AFL Diversity or lack of

[Mahlepi]

The AFL today held a function to celebrate Ramadan.
Whilst it is great to see the AFL celebrating one and only belief, its time that the AFL celebrate football.

Cant remember the last Jewish celebration or the last Orthodox celebration.

There is no place in sport for the celebration of one belief in a christian country at the expense of all other beliefs.

The AFL is clearly showing a lack of inclusion. It was not long ago that the AFL permitted character references at a tribunal hearing. The circus around Mr Houli's appearance for a heinous act was simply not acceptable given the MRP brief, and what is permitted for other players. Further the AFL's own employee, whose temper was evidenced is callous off the ball hits, was used as a defence tool to try and exonerate Mr Houli.

Its time for the AFL to not sponsor not inclusive events, and allows those groups to do as they please. The AFL is here to administer a game and not get involved in religious celebrations, even if they only promote and celebrate one religion.

It would be interesting if another religious group approached the AFL for it to provide a function for their religious beliefs.

 

[Kwality]

The AFL today held a function to celebrate Ramadan.
Whilst it is great to see the AFL celebrating one and only belief, its time that the AFL celebrate football.

Cant remember the last Jewish celebration or the last Orthodox celebration.

There is no place in sport for the celebration of one belief in a christian country at the expense of all other beliefs.

The AFL is clearly showing a lack of inclusion. It was not long ago that the AFL permitted character references at a tribunal hearing. The circus around Mr Houli's appearance for a heinous act was simply not acceptable given the MRP brief, and what is permitted for other players. Further the AFL's own employee, whose temper was evidenced is callous off the ball hits, was used as a defence tool to try and exonerate Mr Houli.

Its time for the AFL to not sponsor not inclusive events, and allows those groups to do as they please. The AFL is here to administer a game and not get involved in religious celebrations, even if they only promote and celebrate one religion.

It would be interesting if another religious group approached the AFL for it to provide a function for their religious beliefs.

Someones version of PC, its a scourge PC.
The Commission needs to pull the Executive into line, however I suspect its the Commission driving the PC agenda.

 

[robbieando]

It would be interesting if another religious group approached the AFL for it to provide a function for their religious beliefs.

You mean like the yearly AFL Grand Final Service that's held at Scots Church the Wednesday of Grand Final week? Better pull the pin on that then

 

[Upgrayedd]

Carlton hold a sunday celebration every year for the strong Jewish roots you *****. Just because of one Ramadan event you throw your toys out of the cot.

There are prayer rooms in every stadium

There was a bunch of GC players who were evangelist christians who would pray after warm up

There is two devout Muslims in the AFL

Like it or not Sport has been, and will be a huge bridge for inclusion of communities, No matter how much you dislike different people

 

[Kwality]

Politics, religion, political correctness have no place in footy, its my escape from the noise that engulfs my day to day existence.
Do as you will, just respect my right to ignore your version of how I should live my life.

 

[robbieando]

Carlton hold a sunday celebration every year for the strong Jewish roots you ********. Just because of one Ramadan event you throw your toys out of the cot.

There are prayer rooms in every stadium

There was a bunch of GC players who were evangelist christians who would pray after warm up

There is two devout Muslims in the AFL

Like it or not Sport has been, and will be a huge bridge for inclusion of communities, No matter how much you dislike different people

Not to forget that every club has there own chaplain to provide support to the players, coaches, families and the staff of the club (the main example being the Adelaide club chaplain being asked to lead the memorial service for Phil Walsh by his family). But hey lets get rid of that too

 

[robbieando]

Politics, religion, political correctness have no place in footy, its my escape from the noise that engulfs my day to day existence.
Do as you will, just respect my right to ignore your version of how I should live my life.

Lucky for the AFL it isn't bound to respect your "rights" about how you want to live your life.

They can do what they want and they will continue to. End of the day there a people who want them to be involved more, involved as they are now and not at all like you want. They won't win by going to the extremes.

