The 2011 first year player draft has just concluded, and it appears as if the Washington Nationals may have drafted a bigot with their 15th round pick.
Zachary Houchins, an infielder from Louisburg College in North Carolina has a problem. He just can't seem to avoid expressing his thoughts on Twitter.
For most people that's not really a problem, but for Houchins who goes by @zachhouchins, saying what's on his mind is a big problem.
What exactly is young Mr. Houchins saying that is so damning? Well, don't take my word for it... read Zach's tweets and judge for yourself.
Here's just a sampling of Houchins tweets...
Endearing, isn't he?
How quaint, bigotry and cheating in the same tweet!
Ok, then.
I don't know Zach, I just don't know.
That sounds really unsanitary.
Too late.
Oh, don't worry. He'll be put properly in his place once he meets Mr. Harper. Somehow I feel our kissy-face bad boy won't find room on his (farm) team for this insolence - if the brat makes it that long.
ReplyDeletehow the heck in this day and age the Nats don't check facebook and twitter for stupidity is stupidity. Employers do it all the time. This is recruiting 101.
ReplyDeleteI thought we were done with trashy players.
ReplyDeleteIf these tweets are proven to be his, I would guess that the Nats are going to let him go to East Carolina. Bit of egg for the front office, though.
ReplyDeleteFrom when I grew up in the 70's that was big time racist. Now, if you grew up in a predominantly black area, the whites and blacks talk that slang. Just seems ignorant no matter what race you are to write that but don't brand him a racist until you see what he says. Innocence until proven guilty.
ReplyDeleteguilty before innocence in the public, he's not in court, save it. he's guilty, he needs to prove why he's innocent now
ReplyDeleteI don't even understand what he's saying. I must be getting old.
ReplyDeleteChecking his Twitter profile and apparently, the tweets are not loading on there. Hmmm, could be that Twitter's having a bit of hiccup loading them but methinks that someone conveniently wiped them clean. Speculating, of course.
ReplyDeleteHe deleted his account after I posted the blog.
ReplyDeletehe is an 18 yr old kid, if you had ever payed on a team with white and black teammates instead of sitting on the couch you would know they all call each other the n word, hell we did when I played back in 1976
ReplyDeleteCut him/refuse to sign him.. no excuse for this, NONE, no matter what neighborhood he grew up in, what team he played on as a kid, nothing; this is offensive, racist, redneck drivel and the Nationals need no part of it... dump him now.. let Philly draft him next year....
ReplyDeleteThat's why taking screencaps is always smart, David.
ReplyDeleteAnd Anonymous (1:26 pm edition), back when I was in high school and mastodons roamed the earth (circa early 90s), I asked some football teammates why they used the derogatory terms self-referentially and they were candid in their responses. When I suggested that my impression was they wouldn't be cool if I used the same words, even if I was playing around, they affirmed that's right.
You make your choices, but in some cases, like this one, there be consequences
i'm the same age as this kid. & black, and while i'm not easily offended as i would be a few years ago, it just makes me look at humanity with more and more disdain. i dont use the word. i dont think its appropriate regardless of the spelling, pronunciation, or whatever else. too much negative history behind the word. plus he's a fool for putting this on the World Wide Web.
ReplyDeleteWell said, George.
ReplyDeleteWe keep lowering the bar in society. It starts at home; if not there, then at church; if not there, then at school; then with friends; then with "friends."
Anyone can spit. The one who shows restraint has a better chance to impact others in life.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/nationals-journal/post/zach-houchins-says-he-is-not-a-racist-nervous-about-future-with-the-nationals/2011/06/10/AGdkNyOH_blog.html?wprss=nationals-journal
ReplyDeleteHad the actual whiff of credibility...
As an "old head" black guy, I find the word reprehensible, at best. I find it deplorable that black youth today are so comfortable slinging it around in their vernacular. That said, this kid is simply a product of his environment. I'd guarantee you if you were to check out his music collection, it's filled with today's rap/hip-hop where the word is used frequently and freely. From what I've ascertained, it's how they refer to just about ANY male, regardless of race. Offensive, yes. But, it's the world we live it. It doesn't affect the way he plays shortstop, I assure you.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, ok everybody stop freaking out. This kid is not a bigot. He lives in a place where I am sure that terminology is used quite often by black people, and is surrounded by people (more than likely his own friends) who refer to themselves and peers often with like language. Have you been on a metro bus or the subway in D.C.? "Nigga" is a word that I hear often coming from the mouths of other black people in this city often. I really feel that there is a double standard here as we don't punish socially influential black people for using the exact same language. Bad should be bad across the board. In this case, I don't feel that there has been any wrongdoing on behalf of this kid. Media organizations spinning these tweets into something so malicious because it makes for a great story is another thing all together. Now when he comes into my office, leans over to a client while waiting to be helped and says "this nigger has had me waiting for so long" as I once overheard in this city, then I will lodge a complaint. Until then, he reads like someone who has many black friends.
