Demons dump sponsor after Ben Polis's racist rants

[Old Spice]

Quality post and given me hope theres still people out there that can have balanced views. I doubt id even be mates with anyone white, black, gray, yellow or whatever if they couldnt give and take a bit of banter.

PC has gone crazy and cant take half these type threads seriously these days. But agree in this case the guys just a fool posting that sort of stuff in cyberspace particularly when those very people are your customer base.

Btw Mrs Perry is a champ.

Sick of douches hiding behind this anti PC bollocks.

Is it such an imposition on you to show respect to people? I presume you can show it to your family, your workmates, Anzacs etc. Why can't you show it across the board. Grow up and become a man.

 

[R00StaR]

Sick of douches hiding behind this anti PC bollocks.

Is it such an imposition on you to show respect to people? I presume you can show it to your family, your workmates, Anzacs etc. Why can't you show it across the board. Grow up and become a man.

Get a grip, just another example of why. PCers ramming their beliefs down on others, telling them what is and isnt acceptable. Yet here you are calling people douches hey lol. Ive always shown respect to people you fool, its my friends im talking about. I dont get into that banter with people i dont know, they start it or give it back and everyone is happy. Why would i waste my banter or time on boring stiffs that are so insecure about every bloody thing.

I have an uncle whos German, calls himself a wog all the time. Occasionally ill stir him, i can tell you never once has he been offended, its all in good fun. He's a ripping bloke and love having a beer or 10 with him.

What isnt fun is those insecure people with eggshells all around them, no thanks.

 

[LT Smash]

What I don't understand is when these funny buggers use race and gender in their jokes and their so called harmless banter and then can't understand why people get offended over mere words, yet they are the first to squeal when accused of being racist. Surely that's just a word too. Get over yourselves all you racists, learn to take a joke, lighten up, get a grip. You're too soft, that's your problem.

 

[Final Siren]

It's funny when people who have never been on the wrong end of racism don't see anything wrong with it. "Lighten up! Can't you take a joke? I take the piss out of everyone!"

Yeah, pretty funny, those jokes, when you have no idea.

 

[R00StaR]

Backhanded way to call me a racist, see i havent used words to try an offend you personally have i, yet you have no trouble trying to offend me.

So whos offended by it? nobody i know ever has been. I never go over the top and never said in a way thats meant to offend and its always with people who are very comfortable with me and i with them. But PCers are happy to grab a sentence in isolation without knowing the people involved and label them.

I have Asian friend that have said look at all you fat Aussies, you eat too many pies, eat more rice. So im meant to be all offended by that am i? Sorry couldnt give a stuff, thought it was pretty funny actually. Hey there Skippy: oh my world is shattered, they think im a skippy the bush kangaroo.

Quick off to the shrink.

 

[blewhismindout]

I have an uncle whos German, calls himself a wog all the time. Occasionally ill stir him, i can tell you never once has he been offended, its all in good fun. He's a ripping bloke and love having a beer or 10 with him.

Surely, 'Kraut' would be the more appropriate slur...

What I don't understand is when these funny buggers use race and gender in their jokes and their so called harmless banter and then can't understand why people get offended over mere words, yet they are the first to squeal when accused of being racist. Surely that's just a word too. Get over yourselves all you racists, learn to take a joke, lighten up, get a grip. You're too soft, that's your problem.

Everyone bristles when called a racist - there are few things more damaging than being called a racist in public life. Every few months, the whole of Australia collectively shouts "Who? Us?!" following the latest international incident.

When you are with friends, you give a lot more latitude because you know where each other stands. Often the humour lies not in the joke itself, but in the irony and shock value that such a joke would be made in this climate.

Having said all that, I think Polis is a pig and I'm glad Melbourne have taken this action. These were not friends, but hundreds of anonymous followers. I have no idea how a CEO could show such a complete lack of awareness - to the point of slurring the very players at the club you're sponsoring! There's probably something to the theory that he wanted out of this deal...

 

[Final Siren]

I have Asian friend that have said look at all you fat Aussies, you eat too many pies, eat more rice. So im meant to be all offended by that am i? Sorry couldnt give a stuff, thought it was pretty funny actually.

What I would say is it's pretty easy to laugh off a comment like that when you've heard it once in your life, because you live in a country where you're the majority. Where you are never the different one.

If, however, you lived somewhere else, as a minority, and the first thing people noticed about you was always your race, and they made comments like that about it, you might find that starts to grate. More so if you've noticed you're being shut out in favour of people who are the majority, and you don't get given the same chances or respect as them. And more so again if you've ever experienced violent racism, e.g. you were beaten or robbed because you weren't the majority.

 

[Richo83]

1. No-one's being arrested. Polis can keep being an idiot all he likes.

2. MFC, a private organisation have decided that they don't want to associate with him. A perfectly acceptable action. They have also decided that the image of the club does not fit with Polis. Fair enough, given Melbourne aren't racist.

