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

[twinkles**stars]

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.

so you would be accepting of such behaviour yourself? You would man up and ignore racial comments thrown your way? Where does it stop......one too many.....the straw tbat broke the camels back

[the_hawk*]

What I am saying is as big tough football player if something like that is going to have such an impact on him I think he would be better off calling bingo number at the local RSL for the elderly

[the_hawk*]

and I have to wonder who the biggest girl is in that issue

[nero_bolt]

A rude 13-year-old girl calls out “ape” to a bearded footballer of Aboriginal descent. She is evicted from her seat, grilled by police (without her parents present) for nearly two hours and threatened with charges. Her face is shown on national television as journalists and football clubs bosses vilify her as a racist.

On ABC radio this morning a woman says Aborigines at the same game slashed an Australian flag, replaced the Union Jack with an Aboriginal one and were abusive. Security was called but removed no one.

How an Indigenous round divides, not unites.

Mother of daughter at centre of Adam Goodes scandal angry over her treatment by security

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teenage-girl-apologises-for-racist-insult-in-letter-to-adam-goodes/story-fni5f3kt-1226650580225

THE mother of the 13-year-old girl at the centre of the Adam Goodes racism scandal is still distressed over her treatment by MCG security and Victoria Police.

MCG security told her family to remain seated as they ejected the girl - and police detained her for what she said was two hours

The teenager was initially questioned by police without an adult present. When police found out she was only 13, they went and got her grandmother.

Her mother said today that she believed her daughter was "very scared" when she was taken away by security.

"It was ridiculous that she was in there for so long. For two hours they interviewed her over her saying, 'You're an ape'," her mother told the Sunday Herald Sun

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teenage-girl-apologises-for-racist-insult-in-letter-to-adam-goodes/story-fni5f3kt-1226650580225

[twinkles**stars]

players are required to be big and  tough? ....and we wonder why it has such a bad name. Sports people have no need to be big and tough.....a sensitive side may even help give the sport a better name.

[twinkles**stars]

and I have to wonder who the biggest girl is in that issue

that is a sexist comment

[sniper_patrol]

I notice in this report,  Bolt ( sensationalist OTT owner operator ) and the other reports keep mentioning that Mr Goodes is bearded. Is that an attempt to justify why the 13 year old called him an " ape " .

Bolt keeps referring to OTT behaviour. Seriously, he doesn't own a mirror 😐 

I can't believe the grandmother sat there and allowed the police to escort her grand daughter away without going with them. It must have ben a riveting game. I'd like to see some proof that she was questioned for 2 hours. Sounds suss to me.

Looks like Bolt and his mates are still getting their pound of flesh out of this event.

[azureline**]

I notice in this report,  Bolt ( sensationalist OTT owner operator ) and the other reports keep mentioning that Mr Goodes is bearded. Is that an attempt to justify why the 13 year old called him an " ape " .

Bolt keeps referring to OTT behaviour. Seriously, he doesn't own a mirror 😐 

I can't believe the grandmother sat there and allowed the police to escort her grand daughter away without going with them. It must have ben a riveting game. I'd like to see some proof that she was questioned for 2 hours. Sounds suss to me.

Looks like Bolt and his mates are still getting their pound of flesh out of this event.

I could not agree more.... wasn't it security guards who escorted her away?

[daydream**believer]

totally totally agree with whoever wrote the OP

[sniper_patrol]

Yes, you're right Az, it was security guards. Still the grand mother decided to stay watching the game.