Adam Goodes Vs the spreaders of hate

[karliandjacko]

We have people spreading the hate for everyone from the PM to the disabled and refugees everyday.

Today we have Adam Goodes, who truly lived up to his name.

[i-need-a-martini]

In response to the comments that Goodes is used to the booing so he doesn't let him bother him (although obviously the escalation of this IS now bothering him 12 months later) is a ridiculous excuse - it's the kind of thing that a child who is being bullied says because they have learned to live with and adapt to this unacceptabe behaviour.

It still doesn't make the behaviour right.

And if you do want to bring up the fact that he is losing then I have 2 things for you to think about:

1. If they are losing, then the opposition supporters should be happy. So why are they booing him? Apparently they used to boo him because 'the opposition don't want him to play well.' You yourself have said you boo for this reason. Well now they aren't playing well, so why continue the practice?
2. The booing has escalated in the last 12 months. They are losing more games in the last 12 months. Goodes has said the booing is affecting the whole team and that is the reason he is considering leaving. Has the penny dropped colic? Perhaps that "is the difference".

[raptor_rebooted]

"It's not something that I'm not used to

of course it isn't.  

such an experienced player - he knows 

its part of the sport.  fans cheer and fans

boo.  cant have one without the other.

[raptor_rebooted]

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@i-need-a-martini wrote:

Another great article:

https://newmatilda.com/2015/06/01/not-so-level-playing-field-why-we-love-cathy-freeman-and-hate-adam...

I particularly like this bit:

...make no mistake: the boo-ing of Goodes is not about his on-field performance. It’s about his Aboriginality, pure and simple. Obviously, we can argue the toss on that all day long, but just as any individual has the right to pretend to hate Goodes for his ‘on-field behaviour’ (his two Brownlow medals were awarded as the season’s ‘best and fairest’ player, and he’s only been convicted of four infractions in a career spanning 17 years) the rest of us have the right to assume that the ferocity of that hatred indicates the depth of that person’s racism.

What’s most instructive about the growing hatred of Goodes is that by contemporary Aboriginal standards, Goodes is anything but a radical. He doesn’t seek publicity, he doesn’t court controversy. He supports constitutional recognition, while many in the Aboriginal community do not. He even served on the Howard government’s Aboriginal advisory council, a hand-picked board of advisers devised to replace the decimation of the democratically-elected ATSIC.

He is, to put it simply, quite mainstream in his Aboriginal perspective. But Goodes appears to have no tolerance for racism, and when it’s directed at him, he confronts it head-on.

The challenge is that it occurs on the sporting field, a venue which has long provided the perfect cover for Australia’s slipperiest form of bigotry - the ‘you can’t prove I’m a racist - I’m pretending to hate him for his footy’ sort of racism that has long polluted our ovals and stadiums. Boo-ing black sports stars has always been the preferred way for Australians to ‘hate the blacks’ without ever being held to account for it. Despite their obvious brilliance, we did it to Michael Long, we did it to Nicky Winmar, we still do it to Anthony Mundine, and now we're doing it to Adam Goodes.

But he's calling us out on it. Goodes has changed the rules. Apparently no-one has yet convinced Goodes that he’s still supposed to stand in line. And quite a few of us **bleep**ing hate him for it.

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the author's response to a reader's

comment:

I did not say anywhere in the article that Goodes lacked humility. He's one of the most humble sports stars I have ever met (Michael Long is another). What I did say was that Goodes refuses to stand in line and 'play like whitey wants him too'. 

really ?

[raptor_rebooted]

Martini your new matilda article needs a fact check...wish I had the time....

yeah, not sure where some of the

"facts" are coming from.....

[lloydslights]

A few observations:  

The "war cries" Haka, etc. are not needed at football games.  They are not presented at the international Cricket nor Chess matches, etc.

Adam Goodes instead of playing the game and choosing the opposing team as the ones to try to outscore, he chose to show agression towards the spectators instead and he has lost points for doing so.

Adam needs to invest in a public relations manager - not only for his football career in its latter stages, but for his future (seen by some as possibly being involved in public office).  This may or may not involve ditching the beard.

I really do think he should have retired last year.  Ageing bodies cause frustrations to impact other aspects of life.

 
DEB

[i-need-a-martini]

From the Matilda piece, the author lists these facts. So I assume it is these that you and colic believe are incorrect? Please point out which one isn't true:

By every social measure, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are the most disadvantaged people in the nation, and some of the most disadvantaged people in the world.

