rich, gay, whatever. Treat him well and he will love you back unconditionally, something humans very rarely do.


By the way, go on reddit and search “cat” on SuicideWatch, you’ll be amazed how many humans are kept alive by cats, or pets in general. I bet for them the zouma case isn’t an overreaction.
 
Jesus. It's not even worth the time to unpack all your crap. I will highlight this part about 'Whitesplaining' though. You've literally just assumed that because you disagree with me that I must be white and 'whitesplaining'. At no point have I stated my colour, you've just viewed me negatively and therefore assumed me to be white. How ironic that you've only succeeded in outing yourself as a racist.
Someone that feels the need to remind posters ‘This is Britain’ calling me racist, the irony.

I’ll explain whitesplaining though as you quite obviously don’t understand. You gave multiple examples of white people being criticised on this forum when nobody said white people aren’t criticised. At no point have I assumed you are anything. I could care less about your complexion, throwing around terms such as racist/racism shouldn’t be done lightly.

But yes turn tail, claim to infact be the victim & say you ‘aren’t going to unpack’ a retort to your strawman arguments. As I said, you’ve obviously got some work to do on this issue so please don’t let me distract you from self improvement.
 
Not sure that means much coming from someone attempting to deflect from animal abuse, but there we go. Tells us a lot about you.

You obviously haven’t read my posts on the issue…

Zouma’s behaviour is repulsive, cruel and I think shows him as a lowly, cretinous person - as I’ve stated repeatedly.

I also acknowledge that we live in an institutionally racist society and have a media that is systematically racist and stokes racism and division.

I’m sorry you’re ‘tired’ of hearing about racism and / or are not capable of understanding issues in a multifaceted manner, but that’s for you to think on really.
 
The fact he kicked the cat is very bad, but you can't deny that white people have shown more sympathy with an animal, more than they do for a human who is abused and whos ancestors were enslaved just because white people didn't fancy their skin colour. People are still suffering due to that. Just because you're tired of hearing it dont mean nothing.


Have to add a note: There is nothing racist about my post apart from mentioning colour.
 
You obviously haven’t read my posts on the issue…

Zouma’s behaviour is repulsive, cruel and I think shows him as a lowly, cretinous person - as I’ve stated repeatedly.

I also acknowledge that we live in an institutionally racist society and have a media that is systematically racist and stokes racism and division.

I’m sorry you’re ‘tired’ of hearing about racism and / or are not capable of understanding issues in a multifaceted manner, but that’s for you to think on really.

I'm pleased about that then. I also think racism is a very important issue - of course - but this situation is not related to that. This is purely about Zouma abusing an animal and I don't think other things should be dragged into it, especially something as volatile as racism.
 
To the vegans here take a step back, well done.

To the meat eaters here (including myself) you're the biggest bloody hypocrites on the planet. Kurt Zouma lobs his cat across the room and there is global outrage, while we all pay somebody else to mutilate, torture and cut the throat of an animal so we can have 10 minutes of pleasure eating its flesh. Because eating dogs in China is OMG soooo wrong, yet gassing and cutting the throat's of pigs is totally fine because we like our bacon sandwich in the morning.

It's fine to cut the beak off a chicken, cut the tail off a pig, mutilate these animals as long as they fit within the criteria of animals we are allowed to torture, but punt a cat and it's OMG scum of the earth. If we mistreat a horse there is outrage, if we mistreat a cow nobody gives a shit, we torture a pig nobody gives a shit, but we do the slightest harm to a cat or a dog and outrage once again.

Kurt Zouma is a bit of a scumbag, but so am I because for 30 plus years I've payed people to commit the most horrific acts of torture on living beings so I can have a maccies.
 
The fact he kicked the cat is very bad, but you can't deny that white people have shown more sympathy with an animal, more than they do for a human who is abused and whos ancestors were enslaved just because white people didn't fancy their skin colour. People are still suffering due to that. Just because you're tired of hearing it dont mean nothing.


Have to add a note: There is nothing racist about my post apart from mentioning colour.
Why is it important for some of you to mention colour all the time? It just gets wierd putting blame on white population for something that has nothing to do with issue about player. People regardless of colour, religion and whatever it can be have shown ugly side of humans through history.

This is about animal abuse.
 
There's no perhaps about it, it's absolutely not because he's black and the suggestion is ridiculous. Also, funny to say "It truly is discouraging as a PoC what seems to draw moderation on this forum." as if the forum wasn't in meltdown over the Suarez & John Terry racist incidents. Seriously, get over the fact that not everything needs to have a racial connection. A white woman was literally fired from her job because footage showed her striking a horse recently. What about Mary Bale? Middle aged white women filmed putting a cat in a wheelie bin & there was a lynch mob for her that destroyed her life. There's nothing to even remotely suggest race has played a part in the reaction except for muppets trying to claim it has or may have. The reaction is because this is Britain & the general public find abuse of pets utterly abhorrent.
Well said.