A global audience watched the Euros. A global audience watched England lose a penalty shoot-out in the final against Italy on Sunday evening.
Yesterday, a global audience heard or read on social media about the hideous racist comments posted online targeting the three young men who missed their penalties for England.
Three young men who helped take England into her first final of an international competition for 55 years. Part of an England team who inspired a nation worn down by the pandemic and months of restrictions.
England won matches as a team and England lost a match as a team.
Let’s be clear. The people who posted those foul and hideous comments are racists and should be called such.
They are not fans.
They don’t speak for me.
They’re not my tribe.
Certain situations can bring out the worst in us. Idiots with access to social media can cause a huge amount of damage and hurt almost instantaneously.
But the kindness is still there. Just look at Gareth comforting Buyako Saka.
We all have the potential to be just a little nicer to each other.
And that’s what I need to remember.
This West London Life 
Doesn’t it make you so cross? The things that people think they can get away with doing or saying behind the shield of social media. They are not my tribe either, I think that every one of the team should be admired for doing their absolute best. They, as a team, got England further than any other has done and should be proud to know that the majority of people in the country thank them for giving their all. Gareth has been exemplary in his guidance of these young players.
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We all know that professional footballers are hugely overpaid, but the current England squad does appear to have a collective sense of purpose in giving back and actively being role models, and we can’t put a price on either of those two things.
I love Gareth and would like to adopt him!
I don’t usually engage in politics too much here, but round of applause to Tyrone Mings (isn’t that a fab name!) this morning.
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Certainly not my tribe either! As soon as the last penalty was taken my other half said to me ” that will set the racists off”. So predictable unfortunately. I don’t believe they are true footie fans just bully boys and thugs.
I am proud off our young men, they did a grand job.
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I agree with you and the media should stop calling the racist yobs fans!
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Well said Ruth. They would have been cheered as heroes if the kicks had resulted in goals. The team stood together through all of it; role models! It was this same mob mentality that used social media to word attack a 7 year boy who in the photo showed how sad he was that his team lost … really?! I have had enough of the mob mentality! Kindness shall prevail !!
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I don’t know which incident you’re referring to, but when has it ever been acceptable to target a child?
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Lots of social media sniping at Prince George. I was glad to read that Insta & Twitter are removing accounts for those posting racist, nasty comments.
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Ah, I’ve not seen that.
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It was heart-warming to see all the positive post-its and messages of support left on Marcus’ R’s mural. We need to meet racist slurs with outpourings of kindness and care for those on the receiving end – a witness and reminder that most people want to see a better, more just world for everyone.
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I couldn’t have put it better myself.
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Thoughtful post. We can all stand to be a little nicer for sure. I am so sorry those young men had to endure such nastiness.
We are watching baseball as I type this. My husband gets so upset with the pitchers when they they don’t pitch strikes to the batters. PC often comments to the images of the pitchers on our TV that they need to throw strikes. Well, of course they do. And those pitchers want to throw strikes. But they are human and sometimes they throw a ball that is just perfectly hittable for a homerun.
Most of us are doing the best we can most of the time. And don’t need social media critiquing our efforts…and in such a foul, disgusting manner.
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I wholeheartedly agree with your last two sentences! 🙂
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