Mario Balotelli [On the Road to Ballon d'or)

[Kenneth]

Right, he can stop that as well then, unless it's on the pitch.

[EwarWoo]

Just like any Utd or Everton players are entitled to laugh when we're losing to Villa at home or whatever.

And people on here would be lining up to call them cunts.

Not that I'm saying he is, that's a massive over reaction, but it's unprofessional.

[Chris]

And people on here would be lining up to call them cunts.

And theres nothing wrong with that, you give a bit out you expect some back, just not racist stuff! This was the first time since football began in 1992 that they had a 2 goal lead and lost, it's funny and he's entitled to have a laugh about it, especially as he no doubt gets abused on there daily from Manc rats anyway.

[Assassin]

Right, he can stop that as well then, unless it's on the pitch.

You're a bundle of fun today Kennel

[Pablo]

The abuse is completely out of order but this is Twitter we're talking about.

My personal opinion is that if you can't laugh it off or see the responses for what they are (ie low grade scum that are not worth the keyboard they typed on) then you shouldn't be on there.

I don't think you just laugh off being called a monkey as a black man. What's funny about that? It's not banter, it's not craic, it's just racism plain and simple and completely uncalled for.

[Maxiedge]

Reading the article in the Guardian about Balotelli and his upbringing, he may struggle to 'laugh it off' and nor should he. Equally, I don't think he should avoid a platform for him to relate to everyday fans just because he can't 'see through' racial abuse. He's laughed at a score line that everybody other than Manchester United fans laughed at, there is no way he should laugh off what he has being subjected to for 24 years.

I still stand by my statement. Everybody knows what goes on/what to expect on that platform. It's a platform for some seriously angry people with issues.

He has some responsibility as a footballer and is not always entitled to some of the small luxuries that we have (like being able to make a post like that) but that's reflected in his pay packet.

As I said before, if he wants to post like that on Twitter, then he has to be above the responses as we all know what that entails. If he wants to have a laugh, he should just send a text to his mates, like I did, or come on here


Edit: just regarding my 'laugh it off' comment, I was talking about Twitter in general and how I see the call and response functionality of it.

[danperkins]

Why was it opening himself up to abuse? It was a couple of words joking about another football team.

Why should he have to think twice about what he writes for fear of racial abuse?

Hes not made any headlines either, the morons who replied did.

Because people can be ******s & on an open platform like that.. people can be ******s publicly.

I'm not saying it's his fault that people have racially abused him, but on an open platform like twitter it gives people, all ages and sorts the opportunity to have a pop. And when you take the piss publicly.. there was always going to be a reaction... hence why I said he's penning himself up for a backlash. And unfortunately it was a racial backlash.

[danperkins]

I still stand by my statement. Everybody knows what goes on/what to expect on that platform. It's a platform for some seriously angry people with issues.

He has some responsibility as a footballer and is not always entitled to some of the small luxuries that we have (like being able to make a post like that) but that's reflected in his pay packet.

As I said before, if he wants to post like that on Twitter, then he has to be above the responses as we all know what that entails. If he wants to have a laugh, he should just send a text to his mates, like I did, or come on here


Edit: just regarding my 'laugh it off' comment, I was talking about Twitter in general and how I see the call and response functionality of it.

[RichC]

Because people can be ******s & on an open platform like that.. people can be ******s publicly.

I'm not saying it's his fault that people have racially abused him, but on an open platform like twitter it gives people, all ages and sorts the opportunity to have a pop. And when you take the piss publicly.. there was always going to be a reaction... hence why I said he's penning himself up for a backlash. And unfortunately it was a racial backlash.

So cutting to the chase because of who he is he shouldn't use social media at all?

Regardless of who he is nobody should have to deal with abuse like that.

Social media does leave the doors open for morons to write **** like that but making excuses as to why they might have done it is not much better (not aimed at you).

[dom9]

So cutting to the chase because of who he is he shouldn't use social media at all?

Regardless of who he is nobody should have to deal with abuse like that.

Social media does leave the doors open for morons to write **** like that but making excuses as to why they might have done it is not much better (not aimed at you).

To suggest anything is

[Kenneth]

That's a pretty sweeping statement Dom.

[dom9]

That's a pretty sweeping statement Dom.

I guess I have have left myself open to that one. I should have maybe kept my thoughts to myself?

There was a time not too many years ago, when if a woman was wolf whistled at, leered at, groped or worse, the excuse similar to "well if she's going to go round dressed like that, what does she expect?" was often heard. I even recall reading an article in my teens where a judge in a rape case said something similar.

Clearly it is unacceptable for anybody to use that kind of reasoning in 2014. So why should Balotelli only have himself to blame for getting (in this case racially) abused on the internet, just because he posted something on the internet?

You're blaming the wrong member of society if that's what you think.

[danperkins]

So cutting to the chase because of who he is he shouldn't use social media at all?

Regardless of who he is nobody should have to deal with abuse like that.

Social media does leave the doors open for morons to write **** like that but making excuses as to why they might have done it is not much better (not aimed at you).

You said it not me. I said if you take the piss on an open platform there is bound to be a reaction.

An famous person is more of a target because there is more of a spotlight on them. The internet is full of vile creatures & unfortunately 78% are Manchester United supporters

[Mattshark]

I guess I have have left myself open to that one. I should have maybe kept my thoughts to myself?

There was a time not too many years ago, when if a woman was wolf whistled at, leered at, groped or worse, the excuse similar to "well if she's going to go round dressed like that, what does she expect?" was often heard. I even recall reading an article in my teens where a judge in a rape case said something similar.

Clearly it is unacceptable for anybody to use that kind of reasoning in 2014. So why should Balotelli only have himself to blame for getting (in this case racially) abused on the internet, just because he posted something on the internet?

You're blaming the wrong member of society if that's what you think.

[dom9]

You said it not me. I said if you take the piss on an open platform there is bound to be a reaction.

An famous person is more of a target because there is more of a spotlight on them. The internet is full of vile creatures & unfortunately 78% are Manchester United supporters

He wasn't being anywhere near offensive. I can see why it might not go down well with certain people, and that's fair enough. It was a gentle ribbing. Should that have stopped him? Certainly not, in my opinion.

It was far less controversial than say Babel posting a picture of Howard Webb in a manc kit, for example, for which he was punished.

It seems to me that you are defending the indefensible because these things are "bound to" happen.

So the only way for them not to happen, is for the victim to not go on Twitter in the first place? OK...