Toast Heritier Lumumba pens heartfelt letter to ex-teammates, wants club to own up to mistreatment

[adammania9]

I didn't think the light discussion in the Media thread was giving enough light to what is unfurling as an increasingly key and historical event in the history of our football club. It's a serious topic and one that the supporters have the power to lead the way to answers to. Our club has an obligation to answer to the damning claims made by Heritier that have been backed up by fellow non-White players who witnessed and possibly experienced similar treatment.

Our premiership star and cult hero Heritier Lumumba has copped an unfair barrage of criticism and belittling since he brought his personal issues to the public eye in 2013 and 2014. The current racial tensions and protesting is the #1 topic worldwide right now, and Heritier has used the opportunity to remind us that our football club is far from perfect, and he has asked for recognition of their wrongdoing, and for an apology, which he deserves.

In case you're out of the loop, Heritier made this post on Facebook a couple of days ago:




I've personally begun to come to terms with the fact that I have been quite racist and bigoted in the past, mostly due to my failure to understand the daily obstacles that non-white persons face that I don't. I'm attempting to try and understand and be more open-minded, and simply give more time to things that stretch outside my comfort zone. I don't want this to be a protesting and rioting debate nor a discussion of Black Lives Matter etc, more just a civil discussion on where our club is at in terms of race relations, how it's improved since then and how it can continue to improve from here, because as stated previously, the club is far from perfect and needs to own up to its poor decisions.

This is Heritier's letter he has sent out to his former teammates.

To my former teammates:

I want to make it clear that this is not about individuals. I have no interest in naming and shaming any of my former teammates. This is about racist policy and the lack of anti-racist policy.

However, with all that being said, I must reaffirm the sentiments of the great LeBron James, "If you ain't wit US, WE ain't with Y'ALL!"

Let me explain. It is no longer good enough to be 'not racist', it is no longer acceptable to be silent. You must be anti-racist, daily, if you are committed to being a part of the solution, as opposed to being complicit in the perpetuation of the problem.

In AFL culture, the quality of 'courage' is a cornerstone value, and is defined by acts of 'bravery' that pertain to committing yourself to a contest. When a player shows disregard for the consequences that could amount to risking their body on the field, they are lauded for their 'courage' because they "went when it was their turn."

Indigenous people around the world, including people of African descent, have been in a contest for survival. Despite the violence that has and is systemically waged upon our humanity and lands, we are still here. Despite the massacres, the rapes, the humiliation and degradation, we are still here.

We continually show up to contest after contest, for little reward or oftentimes more violence inflicted upon us.

It is time that we redistribute this pain and place it on the powerful; the ones who have an ability and responsibility to create change.

With all this being said, when it comes to this current contest that our peoples find ourselves in, you're either with us or against us. You are either anti-racist or racist. Join me in demanding that the Collingwood Football Club and the AFL be accountable for their unacceptable handling of the racism that I faced during my career.

Denial of the past compromises the future.

What side of history will you stand on?

It's an intense letter, but one you'd be hard pressed to find anything to raise queries on. Heritier elaborates on the "courage" and "nobility" that comes with toughness on a football field. If you crash packs, and put yourself on the line for something great, that displays courage. But on this occasion, Heritier put his name on the line for something far greater than football - the civilised treatment of somebody different - and he faced a totally unjust outcome. He was shushed and made an outcast, when the club knew that they had wronged.

Collingwood cannot hide from these accusations any further. They have an obligation to answer to every call not only for Heritier, but for the sake of all players, supporters, members, and anybody else in the greater public with a vested interest.

I know, personally speaking, that I would be far more proud of supporting a football club that has acknowledged its wrongs and is pressing movement for change, than supporting a club that continues to cover up the blatant, the obvious, and continues to disregard mistreated individuals. We cannot continue to take from our players of colour, only to dismiss them when they become brave enough to use their voice.

There's no public image to save. The ignorance will only hurt the club further in the future. The silence is deafening and we're owed an answer.

One side in history will prevail, and it's not the side Collingwood are currently standing on.

 

[Vicky Park]

Great OP.

This is tempting to make light of, or joke about, coming as it does from the ever annoying, ever irritating H.

But we can’t ignore it. Our club has a very poor track record on racism. I still wince when thinking of Allan McAllister. Ancient history I know, but completely expunged from our club?

Bucks is a sensitive and reflective person. I would hope for a thoughtful response from him.

Eddie, on the other hand, I’d be wary of hearing from. He is well meaning but ham fisted when it comes to racial issues, especially one as nuanced as this.