ReplyDeleteWell put, Oz.
ReplyDeleteRacist? No. Offensive? Highly. He never said he felt white people were superior which is what racist means. People need to chill out don't let something said by someone you never have and never will meet get your panties in a bunch. You don't have to root for him but don't let it ruin your day. Roll up a j and relax people.
ReplyDeleteSeriously just because you hear the "N" word being said by blacks on the Metro or Subway doesn't make it right.That's just means there also ignorant to the fact.
ReplyDelete“If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, looks like a duck, it must be a duck”
Gimme a break. I don't know Zach from Adam, but I don't see a bigot from those twitter posts. I see a kid that needs to do some growing up.
ReplyDeleteOz, you're a fool
ReplyDeleteDitto!
DeleteI hear this kind of trash talk all the time from kids his age, black and white. Where do all you people live that kids don't talk like this? I would be more surprised if he was NOT offensive.
ReplyDeleteThis apparently kid ( 18) is and will always be a hater, at this age what he's expressing is what he knows a bigot aka skin head. What he really don't know is The Washington Nationals preside in Chocolate City aka DC. Us N's as he call it will come to see him play ( if he does) just to remind him that time has truely changed and our presence ( blacks ) alone will destroy any chance he thought he had or could have had with The Washington National's. Chocolate City all the way.
ReplyDeleteI have three sons in this age group none of which are racists. They went to a high school that is about 50% black...they have many black friends - we had one of their friends who was black live with us for two years until he graduated from high school because he had no place to go. We came to love him like a son. Here's the thing: my kids were taught that the "n" word is offensive and unacceptable and would never use it in any derogatory manner. Did they ever use it when talking to their friends? Probably. They listened to rap music and hung around friends every day that used that term....all the time. And yet, they aren't supposed to use the same slang - meant the same way - as their friends and the rappers just because they are white? As an adult, I can say I don't feel any urge or want to use that term any context...but these are teenagers - trying to conform and fit in... And I can also say that their black friends didn't take offense to their white friends using their slang...or trying to copy their style in any other way for that matter. I'm not defending anyone who uses this term...just saying that you cannot determine that this teenager is a racist or a hater based on language that he is surrounded by and his feeling that he can use it, too. I imagine that this kid probably felt free to use the term because he is NOT a racist and has so many black friends and black celebrities that he idolizes that he felt he could talk the way they talk without it being offensive. He'd probably be less likely to openly use it if he WERE a racist. If you don't have teenagers, either your own or close to you, you can't possibly know how things have changed.
ReplyDeleteYou might lovingly call your wife digbat or call your husband goober, but that doesn't entitle others to address them using those terms. Yes black people have used the N word for centuries, but in whatever context it's offensive. Any respectful person would teach their children not to use it or any other racial slurs. This dude should also realize the impact of the written word. It lives on forever in one form or another and shapes how others perceive you. I'm sure he gets it now.
ReplyDeleteLet's not kid our selves if this would have been a 1st round pick the noise coming from the Nats would be different, only people who have spent time with this kid knows if he is a true racist, my initial feeling is in today's teenage society unfortunately this is accepted, doesn't make it right. However it is accepted.
ReplyDeleteI have 3 half black sons: college graduate, in college, and college bound. We live in the suburbs. My sons have black friends and white friends. I work at a university with thousands of young men. I know this generation well. You can't label him a racist without more information.
ReplyDeleteHis boys should stand up for him, if he is not a racist. If they don't, shame on them. I lean towards innocent. They all just talk that way.
Africa for the Africans,Asia for the Asians,white countries for EVERYBODY!
ReplyDelete"Racist" is just a word used by anti-whites to bully white people into accepting their own genocide.
As for "racial hatred",can anyone explain how "anti-racists" who all WANT to see white children demographically eliminated(GENOCIDE) are not being "racially hateful" towards white children?
Anti-racist is a code word for anti-white.
Damn right, anti-racist is a code word for anti-white.
