Goodes and booing

[Mug Punter]

OMG we now have the Murdoch trash giving the juvenile racist's mother a soap-box saying that Adam should be encouraged to become a better person.

It really does get more and more depressing

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OMG we now have the Murdoch trash giving the juvenile racist's mother a soap-box saying that Adam should be encouraged to become a better person.

It really does get more and more depressing

- - - Updated - - -

OMG we now have the Murdoch trash giving the juvenile racist's mother a soap-box saying that Adam should be encouraged to become a better person.

It really does get more and more depressing

[PerthSwannie]

I hope some players, indigenous or otherwise, Swans or not, will do the war dance in a show of support for Adam

Now you do realize that the original Aboriginal people never had or did a War dance. They were hunters and gatherers. Never warriors. The so-called war dance was borrowed from the Kiwis god bless-em........

[Plugger1300]

I couldn't help myself. You're right, it's extremely depressing.

I have defended him on Twitter, and called this for what it is, and will continue to do so, and have been abused for it. A close friend of mine messaged me today that she had been abused for defending him as well. To me, that's a small sacrifice to make compared to what Goodesy is going through though.

My advice, for what it's worth, to those who are doing the same is to have your counter arguments ready. Research the facts and be ready to respond to everything with fact. It doesn't mean they'll listen but it'll show them up at the very least. Jon Ralph has written an article today with Goodesy's actual free kick numbers for the season (11) and it ranks him 168th. His Australia Day speech is available (I retweeted it today) and the words are magnificent, not divisive. Most have never even heard of John Pilger, so that's one you won't hear too often. Explain the dance for what it is, and when it was done, and compare it to other cultural demonstrations. How you handle the 13yo girl stuff is the hardest, because of her age and the revisionism of what actually happened since then. Go back to what happened and how, and what was done about it.

I'm just banging on a bit here because I'm so angry and upset about this, but you get the idea I'm sure.

Couldn't agree more Doctor
Unfortunately the masses don't take well to well structured arguments.
Made me feel better though

[Untamed Snark]

I hope some players, indigenous or otherwise, Swans or not, will do the war dance in a show of support for Adam

I heard on the radio this morning that they are intending to

[southsideswan]

I have avoided this thread but feel compelled to put my 2 bobs worth in (if it is even worth that). I have studied/research aboriginal history since before 1788. I'm no expert just interested. My longest friend is aboriginal and my daughter works at the "coal face" with indigenous kids.

What Adam tried to do was make people aware of the issues. Whities are happy to say they are not racist but some get their backs up when it is raised. They prefer it is pushed under the carpet. I think other aboriginal sports people and identities now feel they should shoulder more of raisng the issues even though not in their nature. This could have a got ground swell. I hope.

[dimelb]

I have avoided this thread but feel compelled to put my 2 bobs worth in (if it is even worth that). I have studied/research aboriginal history since before 1788. I'm no expert just interested. My longest friend is aboriginal and my daughter works at the "coal face" with indigenous kids.

What Adam tried to do was make people aware of the issues. Whities are happy to say they are not racist but some get their backs up when it is raised. They prefer it is pushed under the carpet. I think other aboriginal sports people and identities now feel they should shoulder more of raisng the issues even though not in their nature. This could have a got ground swell. I hope.

I think you're right, and that one of the main reasons for the growing size of the issue is that Adam is en-couraging his people.

[Margo]

Yes lets give Jetta the biggest claps and cheers whenever he touches the ball that is one way to show Adam we are supporting him through Jetta. Very brave from Jetta.

I have been disillusioned, and very sad the past few days. I really didn't think I could go to the footy ever again. It has always been my Happy Place, but now I feel these are not my people.
Thanks for reminding me of Jetta, I will be there to encourage him this weekend. This has reminded me of the Charlotte Dawson hounding.

[swansrob]

I have been disillusioned, and very sad the past few days. I really didn't think I could go to the footy ever again. It has always been my Happy Place, but now I feel these are not my people.
Thanks for reminding me of Jetta, I will be there to encourage him this weekend. This has reminded me of the Charlotte Dawson hounding.

I've avoided using her name and example, but I've been likening this to the Charlotte Dawson situation in my own head.

[mcs]

I have been disillusioned, and very sad the past few days. I really didn't think I could go to the footy ever again. It has always been my Happy Place, but now I feel these are not my people.
Thanks for reminding me of Jetta, I will be there to encourage him this weekend. This has reminded me of the Charlotte Dawson hounding.

I am very apprehensive that Jetta may get the same treatment as goodes - it was a big call from a very shy person like Jetta to make a public stand like he did. I certainly will be showing significant support to Jetta every time he touches the ball on Saturday, though I think the real test will be away from home next week.

I completely concur about the feeling that 'these are not my people'. It makes me so sad to see so many in the AFL community against Goodes.

But I think the best course of action for us is to keep supporting our boys, and to actively seek to out these bigots, racists and whatever else.

We are never going to be able to stop the booing, no matter how hard we try, but we can do out bit at working towards weeding out those with the nasty intent (i.e. those that are truly doing it for racist purposes etc). It won't matter whether they are opposition fans, swans fans or whatever else - I'll be reporting anything I hear, and we should all do the same. Lets reclaim footy for what it is - and what the majority of us go there to do, that is support our teams and our sporting heroes.

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I've avoided using her name and example, but I've been likening this to the Charlotte Dawson situation in my own head.

I'm glad its not only me that has had a similar terrible flashback to that awful situation.... lets hope it never gets that far (but there are some out there that wouldn't be satisfied unless it did get to that).

