MRP / Trib. Suns Powell Suspended for Homophobic Slur

[Tassie4ever]

This quote has stuck in my mind far longer than the rest of the movie.

“You ever kill anybody?" "I hurt somebody's feelings once." - Robert Dinero as Sam (Ronin)​

Is the moral imperative to minimise emotional harm the same as the moral imperative to minimise physical harm? If so any statement that causes emotional harm should be sanctioned. Difficult, as a statement that one person finds highly offensive will be shrugged off my another, or have a different affect given the context and relationship.

I find I can’t decide whether or not a 5 weeks penalty for this act is reasonable given other penalties handed out.

This idiot deserved 5 wks for rank stupidity.

Sent from my SM-N920I using Tapatalk

 

[McIvor]

I’ve played footy and worked in footy for over 20 years, yes there is banter but it is ludicrous to suggest things were better when you could say whatever you want without punishment or regard for what you were actually saying

I’m not saying it was better, I’m just saying that it was water off a ducks back particularly if someone called me a campaigner or a teammate skinny if he carried a few extra kegs or how good your Mum is in bed etc. I mean where do you stop? Do you start suspending players for merely saying anything to an opposition player or a two players on the same side giving it to each other which happens.

Slippery slopes and all.

 

[notliondown]

There was a report on AFL Tonight last night where it was stated Powell apologised directly after the slur, several times during the game subsequently and via text message after the game. Says a lot, if true.

Has anyone been able to explain why he got 5 weeks and Finlayson only got 3? Different word, or just the Qld tribunal tax?

Proximity to the Finlayson incident largely from what I can make out and making an example of him ignoring that penalty.

I thought the same about his apology but maybe it was lip service after what's now come out.

 

[notliondown]

Turns out I may have given him the benefit of the doubt when perhaps I shouldn't have. Seems he has history of this stuff.

https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/wil-powells-social-media-posts-exposed-after-afls-homophobic-slur-ban/news-story/c2c8c499c880f5f60989cafb27a4f6b3

Hopefully he learns a lesson. We can all be better so hopefully this sinks in.

 

[McIvor]

There was a report on AFL Tonight last night where it was stated Powell apologised directly after the slur, several times during the game subsequently and via text message after the game. Says a lot, if true.

Has anyone been able to explain why he got 5 weeks and Finlayson only got 3? Different word, or just the Qld tribunal tax?

Can anyone really know given the AFL just makes up stuff on the run usually to the detriment of off broadway players and teams? These suspensions of 3 and 5 weeks are insane when you have meatheads like Maynard ending players careers and it’s acceptable or Pendlebury belting Lachie in the guts and it’s also acceptable yet we’re banning an easy target and contrite Powell for five games. You just have to shake your head at the clowns at AFL HQ coming up with this stuff.

 

[Happy_Neale]

I’m not saying it was better, I’m just saying that it was water off a ducks back particularly if someone called me a campaigner or a teammate skinny if he carried a few extra kegs or how good your Mum is in bed etc. I mean where do you stop? Do you start suspending players for merely saying anything to an opposition player or a two players on the same side giving it to each other which happens.

Slippery slopes and all.

This is what you said earlier:

Who’d have thought a player gets five weeks for saying one word yet blokes can openly belt players and not get any suspension.

This isn’t about ‘all banter’ it’s about homophobic language which the player himself reported. One thing that is clear from your posting is that you don’t think this incident was worthy of suspension.

 

[Gadzorks]

There was a report on AFL Tonight last night where it was stated Powell apologised directly after the slur, several times during the game subsequently and via text message after the game. Says a lot, if true.

Has anyone been able to explain why he got 5 weeks and Finlayson only got 3? Different word, or just the Qld tribunal tax?

'Unacceptable': Suns respond as Powell banned for homophobic slur

Gold Coast's Wil Powell has been banned for five games, just a month after Port Adelaide's Jeremy Finlayson was suspended for a similar slur

www.google.com

There's a Twitter link to a video in the article - it's a video of Powell making his statement.

Whatever he said was full on.

 

[McIvor]

This is what you said earlier:


This isn’t about ‘all banter’ it’s about homophobic language which the player himself reported. One thing that is clear from your posting is that you don’t think this incident was worthy of suspension.

