Nic Naitanui urges public to ‘grow together’ after mother paints son’s skin for Book Week parade

[King 05]

So NN was the kids favourite player? And apart from wearing a sign round his neck saying "I'm dressed as NN" how else was he meant to "completely" portray his hero?

Perhaps the kid should only follow white players, with the right eye colour, hair colour etc so they don't get in trouble.

But then again, white kids following only white players so they don't get branded as racists if they want to dress up as them?

Isn't that racist in itself?

 

[Malifice]

Can someone (preferably someone who's angry about this) please explain why this is cool?

- genuine question

Edit: he was actually nominated for the best supporting actor Oscar..

How on earth are you not seeing the different context here?

I see all the usual right wing nutters have sprung up to whine about 'political correctness gone mad' and so forth.

Storm in a teacup people. Move on.

 

[SizeMatters]

It's fiction. It's used to tell a story. Do you think we should only be able to enjoy media that doesn't contain anything at all that might offend people?

So you enjoy racist elements in movies? Interesting...

So in your words it's all good as long as it's entertainment?

 

[kickazz]

The Swastika has origins dating back ~2,300 years but most people have the sense to not use it as a form of iconography these days (for example, let's say, incorporating it into some kind of advertisement) due to it's use by the Nazis and our relatively close historical proximity to WWII.

The swastika might be ok to use again in, I dunno, 200 years once the association has faded? So it is with white people painting themselves black. Yes it was primarily an American thing, but the practice itself is symbolic (see Swastika above) of the overt racism that used to exist in the U.S.A. / England / Aus & NZ.

It's just too close to the historical event that has rendered the practice unacceptable. Maybe in another couple hundred years.

edit: Added a bit more for clarity.

Swastika is still well and truly alive and well in many parts of Asia, as it should be, they used it first.

 

[King 05]

The idea that no one in a perth school would know who a kid in a #9 eagles guernsey was trying to be unless they blacked up is pretty laughable

Any idea who wore #9 prior to Nic Nat? Lesser of two evils as far as I'm concerned.

 

[WeAreGeelong]

I just don't get why she had to paint her child. Wearing a wig looking like NicNats hair and a West Coast jumper is perfectly clear who he is IMO, without the need to paint the skin colour. (the mother suggested nobody would know who he was without the paint - bullshit).

 

[manureid]

What book is Nic Nat in? Eagles sticker book maybe? Are you not supposed to go to book week as your favourite character from a book? My kids have it and that is what they are told. This is the most serious question that needs answering.

 

[juss]

So you enjoy racist elements in movies? Interesting...

So in your words it's all good as long as it's entertainment?

I don't have a problem with offensive content in movies/television, I don't ENJOY the racism, I don't ENJOY the murder, but I may enjoy the fictitious drama or media despite some offensive content.

I ask you again, do you think we should remove all media with content that may offend?

 

[The 747]

Oh goody another Bigfooty racism thread. SJW! Political correctness! Quibble over origins of a phrase! Pine for the good old days where everybody was happy (so long as they were white)!

 

[JimDocker]

The original post was on a bloggers FB page, Constance Hall. She is a feminist blogger with a lot of social issues on her page and blogs. She uses the term Queens as an empowerment title for women, which is why the mum said this was her "Queening" moment. Hall deleted the post and put up this carefully worded reason.

"Today a mum posted onto my visitors posts.

She shared a photo of her son dressed up as his idol Eagles player Nic Nainanui for book week.

Seems harmless? ...
Well of course it is a flattering gesture, however unfortunately the little man had some kind of body paint on to make his skin look dark.

I don't agree with dressing your child up in blackface, I can't defend it.
Because it is hurtful to our indigenous brothers and sisters.

I don't believe that the mum in question was behaving maliciously, I don't believe that she intended to hurt anyone.
However I think it was an ill informed decision based on her view that there is too much political correctness in our world.

Political correctness and cultural sensitivity are 2 very different things.

I don't believe that it is the place of white Australians to determine what is racists, unless you have felt racial discrimination it's very difficult to determine without the assistance of a racial minority.