The life expectancy of Aboriginal people in some remote communities is worst than a war zone. In Wadeye, it’s around 46 years of age for a black male.

Third world nations have eradicated trachoma, an eye disease that blinds children and adults. Australia hasn’t. Our Aboriginal population has the highest recorded rates of rheumatic heart disease on earth, a preventable disease linked to poor living conditions.

While nations like Canada, the US and New Zealand have signed treaties and made significant advances with their First Nations people, Australia continues to deny even the most basic things, such as land rights.

We jail black males at a rate up to eight times worse that South Africa did under Apartheid.

We deny Aboriginal people the right to educate their children in culturally appropriate ways, and we punish them when they resist.

We restrict their basic entitlements to a social safety net, we refuse to provide government investment to their communities, and then we blame them for their poverty.

We rail about the ‘neglect of Aboriginal children’ and blame the neglected parents of those children who are trying to raise their kids in third world conditions.

And to this day, we remain the only nation on earth with racist clauses built into our constitution, designed specifically to discriminate against Aboriginal people. Aboriginal people like Adam Goodes.

[i-need-a-martini]

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@lloydslights wrote:

A few observations:  

The "war cries" Haka, etc. are not needed at football games.  They are not presented at the international Cricket nor Chess matches, etc.

Adam Goodes instead of playing the game and choosing the opposing team as the ones to try to outscore, he chose to show agression towards the spectators instead and he has lost points for doing so.

Adam needs to invest in a public relations manager - not only for his football career in its latter stages, but for his future (seen by some as possibly being involved in public office).  This may or may not involve ditching the beard.

I really do think he should have retired last year.  Ageing bodies cause frustrations to impact other aspects of life.

 
DEB

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The man has put up with out and out aggression, most of it racially based, for 17(?) years.

His private life is devoted to highlighting racism and aggression towards indigenous people. He won  Australian of the Year on the basis of his good works here. And he continues to fight the fight to help people like him.

And yet we expect him to accept what he has been fighting against when he goes to work?

[k0llectable5]

You raise some excellent points Martini, as does everyone else especially IR.

 People who spend too much of their time involved in sport, whether it be as a supporter or player really are ultimately distracted.  It really does distract from learning about things other than sport... (Obviously we need a balance, and unfortunately some people dont have many other interests outside of footy or just sport in general) and people who are avid supporters do tend to take it very seriously.  I've seen supporters bawl when their teams have lost a prelim. And unfortunately booing is just as much part of the game as cheering.  I saw a post on fb yesterday; "And the umpires walk out in protest of 100+ years of booing" 

I say let Goodsey do his war dance to a booing crowd, and let them boo, (imo there is some truth to the bad form and being affected by the boo's as opposed to not being affected when winning) because regardless of the laws that have been recently introduced I think there is an element of freedom of speech and expression that is at stake.  I also think the more energy that is poured into this topic, the more sensationalized it will become.

In saying that though, I am quite chuffed that there is a bit of AFL chat on here.  At the same time I would like to just say that AFL supporters are not intrinsically racist.  I think they fully embrace, love and even idolize the indigenous players just as much if not more than the white players. And it has nothing what so ever to do with the colour of their skin, it's because they are amazing players, plain and simple.  And Goodsey is no exception, he has been brilliant as have the swans for years now.  It's a shame all that has been tainted because of an emotional response to a 13 year old girl.  And since when is it a players job to single out players to security anyway? He should've gone up and given her a kiss on the forehead lol imagine how different the response would've been..

[bluecat*dancing]

[He is also an ambassador for the White Ribbon Campaign.]

I think that some here, for whatever the reason, are missing the big picture.

[bluecat*dancing]

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http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/anthony-mundines-advice-for-adam-goodes/story-fndv8ujy-122746271300...

The Richmond Tigers will don their 2015 Dreamtime guernseys in their Friday game against Hawthorn at the MCG in support of Goodes. Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said the decision had been made due to the wider football community becoming tired of the abuse hurled at Goodes.

“I played against him and I have coached against him, and he has given our game extraordinary service,” Hardwick said. “We have all had enough, and I’m pleased our club will make an important statement on Friday night.” Hardwick also encouraged fans to wear their Dreamtime guernseys as a show of support. “We want to support Adam Goodes, who has been a wonderful ambassador for our game and his people. The vast majority of football fans acknowledge and respect that fact.”