Mega Thread Adam Goodes: Confirmed racial slur by fan, apology made and accepted

[LANGFORDandSON]

I got by the interview that she was a very young naive girl from the country who was calling him (in her mind) a big hairy gorilla, maybe skin color or hearing ape said by other people influenced her, but I honestly think she was more referring to his size and shaggy beard, just what I took from the interview.

In my opinion:

• Girl doesn't realise the word ape can hurt as much as it did and potentially was not thinking in a racist way as reported.
• Goodesy was absolutely correct in his actions and won more respect than he already had with the way he has spoken since.
• Love or hate Eddie, he won a fair bit of respect as well.
• Girl is no doubt educated and understands the seriousness.
• Media revisit it at every possible opportunity (completely ignoring the possibility that the girl may have been telling the truth) and despite saying we can't let this ruin Indigenous Round, bring it up every time Indigenous Round is mentioned.

 

[RoK]

Maybe in other countries, I never knew the word 'ape' was a racial slur until yesterday. Heard countless comments against aboriginals but never ape. Only heard it used as an insult against say a large hairy person.

I didn't either, i guess i am racist coz i call my little girl a little monkey.

 

[grizzlym]

Maybe in other countries, I never knew the word 'ape' was a racial slur until yesterday. Heard countless comments against aboriginals but never ape. Only heard it used as an insult against say a large hairy person.

Now you know. Just look at Goodes' reaction last night to know how deeply it cuts.

 

[Monkey King]

That is true, but (and I posted this earlier) how do we reconcile the girls comments with Bert Newton's comments to Mohamad Ali how ever many years ago? Bert Newton had no idea what he had said, and i believe the girl had no idea what she said either. I think intent is very relevant.

Leaving the racist stuff aside, why do people even feel the need to taunt opposition payers about anything? Normally sensible people really do become complete morons once they start watching the footy.

Completely agree with all of this. Intent is highly relevant and I doubt her intent was to racially vilify Goodes. But perhaps this a great platform for addressing a supporters need and feeling of entitlement to abuse and insult any footballer player during a game.

 

[Forward Press]

Do they? if so how?

My great great grandmother was r*ped by 10 men. So do i carry on when someone says something about rape. I wasn't r*ped i so how is it carried forward. It can be but thats choice. You can not change the past and kicking a little girl out of a game and making sure her life will be hell to the point i am sure she will consider killing her self. All becuse she was stupid and he wanted the WORLD TO KNOW I WAS CALLED A BAD NAME.

This is such a nothing blown into a big deal all coz Goodes wants his moment in the sun.

Is there a reason for comparing gangrape to racism?

She made a racist comment, she's been humiliated, and now I'm pretty sure she's learnt a lesson along with many other members of the public. People calling her a 'fat slag' or what have you does not mean Adam Goodes should have to take the blame for being offended.

 

[.Shotties.]

Ok lets get this straight, aborigines not Goodes aborigines not Goodes for the love of good it's time to stop blaming others. He wasn't involved in any of it

Yeah it isn't like it impacted upon his immediate family.

 

[Top_4_Tiger]

Question:

Do most people view everyone equally, or are most people racist but keep their mouths shut?

I don't know the answer and would like some feedback.

I'm not talking about subconsciously favouring those similar to oneself btw, I'm talking about consciously aware racist thoughts that has to require conscious effort to say to yourself bite your tongue.

 

[Max zero]

Calling a 13-year-old things like "fat slag" and some of the other terms I've seen in this thread is pretty pathetic and not "okay" in my view, but nor do they carry the weight of history or denegrate an entire community in the way that a racist term does.

Some might argue that the terms chosen to describe the girl are meant to demean a group of people, namely women.

Doubt if it were a guy he would be called a 'fat slag' or a '****'.

Add to that as a 13 yo I doubt she made the comments with the historical implications in mind. Posters in this thread probably did though.

 

[saviour01]

Not supporting her but a lifetime ban is way over the top. Did you ever do or say anything stupid when you were 14? Should you be punished for it until the day you die?

I certainly didn't racially abuse people at the footy. But good one, bring out the SHES ONLY 14!!!! line. Being 14 doesn't mean your allowed to be a racist bogan.

 

[CAS79]

Ok lets get this straight, aborigines not Goodes aborigines not Goodes for the love of good it's time to stop blaming others. He wasn't involved in any of it, it's a cop out and excuse to bitch about nothing. Goodes has been anything but a class act, he bulled a silly little girl and got her thrown out on the street. If that was my daughter he would have just as much to answer for to me as she would for saying something so stupid. A man never ever bullys a little girl thats not brave or a class act.

There is no excuse at any age for calling anyone less of a human being than another based on Race. Your definition of bullying is strange. Goodes had every right to react the way he did, he didn't bully her, he gave the issue to the authorities to handle, not himself. What on earth makes you think they threw out a 13 year old girl straight out on the street?

 

[dread and might]

This is such a nothing blown into a big deal all coz Goodes wants his moment in the sun.

Yes he needs the attention, he hasn't achieved enough in his career and hadn't played well enough last night to warrant any extra attention so he wanted to make sure he got on TV..... That seems logical.

 

[peppy la pew]

Is there a reason for comparing gangrape to racism?

