Should the AFL be a moral compass for us?

[Moquo]

Dear Afl,
I have a hot 16yo girl working for me. Should I "work late" and give her a little "promotion", or do I risk divorce and a press conference?

Yours faithfully,
A. Nonymous

 

[HTT]

No - they should absolutely provide a level playing field for everyone to participate and flourish, but they shouldn't force their agenda - or any agenda for that matter - down our throats. I think they actually do a reasonable job of treading this fine line.

 

[Frank Bunn]

University lecturers are not meant to have relationships with their students for exactly the same reasons. Now, the media reaction has been ludicrously over the top but I'm not sure how that's the AFL's fault.

It's pretty much the same in the academic world as in corporate. Relationships between university lecturers and students are permitted. We are talking about adults here. Close personal relationships where there could be a conflict of interest must be declared. But non disclosure and conflict of interest has not been mentioned for this particular issue.

 

[kickazz]

The afl should take a leaf out of the Olympics charter that no demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in the Olympic areas.

The AFL don't really have any of this though, perhaps apart from Indigenous round. And i think that one is good sure to the rich history of indigenous football.

The other stuff people think is political is really just inclusiveness. The Olympics want to avoid major demonstrations of ideological conflict.

 

[Hawk_francais]

AFL needs to be more than millionaires kicking a ball to one another.

There is - and should be - an expectation that players and employees of the game, which receives so much financial support from the public, should give back. Since they have such a wide-reaching public platform, one of the best things they can do is raise awareness for issues or programs for which there is little awareness.

Anyone here who thinks that promoting awareness about racism and homophobia is a moot point somehow, or if you honestly believe that straight white men are becoming an endangered species: I pity you.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Grongey]

Fair call, aside from the rampant hypocrisy - I deleted it (before seeing your reply) cos the more I thought about it, I agreed it was a poor response.
"The plight of men" is a ridiculous line. Yes, some men experience mental health issues, some men - but statistically very, very few - have false accusations made against them (and there's no suggestion that this is what happened here.) But I would suggest that a lot of the problems faced by many men are down to the notion of toxic masculinity and the individuals inability to understand the role of men in a society where women should be treated as equals.
Something that feminists say that perhaps some people in this thread should think about.
"Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them."
The mere tacit suggestion that "the plight of men" is even a patch on what women have experienced for centuries is beyond ridiculous.
The answer to the notion of "toxic masculinity" certainly isn't to maintain women as an underclass because some men can't handle the prospect of women being seen as equal to them - it's to further redefine cultural gender roles which is what the aim of the feminist movement has been all along.

Mods - why is this abusive and sexist poster still in here?

 

[Kwality]

Dear Afl,
I have a hot 16yo girl working for me. Should I "work late" and give her a little "promotion", or do I risk divorce and a press conference?

Yours faithfully,
A. Nonymous

IF the 16yo was actually 30, embarassment YOU !!!

 

[Farm Boy]

Mods - why is this abusive and sexist poster still in here?

Because he is making light of the plight of men. And I will say, a lot of men in this country are doing it hard - as reflected by the suicide statistics in men. The poster you have referred to has chosen to make fun of men - in order to attack another poster. I have no idea why he feels as though he needs to do that. I also have no idea why big footy mods feel as though it is ok that he does it. Should he be banned? Of course he should. Will he be? Probably not, he may even be promoted to moderator position. All I will say is that in the main board area, If he was making fun of females and feminism - he would already be banned. His posts wouldn't even be seen. And for record, I have no problems with him attacking other posters, not a problem, by all means, but I have a problem with him using the plight of men to do it. It is weak, and it is sad. It speaks volumes of his character.

 

[Black white]

AFL needs to be more than millionaires kicking a ball to one another.

There is - and should be - an expectation that players and employees of the game, which receives so much financial support from the public, should give back. Since they have such a wide-reaching public platform, one of the best things they can do is raise awareness for issues or programs for which there is little awareness.

Anyone here who thinks that promoting awareness about racism and homophobia is a moot point somehow, or if you honestly believe that straight white men are becoming an endangered species: I pity you.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

What's the afls stance on climate change and Syria?

 

[Mr Mediocracy]

The AFL doesn't care about the quality of the game etc. all they care about the $$$$ coming through.

Which is why they are our moral compass and flick away a couple of managers. It paints a good message and allows the money to keep on coming through.