I don’t.

Sure educate him further but when no Lion took offence I don’t see what the big deal is.

No need to virtual signal all over me though for sharing a difference of opinion.

I’ve been called way worse on the field and couldn’t have cared less because I knew it was just banter and not true. What am I going to do; go home and cry myself to sleep over it?

 

[Elixuh]

There was a report on AFL Tonight last night where it was stated Powell apologised directly after the slur, several times during the game subsequently and via text message after the game. Says a lot, if true.

Has anyone been able to explain why he got 5 weeks and Finlayson only got 3? Different word, or just the Qld tribunal tax?

To the AFLs credit they said the punishment would only increase if it happens again following the Finlayson incident and they followed through.

A good way to make cultural change.

 

[Jim Stynes11]

A lot of the posts here regarding homophobia, and comparing to other insults, are missing a major element. Even if the player the abuse is directed at is not homosexual, the use of this as an insult means that anyone hearing it would feel that you can't be gay in AFL.
There are no openly gay AFL players as far as I am aware, but surveys estimate 1 in 33 males in Australia is not heterosexual.

The way I see this is either:

• There are gay players that haven't come out, or
• Gay men do not play AFL

Either way suggests that is because football is not seen as an accepting place due to the abuse you would get.

It doesn't matter a jot if the player in question is gay. It matters that we stop using it as an insult.

 

[buttermuffs]

Disagree that there isn't any excuse Rye. You've got a group of men born between late 80's and early 2000's who used these slurs or had them said to them throughout a lot of their school and footy life. A behaviour that was acceptable for 90% of their lives, now isn't. Not saying they shouldn't have some type of suspension and or fine but judging a wrong by today's standards and saying there is no excuse for it at all doesn't really add up.

This is what you’d call an explanation for the behaviour, not an excuse. We can understand what caused someone to do something but not excuse it at the same time.

A lot of players would’ve grown up like this which is actually why it’s never been more important to take a stand against it. If they have struggled to come to terms with the harmful nature of this behaviour then a big deterrent is needed.

 

[Gadzorks]

I don’t.

Sure educate him further but when no Lion took offence I don’t see what the big deal is.

No need to virtual signal all over me though for sharing a difference of opinion.

I’ve been called way worse on the field and couldn’t have cared less because I knew it was just banter and not true. What am I going to do; go home and cry myself to sleep over it?

How do you know if a lion took offence? They aren't going to talk publicly about it.

Clearly zorko did in his to touk interactions previously - he bit back. And their club acknowledged it.

Don't mistake people not hanging their feelings out in public as the same as 'being ok with it'. No correlation at all.

It's great you have a thick skin on the footy field if that's something you self value. Some things:

Not everybody is you and had you experience that has led to that thick skin. That's not a weakness, that's just different. Which your post doesn't seem to respect.

Your self values are SELF. They are not 'correct' or a benchmark that others should mimic. Their choice.

And would you be the same if you were slurred vocally in front of your workmates while in the work place? I wouldn't. And that's what the footy field is - a workplace.

 

[martinson]

A lot of the posts here regarding homophobia, and comparing to other insults, are missing a major element. Even if the player the abuse is directed at is not homosexual, the use of this as an insult means that anyone hearing it would feel that you can't be gay in AFL.
There are no openly gay AFL players as far as I am aware, but surveys estimate 1 in 33 males in Australia is not heterosexual.

The way I see this is either:

• There are gay players that haven't come out, or
• Gay men do not play AFL

Either way suggests that is because football is not seen as an accepting place due to the abuse you would get.

It doesn't matter a jot if the player in question is gay. It matters that we stop using it as an insult.

There were actually gay players back in the '70's when I was involved. They weren't insulted for being gay as far as I was aware. And were accepted in the team. But of course I don't know fully what they might have had to endure and it was not spoken about nor were they openly gay if they played football.

It's been very surprising to me that in all that time no AFL player has come out because there will me many who play/played.

But they have their own reasons for not wanting to and why should they. If society needs to be as egalitarian as everyone wishes then they shouldn't feel the need to distinguish themselves from anyone else.

