Play Nice Adam Goodes

[JohnnyCarlton]

Well SOMEBODY was booing Goodesy last night

It was just as loud as last week.

The AFL has taken a dim view in the past to players provoking the crowd with gestures and raised middle fingers. Goodes has probably picked a great round to perform his spear-throwing war dance. It was culture. I'm not sure it would've been as well received if Jeff Farmer or Stephen Milne did it towards Joffa and the boys in the Collingwood cheer squad at the MCG.

Goodes certainly polarises people. Some people applaud him for his divisive acts. Others boo him.

David King made a good point, believe it to not. He said that if Goodes doesn't want people to boo him, then he shouldn't do stuff like this. Kingy liked Goodesy's aggro dance, "this is my turf", etc, but he said Goodes can't have it both ways. People are going to boo him.

Fair enough, I think.

 

[kelpie_X]

eating quinoa

That's pronounced kinwa for those that don't know

 

[Jobe Watson]

The people still claiming that Goodes getting boo'd has anything to do with his heritage are so moronic it's unbelievable.

Jude Bolton, Goodes' teammate for however many years, even said himself tonight that Goodes staged for free kicks all throughout his career and that such acts would probably cause him to cop heat from opposition fans. And he's right.

I personally don't boo any opposition players unless they have directly done something during the game to warrant it (a hit off the ball against one of my players for example) but I can think of plenty of reasons why Goodes and stagers of his ilk (Ballantyne, Thomas, Selwood to a lesser extent) might receive an unfavourable reception from opposition supporters... and it has nothing to do with their skin colour.

Indigenous players no doubt cop racist remarks on an almost weekly basis - an unfortunate reality that occurs in all sections of the international sporting world. However, it's almost as if Goodes and others in the media are now linking one specific racial incident that occurred a few years ago that made national headlines as the reason to why Goodes gets booed, and that anyone booing him is only doing so because he took a stand against racist taunts... which is wrong.

 

[The Swans Blog]

why don't people boo Bachar Houli if its racism based. Muslims have a much more negative connotations then aboriginals, and he is just as outspoken in the community. Do you know why? Because it's no about him, it's about unity, and knowledge. Not being victimised.

Heh. He's Australian Lebanese and last I checked they aren't indigenous to Australia.

Pretty sure Muslims are not a race.

Heh. Indeed.

 

[KnaveyBlue]

I hate Adam Goodes for making Andrew Bolt right. Bolt nailed him years ago as being self-obsessed and divisive.

What was to be gained by doing some aggressive war dance (after a routine mark and goal) at a quiet pocket of miserable Blues fans at the SCG? What was really to be gained? It's reconciliation week ffs, what message of unity did that send?

Absolutely pathetic behaviour.

 

[ZabsBlues]

So are the non-indigenous population as affected by low life expectancy, multi generational trauma and abuse?

Mate if I was you,I would let it go. This is big footy.

 

[Lost_Deputy]

Apparently? So that's what you "imagine" about a Carlton supporter being intoxicated and provoking trouble? As opposed to clear evidence of a player running 50 metres towards opposition fans in a war dance and pretending to throw spears at them?

You still didn't answer the question. Do you think a player pretending to wave a spear at opposition spectators is ok?

The commentators said it was a fan who thrown out.

Yeah it is if in IA round by a IA player celebrating in a IA round on his traditional land.

 

[Deliverance]

So are the non-indigenous population as affected by low life expectancy, multi generational trauma and abuse?

Yes, if you compare socio-economic disadvantage.

 

[The Jet From Poowong]

Why not? Sports is merely a vessel for change. It's happening in Europe with Soccers' Kick Racism Out campaign that's been going for years and it's had a lot of success. AFL has tried to curb family violence, drug use, crime, alcoholism with mixed results.

There's your problem.
Your have a very weak grasp of what the word politics entails.

 

[Lost_Deputy]

Mate if I was you,I would let it go. This is big footy.

but it's so fun!

