- Nov 12, 2014
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He should know first hand what vilification is like. Copped it for years when he first started so not sure why he didn't engage his brain on that particular situation. No excuses really.Dermie was my favourite footy player as a kid and I admired him more for putting his hand up and having the stones to admit fault and take responsibility for his past indiscretions then anything he achieved on a footy field. Racism is a taught thing and can most certainly be untaught if everyone bands together an calls it out.
Watching that you can feel the shame and disgust Dermie has in himself because winning at all costs when comes to things like that is just not worth it. Even back then racial vilification should’ve been out of bounds like family, mental illness etc but it wasn’t and I feel the reason is because society back then saw indigenous people as lower than animals which is absolutely disgusting.
I remember another one of my childhood hero’s in Dippa getting called out for an off the cuff racist comment when he was an Auskick ambassador. I still to this day don’t think Dippa is a racist but rather just very uneducated like a lot of people from that era which is no excuse. To his credit he took full responsibility and was stood down from his role. He undertook a several weeks of counselling / education on the matter and was sincerely remorseful for his actions. Like a lot of people they need to start understanding that words can hurt and have long lasting impacts on others just as much as physical harm.
AFL legend 'Dipper' stood down in new racism storm
Robert DiPierdomenico has been stood down indefinitely from his role as an AFL ambassador for Auskick following a racist comment he made at a public function last week.www.theage.com.au