Opinion Jeff Kennett News, Media etc.

[Strapping Young Lad]

I love how racist comments are just passed off as dumb or poorly worded.

His whole arguement was the security guards aren't qualified because of the color of their skin.

And by extension, if you have different coloured skin you're a "new arrival".

One of most blatant incidents of casual racism I've heard, and from the mouth of our president.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

And by extension, if you have different coloured skin you're a "new arrival".

One of most blatant incidents of casual racism I've heard, and from the mouth of our president.

That’s probably the worst assumptive part of it.

Mate of mine did venue security for years and probably had this connotation - he is as Aussie as I am though but just happens to be from a dark skinned Filipino background. He was also working security while he bided his time to be a police officer - something he’s achieved now.

Horrendously bigoted comments no matter how you slice it.

 

[Mississippi]

What he said wasn't derogatory to a particular race, but it's incredibly problematic for several reasons, and had strong racist overtones. Jeff might not be racist, but by implying that people who look ethnic should be assumed to not be Australian he's putting up some pretty strong barriers that leads to issues down the line. He could have said the exact same thing without mentioning ethnicity and nothing would have been made of it, but he connected being ethnically not anglo-Aus with not understanding football (and by extension Aus culture) and being the reason behind the overpatrolling at the footy.

You’re tripping over yourself with some confusing circular logic.
What Kennett said was precisely derogatory to a particular race (or races).

 

[A Cut Above]

Apart from the fact he made a generalisation about a group of people because of the color of their skin and the way that they look, yeah it’s not racist for him to say that.

Doesn't mean the intent behind Jeff's throwaway comments were actually racist. They were ill advised, but came across like he was reaching for a point of emphasis to demonstrate why he's uncomfortable with the AFL's new policy on crowd security, and landed on something easily taken out of context that was better left unsaid.

Let me demonstrate. Say I looked at some of those photos and mentioned the quote "gorilla faced guards". That's a phrase from 1984 I think perfectly encapsulates the menacing nature of these roving patrols and natural feelings of intimidation many patrons had towards them. Yet, its also a phrase that could be taken out of context by the simpleminded and poorly educated, who of course make up the bulk of the population. So suddenly I'm a racist in the eyes of screechers like vanders despite my intentions being nothing of the sort.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Doesn't mean the intent behind Jeff's throwaway comments were actually racist.

It actually does.

He made a generalisation about a group of people and their education, background and knowledge of a specific issue based solely on how they look.

That is the very definition of racism.

 

[A Cut Above]

It actually does.

He made a generalisation about a group of people and their education, background and knowledge of a specific issue based solely on how they look.

That is the very definition of racism.

I'm relieved to hear you've never made a throwaway comment in your life that could ever be construed as racist, if only our president were as faultless a paragon of virtue as yourself we'd never be in this mess and countless concerned citizens would have to find the next thing to be outraged about.

 

[Luv_our_club]

I am so disappointed in Kennett.

Last week in his letter to members he was "wishing" that discrimination did not exist. "Wishing"... was a very embarrassing way to express his views. And it was his `one' `best' wish, which didn't make sense to anyone familiar with Maslow's pyramid of human needs.

I really wonder what he is doing at the club, after his past policies about the limited lifespan of "leaders", and promises to have only a short 2nd coming as President.

We don't need him anymore. Ian Dicker's presence at the club last weekend reminded me of a lot about Hawthorn that feels unsure right now.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

I'm relieved to hear you've never made a throwaway comment in your life that could ever be construed as racist, if only our president were as faultless a paragon of virtue as yourself we'd never be in this mess and countless concerned citizens would have to find the next thing to be outraged about.

That's a brilliant deflection, but I give you the tip I'm not the president of an AFL club, charged with being the voice and leader of a professional organisation in a mutli-million dollar industry that relies on and celebrates the involvement of the people from all walks of life.

Make all the bloody excuses you want, but what Kennett said was racism, so stop pretending like it was something else.

 

[Jaeger]

The life of a Hawks supporter since Friday

 

[Gralin]

The life of a Hawks supporter since Friday

It was annoyingly sunny today

 

[Mississippi]

I'm relieved to hear you've never made a throwaway comment in your life that could ever be construed as racist, if only our president were as faultless a paragon of virtue as yourself we'd never be in this mess and countless concerned citizens would have to find the next thing to be outraged about.

That’s a silly post.
Everyone - including Kennett, McGuire and Newman to name others - explains their racist comments by saying they were only “throw away lines” and that there was no racist intent.
McGuire is demonstrably a racist although he will insist that his various comments have merely been throwaway lines and that no offence was ever intended.

