Football player who kicked his cat

[GreenLunchBox]

DISCLAIMER
Just in case this thread pops up in “Active”. This is a contribution to the Black Mumsnetters board which was established to be a safe space for black women and allies to discuss issues of interest black women, from racism to African history, from black hair care to culture-specific issues in relationships. If you feel triggered, nothing here is an attack on you. I would hate for a thread centering black experience to be hijacked so that it ends about centering those who may have hurt feelings because this discussion may be uncomfortable for them. Thank you!

When I read the Kurt Zouma story and watched the video I was disgusted and outraged. But I feel the backlash has gone beyond any heights it would have reached if the perpetrator was not black

He's received racist abuse (of course!), sponsors have rightly dropped him, there is talk of him being prosecuted in his home country of France and his cats have been removed. He has been fined £250,000. Still people are baying for blood. A football pundit says that he will be abused everywhere he goes from now on and it's right because what he did is worse than the racist abuse black players get.

Once I heard that comment I suddenly I stopped caring about the issue of the cat. Black people are seen as worth less than cats, clearly. I'm fed up.

@Why2why

Suspended? Were there calls for him to be jailed, fined, his children taken away, ostracised from society with the media not letting up until he is brought to nought?

I’m sure Zouma would be okay if he was simply suspended for a match or more.

Did Mark Todd get his children’s to join in with the abuse? That’s the difference. Zouma's child held the cat while it was punched in the face.

Surely you can see the difference.

Now a poster is starting on the young child? Really?

That white teacher who hit her horse lot her job!

Sorry lost

@emuloc

Now a poster is starting on the young child? Really?

Starting on the child?! No! Saying that the child appears to be so imune to the abuse that is going on around him that he must be used to witnessing it. It looks like the child needs safeguarding.

* He drop kicked a cat and hit it across the face. It's a captive animal that can't escape and it wasn't the first time it happened. The woman who beat her horse lost her job. Zouma won't lose his. It's not jealousy to demand that he be held to account in some way. Its totally unacceptable behaviour and on top of that he filmed and laughed at his actions. The idea that people think black people are worth less than cats is ridiculous. But I hold that poor cat in higher esteem than him.*

^This

@emuloc

Now a poster is starting on the young child? Really?

I don’t think the poster is ‘starting on the young child’. I see the point being made that his abuse isn’t just of the animal, but of the child who has been encouraged to participate in what has obviously become normalised behaviour in the household. Not the child’s fault, of course not.

I’m fresh out of sympathy for anyone who tortures animals, no matter what their skin colour is.

Once I heard that comment I suddenly I stopped caring about the issue of the cat. Black people are seen as worth less than cats, clearly. I'm fed up

Respectfully, this is a terrible take. Racism is bad. Doesn't mean we should condone animal abuse and if we're honest, it's not taken seriously by some black people. My mum used to hit my dog, in church the pastor would always mock animal abuse if there was a case in the news. I'm glad to see animal abusers punished and you should be too.

Regardless of if you don't care about animals, this man involved a child in abuse. Animal abuse is already a precursor to abuse of human beings.

Also, people who excuse and downplay this actually drag out the debates more, because them people like me come in to argue back. Nobody is minimising the actions of Greenwood, hence there's no discussion to have.

White players need to face justice when they commit vile acts but instead of actually asking for that, you're excusing an abuser and saying you don't care about an animal being kicked about.

Ok I see.

Did Mark Todd get his children’s to join in with the abuse? That’s the difference. Zouma's child held the cat while it was punched in the face.

He did what?? I haven't even heard this story - wow. You have to wonder what the hell else is going on in that house.

Some of you are conveniently missing the point. Zouma should be punished and he has done wrong. The point is the disproportionate response to what he did compared to the response in the case of the two other white people.

Abuse of an animal is abuse of an animal regardless of who is witnessing it. For all we know there were kids around when the two white people abused the horses.

His race has everything to do with it. The disproportionate response plus the racist abuse proves this.

According to some racism is just a figment of imagination of those who are not white. Always gaslighting.

@Why2why

Some of you are conveniently missing the point. Zouma should be punished and he has done wrong. The point is the disproportionate response to what he did compared to the response in the case of the two other white people.

Abuse of an animal is abuse of an animal regardless of who is witnessing it. For all we know there were kids around when the two white people abused the horses.

His race has everything to do with it. The disproportionate response plus the racist abuse proves this.

According to some racism is just a figment of imagination of those who are not white. Always gaslighting.

You’re deliberately missing the point and minimising what he did. Have you even watched the videos to compare them?

The white woman was secretly filmed. She lost her temper and acted alone. The animal was twice her size (although no excuse). She lost her job.

Mark Todd was secretly filmed. He lost his temper and acted alone. The animal was twice his size (although no excuse). He has been suspended pending investigations.

Zouma was filmed deliberately by his laughing brother, both enjoying abusing the cat. He lost his temper, but was also laughing and enjoying what he did. The cat is tiny compared to him. He's a professional footballer and he dropped kicked the poor animal. He involved a child (when the child picked it up and brought the cat to the table, he punched the tint animal in the face out of the child's hands). The video was posted online for others to join in with the 'fun'. Zouma was not suspended. He was still being played. He was fined 2 week’s wages. He has not lost his job.

Can you really not see the differences? I despair.

No I didn’t not see the difference but I see the gaslighting. I am not minimising anything he has done. I am simply pointing out the difference in treatment by you for abusing an animal.

All this business about who was filming and whether it was secretly filmed are red herrings.

@Why2why

No I didn’t not see the difference but I see the gaslighting. I am not minimising anything he has done. I am simply pointing out the difference in treatment by you for abusing an animal.

All this business about who was filming and whether it was secretly filmed are red herrings.

No, @TooTiredForAdventure has it right. White people do it too, therefore let's minimise animal abuse. Erm, I don't think so. They can all have the same treatment. Hitting a small creature and encouraging a child is extremely disturbing.

Instead of getting others to face justice, some people would rather downplay. Maybe that's why some white people get off. Logic, come on., you're doing the exact same.

I think he should lose his job and be prosecuted, the same as the lady who hit her horse. In fact, he should be banned from league football in general, (this would be in line with the way other animal abusers in the public eye have been punished- let's face it, that teacher is never getting a job in teaching again. She's lost her livelihood permanently and will need to retrain.) I think the same should apply to him.

@ThirdElephant

I think he should lose his job and be prosecuted, the same as the lady who hit her horse. In fact, he should be banned from league football in general, (this would be in line with the way other animal abusers in the public eye have been punished- let's face it, that teacher is never getting a job in teaching again. She's lost her livelihood permanently and will need to retrain.) I think the same should apply to him.

Totally agree.