Goodes and booing

[liz]

Sorry to derail the thread. I know I have some strong views on racism that some find offensive.

It's not about finding anyone's view's offensive. I hope we're all mature enough to respect anyone's view (when expressed maturely) regardless of whether we agree with it. It's more that the broad issues of racism are beyond the scope of this thread, which is really about the situation surrounding Goodsey and the AFL community's response to it. That's a big and broad enough topic in its own right.

I have (or am about to) move those posts discussing racism in its broader context and manifestations to their own thread on the Current Affairs forum.

[liz]

I like Goddard's branding of the behaviour as "bullying". While I don't disagree with the labelling of it as "racist", I am not convinced that is going to have the desired effect. It's too simplistic a word to cover too broad a spectrum of attitudes and behaviours and inbuilt biases in people, not to mention social and economic issues. Too few people even begin to understand how pervasive "racism" is and how many different forms it can take. It's therefore too easy for them to convince themselves they are not racist, and hence their motivations for booing Goodes cannot possibly be racist.

Calling it "bullying" is far more down to earth because it actually matters not what people tell themselves their reasons are. If they are part of a concerted campaign by a section of society, unorganised though it might be, to behave towards a person on a continual basis because they are part of a group that has decided to hate this person, they are participating in bullying. That should be simple for most to understand. If even half those who have been defending their ""right to boo" stop and reflect on just how antisocial this behaviour has become, hopefully it will gradually wither out. At worst, those who refuse to conform to standards of public behaviour that most think are acceptable, they will stand out to a greater degree and hopefully feel more isolated. As Whateley has been saying off and on for a couple of months (in other words), we need the sheep to stop being sheep so that the bigots and the haters are exposed in their full glory.

Booing of Adam Goodes extreme bullying, says Brendon Goddard

[Bexl]

About 2 years ago I was at a swans dogs game in Melbourne and my then 5 year old booed a dogs player after some good play he did. He thought this was fun and part of the game then I explained to him that it is good to cheer for our team but not nice or nessacery to boo other teams or players. I said this to him as I want him to be a good person. Unfortunately some adults are not as easy to teach even if they still have the mental capacity and maturity of a 5 year old.

[Ludwig]

I like Goddard's branding of the behaviour as "bullying". While I don't disagree with the labelling of it as "racist", I am not convinced that is going to have the desired effect. It's too simplistic a word to cover too broad a spectrum of attitudes and behaviours and inbuilt biases in people, not to mention social and economic issues. Too few people even begin to understand how pervasive "racism" is and how many different forms it can take. It's therefore too easy for them to convince themselves they are not racist, and hence their motivations for booing Goodes cannot possibly be racist.

Calling it "bullying" is far more down to earth because it actually matters not what people tell themselves their reasons are. If they are part of a concerted campaign by a section of society, unorganised though it might be, to behave towards a person on a continual basis because they are part of a group that has decided to hate this person, they are participating in bullying. That should be simple for most to understand. If even half those who have been defending their ""right to boo" stop and reflect on just how antisocial this behaviour has become, hopefully it will gradually wither out. At worst, those who refuse to conform to standards of public behaviour that most think are acceptable, they will stand out to a greater degree and hopefully feel more isolated. As Whateley has been saying off and on for a couple of months (in other words), we need the sheep to stop being sheep so that the bigots and the haters are exposed in their full glory.

Booing of Adam Goodes extreme bullying, says Brendon Goddard

I disagree.

I think using the term 'bullying' is a way to paper over the reality. It is bullying, but it's racially based bullying. Just because racist behaviour is so deeply entrenched in our society that those booing Adam Goodes are not even aware that it is racist, doesn't mean it's not racist. It just means that people are ignorant of there own racism.

Perhaps you can remember Harry Lumumba's term of casual racism when the 'pointing out the girl' incident was the topic of the day. It's the kind of racism that you find on the Footy Show. It's the general depiction of Indigenous Australians as inferior. It's the right that some White Australians think they have to use sub-human epithets directed at an indigenous player because he speaks out about a long standing serious social issue in our country.

Sometimes the term used is institutional racism. Some years back when I was working in New York I was interviewing people for a job in my department. I selected who I thought was the best candidate. As was customary, my boss wanted a few minutes with him before we offered him a job. The candidate was black. My boss questioned how this candidate could be more qualified than all the others I interviewed. He didn't get the job. I never once heard my boss utter a racial slur. That sort of stuff happens thousands of times every day. White people who never think much about racism don't think a black person can meet a certain level they fell should be reserved for white people.

It just happens by dint of an odd set of circumstances that a hero for Swans' fans, who happens to be aboriginal, has become the centre of debate of a major social issue of long standing with a long and sordid history, that we on RWO find ourselves discussing this matter. I have to say that I am personally, as and Australian and a human being, deeply hurt and troubled by all that occurred in this matter.

[bodgie]

As Ludwig says 'bullying' will serve as a term to back everyone away from a tight corner for now, but it won't address the issue that Goodes and this whole thing has bought to the fore.

