Scoopar
Team Captain
- Aug 22, 2006
- 450
- 652
- AFL Club
- North Melbourne
- Other Teams
- Hearts of Midlothian, GB Packers.
It's not often I agree with Garrrrrry Lyon, but he hit the nail on the head. Goodes is divisive. Michael Long, and even Nicky Winmar, were simply standing up for themselves and showing that they are proud of who they are. They were more about changing attitudes for the better, and pushing for unity and understanding between white people and aboriginals. And I think they've done more for that cause than anybody else in the history of Australia to be honest. The best way to speak to the majority of Australians is through sport. (sad, but true) They brought these issues to a head and forced white Australians to look at themselves and their attitudes. And I believe that for the most part, they succeeded, and Australia (or at the very least the AFL world) is a far less racist society than it was before they had the balls and courage to point out (literally in Winmar's case) the obvious. Kudos to them. They are true heroes.
Goodes, whilst obviously proud of who he is (which is more than I can say about myself - I think white people are f****d) seems more intent on reigniting the flames, tarring everybody with the same brush, and saying "f**k you" than he is in pushing for unity between anybody.
"You booed me? You must be racist! F**k you!"
No Adam. Whilst I'm sure there's a very small minority who DO boo you purely because you're aboriginal and they're racist dicks (and your actions aren't doing anything to change their attitudes I might add... which isn't exactly productive considering they're the people who's attitudes need to change!), the rest of us* just think you're a tosser.
* not that I a) go to games anymore or b) have/would ever boo anybody other than the odd umpiring decision.
I posted this in another thread but I thought I would repeat it here for others, (besides just North supporters).
Eddie McGuire/Garyl Lyon et al... like to have black players on their team, pat them on the back, talk them up.....but I'm tipping there's a line in the sand in their sub conscious that they prefer they did not cross.
Scott Woods describes it:
The problem is that white people see racism as conscious hate, when racism is bigger than that. Racism is a complex system of social and political levers and pulleys set up generations ago to continue working on the behalf of whites at other people’s expense, whether whites know/like it or not. Racism is an insidious cultural disease. It is so insidious that it doesn’t care if you are a white person who likes black people; it’s still going to find a way to infect how you deal with people who don’t look like you. Yes, racism looks like hate, but hate is just one manifestation. Privilege is another. Access is another. Ignorance is another. Apathy is another. And so on. So while I agree with people who say no one is born racist, it remains a powerful system that we’re immediately born into. It’s like being born into air: you take it in as soon as you breathe. It’s not a cold that you can get over. There is no anti-racist certification class. It’s a set of socioeconomic traps and cultural values that are fired up every time we interact with the world. It is a thing you have to keep scooping out of the boat of your life to keep from drowning in it. I know it’s hard work, but it’s the price you pay for owning everything.
https://scottwoodsmakeslists.wordpr...lly-saying-about-ani-difranco-or-plantations/