[chuck]

I think the difference between the frenchman 'spoof' (for lack of a better term) and the slanty eyes act - is subtle and blatant.

The French one is showing things that are iconically French - whilst the Chinese gesture is aimed at specifically ethnically physical features. It's not mocking ironically - it's targetting and pointing out specific elements of a people group.

Does that makes sense - I don't mean to sound like a wanky sociologist - but I think the Chinese one is very different. It's subtly different, but if you make a gesture like that you are not laughing 'with' the Chinese or other Asian cultures - you're laughing 'at' them.

In the same vein - you wouldn't say the elements of Spanish football crowds that make monkey noises at black-skinned players are being mockingly ironic or amusingly shallow.

To my mind anyway.

I think the mitigating circumstances - as pointed out by Ian and Rog above, show a very bizarre lack of understanding/empathy about the world in general. I don't think these actions represent every Spaniard - but I find it interesting that instead of refuting or even claiming responsibility - the powers that be in this case seem mainly to be attacking the critics.

It's not like Pau Gasol is going to be making slanty eye gestures in the next game he plays against Yao Ming is he? You know - in the warm up shoot around.