 

[nobbyiscool]

Mods - why is this abusive and sexist poster still in here?

Perhaps you should spend some time trying to understand it before complaining - cos the bits you highlighted make it clear that you don't

 

[Power Raid]

The last few years It seems like the AFL has increasingly been sipping from the PC trough

There are rounds and campaigns that are AFL branded about things such as Multicultural ism, Indigenous round, Domestic violence etcetera.

Those are all worthwhile subjects, but the AFL seems incredibly selective in what it stands up for and when.

An example of this is Gambling. Gambling is a scourge of hundreds of thousands of families, with people's lives being changed for the worse on a daily basis by gambling addiction.
Yet I don't see the AFL standing up for this one, mainly because there is huge sponsorship money being made from betting companies.

Then we have this recent situation with a few managers being moved along from the AFL ranks.

A couple of managers have an affair. 50% of adults have an affair at some stage of their lives. No complaints were made by the women, yet the AFL has forced the men out..
If the AFL was sponsored by a dozen dating companies maybe they would have ignored this issue too

Gil McLachlan says the AFL managers should be kept to higher standards.

Higher standard than what??? They are bloody managers and have not broken any law.

The AFL is a football admin body, not an Australian Human Rights organisation.

It seems to me the AFL is cherry picking its issues, and it would be better off staying right out of being a moral judge.
The AFL should simplify things and keep it about footy.

The AFL are morons and either don't see issues or when they do, they see the wrong aspect of the issue.

ie being a senior manager, who is married, and banging junior staff isn't a good idea. In fact it is potentially a sack-able offence. Not because they are married, rather the potential for complaints relating to breaches of the sexual discrimination act, statutory rape, abuse of power and the potential for blackmail.

The gambling issue involves both the AFL and media. It will be resolved soon through legislation but it does highlight their inability to calculate what revenues to chase and which to avoid.

 

[Hawk_francais]

What's the afls stance on climate change and Syria?

Oh yes, you forgot some other intelligent questions like: "what's the world coming to?", "why can't footballers just play football?", "when did public organisations become the PC police?", and of course: "why do minorities need defending, but not me?".

It's not the responsibility of the league to have a stance on every social or political issue, but when they decide to be complicit in raising awareness about ill-health or about social inequality, I think that's a good thing. I would defy you to explain how it is not.

Having said that, the AFL's hypocrisy is very tangible. The fastest growing problem amongst fans and players is gambling, and yet they continuously allow the relationship between betting agencies and the game to escalate.

 

[Fadge]

AFL needs to be more than millionaires kicking a ball to one another.

There is - and should be - an expectation that players and employees of the game, which receives so much financial support from the public, should give back. Since they have such a wide-reaching public platform, one of the best things they can do is raise awareness for issues or programs for which there is little awareness.

Anyone here who thinks that promoting awareness about racism and homophobia is a moot point somehow, or if you honestly believe that straight white men are becoming an endangered species: I pity you.

Don't all businesses get financial support from the public? Isn't that the nature of business?

 

[Hawk_francais]

Don't all businesses get financial support from the public? Isn't that the nature of business?

No, the AFL acts under the auspices of the ministry of sport, so many of their initiatives, stadium deals, parades etc are partially or completely resourced by state and/or federal government.

Curious: http://www.abc.net.au/news/factcheck/2013-09-27/kennett-correct-on-afl-investment/4983476

 

[Kwality]

The AFL are morons and either don't see issues or when they do, they see the wrong aspect of the issue.

ie being a senior manager, who is married, and banging junior staff isn't a good idea. In fact it is potentially a sack-able offence. Not because they are married, rather the potential for complaints relating to breaches of the sexual discrimination act, statutory rape, abuse of power and the potential for blackmail.

The gambling issue involves both the AFL and media. It will be resolved soon through legislation but it does highlight their inability to calculate what revenues to chase and which to avoid.

& it was there for anyone to see it seems, where were you Gil ....
http://www.news.com.au/national/nsw...&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=National_Desktop

The relationship between the married father-of-four and Ms Blomberg is believed to have raised eyebrows during the Giants’ finals series last September. In the AFL football box Mr Lethlean appeared to many to be too friendly with Blomberg.

Then on another occasion, after a drink among AFL staff at the Dolphin Hotel in Surry Hills, women at the AFL’s NSW office started to ask questions.

