Mega Thread Adam Goodes (Trolls will be carded - read OP!)

[momentbymoment]

tigers stand by goodes as do most of the players in the comp its only a small gesture of wearing our indigenous jumper but its something only regret is titch Edwards wont be out there to wear it

I think it's huge and I for one have a lot of respect for The Richmond football club for making that decision.

 

[LoneStar]

I have a lot of respect for AG. He's a great player! And this is part of the problem! If supporters can limit his greatness by booing him, booing will continue. While racism has played a huge part in the abuse he's faced for a long time, I don't think the boos are primarily generated by racism!
There is certainly a percentage of the booing that comes from aholes that miss the "good old days" and enjoy any chance to celebrate their "heritage".
However, I believe the vast majority of the boos come from supporters who believe they are affecting the game & helping their club. Since the boos appear to bother AG & the Swans a great deal, supporters believe they are helping their club by harassing Goodes.
AG & the Swans are right about the media loving this story. If the media could drop this for a while, the boos might not be as prevalent in the future.
The AFL should show zero tolerance for any abusive language or actions that seem racially motivated that supporters chortle toward umpires, players, etc - even from 13 year olds - BUT the AFL cannot do anything about the booing. As long as people believe their actions are having a positive effect on the scoreboard for their club, this will continue!

 

[momentbymoment]

BUT the AFL cannot do anything about the booing. As long as people believe their actions are having a positive effect on the scoreboard for their club, this will continue!

Smoking used to seem so 'cool' but now most people Just feel sorry for those with the addiction.

What changed?
A campaign to change perceptions.

The AFL (clubs, players, fans, etc) can change the culture of racism if they wish.

 

[YorshireSwan]

I have a lot of respect for AG. He's a great player! And this is part of the problem! If supporters can limit his greatness by booing him, booing will continue. While racism has played a huge part in the abuse he's faced for a long time, I don't think the boos are primarily generated by racism!
There is certainly a percentage of the booing that comes from aholes that miss the "good old days" and enjoy any chance to celebrate their "heritage".
However, I believe the vast majority of the boos come from supporters who believe they are affecting the game & helping their club. Since the boos appear to bother AG & the Swans a great deal, supporters believe they are helping their club by harassing Goodes.
AG & the Swans are right about the media loving this story. If the media could drop this for a while, the boos might not be as prevalent in the future.
The AFL should show zero tolerance for any abusive language or actions that seem racially motivated that supporters chortle toward umpires, players, etc - even from 13 year olds - BUT the AFL cannot do anything about the booing. As long as people believe their actions are having a positive effect on the scoreboard for their club, this will continue!

I certainly understand the context of what you are saying, but the reality is now whether we like it or not it has now gone past a pure sporting context. The issue is now at a watershed moment, from this point forward those who do it purely in the sporting context you outline can take a step back and allow the issue to naturally defuse with dignity, but those who go ahead and continue to boo must accept that people will assume that they are doing it for reasons based on race.

 

[captainMyCaptain]

In contrast did anyone see the interview the mother of that 13 y/o girl did..

"I do think people shouldn't boo him at the football, they should be trying to encourage him to be a better person than what he is," Joanne said of the former Australian of the Year.
"It's all stemmed from what he did to Julia," Joanne told Fairfax Media. "If he hadn't have done it he wouldn't be having the problems he'd be having now.
Joanne told Fairfax Media that Goodes owes her daughter an apology for the "unfair" treatment she received from MCG security staff and police after calling the player an "ape".
Joanne said Goodes "shouldn't take things to heart as much as he does" because being "badgered" on the football field was part of being an AFL footballer.

wtf?? so Goodes has to apologise for standing up against racism? And if there are racial comments made towards him and he doesn't just "take it" like all the rednecks want him to, then he's a sook? some people are seriously f*****.

So basically -

 

[Lakeside Swan]

It's not even about if its racial or not anymore.
It's effected his family its effecting his wellbeing and mental state, how about being compassionate human beings and just stop booing.
Seriously folks its not hard.

Well said. People have turned this into a white vs black thing (Pridham, Andrews, many of here, etc, etc). Who knows the true reason why these people are booing. What we do know is that doing so is a poor example of how people should behave. It's all about common human decency and behaviour.

 

[Punts]

Good on the Tigers imo

 

[JRFoxy]

In contrast did anyone see the interview the mother of that 13 y/o girl did..

