How fitting it is that I write this article on a free speech decentralised blockchain such as Scorum where no doubt in the future such a claim will also be tested when a Scorum writer creates an opinion piece that someone complains about and creates a media storm over it. I do wonder how will Scorum handle such a storm at that time? Will they side with the idea of free speech and the concept of a 'decentralised' blockchain and blogging platform or will they bow to pressure from media outlets with no really regard to what free speech provides the individual with - the fundamental right of free expression to prevent repression from large organisations and governments.
Scorum's mechanics and their ability to remove such content is beyond my current comprehension of how the blogging platform works. Perhaps someone can comment below on whether the company can actually remove posts from the blockchain or not?
Decentralised blockchains for me are a power for good, fundamentally Scorum should be a platform for free speech sports writing not just sports writing. People should be free to express their views without fear of threats to their family and friends such as the cartoonist Mark Knight had to endure due to his cartoon exposing Serena Williams classless behaviour at the US Open earlier this month.
Just to remind those that may have missed it, Williams decided to twist a perfectly legitimate warning issued by the umpire in the final of the US Open into a case about sexism on court. She was rightfully issued a warning for receiving coaching from her coach Patrick Mouratoglou during the match which is not allowed. Mouratoglou openly admitted to doing so after the match and Williams could be seen watching her coach at the time.
She then broke her racket on court resulting in a point deduction. She then accused the umpire of being a thief and that he stolen a point from her claiming she didn't get coaching. Calling the umpire a thief lead to a game penalty for Williams.
Williams would not let it go and persisted in arguing with not only the umpire but the tournament organisers.
This Video Perfectly Sums Up the Events
After the events a popular cartoonist in Australia working for the Herald Sun decided to draw a caricature of Serena Williams appalling on court behaviour. I thought Mark Knight captured the moment well depicting Williams having a temper tantrum like a child on court with the umpire in the background saying to Osaka 'Can You Just Let Her Win'.
This sparked a social media and mainstream media outrage where many accused the cartoonist of being sexist and racist. Others on social media sent death threats to Mark Knight's Wife and Daughter. This forced him to close down his twitter account.
The second cartoon above is a reaction to the social media mob including some celebrities who obviously jumped on the accusing bandwagon.
Mark Knight Defends Drawing in Interview
Later the Herald Sun wrote piece defending their cartoonist. It's nice to know some media outlets still have a backbone and don't kowtow to the social justice mob.
The 7 News media outlet conducted their own poll into the cartoon whereby a whopping 86% of people thought the cartoon was not racist flying in the face of his accusers including the main stream media.
Mainstream Media Exercise Swift Judgement with No Real Objectivity
Here's a bunch of main stream media articles all calling the cartoonist a racist without one of them even asking Mark Knight about his motivations behind the cartoon - they don't want to because it wouldn't suit their ulterior race baiting motive.
No Outcry for the Kygrios Caricature Just Three Days Prior
Ironically just three days earlier Mark Knight had drawn a cartoon of Nick Kygrios being lead off court by his ear like a naughty little school boy for his many temper tantrums on court. There was no outcry towards the Nick Kygrios caricature, Why? Simple answer, Kygrios is a male and he's not an African American or for those hyper sensitive race bating news outlets out there, his skin isn't dark enough for him to qualify as a perfect symbol of how to accuse the tennis scene and potentially a wider community of being racist such as Australian cartoonists or Australians in general.
News Outlets Jump on Mark Knight Cartoon Criticism to Peddle Accusation that the Whole of Australia is Racist
Not content with labelling Mark Knight as a racist and fuelling the social media mob further certain news outlets stooped to a new low by using the drawing as a cheap opportunity to accuse Australia as a country of being racist. Racism occurs the world over everyday, to what degree has never been truly recorded, it would be impossible to do so but there isn't one country that doesn't have any racist people in it, to imply a whole country's traditions and history is lined with racism is the height of ignorance. Individuals are racist not countries.
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/09/11/opinions/serena-williams-cartoon-australia-barry/index.html
This one is my favourite from the New York Times entitled - Serena Williams Cartoon ‘Not About Race,’ Artist Says. Experts Strongly Disagree. Here we have a media outlet claiming there are actually experts on the matter of judging who is a racist and who is not. They are basically saying that a group of experts over rule the opinion of an individual artist whose work is in question.
Objectivity out the Window!
Objectivity is going out of the window here as the politically correct world we increasingly live in is spilling over into Sports. The objective view here is that there is no evidence of Mark Knight being racist here. He has not said or written anything to indicate so, he has maintained the same style of drawing on Serena Williams that he has done so for many white people and people of other backgrounds and colours. But above all he has treated everyone he has drawn as an individual with their actions at the time dictating how he has drawn them not their background whether that be race, sex or any other identifying characteristic.
Real Facts Are Inconvenient for Mainstream Media
Mark Knight's Own Words...
"Three days before I had drawn a cartoon about Nick Kyrgios being led off by the ears, like you used to do with your children. The cartoon about Serena is about her poor behaviour on the day, not about race."
It's important to note that apart from the Herald Sun who Mark Knight works for there was not one big news outlet who wrote an opinion piece defending Mark Knight except the Spectator.
Drawing a Larger Conclusion from this Story
Topics like this that get whipped up into a frenzy resulting in death threats to someone's family demonstrate how important it is to have decentralisation of news and articles over the internet in the future to prevent censorship and a social media mob silencing different opinions on any matter whether that be sport or general news and to allow others an opinion in the defense of people, not just in an attack on them.
It is clear to see that the new social justice order is leaking into sports on an increasingly frequent basis, we only have to look at the 'Take a Knee' movement in American Football to see the perfect representation of this.
Having platforms like Scorum exist which are invulnerable to censorship are absolutely imperative to the future of the world and it's freedom of expression. Please share your opinion below on whether you feel Mark Knight has been treated fairly or unfairly for his cartoon drawing of Serena Williams and on the matter of Scorum remaining decentralized and censorship free...
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