 

[Kirby]

This thread will not go well.

There is simply a lack of information to base any opinion on. All we are hearing is disjointed fragments of information, mostly coming from him.

I notice from the thread on the main board that it has opened the floodgates for posters to open fire on Eddie and Bucks and Collingwood in general, despite the lack of specifics.

If he was called chimp then that sounds appalling, however, we have no information as to who said it or in what context. Was it a group or is he saying the whole playing list?

Whilst 4 ex-players have given him some support, so far the only one I can see that says he heard that nickname is Krakouer. Davis gives some general support and we don’t know exactly what the other 2 have to say (I believe they are McNamara and Egan?).

I repeat that calling a black-man a chimp sounds/is appalling but we are getting no context at all.

It’s a very difficult subject that is not helped by it being raised by someone who is seen as pretty unreliable.

 

[Vicky Park]

This thread will not go well.

There is simply a lack of information to base any opinion on. All we are hearing is disjointed fragments of information, mostly coming from him.

I notice from the thread on the main board that it has opened the floodgates for posters to open fire on Eddie and Bucks and Collingwood in general, despite the lack of specifics.

If he was called chimp then that sounds appalling, however, we have no information as to who said it or in what context. Was it a group or is he saying the whole playing list?

Whilst 4 ex-players have given him some support, so far the only one I can see that says he heard that nickname is Krakouer. Davis gives some general support and we don’t know exactly what the other 2 have to say (I believe they are McNamara and Egan?).

I repeat that calling a black-man a chimp sounds/is appalling but we are getting no context at all.

It’s a very difficult subject that is not helped by it being raised by someone who is seen as pretty unreliable.

You make fair points too. It is a difficult subject, but it’s not going away.

 

[JB007]

So he can call out Bucks, Eddie and the Club but not his teammates and his Premiership Coach.........love Heritier and follow him on Instagram (he has a beautiful family) but he will never be Martin Luther King, Jr.

Hating whities isn't progress either Heritier.........just saying.

 

[Finnishpie]

I didn't think the light discussion in the Media thread was giving enough light to what is unfurling as an increasingly key and historical event in the history of our football club. It's a serious topic and one that the supporters have the power to lead the way to answers to. Our club has an obligation to answer to the damning claims made by Heritier that have been backed up by fellow non-White players who witnessed and possibly experienced similar treatment.

Our premiership star and cult hero Heritier Lumumba has copped an unfair barrage of criticism and belittling since he brought his personal issues to the public eye in 2013 and 2014. The current racial tensions and protesting is the #1 topic worldwide right now, and Heritier has used the opportunity to remind us that our football club is far from perfect, and he has asked for recognition of their wrongdoing, and for an apology, which he deserves.

In case you're out of the loop, Heritier made this post on Facebook a couple of days ago:




I've personally begun to come to terms with the fact that I have been quite racist and bigoted in the past, mostly due to my failure to understand the daily obstacles that non-white persons face that I don't. I'm attempting to try and understand and be more open-minded, and simply give more time to things that stretch outside my comfort zone. I don't want this to be a protesting and rioting debate nor a discussion of Black Lives Matter etc, more just a civil discussion on where our club is at in terms of race relations, how it's improved since then and how it can continue to improve from here, because as stated previously, the club is far from perfect and needs to own up to its poor decisions.

This is Heritier's letter he has sent out to his former teammates.



It's an intense letter, but one you'd be hard pressed to find anything to raise queries on. Heritier elaborates on the "courage" and "nobility" that comes with toughness on a football field. If you crash packs, and put yourself on the line for something great, that displays courage. But on this occasion, Heritier put his name on the line for something far greater than football - the civilised treatment of somebody different - and he faced a totally unjust outcome. He was shushed and made an outcast, when the club knew that they had wronged.

Collingwood cannot hide from these accusations any further. They have an obligation to answer to every call not only for Heritier, but for the sake of all players, supporters, members, and anybody else in the greater public with a vested interest.

I know, personally speaking, that I would be far more proud of supporting a football club that has acknowledged its wrongs and is pressing movement for change, than supporting a club that continues to cover up the blatant, the obvious, and continues to disregard mistreated individuals. We cannot continue to take from our players of colour, only to dismiss them when they become brave enough to use their voice.

There's no public image to save. The ignorance will only hurt the club further in the future. The silence is deafening and we're owed an answer.

One side in history will prevail, and it's not the side Collingwood are currently standing on.

Brilliant mate. Brilliant post.