[Dan]

We are never going to be able to stop the booing, no matter how hard we try, but we can do out bit at working towards weeding out those with the nasty intent (i.e. those that are truly doing it for racist purposes etc). It won't matter whether they are opposition fans, swans fans or whatever else - I'll be reporting anything I hear, and we should all do the same. Lets reclaim footy for what it is - and what the majority of us go there to do, that is support our teams and our sporting heroes.

Well said.

Booing shouldn't be outlawed, but bigotry and discrimination should. I boo at games and I'll continue to boo a player if he hits someone off the ball, does something illegal and against the rules, or maybe even if he is taking an important shot at goal. The difference is that I get over it and wont boo every time the player touches the ball or for every game weeks on end.

[Go Swannies]

I have been disillusioned, and very sad the past few days. I really didn't think I could go to the footy ever again. It has always been my Happy Place, but now I feel these are not my people.
Thanks for reminding me of Jetta, I will be there to encourage him this weekend. This has reminded me of the Charlotte Dawson hounding.

Margot, I know what you mean. I'm more upset than I realised. Last night I listened to "You'll Never Walk Alone" before I contacted the Swans about the suggestion it's played on Saturday and when I went to replay it to my wife I just burst into tears with the thought that one of the most wonderful players (and people) of this generation may have been hounded from the game.

So sad, so very very sad.

[O'Reilly Boy]

Margot, I know what you mean. I'm more upset than I realised. Last night I listened to "You'll Never Walk Alone" before I contacted the Swans about the suggestion it's played on Saturday and when I went to replay it to my wife I just burst into tears with the thought that one of the most wonderful players (and people) of this generation may have been hounded from the game.

So sad, so very very sad.

These comments are heartening. Thanks everyone?Margo, I really get your 'Happy Place' idea, and the imperative that we claim it back. We also need to respond without anger, but with calm and clarity, to the hate-mongering that is going on. On top of the horror of racism is the 'suck it up princess' stuff that now follows. We need people like Jeff Kennett to speak up on this, from a mental health perspective: tough people break in the face of relentless bullying, and the break is often far more catastrophic for those who have toughed it out over long periods. Racist bullying. A heady mixture.

[Ludwig]

--- But now, with a most inhuman cruelty, they who have put out the people?s eyes, reproach them of their blindness -- (John Milton, 1642)

This quote which appeared in the book 'Manufacturing Consent' has had a considerable influence on my thinking about disadvantaged people in society.

Most Australians will deny they are racist or are booing Adam Goodes because he is aboriginal, which is probably true at a certain level. What Adam has done that has set people off is to put into historical context how Aboriginal People came find themselves in the position they do. White Australia wants to believe that the problems of poor health, alcoholism and crime facing the Aboriginal community are a result of their character and has nothing to do with White Australians, who certainly shouldn't be blamed for what happened over a hundred years ago. Very few White Australians had anything to do with the tragedy of the stolen generation, so why should they be held to account for the consequences?

Most White Australians, like myself, can't find anything they did to personally to contribute to Aboriginal disadvantage. So it's easy to take the position that since we are not to blame, why should pay any price. I've lived 15 years in the U.S. and 5 in France, and in both countries white people have the same 'it's not my fault' attitude toward people of colour, although the historical circumstances differ in all 3 countries.

It is primarily White Australians who are themselves struggling to make ends meet that are most reluctant to cut Indigenous People any slack for their own circumstances. This is consistent with like demographics in the U.S. and France.

The likes of Alan Jones and Miranda Devine feed upon this demographic for their audience. They have success in their jobs because they know how to play this situation to advance their own popularity. They focus on the points that Adam Goodes is a well paid Aboriginal Australian who takes advantage of a disadvantaged girl, thus reversing the broader demographic of the respective communities as a whole.

The most confronting part of what Adam Goodes does is to suggest, by reminding us of the historical context, that White Australia, particularly those who are themselves struggling to survive in difficult times, might have to give up something to lessen the institutional disadvantage of Aboriginal People. It is much easier to boo Adam Goodes to vent one's frustrations than to go to work on Monday and tell the boss to @@@@ off.

Those who benefit from the status quo would prefer these matters never get discussed. That's why it's swept under the carpet. It takes a very special person to put his hand in the fire over and over again to bring to the fore these important issues. Adam Goodes is such a person. It would be so easy for him to take the money and run. He didn't have to go through the suffering he has endured.

I sat a long time trying to come up with another Australian that I respect more than Adam Goodes. In my mind, he is the greatest of them all.

[Velour&Ruffles]

I'm not sure how big the crossover is between RWO and The Conversation, but there's a spirited debate going on over there -

https://theconversation.com/booing-adam-goodes-racism-is-in-the-stitching-of-the-afl-45316#comment_740506

It seems the good guys are at least holding their own, probably reflecting a greater level of education than on the average News Corp comment board (or footy crowd) .

[goswannies]

I have avoided this thread but feel compelled to put my 2 bobs worth in (if it is even worth that). I have studied/research aboriginal history since before 1788. I'm no expert just interested. My longest friend is aboriginal and my daughter works at the "coal face" with indigenous kids.

What Adam tried to do was make people aware of the issues. Whities are happy to say they are not racist but some get their backs up when it is raised. They prefer it is pushed under the carpet. I think other aboriginal sports people and identities now feel they should shoulder more of raisng the issues even though not in their nature. This could have a got ground swell. I hope.

Studied aboriginal history since before 1788?! Goodness how old are you?!

More seriously though I agree with your sentiments.