Girl, 13, was rude, but she's not the bully

[nero_bolt]

Way over the top and what the media, the football clubs, social media and the big tough hard man of AFL hero Adam Goodes have done to this 13 year old is appalling.... 

Adam Goodes vs a 13-year-old girl. Seriously?

I DETEST racists. But the monstering of the Collingwood fan who shouted at Sydney footballer Adam Goodes is shameful.

She is just a 13-year-old who was at the football with her nan. She wasn't happy.

Collingwood was being thrashed and when the bearded Goodes took another possession in front of her, she shouted "ape".

This is very rude. I wonder at her parents. It's also possibly racist, though she insisted she didn't mean it that way. Whatever, she needed a talking-to.

Goodes heard the abuse, and pointed her out to security. A bit over the top, since she's so young, but Goodes has Aboriginal ancestry and no doubt understandably feels such insults more keenly than I think reasonable.

Still, he's widely admired, has been showered with almost every prize in footy, and was playing in the Indigenous Round honouring players of his background. What should one girl's abuse matter against all that?

Well, to Goodes it was so "shattering" the game itself "means nothing". No one in the TV commentary team, the police or the AFL seems to have dared treat it as any less catastrophic, no doubt for fear of seeming racist themselves.

I suspect the Indigenous Round also encouraged them to see the girl as a white racist caricature instead of just one very young teenager. So security marched her off, without even her Nan for support, as national TV beamed her face around the country.

Police then grilled her for nearly two hours - two hours! - even though she was immediately repentant.

Bravely, she offered to apologise personally to Goodes.

Now get this: police then asked Goodes if he wanted to press charges. Press charges? Against a 13-year-old who was clearly sorry and scared for what she'd unthinkingly blurted out?

Are people insane?

Goodes, at least, drew the line at that. But still it wasn't over. Goodes and AFL chief Andrew Demetriou held a media conference next day at which    Goodes declared: "Racism has a face. It's a 13-year-old girl."

Seriously? Goodes even said he felt like he was being bullied at school.

Excuse me, but in this confrontation - with Goodes, police, the media, the social media and the AFL on one side, and a 13-year-old girl on the other - it wasn't the girl who seemed the bully.

Perhaps Goodes realised, because he added: "She's 13, she's still so innocent. I don't put any blame on her."

No? Then why this public shaming?

Only later did Goodes take a call from the girl, who told him she was sorry. By then, the TV stations were rowing back a bit.

Replays of the incident belatedly blurred the girl's face, though she's since been named, and Channel 10 interviewed her saying how ashamed she was.

To repeat: This girl is only 13. This bullying of her is a scandal.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/girl-13-was-rude-but-shes-not-the-bully/story-e6frg6n6-1226650913020

[azureline**]

The bullying? (odd term) was done by the media....... What was her nan doing while this was happening?

[janeababe]

If more and more teenagers got the full force as a consequence of their actions, then they might think about  *what they say* , a little more respectufully!

Why shouldnt this young *niave* girl be pulled up for *name calling*. It was obviously directed at Goodes, and if he took offence at it, and labelled it racist, then who are we to judge! Everyone has a breaking point! Maybe this was his!

(personally, i think that girl was very disrespectful and shameful)

I noticed the grandmother didnt pull her up on her abhorant behaviour!

This OTT actions as you think it is, may very well keep this girl on the straight and narrow from here on!

[j*oono]

I read your whole op Nero thinking that you wrote it.  It was Bolt again.

[janeababe]

I read your whole op Nero thinking that you wrote it.  It was Bolt again.

ohhhhh....  i did too!  😐
*sigh* .. oh well, my views ^^ hasnt changed.

[twinkles**stars]

the girl thinks it funny despite her apology  ( She smiled and giggled during an interview. What parent allows a child of this age participate in an interview?

[silverfaun]

I read the whole post, I thought it articulated exactly what I was thinking & many others too. If Bolt wrote it good on him for having the guts to come out & show this appalling witch hunt for what it is.

We also have the big "Reunion Walk" coming up to try to get Australians to change the constitution to recognize Aboriginals in the constitution.  I bet this over the top hyperventilating will do a lot for that, not.

[the_hawk*]

I think he needs to man up and get over it.

seriously if that's going to offend him he needs to ask himself if he should be on the field.

[azureline**]

Regardless of manning up, getting over it etc.... it is not acceptable.

The more we allow, the worse it gets.

[kopenhagen5]

I thought the actions of Goodes was appropriate but then to continue with it such as the football groups and media did days later, was way over the top.