And so, on and on, Hagan sees everything with one eye and continues to preach his white man bad, black man good drivel.

This story sounds a little contrived to me, but if it happened as described then all good.

However I would like to pick Stephen up on something. He said "I guess in many ways my preference in team colours are shaped by the colour of the team. More specifically I tend to choose teams with the highest representation of Indigenous footballers".

Is this not racist? If I say I will only support teams with lots of white people am I not implying I like them more than black people?
People support teams for a variety of reasons, but usually because of where they live, not the colour of their skin.

gw

Racism is ugly in any form and that would have been an awful experience for Christine.

I agree with gw's point about the criteria the author uses to choose which team to support. This is equally racist. Can you imagine if a white person stated I only support teams which are predominantly white. I think the reaction would be very different. But perhaps this comment was a bait and the author plans to tell us why he thinks this way.

There is a tendency sometimes for victimized or minority groups to be given a wider latitude or freedom in terms of using racist language. This might be due to an appreciation of some residual 'cultural' anger based on historical experience of racism. While this is understandable, racism and racist comments have the same impact no matter to whom the comments are targeted.

No doubt if evolution was true then the racist described here have a point about monkeys. Of course when the rubber meets the road the stupidity of the failed theory is uncovered. Unfortunately having recently been to a football game I suspect that Stephen's story is probably true. Drunken men and women yell abuse at players and umpires and have no respect for anyone. If you are can easily be offended then it might be better to stay away from venues that allow this kind of thing to go on. Ever since I can remember football has been no different.

I think some of the comments on this site miss the point, why should football games or any other event become "no go areas", are our sports so well supported that they don't want women, people from other than white backgrounds and children? As for picking teams to support, I personally support teams that break down racial barriers and looking at the history of AFL and other sports these have generally been clubs that embrace Indigenous players and their cultures. And no the article was not contrived I was there I am Christine's husband.

Thanks for clarifying that Sponge Bob.. I must admit I did not read it with any hint of doubt over what had happened, I have been to plenty of footy games and seen plenty of behaviour as bad.. or worse. I only wish that I had the courage to confront it in the same way she did. Alas, I suspect that, being male, boofheads like that would no sooner reply than throw a big hairy gorilla fist in my face and I am not one for the fighting arts... anyway, great work Christine for having the guts to stare the idiots down.

As for the other issue about preferring teams with indigenous players, it seems that applying a stereotype is OK, provided it is a positive one. Eg, saying black dudes = great athletes - acceptable. Saying black dudes = drug dealers, not acceptable. Double standard? Perhaps...

As a Swans fan, I must confess to a certain thrill and expectancy every time Mick O'Loughlin gets his hands on the footy, and I expect Adam Goodes to do something special too. There is certainly some sort of magic that blackfellas seem to be able to weave when they get their hands on the Sherrin and I don't think anyone who watches the game would say otherwise... they bring something special. Mind you, my team choice was made long before those 2 came along...

I baulked at Stevens criteria for picking teams as well, I tried to imagine the equivalent context when such a comment from a white person would be OK and could not. Then I tried to put it into perspective, is it so horrid when a feminist acknowledges firms which have women at the board level?

As a single dad I know I appreciate it when I see other single dads doing the hard yards. That does not mean that I don't appreciate single mums who work to support their kids but rather there is some shared appreciation for other men who have taken up the prime care role whilst it's still relatively uncommon for men to do so.

Whilst indiginous people in professional football are not rare football is one of the few areas where that seems to be the case. I can see why Steven might think like that and can sympathise as long as it's not taken to far.

R0bert

sponge bob

You are totally blinded if you think it is only white males carrying on in this sort of manner. They may be the majority but I assure you their are many drunken coloured people who behave like idiots at sporting events. Some women (if you could call them that) have the vilest mouths when it comes to sports events. After a day at the cricket a few years ago I vowed not to take my kids there again due to the atrocious behaviour of many.

Poor old racists,
where would they be if they couldn't blame some decent people being racist. Really a sad lot eh?

Runner! Please take my advice! don't breed. You religious people really show your stability to the world, and your all trying to recruit more people with your lies and fairy-tails. Well! Good luck my friend, cause you,ll need it.
Runner! Do you hear the sounds of water gurgling down the proverbial sink! lol.
Don't worry runner, evolution will save you. lol.

EVO

I'm afraid this story lost its impact as soon as I saw "our long unwavering public campaign to rid the E.S. “[can't print the word coz the software won't let me]” Brown Stand sign of its offending word". OK for the author to use in a film title not OK to commemorate a guy who used it as a nickname most of his life. The word wasn't even used much here, to my knowledge, and I've spent quite a bit of time in Aboriginal lands. Indeed, one were more likely to hear it from the mouth of an Aboriginal than a white person (incidentally, labelled the contemptuous "whitefella" by many Aboriginals). I'm afraid making a mere sign the subject of a long court case will only increase the notority of the word.

While the word has seriously negative connotations from its use in the American South, it's merely a corruption of "negro" (itself a word very much on the outer these days) which simply means "black".

Who believes ‘sponge bob’ was present, or that he is ‘Christine’s' husband?

‘Sponge bob’ is probably really a sponge and Hagan’s ‘Christine’ appears to be modelled on a talking clock voice – so precise and unnatural was her language as quoted by Hagan.

I agree with ‘gw’ that the whole shebang sounds contrived. Even Hagan must be finding it very, very hard to find actual examples of racism these days. Even the relatively few real racists have lost interest in aboriginal Australians, with their constant complaining and traditional dissatisfaction with everything

Great work Christine, for so long the racist opinion has been spoken and not often enough opposed. It is about time these uneducated thugs were shut down and told to shut up not just by the indigenous communities but by the whitefellas who do find this sort of behavior unacceptable.

Mr. Right, you obviously don't spend much time out of the cities, then...

Mr. Right: << Even the relatively few real racists have lost interest in aboriginal Australians >>

Ah, but we've still got you, old chap.

Whatever you call yourself these days.

Not one sentence rebuking Aborigines for being dysfunctional, drunks, unemployed in this article!

Amazing!