 

[Ian Dunross]

Thought the dance got a bit of attention.

It sure did. Negativity.

 

[Moo]

I am not racist but

Many of my friends are Muslim

 

[CountryRace]

In what alternate universe was Australia going to sit un-settled by Western or Asian nations?

And which nation would have done a more "sensitive" job of colonising a nation?

In what universe, are white people invading Australia, not in charge of sending black people, to the white concept of western education ...

Think about it

 

[Lester Burnham]

Nope, can't recall that happening, and can't recall the post match handshake. Pretty sure Lingy could look after himself.
Did notice Swallow a couple of weeks ago looking unimpressed with Hodgey at game's end. Elbows to the head are not nice-does Goodesy do that too?

It's a fine line between aggression and dog act and for mine Goodes has crossed that line enough for me to think he's a cheap shot sniper. Knees seem to be his speciality.

 

[Lost_Deputy]

Yes, if you compare socio-economic disadvantage.

How so? IA people's are over represented in every single category of social disadvantage including youth suicide rates, child removal, mental illness and domestic abuse. How is it equal?

 

[Biggy_Boy]

In what alternate universe was Australia going to sit un-settled by Western or Asian nations?

And which nation would have done a more "sensitive" job of colonising a nation?

The country could have been settled by China long before the Europeans got here.

 

[RandB]

RandB raised a good point and it has validity but again it's taken out of context. R means recognise; recognise your heritage, represent your pride, your history, your future. It's what he did, does every day, and will do so until he's long gone. Hes been a vessel against racism, yet so many posters hate him for completely illogical and unexplainable points of views that border on, and occasionally cross over into racism.

Sometimes, you just want to have a decent topical discussion without people lowering themselves to the lowest common denominator.

I understand where you are coming from. Recognise is a very strong and meaningful message, especially for young indigenous Australians. I just think the message was poorly expressed.

In some small way, we all wish to be recognised in life but some of us are coming from further back than others in society so they have to strive a bit harder.

Adam Goodes was recognised as AOTY.

Indigenous Australians should be recognised in the constitution and that is an important movement.

Indigenous footballers are rightly recognised every year in indigenous round.

Most AFL clubs recognise the importance of getting in touch with indigenous communities on a tangible level.

Recognition is happening.

There is nothing wrong with the expression of pride either but the recognition was always going to be lost or at least misunderstood when he diverted to the Carlton crowd, mimicking a spear with that look in his face after nailing a goal. At worst it's inciteful, at best it's a positive message lost in translation that required an explanation.

I would love to think that rather than the Blues supporters he was really reaching out to young indigenous Australians to recognise themselves but he clearly looked like he got caught up in the moment regardless of whether he had planned it or not and it has left a lot of people scratching their heads.

 

[Cleric]

We will have to agree to disagree on that then.

Its like the issue of health outcomes of Aboriginals vs White populations.
It has nothing to do with racism and more to do with environment.
If a group of people decide to abuse drugs and drink more than another group per population there will be a negative outcome to it. If you live in remote communities 100s of kms away from the nearest hospital or doctor you will have a negative outcome for that. Its a known fact that white people living in rural areas have worse health outcomes than city folk.
But I guess it just sounds better to dress it up as proof of a racist agenda and sell it to those lower in IQ who love to believe that type of s**t.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

Most people don't take well to being hectored - accused of benefiting from rapes, killings and theft - by a millionaire sportsman.

But they would if he were a penniless down and out from Eveleigh St Redfern?

 

[Deliverance]

How so? IA people's are over represented in every single category of social disadvantage including youth suicide rates, child removal, mental illness and domestic abuse. How is it equal?

Are you comparing IA to racial groups of comparable income?

 

[Gift]

Guess you are only allowed to boo white people nowdays lol

 

[Ian Dunross]

In what universe, are white people invading Australia, not in charge of sending black people, to the white concept of western education ...

Think about it

Adam Goodes is prospering pretty well from this white concept of education.