[annew]

It is being said that the booing started after he pointed out the 13 year old girl but I am not so sure. It seemed to accelerate because he was appointed Australian of the year and my feeling is that people could not cope with that and made the connection he was appointed Australian of the year because he pointed out the 13 year old. I don't get to many away games but I felt it was really obvious for the first time at last years grand final. I am disappointed that there are those in the media saying he should apologise to the 13 year old - why. It is racist it is bullying and it is disgusting.

[BRISWAN]

Just saw the news on Ch 24 and the female presenter called it as it is

She stated that this issue goes back some 18 months and created/fuelled by certain journalists and she hoped they would cease snide commentary in the future

The CH9 commentator put a different "spin" on it suggesting that it is part of the football crowd normality and we should accept it

We don't need to identify the "who" started this vindictive rubbish on this forum�..but we know the 2 GRUBS !!!

[O'Reilly Boy]

It is being said that the booing started after he pointed out the 13 year old girl but I am not so sure. It seemed to accelerate because he was appointed Australian of the year and my feeling is that people could not cope with that and made the connection he was appointed Australian of the year because he pointed out the 13 year old. I don't get to many away games but I felt it was really obvious for the first time at last years grand final. I am disappointed that there are those in the media saying he should apologise to the 13 year old - why. It is racist it is bullying and it is disgusting.

It is, indeed, racist and it is bullying. I also think that Lewis Jetta should be applauded for his actions on the weekend. What a magnificent gesture of solidarity, of exasperated, had-it-up-to-here humanity.

It also seems that Goodesy's actions after his (completely justified) calling out of the racist abuse to which he was subjected have been forgotten (and I note that there was nothing 'casual' about that abuse: a 13 year old is capable of, and should be accountable for, their decision to behave in an offensive manner, and that Goodes could not, in the heat of the moment, be expected to have known her age). Goodes was magnificent, and acted with humility, compassion and humanity. He stopped short of apologising to her; I also think that that is appropriate: he literally did nothing to apologise for, and his actions in reaching out to the perpetrator were exemplary.
See Adam Goodes 'gutted' by racial slur but wants AFL fan educated - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation).
But I wonder whether the sensitivity, intelligence, compassion and grace he displayed in the aftermath freaked out the pinheads more than anything else.

I used to genuinely believe that this sport, this game, was the best of us: it was the thing, the mundane, weekly sharing, that brought out what I most value about living here. The joyousness, the togetherness, the love of wide open spaces, the all-consuming enthusiasm for an ecstatic, thrilling game that generally transcended the tribalism of club loyalties. I loved that I could sit next to an 'opposition' fan and talk about the game. Even after the horror of the GF last year, I walked back to the city chatting with some Hawkers because we simply shared that love. I used to believe that the crazy bounce of the ball taught us, collectively, a certain resilient acceptance of the vagaries of fate, to forget about what could have been and to just get on with things, and that that made us a better people. I used to look askance at the violence, hatred and small-mindedness of English soccer fans, smugly believing that we, collectively, were so much better than that. Now I'm reassessing that belief. I used to love having to go interstate for work to catch a game, any game. Now I'm not sure that I could. I'm feeling a little bit heartbroken: for Adam, for Jetts, for the game, for the blackfellas who have to live with this crap day in and day out; for the whole joint.

[Faunac8]

Somewhat tongue in cheek but with an underlying truth to it. Brilliant effort by the Backburner. Also a link to their take on the aftermath of "That" goal celebration.
Adam Goodes Under Fire For Being Flagrantly Aboriginal. | SBS Comedy

[Dan]

God this whole saga makes me angry. If Goodsey retires due to this excessive booing i don't think that I could ever feel the same way about AFL again. I think I would become more of a casual fan than a die hard, still watching the Swans but that would probably be it.

It is impossible to say this has nothing to do with race. It picked up after he made a stand on racist remarks by calling out the Collingwood supporter, the fact she was a 13 year old girl is irrelevant in my opinion. Racism is racism, no matter who says it. It was made worse after he became Australian of the Year for his work with Aboriginal communities and his fight to stamp out racist behavior. And then became so overpowering after his war dance. It was in the Indigenous Round, meant to be a celebration of his peoples culture. If he can't be proud of his people and community in that round we have a serious problem.

All the people saying that they boo him due to his 'staging for free kicks, being a flog, sook' or whatever reason is a load of BS. Why don't they boo Leroy Jetta, Jarrad Waite or Angus Monfries every single time they get the ball. They actually have been charged with staging. Why don't players who have been suspended multiple times like Stevie Johnson, Ryan Crowley or Hayden Ballyntine get excessively booed for every single possession they get? Yes they get booed occasionally, which is part of footy, but nowhere near the extent of Goodsey.

I sincerely hope that every single Indigenous player who scores a goal this week does the war dance to sick up for Goodsey to show their support for him.

[CureTheSane]

Here's how to start top sort out this mess.
AFL needs to put 4 more cameras in at Swans games.
Goodes plays.
Every time he is in the play the cameras film the crowd.
Call out those who are booing, make a montage at the end of each quarter and publish on the AFL site.
I'm sure the possibility for people to be branded a racist publicly will make them think twice...

[CureTheSane]

This is fast becoming something that will start to present Australia in a lesser light.

All the media attention is sure to have it picked up overseas.

I dare say it won't be long before it's being discussed by politicians.