When I was 18 I was with my friend in a bar, her bum was pinched, she told the man who pinched it that it was sexual harassment, he responded that if his bum was pinched he wouldn't feel harassed.
What he didn't know is that my friend was sexually violated as a teenager. If you don't experience harassment or racism or homophobia, how can you determine what is or isn't offensive?

It's not my place to determine, but I respect the words of those who's it is.

I deleted the post. This is not a place for posts that can hurt people.
But I want the Queen who shared it to know, I do not stand by any of the abuse you have received today.

You are clearly not a racist women, your child has an amazing idol and that must be a reflection of being raised in a home with no racist intentions.

A very wise man once told me, it is ok to change your mind based on new information.

I hope one day you can tell your beautiful little man of how is costume raised a conversation that needed to be had and how his beautiful intentions were not missed but from now on out of respect for his hero, we don't dress up in Paint Face.

Con"

 

[The 747]

Good response from Nick Nat btw. Kudos, he is a fine representative of his community and the sport.

 

[Ron The Bear]

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. People insisting they should not be imitated are setting themselves apart.

"I don't know what all the fuss is about. These guys were actually paying me a tribute. It was a bit of fun and I think it was great they regard me as their favourite Wallaby. I didn't have an issue with it at all. I was glad to be in a photo with them, so I don't know why anyone is getting worked up - that sort of reaction is just silly."

- Radike Samo

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/t...ds-fans-blackface-tribute-20110828-1jgwa.html

 

[benji2]

What books has Nic Nat been in anyway?

But...stupid decision by his mother, must have known this might happen

Sent from my D5833 using Tapatalk

 

[MUYB]

Any idea who wore #9 prior to Nic Nat? Lesser of two evils as far as I'm concerned.

Surely no one would know he was ben cousins unless he was lighting a fire in the classroom or swimming across the Swan

 

[JimDocker]

This is what has happened today. Again from Hall's page

"I was advised that once it became national news I had to comment, I was asked for my comment from various media outlets and it couldn't have come at a worse time.

I'm sorry to all of the Queens that my opinion has offended.

I didn't think I was shaming her at all, I clearly stated that I don't believe she is racist at all, she has a beautiful son with a great hero. I just don't think we should paint our kids in blackface if it offends and hurts people.

Now I have never received so much abuse in my life. I am being called a campaigner from her family, I have received death threats, I ban them and they start new accounts, they are relentless. I have been called every name under the sun, called a fake, told that I am too big for my boots over and over again.

I thought I had my anxiety under control but I feel like I can't breath.

The kids have seen me cry more then ever in the last 24 hours and I don't have my husband to remind me that it's all going to be ok.

I am so sorry that I have offended so many people, I never meant to. I was raised to be very culturally sensitive, taken to aboriginal rights protests and spending my holidays in the communities with family that were teachers, that is part of who I am.

Please stop sending me these horrible messages and writing these things on my wall, I am feeling really broken and alone right now and I don't have the strength for this."

So, yeah. The mum is just an innocent in all of this. She is as much a "SJW" as anybody on the Left that is accused of being one. Only her social justice seems to be that she and her family can do and say what they like and **** everybody else. It was pretty obvious from the FB post that she originally posted that she was an attention seeker lacking in any moral compass, but people felt the need to defend her anyway.

 

[WUUBLY DUUBLY]

..its a non-event. Its a kid dressing like his hero. No need to bring racism into this. Its no different to a kid dressing up like Superman. End of story.

 

[Barry_Badrinath]

No indication Naitanui is offended by it personally. Naitanui has never said Fijians have been oppressed by Australians. Stop making up shit.

He has however been racially abused in completely separate incidents - so he knows how it feels to feel shit for your skin colour. I think he's just taking a stance and being empathetic with those who were victimised by blackface. To do otherwise would make Naitanui a hypocrite - if he didn't say this is a subject people need educating on (note: he never called anyone racist, just said hey let's be aware of how this makes people feel*), he'd basically be saying "nah it's ok as long as it doesn't personally offend me".