ReplyDeleteI will take up for Zach, he is one of the most respectful young adults on and off the field that I have ever coached. He is a 15th round draft pick for a few different reasons. His tools, character/makeup, and signability made him a commodity to the Nationals organization. The Nationals along with other various organizations that scouted his on the field ability as well as character off the field chose to pick him because they felt good about all of these areas with Zach. Yes, he was being immature in the few comments that he posted on his Twitter account. I have spent an entire year recruiting Zach out of high school and have spent a year in the dugout with him. I will go to bat for this young man because I have seen his true character come out in situations of success and adversity. He is truly a leader through his actions, words and the way he carries himself on and off the field. I also have a deep personal relationship with both of his parents and he is a direct reflection of good old fashioned parenting. They taught him to respect his elders, look at you in the eye, and help out whoever needs helping out. I have seen all of these in action.
ReplyDeleteZach made some mistakes that he should be held accountable for if the Nationals organization has policies regarding this type of behavior, but Zach has good intentions at heart and is a future big leaguer because of his physical tools and his makeup - which the Nationals organization spent an entire year scouting. They made the correct decision to draft Zach where he was drafted and I hope they develop his talents in their organization for many years to come.
Blake Herring - former assistant baseball coach
Louisburg College
I live in the same town as this kid, and i have grown up with him all my life. Him and i are very good friends, and he is no bigot.The words he used are used by every teenager here.Its just a natural way of speaking. We live down south and its how EVERYONE talks. So judge him how you will, but i know him personally and i know the enviroment we live in. Who are yall to judge, yall probably do the same thing.... I know what he said he needs to apologie for, i understand that, but there is just no need to be so aggressive towards the kid! He really is a good kid.
ReplyDeleteReally? This is how we determine if someone is a racist? The random Tweets of an 18 year-old?
ReplyDeleteHow about asking his roommate - who apparently is black? I think he would know.
I can only imagine if some of the stupid shit I said when I was 18 was able to be broadcast to the world... but, I grew up. And so will he.
Who has the right to call the kid a racist when, I'm sure none of you know him. But I know him on a personal level, I live in the same county and went to the same high school, and we all talk that way. All i can say on the situation is a persons future should not be ruined because a writer perceives the way he talks as racist.
ReplyDeleteHonestly? Are you people seriously that simple minded? Of all the issues in this world to be concerned about, this 18-year-old is what you choose to be pissed about? Why don't you take your own advice and think before you speak? People honestly do not care about racism anymore. It's the older generation that keeps it stirred up. People don't care. Kids just want to get along & they want the older generation to stop pushing their views on them. So why don't you just shut up & find something constructive to do with your time? I have an idea...cease passing judgement. Nobody cares!
ReplyDeleteThis kid is a fine human being & someone I would be proud to have play for the Nats. Yes, he said some things that are immature. He could have lied about the tweets, but he did something more honorable....he was honest, took responsibility, & made heartfelt apologies. How rare is that? We don't have celebrity adults who do that! None of us were left with the right to label anyone. Besides, who really cares besides the older generation? This young generation doesn't even know why they are supposed to hate/like the other race. They just want to live life together & build friendships. They just don't care about the hatred being passed down anymore. So stop pushing your views on them & let them form their own.
ReplyDeleteWhat I'm hearing his coaches, teammates and friends is exactly the problem. You are putting a band aid on this situation. Unless he's going to live the rest of his life in the town he's from he needs to learn how not to put such things on his twitter account. Yeah we don't have all of the facts. But what are we to go on. And trust me if he put this on his twitter account I'll hate to see what he would do otherwise.
ReplyDeleteIf you really consider these comments racist then you have obviously never listened to black people talk to each other. Yes, the 'n' word used to be a racial slur, but in this day and age they call each other that because they're friends. There's a difference when you put an 'er' on the end that makes it offensive. I don't think Houchins meant anything disrespectful by his tweets and at 18 years old, if this is the worst thing he has done then the Nats have nothing to worry about. Get a life and get with the times. The boy is a fine baseball player.
ReplyDeleteAnyone and everyone that says the BOY should be dropped by the comments made on his twitter account are ignorant and out of touch with the real world. He's a kid, he's just been drafted and YES he should watch what he says, especially things that are public...but this shouldn't be a deal breaker. He has explained himself, apologized and been made aware that he is to be held responsible for everything he says, and though I personally do not find the remarks he made offensive, if he deletes them, sincerely apologizes for anyone he may have offended and continues to censor his language to be "publicly acceptable" this small error should be overlooked. He obviously wasn't making "racial slurs" that's slang that is used by young whites AND blacks.
ReplyDeletei stopped reading this after like the 10th comment. you guys are hilarious. the kid isnt racist. thats just how he "talks" on the internet. its basically all sarcasm and i know this because i am similar. its hard to tell the tone of voice by text, give the kid a break. the nigga aint racist.
