I think one of the issues here is how we define racism.
A lot people bristle at the idea that people booed him because they were racist, because they see the definition of that term as they “don’t like black people” or similar. This certainly is a form of racism, arguably the most extreme form. But I think that the percentage of the Australian public who would hold that extreme view is actually pretty low. I don’t think many people booed him because “they hate black people”.
But that’s not the only way to define racism.
The facts here clearly are that the booing intensified firstly after he called out the girl, secondly - after he started making a lot of public comments about the mistreatment of aboriginal people when he was Australian of the Year and thirdly - after he did the indigenous war dance (in Indigenous Round no less). It’s undeniable that the booing of him increased steadily after these three incidents.
Now did most people who booed him after doing these things just hate black people? I doubt it - after all they didn’t boo Rioli, or Burgoyne etc etc. However, did one or more of those things make people somewhat unhappy or uncomfortable enough to commence booing him in large numbers? Almost certainly yes.
I think “was it racist or not” is a boring conversation which is limited by those more extreme definitions of racism. I think a better conversation is - why did many people feel uncomfortable about an Aboriginal man expressing his culture, and talking about racist behaviour and history? Why do so many Australians feel uncomfortable, unhappy or uneasy about that? That’s the more interesting discussion for me.
Exactly.
Do the war dance pre game with team mates or representatives of the under 16’s indigenous and it would have been fantastic.
Similar to the Tigers kid (was it Stak?) at Dreamtime this year.
There’s a time & place.
If you want to entice some of the mob in the crowd post kicking a goal you’re going to stir ■■■■.
Does that warrant so many dickheads booing him for a season? Most likely not.
I’ve been a massive fan of indigenous players for as long as I remember, including the activists.
I’ve been booing that arms out sooking for a free kick diving wanker pre him taking his mum to the Brownlow.
Could he play? Indeed.
Is he a guy i’d want to give a Christmas present to? Most likely not as I’m ■■■■■■■ certain he’d have a sook over what he was expecting and what he got.
We tolerate well until those we tolerate raise their heads and speak up and say enough is enough. Goodes booing was racist. Pure and simple. We were asked to stop and ignored the request. We never listen to what the indigenous people have to say. We drove a gilt edged star from the game.
Goodes is total class composed clear and persuasive
Sam Newman and his right wing shock jocks and News Corpse scribes are closed minded racists that speak to and for all the blockhead farkwits amongst us.
Mark Ella was the best, rebutting the toilet trawling ■■■■■ chaser Alan Jones; ‘maybe he couldn’t hear much from his lofty coaches box, but at ground level I was racially abused all the time!!’
From a personal experience, and stepping away from the racism conversation for a second.
I’m going back In my head over that era where we played Sydney… I recall sitting in the stands at Docklands and watching Troy Pannell single handedly gift Sydney a win, in one of the worst umpired games I’ve ever seen. Hurley got knocked out by Parker, while putting his head over the ball… with no free kick.
The anger of the Essendon Supporters was at a level I hadn’t seen before. In Protest I seen a few supporters throw plastic bottles and cups on the ground.
Late in the match Pannell got knocked out and chaired off… to the sound of ‘boooo’ from the EFC supporters.
Goodes had been reported 3 times that season, and had racked up a few fines and carry over points… which seemed convenient to keep him in contention for the Brownlow.
Every time he got the ball, we ‘booed’ because we were fed up with the special treatment Goodes was getting from the umpires during the game and at the MRP throughout the season. In typical Brownlow medalist fashion, he was untouchable according to the umpires.
This is one example of many. EFC has had a long rivalry with Goodes… going back to Mark Bolton. Who copped some cheap whacks behind play from Goodes over those years.
I was of the belief that the treatment of Goodes was justified from all the Supporters.
Then one day I turned on talk back radio. caller after caller were targeting Goodes because of his heritage. There was a strong racist undertow to every call. “He hates Australia” one bloke said. “He needs to suck it up, there’s nothing wrong with being called a gorilla”… “he singled out a 13 year old girl” one Collingwood supporter said.
That’s when I realised. This was racism and It Was no longer about football.
I booed him well before he made a stand. I booed him because he was an absolute kent and just like I booed Pendlebury on ANZAC Day I will boo whoever I farken want
I was there that night and he was 100% booed because of his actions not his colour.
Maybe us Bomber Supporters are really stupid, but we know the difference between racism and disgust. Goodes was a flog that night for His actions on the field.
In fact, most people with indigenous blood are proud of that heritage and identify with it. The real question is how we identify Adam Goodes, either by race or by his actions.
I wish I could say that I don’t see colour at all, but my upbringing and environmental makes that tough, however that night I only saw his actions.
I understand completely what you say and agree. But you see in biological terms, genetically, he is not European or Indigenous. In biological terms he is simply human of anglo irish indigenous australian descent.
So, what is different about him? It is the culture that he was bought up in, and the culture that he has chosen to continue to identify with.
I would submit that the “race” we are talking about is a cultural difference. Otherwise Adam is virtually identical to the rest of us.