 

[BrainOfMorbius]

virtual signal

"I don't care about the thing this person cares about" == "They virtue signal"

(Or indeed "virtual" signal)

Spare us from the right wing buzzwords

 

[Gadzorks]

There were actually gay players back in the '70's when I was involved. They weren't insulted for being gay as far as I was aware. And were accepted in the team. But of course I don't know fully what they might have had to endure and it was not spoken about nor were they openly gay if they played football.

It's been very surprising to me that in all that time no AFL player has come out because there will me many who play/played.

But they have their own reasons for not wanting to and why should they. If society needs to be as egalitarian as everyone wishes then they shouldn't feel the need to distinguish themselves from anyone else.

I imagine there's a lot of horror scenarios male gay players have about being the first openly gay player.

I don't believe we will see it until they feel safe ie believe homophobic responses will not be piled on by other players and the public.

So the current Afl reaction is appropriately supporting them.

 

[Nunez]

I don’t.

Sure educate him further but when no Lion took offence I don’t see what the big deal is.

No need to virtual signal all over me though for sharing a difference of opinion.

I’ve been called way worse on the field and couldn’t have cared less because I knew it was just banter and not true. What am I going to do; go home and cry myself to sleep over it?

Jesus Christ

 

[Gadzorks]

It's not just gay people who are treated poorly.

I have a mate - he and his wife are openly swingers/open marriage and the crap they cop is ridiculous.

Other people in the sporting group literally shun them - little things that build pressure. They say hello to everyone in the group but them. Won't go to social functions if they are going to be there. Constant looking for faults in everything they do. And if they show up with their other partner, knives are out.

Totally ridiculous. I will never think about what any consenting adults do behind closed doors. None of my business.

Simply going about you business without hurting others, or vilifying their consenting life choices, makes you a top human. I don't even have to like people for them to be top humans.

 

[martinson]

I imagine there's a lot of horror scenarios male gay players have about being the first openly gay player.

I don't believe we will see it until they feel safe ie believe homophobic responses will not be piled on by other players and the public.

So the current Afl reaction is appropriately supporting them.

You know what. The first openly gay AFL player is going to be embraced by the media the AFL and the Public.

And opposition players who are stupid enough pile into them will cop 10 -12 weeks.

It's inevitable . The AFL would get crucified if they allowed abuse .

Of course you wouldn't think anyone would want to put themselves up for the level of public scrutiny. But someone will sooner or later.

 

[ZoBlitz]

I don’t.

Sure educate him further but when no Lion took offence I don’t see what the big deal is.

No need to virtual signal all over me though for sharing a difference of opinion.

I’ve been called way worse on the field and couldn’t have cared less because I knew it was just banter and not true. What am I going to do; go home and cry myself to sleep over it?

And you wonder why people don't give you the benefit of the doubt on here.

 

[martinson]

Jesus Christ

I'm religious so unless you're praying I'm offended.

 

[Gadzorks]

You know what. The first openly gay AFL player is going to be embraced by the media the AFL and the Public.

And opposition players who are stupid enough pile into them will cop 10 -12 weeks.

It's inevitable . The AFL would get crucified if they allowed abuse .

Of course you wouldn't think anyone would want to put themselves up for the level of public scrutiny. But someone will sooner or later.

The women have led the way. Just this is how it is, your problem not mine.

 

[Nunez]

Mods can we drop a nuke on this thread please.

 

[notliondown]

Mods can we drop a nuke on this thread please.

I get why you want to but I'm not sure we should.

Part of the problem we face is that people can't see shades of grey anymore. We get rusted onto to beliefs and being challenged is hard.

Threads like this let us do exactly that but. We mightn't like some of the stuff that comes out but it's a necessity that we talk and we explore so we are forced to think and to listen. It's too easy to shut things down, turn off or walk away when we feel uncomfortable.

 

[Nunez]

I get why you want to but I'm not sure we should.

Part of the problem we face is that people can't see shades of grey anymore. We get rusted onto to beliefs and being challenged is hard.

Threads like this let us do exactly that but. We mightn't like it some of the stuff that comes out but it's a necessity that we talk and we explore so we are forced to think and to listen. It's too easy to shut things down, turn off or walk away when we feel uncomfortable.

Sorry the moment gays and swingers were compared I just can't.

 

[notliondown]

Sorry the moment gays and swingers were compared I just can't.

Hahaha that was the part that did it for you??