“The women in the Sydney and Melbourne head offices were horrified as they were not hiding it during the final series in Sydney last year,” a female source said. “And they were at a colleague’s birthday party at the Dolphin Hotel at the same time.”

Are you unapproachable Gil?

 

[Kwality]

What's the afls stance on climate change and Syria?

What about Bucks? A job in the AFL or a give him the job in Brisbane?

 

[mr bagcroft]

When it all Boils down, the AFL admin is just a pack of Bullies. If you dont do things their way, they will seek to * you...whether it be by the fixture or any other way they can think of. They rule the roost, and they know it. Its a local game, no world governing body to answer to. They also know they have all us pathetic lot in their hand and they can do just about anything, and we still turn on and turn up.

 

[domus]

The mere tacit suggestion that "the plight of men" is even a patch on what women have experienced for centuries is beyond ridiculous.

I don't want to make this a "tit for tat" ongoing debate but I am genuinely astounded by this comment. Anytime anyone has the temerity to raise issues overwhelmingly affecting men the response is always the same. It involves derogatory minimization of these issues and an immediate reference to women's suffering. One could call it the "old knee jerk" reaction. My question is, why? Why are people so afraid or unwilling to discuss men's issues in civil terms? Why does caring about men seem to be the equivalent of hating women in the eyes of so many people?

As for your assertion that to suggest the plight of men is even a patch on what women have experienced for centuries is beyond ridiculous......upon what do you base this claim? What is the measure of suffering? Being butchered on a battlefield or bearing children, working hundreds of metres underground in stifling, deadly mines on a daily basis for years or working your fingers to the bone cooking, cleaning, washing and raising kids? I could go on, but for anyone to dismiss the suffering of an entire gender as falling way short of another gender's suffering is childish and absurd.

I asked before which of the many issues I raised with regard to men did you think were myths? Obviously I care very much about the suffering of males, but unlike you, my empathy is equally strong when it comes to the suffering of women. I don't see the two as mutually exclusive

 

[threesixpio]

This article is quite good:

https://www.theguardian.com/comment...ut&utm_term=235292&subid=20825839&CMP=ema_632

 

[Aussie in exile]

The last few years It seems like the AFL has increasingly been sipping from the PC trough

There are rounds and campaigns that are AFL branded about things such as Multicultural ism, Indigenous round, Domestic violence etcetera.

Those are all worthwhile subjects, but the AFL seems incredibly selective in what it stands up for and when.

An example of this is Gambling. Gambling is a scourge of hundreds of thousands of families, with people's lives being changed for the worse on a daily basis by gambling addiction.
Yet I don't see the AFL standing up for this one, mainly because there is huge sponsorship money being made from betting companies.

Then we have this recent situation with a few managers being moved along from the AFL ranks.

A couple of managers have an affair. 50% of adults have an affair at some stage of their lives. No complaints were made by the women, yet the AFL has forced the men out..
If the AFL was sponsored by a dozen dating companies maybe they would have ignored this issue too

Gil McLachlan says the AFL managers should be kept to higher standards.

Higher standard than what??? They are bloody managers and have not broken any law.

The AFL is a football admin body, not an Australian Human Rights organisation.

It seems to me the AFL is cherry picking its issues, and it would be better off staying right out of being a moral judge.
The AFL should simplify things and keep it about footy.

All the while 99% of the people who follow Aussie Rules are of European descent the AFL will not name a round after them.

 

[SM]

What do BRAB and Willo_ think?

 

[brahj]

Real original, SM. BRAB has already been tagged.

 

[CheapCharlie]

This article is quite good:

https://www.theguardian.com/comment...ut&utm_term=235292&subid=20825839&CMP=ema_632

That's a decent article .

I copied the final two paragraphs.

"We make adult decisions and are responsible for those decisions. Affairs can be messy and end badly. Women are not “innocent” wives or “young” female temptresses or victims of male desire. To treat them so isn’t “respecting” women. It’s infantilising them, giving men special responsibility to look after women.

The AFL is terribly earnest in its desire to do the right thing, and sees itself as a leader on all kind of social issues from racism, LGBTI rights to domestic violence. Mostly, its influence is benign, and occasionally inspiring. But please, Gillon, stay out of the bedroom. Women – and men – don’t need you there in 2017."

 

[Kwality]

All the while 99% of the people who follow Aussie Rules are of European descent the AFL will not name a round after them.

As one of that mob without a round, I don't give a rats ... leave it to the hand wringers.