He couldn't have handled a difficult situation any better.

*You can argue up and down about whether or not peoples 'feelings' are important or wishy-washy etc, personally I feel it's irrelevant to this situation - Naitanui has taken a respectful, consistent stance and to say otherwise is just moronic on your behalf.

I never said he was offended by it, just that people had taught him to be offended by it. I didn't say anything negative about Nic Nat, but don't let that stop you from heaping vitriol in my direction.

 

[JeffDunne]

I just don't get why she had to paint her child.

Reading her facebook post it's pretty obvious. She wanted to win a dress up contest & get as much attention as possible.

Winning that contest was more important to her than anyone being offended.

I'm guessing with all this press today she's celebrating again with a wine before midday.

(child protective services might want to visit this mother)

 

[yeahmate]

The Swastika has origins dating back ~2,300 years but most people have the sense to not use it as a form of iconography these days (for example, let's say, incorporating it into some kind of advertisement) due to it's use by the Nazis and our relatively close historical proximity to WWII.

The swastika might be ok to use again in, I dunno, 200 years once the association has faded? So it is with white people painting themselves black. Yes it was primarily an American thing, but the practice itself is symbolic (see Swastika above) of the overt racism that used to exist in the U.S.A. / England / Aus & NZ.

It's just too close to the historical event that has rendered the practice unacceptable. Maybe in another couple hundred years.

edit: Added a bit more for clarity.

Geez mate, I'm no history buff but I could have sworn Australia was involved in WW2 hence I'm not too sure your swastika example really cuts the mustard here.

 

[SizeMatters]

I don't have a problem with offensive content in movies/television, I don't ENJOY the racism, I don't ENJOY the murder, but I may enjoy the fictitious drama or media despite some offensive content.

I ask you again, do you think we should remove all media with content that may offend?

No I have no problem. I'm just wondering why you left winger PC hero was so against a kid wanting to be NN who is his idol for a day but you can justify having racist 'comedy' in movies and popular media that is broadcasted globally to the masses. If the kid dressed and started to shout racist remarks about being a Fijian than sure label him a racist but until then everyone on this thread are obviously trying too hard to be keyboard heroes here. I wonder if you were there at the school parade would you have said anything to the kid or parents? I doubt it TBH.

 

[The City Boyz]

I am still trying to get my head around what he had to deal with? A little boy thinks I am a hero and wants to be like me!
This is now just taking the piss surely.

It was...

 

[HairyO]

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. People insisting they should not be imitated are setting themselves apart.

"I don't know what all the fuss is about. These guys were actually paying me a tribute. It was a bit of fun and I think it was great they regard me as their favourite Wallaby. I didn't have an issue with it at all. I was glad to be in a photo with them, so I don't know why anyone is getting worked up - that sort of reaction is just silly."

- Radike Samo

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/t...ds-fans-blackface-tribute-20110828-1jgwa.html

I hope the ARU sanction Samo and educated him on why he should have been outraged.

 

[juss]

No I have no problem. I'm just wondering why you left winger PC hero was so against a kid wanting to be NN who is his idol for a day but you can justify having racist 'comedy' in movies and popular media that is broadcasted globally to the masses. If the kid dressed and started to shout racist remarks about being a Fijian than sure label him a racist but until then everyone on this thread are obviously trying too hard to be keyboard heroes here. I wonder if you were there at the school parade would you have said anything to the kid or parents? I doubt it TBH.

Can you go through and show me where I had a problem with the kid? I haven't labelled him or his mother anything.

 

[King 05]

Surely no one would know he was ben cousins unless he was lighting a fire in the classroom or swimming across the Swan

or if he took a squeegee to wash the windows for the teacher!!

 

[RolandF1]

Swastika is still well and truly alive and well in many parts of Asia, as it should be, they used it first.

I once belonged to a forum where someone went hysterical and accused a finnish guy of being a nazi sympathizer all because he had as his avatar the Finnish airforce logo used during WW2 and before. Ignorance can be on both sides.