3. There's a difference between saying a few racist things and saying that the only thing Asians are good for is insurance because they can't drive. Or that he'll cope having lunch with someone from a public school because at least she's hot. Not only is this guy racist, but he's a massive knob.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

its still his facebook though. regardless whether it is or it isn't private the reality is that his stements were intended for his facebook audience, not the whole country.

What do you think would have happened if they were showing the footage of Oprah and Gillard on the 6pm news and the newsreader (not realising their microphone was on) said the same thing that Polis has written? Would it just be a case of "Oh well, it wasn't for the public domain..."? They'd be sacked before we got to the weather and they'd probably never work in the media again.

Stupidity isn't a defence for these actions. What I can't understand is why, since these comments were apparently going on for a significant length of time, one of his Facebook friends didn't have the sense to tell him that those comments could be used to bury him.

 

[Richo83]

Facebook is a public space. People complaining that they said something on one of the most used websites in the world to an audience of hundreds, who can easily pass on such info, and yet.... it was private folks! These people are stupid and have no idea about how social networking/internet/anything works. I don't have any sympathy for them.

Facebook is like a public street, if you think you shouldn't shout that Asians are terrible drivers or that Jews and Muslims are losers in a public street, don't say it on facebook.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Facebook is like a public street, if you think you shouldn't shout that Asians are terrible drivers or that Jews and Muslims are losers in a public street, don't say it on facebook.

If everyone on the street had a video camera on you at the time.

 

[Richo83]

If everyone on the street had a video camera on you at the time.

Exactly, it's even more risky to say it on facebook.

 

[timthefish]

melbourne have this week stamped themselves as an organisation that will not be associated with bigoted disrepectful garbage no matter how much money it comes with.
their brand has become so much stronger in the last couple of weeks and this has bolstered it well. look forward to a high-profile sponsor coming in very quickly with more cash. eddy's appeal for support is right in that melbourne have just done the whole league a big favour but unnecessary.

well done mfc and hats off.

 

[fairdinkum]

So the media only found out about this guy's racist posts on Facebook in the last couple of days? Or he only started posting them after Jim Stynes' death? Which is it? The timing of this scandal seems a bit odd to me.

I want to see the MFC do well (just as I want to see Footscray and St. Kilda do well - the small clubs should be supporting one another AFAIC) but if it is true that they accepted a $2m sponsorship from a company with $20m turnover then I really don't know what to say. I mean seriously.

What I don't understand is when these funny buggers use race and gender in their jokes and their so called harmless banter and then can't understand why people get offended over mere words, yet they are the first to squeal when accused of being racist. Surely that's just a word too. Get over yourselves all you racists, learn to take a joke, lighten up, get a grip. You're too soft, that's your problem.

Why don't you man up and answer the question put to you earlier: would you deem it 'racist' if someone were to label an Aboriginal person 'black trash'? Of course, the answer is yes, you would. The reason why you don't deem it racist to label Frankstonites 'white trash' is because you yourself like to belittle the lower socioeconomic people of Australia and you are an educated man so you mustn't be racist. Either that or you actually believe white people are superior and so any criticism of them as a group is trivial compared to criticism of the inferior races.

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

Can someone please confirm whether this is the same Ben Polis who suffers from ADHD, wrote a book about his experience and made the American tv circuit with it. It sure looks like him in the photo.

 

[scottwade]

Can someone please confirm whether this is the same Ben Polis who suffers from ADHD, wrote a book about his experience and made the American tv circuit with it. It sure looks like him in the photo.

It is.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/meant-to-fail-who-is-ben-polis-20120405-1we9i.html

 

[Bluelegs]

Can someone please confirm whether this is the same Ben Polis who suffers from ADHD, wrote a book about his experience and made the American tv circuit with it. It sure looks like him in the photo.

The very same. I've heard a few people trying to use his condition as a reason for his outbursts. To be honest I think people with ADHD would take offence to that. They would hate for people to think that because this guy has ADHD he has sympathy for acting like a complete pig, if anything he is a detriment to the image of those who suffer from ADHD.

 

[Satan]

A month ago melbourne was threatened that they would lose sponsors . Now hs publishes comments by a former ceo of a former sPonsor. Person who threatned writes for same paper. Make your own conclusions but i reckon you can lock it in eddie !

 

[Tulip]

So the media only found out about this guy's racist posts on Facebook in the last couple of days? Or he only started posting them after Jim Stynes' death? Which is it? The timing of this scandal seems a bit odd to me.

I want to see the MFC do well (just as I want to see Footscray and St. Kilda do well - the small clubs should be supporting one another AFAIC) but if it is true that they accepted a $2m sponsorship from a company with $20m turnover then I really don't know what to say. I mean seriously.



Why don't you man up and answer the question put to you earlier: would you deem it 'racist' if someone were to label an Aboriginal person 'black trash'? Of course, the answer is yes, you would. The reason why you don't deem it racist to label Frankstonites 'white trash' is because you yourself like to belittle the lower socioeconomic people of Australia and you are an educated man so you mustn't be racist. Either that or you actually believe white people are superior and so any criticism of them as a group is trivial compared to criticism of the inferior races.