ReplyDeletei went to high school with the guy..i'm black and i know he's not racist..get over yourselves
ReplyDeleteLEAVE HIM ALONE!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeletehes not racist. i dont understand why yall have to embarress him like this... makes me so mad.
what would God do?!!! Forgive and forget.
I personally kno zach, have been friends with him since I was about five Nd I am an African American. Before I say what I have to say, zach Nd his tweets are out of line no doubt Nd I in no way condone war he has said bt the kid is not racist, immature yea bt def nt racist, he has done alot for me in the past from taking me home to picking me up for school I have played soccer with him Nd if sumthin went down he wud b one of the first ones to have my back, once again zach brought them on his self but to Judge this kid off of some random person blog is not right. As Harry said, he is a great kid.
ReplyDeleteI just love reading all the "I'm not a racist" BS on here. Everything's fine till your white daughter/sister brings home "Dre" or "Antwane" with his dreds and his pants down around his ankles.
ReplyDeleteEveyone is so politcally correct on the outside of the closet, but these days it'll cost you a job, a contract, or a scholarship if you aren't down with the brown. Go ahead, put on your show. I know the truth.
I am an actual racist. Here is what my twitter account looks like.
ReplyDeleteHere we go, let's over-sensationalize when whites say stupid things but look the other way when you see whites being the victims of racism (flash mobs, polar bear hunting, beat whitey day)
ReplyDeleteF you mainstream media. You keep proving why you're obsolete.
you all is some uptight niggas
ReplyDeleteFor those who say he's racist, you are narrow minded! Not saying he's write, but when he says "time to shit on niggas" that is slang for hitting tje baseball all over the diamond. People have been saying it for awhile. If you are not a college aged baseball guy, then you don't know the ternanology. Am I saying this is right, NO! However I feel thos is more about someobe creating a story, or someone jealous that they not a young ballplayer getting a 250k bonus. Get off your soap box. Journalism isnt about copying threads and looking up twitter/facebook and copying onto a blog. Anyone can blog, hell my ass can blog about my daily poops if it wants to.
ReplyDeleteMan that is racist and offensive. Ty Cobb Jr. needs a slap..
ReplyDeleteNigga please! Bloggers are fags, turnedbfag because they cannot get laid bu chicks! Twitter deez nuts!
ReplyDeletehe sounds like the average immature college student on twitter. he shouldn't be saying nigga tho when he's trying to get signed by a professional baseball team
ReplyDeleteand saying nigga doesn't make you racist. it's just word that doesn't hold the same meaning as literally everyone who says it. some idiot college kid saying it isn't the same as a southerner from 1950 calling a black person that.
ReplyDeleteSo for anyone saying this kid is a racist (maybe, maybe not, but he has had a black roommate for four years, or so he says) and don't sign him, would you sign a black player who uses the N word on a regular basis? It shouldn't be all right for one and not the other. Offensive is offensive. I don't care if they call their boyz "nigga," if you're going to deny this kid his chance at pro ball because he chooses to speak like an uneducated hood, then you need to deny the opportunity to black players as well. Otherwise, reverse racism is alive and well, as evidenced by several ignorant comments here expressibe their "outrage."
ReplyDeleteFrankly, young Zachary needs to refocus his racism away from the blacks on concentrate on the real menace: International Jewry.
ReplyDeletelol you think this is racist.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait until America fills up with steezer gangs and you see what real racism is like (hopefully the gangs kill you too, faggot blogger)
jesus christ you are a huge, rectally bleeding faggot...your ass is what they call a "sucking wound" in the medical biz
ReplyDeletekill your friends, kill your family, kill yourself...I will not rest until I bullycide you, you fucking gay homo
It's hard out there for a wigger.
ReplyDeleteHere we see that probably the worst thing you can be in today's society is a racist. How many draft picks in baseball and (especially) football have criminal records yet are still allowed to play? Michael Vick is welcomed back with open arms but this kid can't play for pretty innocuous comments?
ReplyDeleteI think Oz (anonymous June 10, 2011 1:26 PM as well, for that matter) has a dusty white hood and robe somewhere in his closet...How many times can you write the N-word in one post?!!!
ReplyDeleteKids (black, white, hispanic, etc.) today throw around the word "nigga" practically as a term of endearment. In the world of teenagers, they don't see it as racist. Kids say stupid things that the real world objects to. He may be ignorant, naive, clueless, but I don't think he's racist.
ReplyDelete