Photo/Illutration The Los Angeles Dodgers wear No. 42 uniforms in Los Angeles on April 15, 2007, to mark the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s Major League Baseball debut as the first African American to play in MLB. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

A white man and his young son are watching baseball in the stands. An African American player steps out onto the diamond, and the ballpark erupts into booing.

The man screams, “Get out, you dirty n----r.”

This vile racial epithet makes the boy frown. But after a few beats, he looks as if he’d made up his mind to join the crowd, and yells, “We don’t need you.”

The above is from a memorable scene in the 2013 American biopic “42” about Jackie Robinson (1919-1972), the first African American to play in Major League Baseball.

Many people must know from experience how readily deep-seated bigotry and hurtful slander can spread.

There is a global move to restrict children’s social media use. European countries are pushing legislation to protect young, developing minds, while the matter is under discussion in Japan.

In any case, this calls for close attention.

On social media, earnings are determined by view counts. Extreme language that grabs people’s attention is prone to distort the ideas being expressed and exchanged online, which, in turn, can harm society as a whole.

I agree that something must be done immediately to shield children from that sort of harm. But I also think that we need to get back to the basics and carefully examine our understanding of what we expect of social media and how we want to use it.

To get back to “42”: While Robinson is on first base and is being ruthlessly taunted, a white player trots over and proudly puts his arm around Robinson’s shoulders, and says to the effect, “My folks are here. I want them to know what kind of person I am.”

Seeing them smiling together, fans boo even louder than ever, and the boy looks surprised. But this time, he doesn’t join in. He lowers his eyes in shame.

This is a powerful scene that teaches, in no unclear terms, what adults should do.

—The Asahi Shimbun, Nov. 12

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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