NO TROLLS Should AFL players bend the knee before each match in 2021?

[Chief]

Yes

Why do you think that is?

 

[HaroLad]

Why do you think that is?

I am made deeply uncomfortable by the fact that increasingly the norm is disparate from my own views and thinking. To be unable to relate on this fundamental level to fellow human beings would be deeply uncomfortable for anyone.

I cannot fathom how, in Britain, the death of a felon who overdosed on deadly drugs and dies in police custody after failing to comply with simple requests can trigger mass rioting and protests on account of his race. I do understand there is an issue with the rate at which African Americans are incarcerated, however I cannot understand what that has to do with Britain. I cannot understand how British athletes can kneel in support of an organisation which advocate for the destruction of fundamental values and tarnish British history and heroes (i.e. by tearing down statues of Winston Churchill). I cannot understand that the kneel for an issue in another country but ignore much, much larger issues such as world hunger, poverty, war, dictatorships and even a genocide in China.

It made me uncomfortable when the AFL players did it too, because I don't understand why they choose that issue above all else, and because I know some players wouldn't want to but were effectively forced.

 

[Jiggyman]

Okay if you want politics out of footy, how about we remove gambling?

In what sense? And what exactly is your point, that politics are inherent to footy? Does this mean gambling is 'inherent to footy'?

 

[Ricketz]

No,. Thats just called pandering. And we need to be stronger and better than that. it ABSOLUTELY can just be for what it is , sport. Leave the rest to imbeciles arguing and virtue signaling on soical media. Where the rest of of us can ignore all the constant look at me virtue bullshit.

Righto, no Australian anthem at the footy at all then. My dual citizenship says that is not about sport.

 

[mr bagcroft]

Righto, no Australian anthem at the footy at all then. My dual citizenship says that is not about sport.

support that

 

[CaptainCripps13]

Righto, no Australian anthem at the footy at all then. My dual citizenship says that is not about sport.

Playing the national anthem of a country at a sporting event in that country is not political.

Let's not draw silly comparisons.

 

[CaptainCripps13]

I am made deeply uncomfortable by the fact that increasingly the norm is disparate from my own views and thinking. To be unable to relate on this fundamental level to fellow human beings would be deeply uncomfortable for anyone.

I cannot fathom how, in Britain, the death of a felon who overdosed on deadly drugs and dies in police custody after failing to comply with simple requests can trigger mass rioting and protests on account of his race. I do understand there is an issue with the rate at which African Americans are incarcerated, however I cannot understand what that has to do with Britain. I cannot understand how British athletes can kneel in support of an organisation which advocate for the destruction of fundamental values and tarnish British history and heroes (i.e. by tearing down statues of Winston Churchill). I cannot understand that the kneel for an issue in another country but ignore much, much larger issues such as world hunger, poverty, war, dictatorships and even a genocide in China.

It made me uncomfortable when the AFL players did it too, because I don't understand why they choose that issue above all else, and because I know some players wouldn't want to but were effectively forced.

Doesn’t individual choice override though

If you believe we are a free country, if a player has earned the right to take the field, don’t they have the right to take a knee? It doesn’t interfere with the game. It represents their own view. You don’t have to agree with it.

I am sure Chief would support a BigFooty employee putting a Trump picture in their office at work - freedom of expression right Chiefy?

 

[HaroLad]

Doesn’t individual choice override though

If you believe we are a free country, if a player has earned the right to take the field, don’t they have the right to take a knee? It doesn’t interfere with the game. It represents their own view. You don’t have to agree with it.

But that has little to do with my comfort, does it?

 

[CaptainCripps13]

But that has little to do with my comfort, does it?

You have the right to feel uncomfortable buddy. I don’t love it personally. But my lack of love is outweighed by the player’s right to express their view

 

[morningbrown]

In what sense? And what exactly is your point, that politics are inherent to footy? Does this mean gambling is 'inherent to footy'?

My point is that if you want to remove something that you deem detrimental to the sport, then we should remove gambling as well.

 

[CaptainCripps13]

My point is that if you want to remove something that you deem detrimental to the sport, then we should remove gambling as well.

But gambling is not detrimental to sport. In fact it funds a lot of it

 

[Jiggyman]

My point is that if you want to remove something that you deem detrimental to the sport, then we should remove gambling as well.

It'd be great if the advertising was regulated, especially during games. It's out of control.
However, there's a whole debate there and I'm not sure whether a total ban is appropriate.

Regarding the footy, players can essentially do whatever they want within reason without compromising the code, but I'm not a fan of politics taking centre stage. Perhaps my initial post was a bit contrived.

 

[morningbrown]

But gambling is not detrimental to sport. In fact it funds a lot of it

It has created a generation of gambling addicts. But politics won't do that.

 

[CaptainCripps13]

It has created a generation of gambling addicts. But politics won't do that.

You said it was detrimental to sport. That is factually incorrect.

I don’t think it has created a generation of addicts. Australians have always been huge gamblers. It just made it easier

 

[JackOutback]

When people say they want politics out of sport, they simply mean politics they don’t like. If I may make a generalisation, a majority of people opposed to players taking a knee would lose their sh*t if the AFL was told to drop Anzac Day. There would be cries of censorship, cancel culture etc. But the very nature of Anzac Day and how it relates to our history is political.

