This is an open letter to the Bomber fans that have replied here and think that Patrick Ryder has betrayed their club.
By all accounts Ryder's reputation has been one of integrity and a team first approach. The indigenous culture is one based on connection to the land, then to the community,then the family and finally comes the individual. Look back at the television show "The recruit" when the indigenous player was named the captain and he had to decide who could be cut from the team. He chose himself. It was unfair to put him in that position because in his culture choosing to save himself means weakening the group. This would explain why Ryder was so popular within your club. Why does he feel betrayed though?
The reason why Ryder would go along with the supplements program is that he is part of a tribe (The Essendon Football team) and he would not say no while the majority of team is in support of the program. Again, his culture would have made it difficult to say no. When he found out that there were risks involved that could affect his family (however minute the risks are by your club's perspective), this is a clear violation of the rights as an indigenous person.
What the Essendon Footbal Club has done is fractured the connection between the land one one hand and the community and the individual on the other. While this may sound melodramatic it actually makes sense. Everything is connected in a hierarchy. If you take poison (this includes alcohol, sugar and tobacco which is a problem in all our communities as a whole) it interferes with your connection with the land and erodes communities, families and then the individual gets sick. I think this is a holistic way of looking at life and we could all learn a lot from this (I'm looking at you Hird).
The Indigenous program at Alberton apparently is very strong. This program, I am told, is not necessarily to help our indigenous community but for them to show us how to help ourselves at being a better club by keeping in touch with our community, respecting people around us and then respecting ourselves. This would go a long way to healing the pain that he may have felt over this program. You have to remember that he rightfully would have felt violated.
If you can't see why Ryder is upset I'll explain it this way. Your club gave him White man's poison so that they could further their needs and in doing so affected his family (this includes both parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, elders). They never said sorry, gave them proper counseling or tried to mitigate the damage in any way for his family.
This is caused by a complete lack of understanding of his culture. Perhaps we can use ethics and morality in this situation. No, the EFC club has stated that footy is a business so the need to win overrides ethics. The only thing left then is a clause regarding a duty of care.
If he can use white man's laws to get ethical justice....Why not?
My question to Bomber fans is....Is anyone of you outraged by Ryder's treatment because you need to speak out.