Stab Magazine, the Australian surf publication who has built a rather large readership over the years due to their immensely popular website, usually hits the mark with their witty commentary on professional surfing and the surf industry. However, their recent story on Jamaican pro surfer Icah Wilmot may have crossed the line of racism.

The story, titled “Super breed descends” is clearly an attempt at humor, designed to warn Caucasian surfers, in satirical fashion, that their reign as the Kings of Surfing is coming quickly to an end. The writer, Jed Smith, refers to Wilmot as a “Negro” among many racist remarks scattered within the three paragraphs, and Stab Magazine's commentary leading into the story on their front page states, "The Negro super breed that’s throttled every sport in the lower socioeconomic bracket with their cantaloupe sized palms, has developed an appetite for surfing." Jed Smith and Stab Magazine clearly lack an understanding in subtlety.

Here is the article verbatim:

Icah Wilmot is bad news for the white devil. Last week this multi-talented Negro became the first Jamiacan winner of the Pan American championships, held in Cuba, signalling, amongst other things, an uncertain future for the Aryan domination of surfing.

Kelly, Dane and Andy are very aware of the racial homogenisation that has occurred in every athletic pursuit the genetically superior black man has turned his canetloupe-sized palm to. But it gets worse. Icah not only surfs very well (a four-time National Junior Champ and five time National Open Champ, no less), Icah’s family are not only Jamaican surfing royalty, Icah is not only an accredited ISA judge, surf instructor and holder of a bachelor degree in Information Technology (majoring in enterprise computing), Icah is in a band.

They are called “From the Deep” and not only is he in them, he plays bass. He stands to the side and t’umps out riffs no one hears though everyone needs. The same ones that make petite white women to go wide-eyed and silent as they watch. He is a rare combination of the genetic pooling that’s doomed basketball, seen our first Negro president and brought Lou Suluola Samuel into the world (the daughter of Seal and Heidi Klum).

Did Jed Smith and Stab Magazine cross the line of racism? Or is condemning this attempt at humor too conservative and politically correct of an approach? More than likely, it’s a combination of the two. It clearly sends a very poor racial message in a time when race relations across the globe remain tense and prejudice abounds. Stab Magazine shouldn’t condone the publication of racist articles. They have proven that it’s unnecessary given their great surf commentary, insights and coverage in the past, and their credibility could suffer drastically if they continue to send out an ignorant message.

Update: Stab Magazine has removed the story from their website.

"Icah Wilmot, a possible vanquisher of surfing's white supremacy." - words and image courtesy of Stab Magazine.