I’ve no doubt that Adam was subjected to sustained and disgraceful racist prejudice across his career.
I’ve also no doubt that he was a kidney-punching, sniping, whinging, knee dropping, double-standard-grabbing opportunist on the field.
One of those is a stain on society. The other is a flaw in the footballer. The societal one bothers me far far more. , though the other infuriated me at times. The personal one inflamed and probably brought to the surface the society issue at times, especially towards the end, but in no way excuses it.
I disliked his overplayed sense of melodrama and thought it often counterproductive (I thought he lost the plot a bit, tbh) , but he didn’t force Fat Eddie to suggest he could be King Kong…
Wouldn’t have thought any spelling out was necessary. Name based on appearance regardless of skin colour/ethnicity, though it sometimes is a contributor. If a person’s bone structure gives the impression of looking simian, darker skin (or hairiness) just contributes further. Someone like Burgoyne (for example) would be far less likely to be called ape because his bone structure does not resemble same. Skin is only one factor, not enough by itself.
I wonder how many times Bob Skilton, his family and his ancestors were labelled inferior on the basis that they were genetically more similar to apes than another race was?
I wonder how many times assumptions were made about his character, worth and place in society using long discredited pseudo-science as justification.
I wonder how many times his people were hunted and killed like animals because people found it easy and convenient to believe that they were.
There’s a difference between applying the “ape” label to people with light or dark skin.
A big, huge, embarrassing, racist, ignorant difference.
Comparisons are odious I know and I am reluctant to exemplify him but there is overwhelming positivity about Tippa. I have been to just about every game Tippa has played I have never heard a bad word about him, I never heard him booed, in fact, opposition supporters admire him , unlike Essendon fans who love him. I see no overt racism there. But look, I don’t know what people in the crowd are thinking. They might all be inner racists for all I know.
Why was Adam Goodes booed? I don’t know, I never saw him play but I will watch the doco and see what they have to say. In that doco, do you think we will see a highlight reel of Goodes the “kidney-punching, sniping, whinging, knee dropping, double-standard-grabbing opportunist on the field” ?
Objective? Well, I try… not sure what your point is, but if you think understanding the cultural and historical basis for offence being taken at use of the term “ape” is ultra PC, then I don’t feel like I’ll be missing out on much of a conversation.