 

[Kwality]

Not to forget that every club has there own chaplain to provide support to the players, coaches, families and the staff of the club (the main example being the Adelaide club chaplain being asked to lead the memorial service for Phil Walsh by his family). But hey lets get rid of that too

Put blunty, why do you want to force your views down my neck, only our love of footy sees us together.
RESPECT yes/no
I respect your views, just reject them, you OK with that?

 

[Kwality]

Lucky for the AFL it isn't bound to respect your "rights" about how you want to live your life.

They can do what they want and they will continue to. End of the day there a people who want them to be involved more, involved as they are now and not at all like you want. They won't win by going to the extremes.

For a mod, that is a pathetic self serving use of "rights".

 

[robbieando]

Put blunty, why do you want to force your views down my neck, only our love of footy sees us together.
RESPECT yes/no
I respect your views, just reject them, you OK with that?

You don't know what my actual views are to be able to reject them. But hey, you seem to want your views forced upon everyone if you had your way so lets not play that "force your views down my neck" card.

Maybe the ability for people of all faiths within the game to have options available to them is a good thing and the rest is just marketing. You can ignore things that you don't like and still enjoy the game, a simple enough process. I know I manage that feat

For a mod, that is a pathetic self serving use of "rights".

You can't respond so you pull the mod card. Me being a mod on this site has nothing to do with how the AFL conducts its business.

 

[FISTO]

I'd prefer religion be kept out of professional sports all together. Good for you if you believe in a higher power or whatever, but it feels like something that should be practiced in private between you, your God and like minded people. Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Mormon, Satanist, Jedi... whatever the case.

Any corporate sponsored worshiping feels like the cheapest of publicity especially when an organization as clumsy as the AFL has their DNA all over it. I don't think it does anything for what they're trying to achieve and probably counter productive in a country like ours. Watching the boys pray in front of the camera on the 6 o'clock news was hilariously cringey.

 

[CrazyJoeFevola]

most clubs have a christian chaplian enlisted and my club have run kosher catered events when we play the saints to recognise the strong jewish contribution to and support towards both our clubs a few times. jog on

 

[Ned_Flanders]

Richmond is a historically Catholic club, has a Baptist (I think) chaplain, and had cardinal Pell as an honorary patron

No issue with this but a Ramadan function is bad?

 

[citizen-erased]

Or you could let the AFL do as they will and stop trying to think that celebrating with people automatically means it is being forced down your throat and you are being asked to toe some imaginary line.

 

[Kwality]

You don't know what my actual views are to be able to reject them. But hey, you seem to want your views forced upon everyone if you had your way so lets not play that "force your views down my neck" card.

Maybe the ability for people of all faiths within the game to have options available to them is a good thing and the rest is just marketing. You can ignore things that you don't like and still enjoy the game, a simple enough process. I know I manage that feat



You can't respond so you pull the mod card. Me being a mod on this site has nothing to do with how the AFL conducts its business.

Whats this card stuff, are you in denial or is that another card.
Is too difficult to understand that I reject your views as posted?

 

[Kappa]

Religion in 2018, the home of the brainwashed and the scared. It's evolutionary purpose has been served and is now being phased out as more and more people become educated.

 

[Furn2]

Why not have a flying spaghetti monster round that celebrates all the sky ninja fairytales

 

[Ned_Flanders]

Why not have a flying spaghetti monster round that celebrates all the sky ninja fairytales

We have no round dedicated to any faith, why are you implying we do?

 

[NoobPie]

Or you could let the AFL do as they will and stop trying to think that celebrating with people automatically means it is being forced down your throat and you are being asked to toe some imaginary line.

Pretty sure that people demonstrating tolerance respect and inclusion in public are effectively "shoving / forcing" those values down peoples "throats / necks"

If it wasn't true, why would people say it its happening all the time?

We need to be tolerant, respectful and inclusive of people who experience (as onlookers mind) other people being tolerant, respectful and inclusive as akin to having a physical object - phallic or non-phallic - shoved down their throats

Imagine what life must be like for those that every time they see nice behaviour feel a rough choking sensation in their throat (perhaps even leaving an icky sticky residue? They need kindness not judgmentalism and ridicule

 

[NoobPie]

Religion in 2018, the home of the brainwashed and the scared. It's evolutionary purpose has been served and is now being phased out as more and more people become educated.