She made a racist comment, she's been humiliated, and now I'm pretty sure she's learnt a lesson along with many other members of the public. People calling her a 'fat slag' or what have you does not mean Adam Goodes should have to take the blame for being offended.

Did you hear Eddie talk during the break in the doggies game ?

 

[Debris]

Completely agree with all of this. Intent is highly relevant and I doubt her intent was to racially vilify Goodes. But perhaps this a great platform for addressing a supporters need and feeling of entitlement to abuse and insult any footballer player during a game.

She may not have intended a racist comment but she certainly was trying to say something as hurtful as possible. Personal attacks on people, racist or not, are despicable and I have no idea why people think it is suddenly OK just because they are in a crowd.

 

[Monkey King]

Meaning is all about content and context. Whether she intended it last night, and I don;t believe she knew the cultural weight of the remark she made and how deeply offensive it is, it is racist. Hopefully she will now be educated, and the wider public too, how offensive it is.

I don't agree. From a point of delivery it is not inherently racist unless it's intended to be so. From a point of the recipient being offended, it comes from their own internal frame of reference. The Bert Newton example is a classic of this. As I said judging is easy, understanding is a much harder path to tread.

My point is simple: for many coloured people calling them an ape is as offensive as calling them the n-word. That is the extent of my point.

Fair enough. I understand this. I just don't think an exchange is defined by the viewpoint of one party.

 

[KnaveyBlue]

Do most people view everyone equally, or are most people racist but keep their mouths shut?

I think you'll find most ethnic groups hold some racial prejudices against another. Get a bunch of people from the same ethnicity in one room and they'll have plenty to say about other groups.

The only difference is white people are the only ones arrogant enough to think that other ethnicities don't say racist stuff about us when we're not in the room.

 

[vonn]

This is such a nothing blown into a big deal all coz Goodes wants his moment in the sun.

Yes.
The 2x Premiership Player, Dual Brownlow Medallist, 4xAA, 3xB&F & Indigenous Team of the Century spud wants his moment in the sun.

 

[Monkey King]

Personal attacks on people, racist or not, are despicable and I have no idea why people think it is suddenly OK just because they are in a crowd.

I agree completely.

 

[Smoky]

I do find it kinda strange how Goodes said today that over the past 10 years he has been called a monkey and an ape by other AFL players on the field, yet we haven't heard anything about this from memory?

But he decided to take a stand on it to a 13 year old girl, who obviously had no idea that the word Ape had racist connotations.

I accept Goodes was offended and had every right to take a stand, but I'm surprised he decided not take a stand against an AFL footballer who is old enough and educated enough to know it was wrong.

 

[Monkey King]

Question:

Do most people view everyone equally, or are most people racist but keep their mouths shut?

I don't know the answer and would like some feedback.

I can't speak for anyone but myself. Through most of my life I have carried a phrase that I ask others to apply to me and to which I apply to others ... we all have dreams; if I cut you, if you cut me, we both feel pain; we both bleed red. This is a good basis of similarity on which to build relationships.

I understand that we are not all the same, from familial through to cultural differences, and this demands our consideration, but we all have the same right to equally pursue our dreams unencumbered by discrimination based on anything other than our personal merits.

 

[blktreacle]

Is this sarcasm? If not, where have you been for the last week?

one week of a year may not get the message through loud and clear

 

[Maddhew]

I like Eddy and he did handle it well, however collingwood brand damage control was at least partly his motivation.

 

[xxxWillxxx]

Do they? if so how?

My great great grandmother was r*ped by 10 men. So do i carry on when someone says something about rape. I wasn't r*ped i so how is it carried forward. It can be but thats choice. You can not change the past and kicking a little girl out of a game and making sure her life will be hell to the point i am sure she will consider killing her self. All becuse she was stupid and he wanted the WORLD TO KNOW I WAS CALLED A BAD NAME.

This is such a nothing blown into a big deal all coz Goodes wants his moment in the sun.

I hardly think being racially abused is a dual premiership, dual brownlow medallist 300 game players moment in the sun. Obviously you have some issues that you need to address. However we are in the year 2013. Racism has no place in our sport or society.

 

[Blue and Gold Blood]

That is true, but (and I posted this earlier) how do we reconcile the girls comments with Bert Newton's comments to Mohamad Ali how ever many years ago? Bert Newton had no idea what he had said, and i believe the girl had no idea what she said either. I think intent is very relevant.

Leaving the racist stuff aside, why do people even feel the need to taunt opposition payers about anything? Normally sensible people really do become complete morons once they start watching the footy.

had no idea about the "boy" racist connotations until your post, and i decided to youtube the video of that incident. Geez ive travelled to the USA twice for long holidays, and in hindsight probably lucky i havent had my head taken right off.

 

[Monkey King]

I do find it kinda strange how Goodes said today that over the past 10 years he has been called a monkey and an ape by other AFL players on the field, yet we haven't heard anything about this from memory?

He has previously taken a player through vilification mediation after being was called a "f..... monkey-looking c...''. My thoughts were the same then as they are now.

 

[Monkey King]

I think you'll find most ethnic groups hold some racial prejudices against another. Get a bunch of people from the same ethnicity in one room and they'll have plenty to say about other groups.

And also those within ethnic groups. Ask a Northern Indian what he thinks about a Southern Indian.