"I do think people shouldn't boo him at the football, they should be trying to encourage him to be a better person than what he is," Joanne said of the former Australian of the Year.
"It's all stemmed from what he did to Julia," Joanne told Fairfax Media. "If he hadn't have done it he wouldn't be having the problems he'd be having now.
Joanne told Fairfax Media that Goodes owes her daughter an apology for the "unfair" treatment she received from MCG security staff and police after calling the player an "ape".
Joanne said Goodes "shouldn't take things to heart as much as he does" because being "badgered" on the football field was part of being an AFL footballer.

wtf?? so Goodes has to apologise for standing up against racism? And if there are racial comments made towards him and he doesn't just "take it" like all the rednecks want him to, then he's a sook? some people are seriously f*****.

As a teacher with over 20 years experience, mainly in western NSW, not once have I ever heard a white student called an ape. I have heard it twice - once aimed at an Aboriginal student and once at a student from an African background. The whole she-didn't-know-what-she-was saying argument is just trying to get out of trouble. And Adam's treatment of the girl - how dare he point out racism! How dare he make her get marched out! How dare he make her relative sit in the seat and not go with her! And later on, how dare he express his concern about the girl and hope she was OK!

The way those who boo him respond is just a sad indictment on their upbringing and lack of values.

 

[swansfan51]

I just read a piece by an indigenous writer

The fact is, some Aboriginal people, myself included, saw that embarrassing display and did not feel pride. Instead, we felt shame, and a sense of sadness and loss. Some of this stems from seeing yet more of our traditions mocked and traded upon, invented and earning overnight acclaim, for little more than cheap thrills while the long standing traditions are ignored, left to die quietly and uncelebrated until they are forgotten and lost forever. Some of this comes from the fact we're tired of the theatrics, and how his need for attention will play out for the rest of us, and creep a little into our own lives. For an urban blackfella like me, I hate the fact that all of a sudden my opinion is relevant. I haven’t written a blog post in almost a year, or bothered to watch free to air television in even longer, yet received two messages on my phone today – one from SBS and the other from 2GB, wanting to know what I think about the whole Goodes drama and depending on what I think, whether they want to hear from me. They aren’t the only ones. Friends, acquaintances and even the random guy standing next to me in line at the supermarket suddenly wants to hear what I have to say, but only on this one topic, just for now. The easiest way to get rid of them is to gauge their personal feelings, then just agree with them. If someone is genuinely looking for a discussion, they are easy to tell, but most people just want me to be the token black who validates their own feelings on the matter.

Views like mine, that are contrary to the representations being made by the rabid, name-calling media, are ignored or rejected by all those who simply want to brand every incident or comment with an ‘ism’, because the object of their outrage is never to stimulate an educated debate or a discussion, but rather they wish to simply stand on their given podium and recite their narcissistic lecture, a pointless exercise for them to reinforce their followers that they alone are a bastion of cultural relevance, understanding and compassion.

http://theblacksteamtrain.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/the-wayland-smithers-school-of.html

 

[RUNVS]

so apparently our leadership group were adamant we wear it as a show of support for goodes and all indigenous people who then went to the coach and benny gale who agreed and got approval from the afl

I am really thankful to the Richmond club. It is a great gesture.

 

[S120]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-07-30/watch-it-live-swans-give-update-on-adam-goodes

Ireland, McVeigh, Jack and Longmire speaking in the next few minutes.

 

[S120]

I just read a piece by an indigenous writer



http://theblacksteamtrain.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/the-wayland-smithers-school-of.html

A really interesting piece, read it earlier.

We won't find nuance and thoughtfulness of this kind on either side of this debate given it's controlled by the AFL media and mainstream Australian journalism. It's well worth reading for many as a counterpoint that they may not have come across thus far.

 

[desafinado74]

A really interesting piece, read it earlier.

We won't find nuance and thoughtfulness of this kind on either side of this debate given it's controlled by the AFL media and mainstream Australian journalism. It's well worth reading for many as a counterpoint that they may not have come across thus far.

Sounds like a pretentious, wanky Uncle Tom to me who is jealous of Goode's achievements, on and off the field. Won't be surprised if he/she slagged off Micheal Long and Winmar too. Time for her/him to disappear from writing for another year.

 

[desafinado74]

More support from other sporting and political figures for Goodes...

http://www.sen.com.au/news/07-15/twitter-world-rallies-around-adam-goodes

 

[desafinado74]

80% of 55,000 footy supporters polled, still think that they are booing Goodes not for racism reasons,,,,

http://www.sen.com.au/news/07-15/kbs-take-time-for-australia-to-wake-up-on-goodes-issue

 

[Donkey Chop]

Hey guys I haven't read through the thread but just thought I'd pop in and say I have nothing but respect for Goodes for his bravery in standing up for his beliefs.

I was gutted when my fellow North supporters booed him when we played earlier in the year.