Politics is life, life is politics, you can’t separate it from anything.

 

[DFWGrapher]

Politics is life, life is politics, you can’t separate it from anything.

This is accurate. An ordinary act to one person may be considered a politically-motivated act to another. And in sports, simple sporting competitions can take on whole new levels of political importance when you have country vs. country, or events that are billed as such.

Jesse Owens at the 1936 Olympics, Joe Louis knocking out Max Schmeling, and the Americans beating the Soviets in 1980 Olympic hockey all had huge political implications without being politically-motivated. Should the US have kept Owens at home so as not to tarnish Hitler's showcase event?

And at least here in America, the NFL and Nascar have no problem inserting politically-motivated messages (pregame flyovers, all the tearful made-for-TV welcome-home moments, enlistment ceremonies at halftime, ads for candidates on Nascar cars) pretty overtly. But then those same people lauding that completely flip their sh*t when someone takes a knee for their political cause.

 

[Desync]

I don't really give a fu** but at the same time it kind of annoys me, Not sure why. Maybe im a closet racist

 

[CaptainCripps13]

When people say they want politics out of sport, they simply mean politics they don’t like. If I may make a generalisation, a majority of people opposed to players taking a knee would lose their sh*t if the AFL was told to drop Anzac Day. There would be cries of censorship, cancel culture etc. But the very nature of Anzac Day and how it relates to our history is political.

Politics is life, life is politics, you can’t separate it from anything.

Anzac Day is not political.

If you think it is, you need to spend some time with some of our returned soldiers, listen to their experiences and understand the impact it has had on them and their families.

Last week I spent 3 days trying to get government help for an ex-soldier whose job it was to recover, put together and identify body parts of people killed in Timor by Indonesia. The impact on him, his children and his wife would bring the manliest bloke to tears. Yet we do very little for these people who give everything up.

Politicians choose what wars we fight - argue with them the politics. Anzac Day is about honouring our soldiers, some of whom are the reason you and I can even have this debate on a message board.

Equating it with this kneeling nonsense isn’t just wrong, it’s disrespectful.

 

[Ricketz]

Playing the national anthem of a country at a sporting event in that country is not political.

Let's not draw silly comparisons.

Of course it is political and has nothing to do with sport.

 

[mr bagcroft]

When people say they want politics out of sport, they simply mean politics they don’t like. If I may make a generalisation, a majority of people opposed to players taking a knee would lose their sh*t if the AFL was told to drop Anzac Day. There would be cries of censorship, cancel culture etc. But the very nature of Anzac Day and how it relates to our history is political.

Politics is life, life is politics, you can’t separate it from anything.

Big difference between Anzac Day commerating people who died for our freedom, and a bunch of virtue signalling tossers.
Yeah,nah.

 

[Gough]

Big difference between Anzac Day commerating people who died for our freedom, and a bunch of virtue signalling tossers.
Yeah,nah.

You need to read up on WWI history, we were fighting in Turkey under control of the Brits to gain land for the Russian. It had nothing to do with our freedom, we could have sat on our hands during that war and Australia would have been unchanged. As Chuck D said, Don't Believe the Hype.

 

[morningbrown]

Anzac Day is not political.

If you think it is, you need to spend some time with some of our returned soldiers, listen to their experiences and understand the impact it has had on them and their families.

Last week I spent 3 days trying to get government help for an ex-soldier whose job it was to recover, put together and identify body parts of people killed in Timor by Indonesia. The impact on him, his children and his wife would bring the manliest bloke to tears. Yet we do very little for these people who give everything up.

Politicians choose what wars we fight - argue with them the politics. Anzac Day is about honouring our soldiers, some of whom are the reason you and I can even have this debate on a message board.

Equating it with this kneeling nonsense isn’t just wrong, it’s disrespectful.

People of colour are currently fighting a war against injustice. They are fighting so that future generations are no longer unfairly treated or even killed, based on the colour of their skin. They are fighting for freedom, exactly what the ANZACS were supposedly doing, except now the enemy is within their own countries.

 

[CaptainCripps13]

People of colour are currently fighting a war against injustice. They are fighting so that future generations are no longer unfairly treated or even killed, based on the colour of their skin. They are fighting for freedom, exactly what the ANZACS were supposedly doing, except now the enemy is within their own countries.

Fighting by kneeling versus getting shot and killed for your country

I cannot compute how someone would equate the two

 

[CaptainCripps13]

You need to read up on WWI history, we were fighting in Turkey under control of the Brits to gain land for the Russian. It had nothing to do with our freedom, we could have sat on our hands during that war and Australia would have been unchanged. As Chuck D said, Don't Believe the Hype.

But Anzac Day is not just about WW1.

Funny you support the UN right? Alliances sometimes mean you stick up for allies outside your area of concern

 

[morningbrown]

Fighting by kneeling versus getting shot and killed for your country

I cannot compute how someone would equate the two

The kneeling is a message of support and unity for the POCs who are getting shot and killed for simply being a different race. Doesn't take a genius to understand the correlation.