What do you mean? Like, after you've got PHDs in quantum mechanics and meta-physics?

 

[BattlerGM]

Or you could let the AFL do as they will and stop trying to think that celebrating with people automatically means it is being forced down your throat and you are being asked to toe some imaginary line.

Or the AFL could stay out of religion/politics altogether and instead run a football league.

 

[citizen-erased]

Or the AFL could stay out of religion/politics altogether and instead run a football league.

but they aren't just a sporting code administrative function.
they are a commercial entity now.

They are making inroads into the western sydney heartland via GWS.
An area with significant chinese and arabic communities.
And since their inception there is now a game in China and Ramadan celebrations.

Most large corporations will celebrate significant events of major religions.
No one seemed to mind when it was Easter and Christmas....but Ramadan, now that's forcing Islam down our throats.

Pretty sure that people demonstrating tolerance respect and inclusion in public are effectively "shoving / forcing" those values down peoples "throats / necks"

If it wasn't true, why would people say it its happening all the time?

We need to be tolerant, respectful and inclusive of people who experience (as onlookers mind) other people being tolerant, respectful and inclusive as akin to having a physical object - phallic or non-phallic - shoved down their throats

Imagine what life must be like for those that every time they see nice behaviour feel a rough choking sensation in their throat (perhaps even leaving an icky sticky residue? They need kindness not judgmentalism and ridicule

thats a fair point.
It does grow tiresome, but you are correct.

 

[BattlerGM]

but they aren't just a sporting code administrative function.
they are a commercial entity now.

No commercial entity should engage in religion or politics.

They are making inroads into the western sydney heartland via GWS.
An area with significant chinese and arabic communities.
And since their inception there is now a game in China and Ramadan celebrations.

They can make as many inroads as they like, just stay away from religion and politics.

Most large corporations will celebrate significant events of major religions.

So? They shouldn't.

No one seemed to mind when it was Easter and Christmas....but Ramadan, now that's forcing Islam down our throats.

I don't remember saying anything about Islam being forced down people's throats. Just that the AFL has no business dabbling in religion or politics, including all branches of Christianity.

 

[citizen-erased]

No commercial entity should engage in religion or politics.

They can make as many inroads as they like, just stay away from religion and politics.

So? They shouldn't.

I don't remember saying anything about Islam being forced down people's throats. Just that the AFL has no business dabbling in religion or politics, including all branches of Christianity.

I don't see the harm.

The more optically inclusive your organisation is, the more you appeal yourself to the marketplace.
The AFL celebrating Ramadan endears itself to those within the islamic community who see such an act as a beacon, and perhaps take an interest in AFL where they otherwise wouldn't have.
All the same, there will be those that see it as the tokenism that it is and continue not following AFL. Likewise, those who follow AFL and don't like the symbolism of getting involved in religion (or politics).
But the AFL doesn't stand to lose anything. You are likely to still follow the sport this weekend despite this. The people who saw it as a beacon are potentially picked up and grow the supporter base. And those that were unaffected carry on their daily lives as before and the AFL has lost nothing with them until the next exercise.

 

[BattlerGM]

I don't see the harm.

The more optically inclusive your organisation is, the more you appeal yourself to the marketplace.
The AFL celebrating Ramadan endears itself to those within the islamic community who see such an act as a beacon, and perhaps take an interest in AFL where they otherwise wouldn't have.
All the same, there will be those that see it as the tokenism that it is and continue not following AFL. Likewise, those who follow AFL and don't like the symbolism of getting involved in religion (or politics).
But the AFL doesn't stand to lose anything. You are likely to still follow the sport this weekend despite this. The people who saw it as a beacon are potentially picked up and grow the supporter base. And those that were unaffected carry on their daily lives as before and the AFL has lost nothing with them until the next exercise.

I think the AFL can appeal itself to the market place without resorting to such pandering. But yes, those that are pissed off by the AFL's actions are still going to turn up next weekend, meaning that the AFL, as you rightly pointed out, doesn't stand to lose anything. Shits me but oh well.