I'm sure he will come out of this more respected then ever. He is a champion of our game and a champion of his people

 

[S120]

Sounds like a pretentious, wanky Uncle Tom to me who is jealous of Goode's achievements, on and off the field. Won't be surprised if he/she slagged off Micheal Long and Winmar too. Time for her/him to disappear from writing for another year.

A bit of open-mindedness to other peoples' opinions and a willingness to challenge (not necessaryily change) your own view would go a long way for a lot of people currently mired in this debate.

When one extreme side of the debate is Andrew Pridham (amongst many others) saying "If you're booing Adam Goodes I've got bad news for you, you're a racist" and the other side is Alan Jones (amongst many others) saying things like "...(Goodes) tells us that we’re all racists. Every time he speaks, Australia is a racist nation", you know that the middle ground has been lost on this issue. Black and white rather than shades of grey. That suits mainstream journalism because they profit off all this tremendously. They can print story after story claiming to be getting to the heart of this issue and pitting commentators like Richards Hinds and Miranda Devine against each other in a supposed battle of the minds.

I don't agree with absolutely everything written by the person who writes on the Black Steam Train blog, but he provides a unique take on this issue that nobody in the media has thus far. To call him an Uncle Tom is lacking in a lot of the repect you might demand others show Goodes. He's discussing casual racism and overt racism that is so at the heart of this issue, just not from the perspective anyone else in the media is experienced enough or willing enough to talk about.

 

[FreeAgent1]

In contrast did anyone see the interview the mother of that 13 y/o girl did..

"I do think people shouldn't boo him at the football, they should be trying to encourage him to be a better person than what he is," Joanne said of the former Australian of the Year.
"It's all stemmed from what he did to Julia," Joanne told Fairfax Media. "If he hadn't have done it he wouldn't be having the problems he'd be having now.
Joanne told Fairfax Media that Goodes owes her daughter an apology for the "unfair" treatment she received from MCG security staff and police after calling the player an "ape".
Joanne said Goodes "shouldn't take things to heart as much as he does" because being "badgered" on the football field was part of being an AFL footballer.

wtf?? so Goodes has to apologise for standing up against racism? And if there are racial comments made towards him and he doesn't just "take it" like all the rednecks want him to, then he's a sook? some people are seriously f*****.

My favourite part of the article on this was

"she had only just turned 13 a week earlier.....so technically she was still 12"

My first reaction.... WHAT

My second reaction.... now I understand how simple I will have to make this issue for you to make you understand what bigotry and discrimination is.

 

[desafinado74]

Jason Akarmanis says that Goodes is a sook,,,,,how surprising...

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...e-victim-jason-akermanis-20150730-gini39.html

 

[swansfan51]

Sounds like a pretentious, wanky Uncle Tom to me who is jealous of Goode's achievements, on and off the field. Won't be surprised if he/she slagged off Micheal Long and Winmar too. Time for her/him to disappear from writing for another year.

So basically an uppity black man who should keep his opinions to himself because you don't like what he says? Utterly disgraceful

 

[Donners]

The girl does deserve an apology, but from the media rather than Goodes.

Goodes reacted in an understandably emotional way to what he perceived as racism.

It was outrageous for the media to splash the girl over live TV and the front of newspapers.

 

[Dangas]

Do hope Goodes plays again soon. This whole situation is a farce and should not be rammed by the media down our throats constantly. They are part of the problem the media.

 

[ImportExport]

im neither here nor there on the goodes thing, I think it is blown-up way out of proportion when there are much more serious things that happen in society (how quickly people forget that Phil Walsh was murdered by his own son in a psychotic drug fuller episode). I think there are people in the media with an agenda that want to milk this thing for all they can and I also think Adam Goodes no matter how righteous the intent has gone about this the wrong way. Personally I think the Australian people have sympathy for the aboriginal cause, they are happy accommodate reconciliation, but when Goodes accuses people of being racist and starts throwing imaginary spears into the crowd I think you are asking for a retaliation and that is what he has got. There is a wrong way and a right way to go about it and when you go about it the right way you will get the support you are looking for.

 

[BloodRet]

http://m.smh.com.au/afl/sydney-swan...t-still-wants-an-apology-20150729-gimqms.html

"I do think people shouldn't boo him at the football, they should be trying to encourage him to be a better person than what he is," Joanne said of the former Australian of the Year.

Redneck mother of 13-year-old girl calls for Goodes to be "a better person than what he is." I've read it all. What a bitter old pig.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

Do hope Goodes plays again soon. This whole situation is a farce and should not be rammed by the media down our throats constantly. They are part of the problem the media.

I too hope he plays again because I know that the massive cheers that are going to erupt around the stadium every time he gets the ball will utterly swamp the boos, and make it clear to the booers once and for all how pathetically few are actually on their side.