 

[Albert Parker]

Eloquently penned by Lumumba. I would hope that the club responds, after we knock the Tigers off.

Bucks has been tweeting more recently and calling for change on social issues and leadership. Here is another opportunity for him to enhance his own leadership credentials by responding appropriately to this.

Ed needs to do similar. And likely needs someone to assist him with his communication on this issue.

But it needs to come from the Club and neither of these club leaders can afford to be silent on it.

 

[Finnishpie]

This thread will not go well.

There is simply a lack of information to base any opinion on. All we are hearing is disjointed fragments of information, mostly coming from him.

I notice from the thread on the main board that it has opened the floodgates for posters to open fire on Eddie and Bucks and Collingwood in general, despite the lack of specifics.

If he was called chimp then that sounds appalling, however, we have no information as to who said it or in what context. Was it a group or is he saying the whole playing list?

Whilst 4 ex-players have given him some support, so far the only one I can see that says he heard that nickname is Krakouer. Davis gives some general support and we don’t know exactly what the other 2 have to say (I believe they are McNamara and Egan?).

I repeat that calling a black-man a chimp sounds/is appalling but we are getting no context at all.

It’s a very difficult subject that is not helped by it being raised by someone who is seen as pretty unreliable.

That's partly true -- that there is not a huge amount of info. But some of the facts are there. 1. Eddie says racist things. 2. Heretier calls him out on it. 2. Club definitely doesn't come out in full support of H, but rather for some reason around the same time he falls out with the club in general.

Leon Davis has spoken out agains't racism in the AFL un general.

We live in a society where racism is still pretty prevalent (Imean, just think this was around the time Adam Goodes was being booed) -- which is why Black lives matter exists.

So judging it without all the information, we can just say look, it seems likely that H wasn't given the support he needed when he called out Eddie. Maybe worse. That's probably enough for me to think the club should say, "We're sorry we didn't handle it better." Everyone ends up looking better and we accept reponsibility and stand tall.

 

[magpies42]

He is an attention seeker, focus on tonight’s game. Why do they always try to derail our chances

 

[legendstatus]

Eloquently penned by Lumumba. I would hope that the club responds, after we knock the Tigers off.

Bucks has been tweeting more recently and calling for change on social issues and leadership. Here is another opportunity for him to enhance his own leadership credentials by responding appropriately to this.

Ed needs to do similar. And likely needs someone to assist him with his communication on this issue.

But it needs to come from the Club and neither of these club leaders can afford to be silent on it.

No they don’t - I’m with the most recent events but not interested in another pot smoking attention seeker. It’s been done before


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[Dan Moody]

I thought he went by the moniker "The Prince" these days?
I assume this is what he was talking about when he made his laughable speech at the B&F a few years ago when he said he'd have the last laugh.
I await with anticipation, his criticism of Malthouse, Maxwell and a few others from the bulk of the time he was there.
Bet it doesn't come

 

[barrackers]

McGuire's response last night on Footy Classified. Sure idiots will use this to further slant McGurie, but he it was smart of McGuire to want to discuss this at least initially behind closed doors. Pretty damning that Lumumba seemingly wouldn't catchup in person last year and instead uses the current situation and media.

 

[Kirby]

Eloquently penned by Lumumba. I would hope that the club responds, after we knock the Tigers off.

Bucks has been tweeting more recently and calling for change on social issues and leadership. Here is another opportunity for him to enhance his own leadership credentials by responding appropriately to this.

Ed needs to do similar. And likely needs someone to assist him with his communication on this issue.

But it needs to come from the Club and neither of these club leaders can afford to be silent on it.

It's a nice sentiment and good in principle, but what if the club has investigated it and nearly everyone they spoke to outright denies the claims? What then?

It just becomes a messy fight where again it makes Heritier look like he's making false accusations. Maybe the club are trying to look after him by just staying silent on it? I'm just spit-balling here btw.

These allegations were raised 3 years ago and dealt with then to some degree. H is obviously not happy with the outcome and this has raised its head again because of the current events.

I guess a "general" apology could be made, but my feeling from reading that open letter is that Harry wants far more than that and wants ex team mates to call the club out and I presume each other. I'm not sure I understand his letter to be honest.

 

[Dan Moody]

Lumumba's the one that came out a few years ago and cracked the shits at Bucks because he claimed that he started up the nickname Lez for Seedsman because a few of the biys thought he had the same haircut as a lesbian.
This guy may have some legitimate issues, but his crazy ranting and raving a few years ago.