 

[JP2]

Look I'm not racist but should we really have to put up with people of other races expressing themselves? Could we not just watch a game of football in Dreamtime round without an indigenous footballer shoving his culture down our throats for all of 8 seconds? I'm all for indigenous people taking pride in who they are, but why can't they do it in the privacy of their own bedrooms? Why should a very non-racist person like myself have to be oppressed so brutally by these public displays of indigenousness like literally once in my entire life?

And can we talk for a second about Adam Goodes!? I'm pretty sure racism didn't exist until Adam Goodes started talking about it 2 years ago. Maybe my memory is a bit hazy, but i'm pretty sure that all races were living together in harmony 50 years ago when there weren't show ponies like Goodes around to upset the apple cart. I just can't believe that someone could make it all about them by addressing broad social issues and doing something to express the culture of hundreds of thousands of voiceless, invisible people. What a selfish flog.

 

[The Swans Blog]

1. Tonight's act was a cultural celebration of a proud Indigenous man on the Friday night of Indigenous Round. It's sad that, because of who it is, people have to read more into it than that. (You don't see NZ doing the haka towards their own fans too often.)

2. It's a shame that so many people won't try and walk in another mans shoes. Goodes represents a massively disadvantaged people. He has the profile to speak about those issues - tonight, he used that profile to promote pride in his culture. The suggestion that this is racist is beyond ridiculous - how did people begin to equate pride in his own people with a hatred of white people? It's the stupidest thing I've ever heard.

3. Perhaps the second stupidest thing I've ever heard was all over social media, and I'm sure it's in this thread - "see! By doing an Indigenous Cultural dance, I can call him a flog and it's not racist!" Erm... How do these people not see the idiocy of that statement?

4. I've also seen suggestions of a white person round. How ridiculous. When white people suffer the level of disadvantage and the historical lack of recognition for their contribution (which is what Indigenous round is really about) maybe there will be a justification. But if you are a white man supporting an white person round (just as if you are a white man who advocates for "mens rights") - I'm sorry, but you're a ****in idiot. You've hit the jackpot in life as a white man, and barring instances of bullying or religious persecution, you can't even begin to understand ingrained societal disadvantage. And this relates to the second point as well - because you can't understand disadvantage and you've never had to fight disadvantage, this is how you become confused and think that pride in one's self = hatred of another. (I'll use the feminism example again - "men's rights" is stupid because we already have ALL the rights. And feminism isn't about "lowering" men to reduce inequality, it's about "boosting" women. Similarly, Goodes doesn't advocate the removal of any rights at all - he promotes boosting Indigenous opportunity)

5. If you thought it was confronting, maybe that's a good thing. It seems that white Australia is perfectly happy to try and close the gap - as long as it happens in the background and it doesn't confront them. We're quite happy to take advantage of the skills of Indigenous players - as long as they don't use their voice. That's bullshit. Maybe Goodes should be confronting to show that a) he does have a voice and b) people should be thinking more about the Indigenous disadvantage that he advocates to rectify. After all, we're all talking and thinking about it.

6. At the end of the day, Adam Goodes is one of the best players of this generation. As a former Australian of the year for his work on Indigenous issues, and as a proud Indigenous man, he deserves to do whatever he wants to celebrate a goal during Indigenous round, and he deserves a lot more than small minded pinheads on the internet questioning his motive.

This was not a selfish act. In using his profile to try and make Indigenous children proud of their culture and their heritage, he's been about as selfless as a man can be.

This whole "debate" tonight proves a ******* cesspool society has become given Australia's racist underbelly and the advent of social media that makes everyone think their voice is worth being heard.

Well said, 100% agree. Not sure if BigFooty has improved or fallen down a slippery slope in the last 10 years, but tonight for me, cherry on the cake.

 

[romeohwho]

It's a fine line between aggression and dog act and for mine Goodes has crossed that line enough for me to think he's a cheap shot sniper. Knees seem to be his speciality.

Maybe but do feel the 'dog acts'/sniper claims have been exaggerated.