 

[Off The Couch]

I'm relieved to hear you've never made a throwaway comment in your life that could ever be construed as racist, if only our president were as faultless a paragon of virtue as yourself we'd never be in this mess and countless concerned citizens would have to find the next thing to be outraged about.

Who gets to determine what is a “throw away” comment and who determines at what point it becomes racist

 

[eldorado]

That's a brilliant deflection, but I give you the tip I'm not the president of an AFL club, charged with being the voice and leader of a professional organisation in a mutli-million dollar industry that relies on and celebrates the involvement of the people from all walks of life.

Make all the bloody excuses you want, but what Kennett said was racism, so stop pretending like it was something else.

Aww yeah?

Well...I bet,,,you're a racist too!!!

So there!

 

[A Cut Above]

That's a brilliant deflection, but I give you the tip I'm not the president of an AFL club, charged with being the voice and leader of a professional organisation in a mutli-million dollar industry that relies on and celebrates the involvement of the people from all walks of life.

Make all the bloody excuses you want, but what Kennett said was racism, so stop pretending like it was something else.

Of course we all expect far higher standards from an AFL President than an internet moderator, which was why I said Jeff made a mistake which also happens to be far from his first. Does that mean we shouldn't highlight the hypocrisy of people calling for Jeff's head when they've probably made similarly 'racist' remarks themselves in the past without realizing?

Jeff's comments could be construed as racism if you choose to look at them that way, and you can even make the point it doesn't particularly matter if they're racist or not, or what his intentions were, provided enough soccer mums on Facebook are prepared to get outraged over them. Sadly that's the world we live in where people are so quick to judge, particularly those who harbor an agenda against the person in question or the organization they represent.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Unfortunately I thought the same until I read the comments on this tweet. Way too many people who can’t see how this is racist

I see how you claim it is racist, but you're wrong. His argument isn't that the colour of their skin (ie, "brown people can't make good decisions because they are brown") makes them unable to police footy crowds skilfully but that their newness to the country and the game means they are unprepared. His argument is that they are not in a position to judge crowd behaviour because they are unexperienced in Aussie, specifically game day footy, culture.

He is

Apart from the fact he made a generalisation about a group of people because of the color of their skin and the way that they look, yeah it’s not racist for him to say that.


Of course in order to believe that you just have to overlook the very definition of racism.

Are you about to join the priesthood? That's a pretty damned tall pedestal you're standing in judgement on.

 

[beta_condition]

I love how racist comments are just passed off as dumb or poorly worded.

His whole arguement was the security guards aren't qualified because of the color of their skin.

Yes it was clearly racist just like Des Headland whitefella comment but only one will gain traction.

 

[A Cut Above]

Who gets to determine what is a “throw away” comment and who determines at what point it becomes racist

Who gets to determine what is offensive?


Those who scream the loudest on social media of course.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Jeff's comments could be construed as racism if you choose to look at them that way,

No. They are racist, by the very definition of the word.

 

[TylerDurden]

Slobbo again.

 

[Gralin]

Slobbo again.

Stop giving the arsehole clicks

 

[beta_condition]

I see how you claim it is racist, but you're wrong. His argument isn't that the colour of their skin (ie, "brown people can't make good decisions because they are brown") makes them unable to police footy crowds skilfully but that their newness to the country and the game means they are unprepared. His argument is that they are not in a position to judge crowd behaviour because they are unexperienced in Aussie, specifically game day footy, culture.

He is


Are you about to join the priesthood? That's a pretty damned tall pedestal you're standing in judgement on.

Yes that would be fine but he's basing it on the assumption theyre not "Australian" because of appearance which is racist. General rule of thumb when assuming is involved in race it's probably headed down a racist route.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Yes it was clearly racist just like Des Headland whitefella comment but only one will gain traction.

Did he use the term Whitefella?

I've been around indigenous people all my adult life. Whitefella is not a racist term.

 

[beta_condition]

Did he use the term Whitefella?

I've been around indigenous people all my adult life. Whitefella is not a racist term.

You might want to check up on that, growing up as a kid in the 90's and early 2000's I only ever used it as a dehumanising term.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Are you about to join the priesthood? That's a pretty damned tall pedestal you're standing in judgement on.

I had an aboriginal partner for almost 10 years. I watched as she was treated like a second class person time and time again in a lot of different scenarios.

I despise racism, and I'll call it out when I see it.

 

[Gralin]

Did he use the term Whitefella?

I've been around indigenous people all my adult life. Whitefella is not a racist term.

For Noongars we have a word for this, it's called 'Kiya'.

Some whitefellas think it means just 'hello', but it means so much more.

I'm assuming this is the straw being clutched at from his article on the Betts/Stack hug