I.e. "I've been going through a history ... of things for a long time, including a long and very complicated history of sexual abuse, suicide, depression, seeing someone get murdered, knowing that who murdered that person and not being able to say anything, knowing that person will probably murder you,"

The guy claims he witnessed the murder in 2011 but it took a couple of years (until Bucks was the coach) for him to bring this up. Either he raised this when he returned to the Pies in 2011 and it was ignored because of our red hot form or he has a specific issue with Bucks.

 

[JB1975]

Loved the OP. I enjoy reading things from people who aren't shy to stare down their own shortcomings, who mentally wrestle with some difficult issues, and who ponder a better way of being.

I read through a few pages on the main board, couldn't get further than that. Too many people who thought it was clever to call Heritier 'Harry', too many people keen for a chance to call Buckley a w***er and to vent their spleen about Ed. The poverty of spirit in those parts is a genuine sadness.

Not all of the issues are clear, I tend to agree with Kirby on that, and there is an air of self-absorption about Lumumba which makes it hard to get a decent view of what's going on. But I think that we know enough grasp the moment. He was called 'chimp'. By who, when, by how many, it doesn't really matter. It also doesn't matter that he might have consented to the name once upon a time: the culture of football clubs too often bastatdises the individual and encourages them to accept things which might ordinarily go against good conscience, and his later expressions of disgust with the name were too easily dismissed.

We're big enough to apologise to Lumumba, and I think that the issues we're facing in this moment are big enough for us to use that apology as a way of committing to broader change. We can accept and say sorry for our own failings, and we can also make it known that football clubs and society have some way to go, that we want to be part of positive change rather than a symbol of ignorance.

Is Ed the man to do it? He has a sizable heart, maybe bigger than his mouth, and he'd be the perfect man for the occasion if he's actually passionate about it.

 

[barrackers]

It's a shame that Lumumba didn't finish his footy at Colllingwood, but the same could be said of Wellingham (family reasons), Dawes and Shaw. Jolly and Didak were also delisted/retired when they felt they had more footy left. Only Shaw and Wellingham for a year or two played good footy after leaving Collingwood. I could be wrong, but reading those comments I sense Lumumba is still hurting he was traded out of Collingwood. Excluding Shaw who's still playing all others have accepted the olive branch of life membership and look to be in a better place with regards to the club.

How good would it be if Lumumba accepted McGuire's offer and the club provided Lumumba with a platform to discuss and acknowledge his concerns within the confines of a club function? The key people could be there to publicly shake hands etc.

Could the club have been more supportive? Yes, but Lumumba is a different and complex person. There's nothing wrong with that, but clubs just can't have specialist counsellors onhand for every possibility that may eventuate. I don't know if external references were made, so can't comment there.

Were the alleged comments made? Lumumba's admission of psychedelic drug use occurring during this time places a question mark on his claims, however only those inside the club can say whether or not they occurred. I was pleased to read from Lumumba that the alleged comments stopped once raised.

Was it wrong that Lumumba was traded? No, footy is a business and the trade for Varcoe has been a good one both on and seemingly off the field.

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

McGuire's response last night on Footy Classified. Sure idiots will use this to further slant McGurie, but he it was smart of McGuire to want to discuss this at least initially behind closed doors. Pretty damning that Lumumba seemingly wouldn't catchup in person last year and instead uses the current situation and media.

“I meant to say the exact opposite”. LOL. Same old excuses for Eddie.

He has learned nothing from his mistakes.

 

[jonmacTrag]

Always liked H as a player and not dismissing his allegations.
But.
He is a well documented attention seeker.
And.
The fact it comes at the height of mass demonstrations both here and abroad on white supremacy makes me very suspiscious.
Again not dismissing the allegations but sceptical due to the current circumstances.

 

[jonmacTrag]

Always liked H as a player and not dismissing his allegations.
But.
He is a well documented attention seeker.
And.
The fact it comes at the height of mass demonstrations both here and abroad on white supremacy makes me very suspiscious.
Again not dismissing the allegations but sceptical due to the current circumstances.

Chuckle away Gaben, some of us are not entirely credulous.

 

[Vicky Park]

Always liked H as a player and not dismissing his allegations.
But.
He is a well documented attention seeker.
And.
The fact it comes at the height of mass demonstrations both here and abroad on white supremacy makes me very suspiscious.
Again not dismissing the allegations but sceptical due to the current circumstances.

I’m not comfortable with the ‘attention seeker’ reference. I acknowledge what you mean by it, and also Lumumba’s track record. I’ve already described him as annoying and irritating.

