Booing of Adam Goodes by fans of Melbourne clubs

[DLBIA14]

The annoying thing about this debate is that people say 'well, no one's booing Jetta/Burgoyne/Rioli/Franklin/any other indigenous player, and thus how can the Adam Goodes booing be racist?' Just because you don't hate a race doesn't mean you can't be racist. Not every sexist out there in the world is a misogynist. The distinction is critical.

Related to his apparent 'bullying' of a 13 year old girl, and the weight of her general culpability given that she's only a child, let me assure you that kids are capable of being just as racist, and just as hurtful as the next person. Do I hold them accountable to the same extent as adults? Certainly not, but don't absolve all of them of the consciousness of their actions either.

Many first encounters with racism are experienced out on the playground. She called Adam Goodes an ape and maybe him calling out the incident stopped kids her age from casually directing that sort of phrase to a much more vulnerable target.

We spent time self-reflecting as a nation after that day, and that can only be a better thing for society regardless of whether it was a comfortable experience or not. To demonise Adam Goodes for how he handled that incident says a lot about somebody's character in my opinion.

[CureTheSane]

The annoying thing about this debate is that people say 'well, no one's booing Jetta/Burgoyne/Rioli/Franklin/any other indigenous player, and thus how can the Adam Goodes booing be racist?' Just because you don't hate a race doesn't mean you can't be racist.

I'd suggest that a fair proportion of it is not B&W racism, but rather people not liking that Goodes is seen as an activist of sorts and possibly being seen as a do-gooder. - So it's a racially associated reaction, possibly more passive racism.
He pointed as the (young) girl who racially slurred him and this may be seen as causing undue misery to someone who by law has excuses because of her age, as invalid as those excuses may be.
Will be interesting to see the treatment he gets from opposition supporters at the next Victorian based game.

[Swansongster]

I'd suggest that a fair proportion of it is not B&W racism, but rather people not liking that Goodes is seen as an activist of sorts and possibly being seen as a do-gooder. - So it's a racially associated reaction, possibly more passive racism.
He pointed as the (young) girl who racially slurred him and this may be seen as causing undue misery to someone who by law has excuses because of her age, as invalid as those excuses may be.
Will be interesting to see the treatment he gets from opposition supporters at the next Victorian based game.

And should those Kangaroos fans boo Goodesy, they better not suggest that it is because he slides in feet first after what happened to Gaz a few years back.

[stevoswan]

The whole saga is annoying, and I must say the media are not helping it at all, even fueling it to a large degree. Reading what Daisy Thomas said about Malthouses sacking, being media led in that they targeted Mick, almost baying for blood by focusing on his tenure from about round two onwards, made me think that they (probably just the Melbourne media, of course), are doing the same to Goodes. Yes, the booing was obvious and probably deserved to be further explored, but by asking Adam himself what he thinks about it all, and getting his quite proper reply, they knew it was going to whip it all up again and inevitably lead to the outburst of bigoted opinion we are seeing now, and increased animosity towards someone who just doesn't deserve it! It angers me, and I feel quite powerless to change it, but let's hope positive moves like Adam Zwars make a positive change. I won't hold my breath though, footy passion/bigoted attitudes can be a hard nut to crack.....the positive energy on this thread is good though. #Recognise recognise.org.au

[Xie Shan]

Yes, the booing was obvious and probably deserved to be further explored, but by asking Adam himself what he thinks about it all, and getting his quite proper reply, they knew it was going to whip it all up again and inevitably lead to the outburst of bigoted opinion we are seeing now, and increased animosity towards someone who just doesn't deserve it! It angers me, and I feel quite powerless to change it, but let's hope positive moves like Adam Zwars make a positive change. I won't hold my breath though, footy passion/bigoted attitudes can be a hard nut to crack.....the positive energy on this thread is good though. #Recognise recognise.org.au

Great post mate, the booing itself doesn't bother me so much as footy fans have always done it, and part of it is due to our on-field success, but the negativity being directed towards Goodes has been way over the top and undeserved. I think he'll get a bigger cheer than normal tomorrow night.