I think that somebody has gone and snooped through anything Melbourne FC related to try and keep the racism story alive. The HUNs 'Racism Crisis' was killed before it grew legs thanks to Neeld, they wanted ammo and found some.

He's agreeing with you, read twice

 

[Bombermania]

There is something that needs to be remembered when considering what is offensive behavior.

The Law states that offensive behavior is based on how the person hearing or witnesses the behavior, feels about it

The intention of the person said to have been offensive is not taken into account by Law

This is why it may be okay for mates and close friends to sit around and talk about girls, but if a women in the workplace over hears that and for some reason takes offense, she then has grounds to raise sexual harassment

To a so called anti PC person this may sound like wowserism and to a point they are not wrong but these laws have been written due to law makers becoming aware that there are or were issues

 

[SuburbanMe]

The reason why you don't deem it racist to label Frankstonites 'white trash' is because you yourself like to belittle the lower socioeconomic people of Australia and you are an educated man so you mustn't be racist. Either that or you actually believe white people are superior and so any criticism of them as a group is trivial compared to criticism of the inferior races.

Umm Have you any idea of the land value in and around Frankston?

Frankston isn't a low socioeconomic area at all. The land value in the Pines (Frankston North - historically a drug users suburb) is reaching over 1 million for one of the decent sized blocks.

Granted there are some junkies around frankston - but they mainly come from Hastings, Dromana and those areas. I should know, before I moved up to cairns - I lived in Langwarrin (7mins away - straight down Cranbourne-Frankston Rd), and before that I lived in Cranbourne.

 

[Higgs Boson]

Like Jim's funeral did last week? In round one of a new season in which they have a new coach and are a red-hot finals chance?

Fair dinkum, the MFC needs to have a bloody good look at itself if it needs "shocking issues" to spark it into action.

It's a disgrace.

Whooosh!

There is something that needs to be remembered when considering what is offensive behavior.

The Law states that offensive behavior is based on how the person hearing or witnesses the behavior, feels about it

The intention of the person said to have been offensive is not taken into account by Law

This is why it may be okay for mates and close friends to sit around and talk about girls, but if a women in the workplace over hears that and for some reason takes offense, she then has grounds to raise sexual harassment

To a so called anti PC person this may sound like wowserism and to a point they are not wrong but these laws have been written due to law makers becoming aware that there are or were issues

A black/asian/pretty-much-any-minority person with a thick skin and who wouldn't shy away from a bit of adverse publicity themselves could put a new wing on the townhouse, or a new pool, with an action against Polis in the Federal Court. Deep pockets for a hefty pre-trial settlement.

 

[Bombermania]

Umm Have you any idea of the land value in and around Frankston?

Frankston isn't a low socioeconomic area at all. The land value in the Pines (Frankston North - historically a drug users suburb) is reaching over 1 million for one of the decent sized blocks.

Granted there are some junkies around frankston - but they mainly come from Hastings, Dromana and those areas. I should know, before I moved up to cairns - I lived in Langwarrin (7mins away - straight down Cranbourne-Frankston Rd), and before that I lived in Cranbourne.

Correct.

Frankston is more than just a bogan poor backwater hole, places like Frankston South, Olivers Hill and Langwarrin are actually more middle class with Mt Eliza next door.

Sure it has its fair share of social issues but in population terms, it is very large and diverse. This is why it regularly returns Liberal MPs to Canberra and Spring Street.

If anything Frankston is slightly older than the Melbourne average and the reason why Frankston has a bogan element is that it is a regional center with its own railway station and major services and the so-called stereotyping is from the 1970s and 1980s.

 

[fairdinkum]

Umm Have you any idea of the land value in and around Frankston?

Frankston isn't a low socioeconomic area at all. The land value in the Pines (Frankston North - historically a drug users suburb) is reaching over 1 million for one of the decent sized blocks.

Granted there are some junkies around frankston - but they mainly come from Hastings, Dromana and those areas. I should know, before I moved up to cairns - I lived in Langwarrin (7mins away - straight down Cranbourne-Frankston Rd), and before that I lived in Cranbourne.

I think you are missing the point of my post. Whether or not Frankston is actually a poor/wealthy/whatever suburb is not the issue at hand; Frankston (just like Broadmeadows, Cranbourne, Ringwood, etc) is often used as the butt of jokes because (rightly or wrongly) it is seen to be an area full of lower socioeconomic types.

 

[Bombermania]

I think you are missing the point of my post. Whether or not Frankston is actually a poor/wealthy/whatever suburb is not the issue at hand; Frankston (just like Broadmeadows, Cranbourne, Ringwood, etc) is often used as the butt of jokes because (rightly or wrongly) it is seen to be an area full of lower socioeconomic types.

Yes and Frankston people play the joke on themselves as well.

Frankston has a lot in common with Ringwood and Cranbourne, it doesn't have much in common with Broady.

Frankston is largely a white suburb with a small Asian and Kiwi population while Broady is more ethically diverse