But we have to be cautious about dismissing his claims on this basis, and then feeling justified in doing so. We have to separate out what we don’t like about him from what he is saying about our club. It’s no trivial matter.

 

[Gaben]

Worth noting that Krakouer backed up and supported, in-part, what Lumumba had to say. Also provided another case and example of the 'keep things in house, don't hang us out to dry' mentality that Lumumba touched on.

Regardless of the crap about H being a 'documented attention seeker', we should be taking this as an opportunity to better the club and find a way to mend relations with him. Stop jumping at shadows about suspicious timing of speaking up and crap, it's irrelevant who spoke up and when, the fact that it's being discussed is enough for us to want to do better.

ANDREW Krakouer believes football clubs, fans and the media remain “culturally ignorant” in regards to racism in society.
The Herald Sun published a one-on-one interview with the former Magpie and Tiger on Monday backing Heritier Lumumba’s claims that he was called a chimp by teammates at Collingwood.

Krakouer, who now works in the mines in Western Australia, did not back away from these claims but conceded that there was no malicious intent behind the nickname.

According to Krakouer, ‘Chimp’ is just a snapshot into the wider societal problems that continue to trouble him and other indigenous people.

“It was a nickname (but) I honestly don’t think the boys are racist,” Krakouer said on SEN.

“I honestly thought it was just culturally ignorant. It was not meaning to be racist at all.

I don’t think the boys were trying to upset him or anything like that. It was just culturally ignorant.

“I think it’s a problem throughout society. One thing throughout my life that has been a common them is racism. It’s everyone’s responsibility. It’s everyone trying to understand and work together and be more educated around the issue.”

Nathan Buckley and Andrew Krakouer,
Nathan Buckley and Andrew Krakouer,
Source: News Limited

Krakouer also revealed he was urged to play against his will following Eddie McGuire’s ‘King Kong’ comments on Triple M radio following an unsavoury incident with Adam Goodes and a young supporter.

Collingwood had an interstate trip the next week and the 2011 Mark of the Year winner did not want to travel, but was urged to do so.

“I was told that if I didn’t play it would be a political statement against the club and Eddie,” he said.

“I certainly didn’t want to do that. I didn’t have any problems with Ed. He’s helped me out and has done a lot of good things with me. He’s unfortunately made a mistake on what he said and it really deeply hurt me. The thing that hurt me were the comments and how it was handled at the time.”

Krakouer played 35 games for Collingwood after notching 102 matches for Richmond.

 

[Gaben]

Chuckle away Gaben, some of us are not entirely credulous.

'I'm not dismissing his allegations, but here's some roundabout excusisms to justify why we should just dismiss it'

Might as well have just written 'I'm not a racist but'

 

[Leviathan Pie]

This thread will not go well.

There is simply a lack of information to base any opinion on. All we are hearing is disjointed fragments of information, mostly coming from him.

I notice from the thread on the main board that it has opened the floodgates for posters to open fire on Eddie and Bucks and Collingwood in general, despite the lack of specifics.

If he was called chimp then that sounds appalling, however, we have no information as to who said it or in what context. Was it a group or is he saying the whole playing list?

Whilst 4 ex-players have given him some support, so far the only one I can see that says he heard that nickname is Krakouer. Davis gives some general support and we don’t know exactly what the other 2 have to say (I believe they are McNamara and Egan?).

I repeat that calling a black-man a chimp sounds/is appalling but we are getting no context at all.

It’s a very difficult subject that is not helped by it being raised by someone who is seen as pretty unreliable.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[TradeDraft]

He is an attention seeker, focus on tonight’s game. Why do they always try to derail our chances

Yeah. He just wants Attention

 

[Help My Club]

This is a complex issue that none of us here can comment on with great certainty/authority.

McGuire is a white man in his mid 50's like many Aussie blokes of that vintage. We, including McGuire, cannot possibly appreciate nor understand what it is like to be black/aboriginal in terms of their mindset, beliefs and treatment. So I suspect that McGuire is not a racist but rather a bloke, like most of us, who makes comment but without intimate knowledge/understanding.

Harry may genuinely have his grievances however I can completely understand why he would not meet with McGuire one on one. Furthermore, he would know that McGuire has a significant media advantage and possibly wouldn't trust the messages that may come out as a result of any private meeting.

Ultimately McGuire needs to take ownership of this issue as he is indirectly responsible for putting the club in the spotlight ie his comments regarding Goodes. Flippant public motherhood statements may not suffice this time.