[stevoswan]

Great post mate, the booing itself doesn't bother me so much as footy fans have always done it, and part of it is due to our on-field success, but the negativity being directed towards Goodes has been way over the top and undeserved. I think he'll get a bigger cheer than normal tomorrow night.

Amen to that! I wish I could be there in person to add my noise!

[DLBIA14]

Great post mate, the booing itself doesn't bother me so much as footy fans have always done it, and part of it is due to our on-field success, but the negativity being directed towards Goodes has been way over the top and undeserved. I think he'll get a bigger cheer than normal tomorrow night.

Someone made a suggestion of cheering all the indigenous players on ground regardless of team and in principle I don't mind that at all given the special occasion. Maybe just the first time they touch the ball or soemthing. We need a bit of positivity.

Swans home games are generally very subdued and friendly - it's always been really easy for me to bring people to the game and for them to enjoy it. By comparison I've been to a NRL games where these a slightly more aggressive feel to everything. Not necessarily in a bad way, but, I think it's to the Swans credit that were have a really family type atmosphere.

Every Hawks/Swans game I've been to in Melbourne on the other hand...*shudders*. The grand final was vitriolic, aggressive and frankly a little scary. The mob-mentality there is strong.

[stevoswan]

Someone made a suggestion of cheering all the indigenous players on ground regardless of team and in principle I don't mind that at all given the special occasion. Maybe just the first time they touch the ball or soemthing. We need a bit of positivity.

Swans home games are generally very subdued and friendly - it's always been really easy for me to bring people to the game and for them to enjoy it. By comparison I've been to a NRL games where these a slightly more aggressive feel to everything. Not necessarily in a bad way, but, I think it's to the Swans credit that were have a really family type atmosphere.

Every Hawks/Swans game I've been to in Melbourne on the other hand...*shudders*. The grand final was vitriolic, aggressive and frankly a little scary. The mob-mentality there is strong.

That is true, but definitely depends on the opposition, and I think we all know who we're talking about. I've been to a couple of games in recent years to Etihad stadium, vs Carlton and vs Bulldogs, and everything was quite cool and felt fine at both games. Got into some mildly confrontational banter with a Blues fan at one stage, but we shook hands and had a friendly chat after the game, so it was all good, but I would definitely think twice about attending a Hawk game, or any of the other traditional 'power' Vic clubs......

[DLBIA14]

That is true, but definitely depends on the opposition, and I think we all know who we're talking about. I've been to a couple of games in recent years to Etihad stadium, vs Carlton and vs Bulldogs, and everything was quite cool and felt fine at both games. Got into some mildly confrontational banter with a Blues fan at one stage, but we shook hands and had a friendly chat after the game, so it was all good, but I would definitely think twice about attending a Hawk game, or any of the other traditional 'power' Vic clubs......

Yep everything you said is true. I certainly didn't mean Melbourne in general, but Hawthorn/Swans games specifically. I think the Bombers were also particularly bad. I remember their fans basically booing us the whole game a couple of years ago. Booed more than they cheered that lot, though funny how things change when the shoe is on the other foot.

[Melbourne_Blood]

Bombers and Hawks are the worst by far. Surprisingly Collingwood, despite the perception, are quite well behaved compared to the other two. Passionate supporters but not particularly assholes. Most of other vic clubs are fine too.

[dimelb]

Caro weighs in again:

Hawks missed a chance to stop Goodes boos

[Meg]

Caro weighs in again:

Hawks missed a chance to stop Goodes boos

A suddenly very youthful Caro (have a look at the online photo)!
Good article though, I particularly like this:
"To suggest the treatment of Goodes is largely due to his alleged "staging" for free kicks is laughable and almost insidious excuse in its obvious avoidance."

[Meg]

And I now see a Caro photo against Jake Niall's name - 'The Age' has had a real whoopsie. this morning!

[Primmy]

I truly don't believe this. Facebook! AFL Indigenous round and Lisa's jumper is in the photographs of all the clubs, and the sicko's are still trolling Adam through this. Can't we do anything????

[Adelaide Swan]

Great article in the Footy Almanac about the issue.

Racism among some football fans: the booing of Adam Goodes

Adam Goodes plays football. Very well. Better than most have throughout the history of the sport.