cont...

As for me that day when I was part of the racial vilification of an indigenous player really sat heavily on my shoulders. A number of years later my sister partnered with an aboriginal fellow and long conversations with him, his extended family and friends not only served to open my eyes to the racism these guys faced on an almost daily basis, some of it subtle but quite a bit of it overt and hostile, but also to increase me feelings of having participated in something disgusting and wrong.

When Kevin Rudd was elected and chose as the first order of business to apologise to the Stolen Generation people were saying they personally had nothing to apologise for as they were not part of the generation who removed so many children from their families. Yet I had a real sense of him speaking and apologising on my behalf and for all Australians who had told racist jokes in the past, for all the screamed abuse from the sidelines, for all the times we didn't stand up and say enough is enough and for all the thoughtless, ignorant, hurtful actions and words that we had directed at indigenous people for so many years all the while thinking this was such a fair nation.

His speech empowered other people to take action against this blight in our culture. I have been to the footy recently where people around racial abuser in the crowd have told him to can it and have seen he is ejected if he doesn't get the message. There are a lot more supporters who are prepared to speak out and let offenders know that form of abuse is no longer acceptable.

I wish there had been someone at the match that day who had nipped our racism in the bud. In fact I really wish it had been me but I know I was too much of a coward. I have never been directly involved in so deeply hurting someone with my actions and I hope I never will be again.

Cont...

cont...

In a state like Victoria which is the true home of Aussie Rules football the game runs as a deep tribal lifeblood through the community. Its influence is powerful and palpable. Its stories are epic and virtually religious. The response toward the events of the week are perhaps different here than they are in your part of the world because we have been walking a redemptive path since Nicky Winmar raised his guernsey, one where we better recognise and acknowledge the sins of the past and are striving for a better future for the game and ourselves.

Eddie McGuire is acutely aware of this, he hasn't strove to blame the victim like so many on this thread, he is trying to right what he wronged. He knows how pivotal and influential his position is as President of the Collingwood Football Club as it was he who brought in the zero tolerance for racism within the club. For him to have taken a belligerent stance like many here would have set the effort back many years. I have real respect for the way he is handling himself now. He was right when he wrote;

“But the way that the football community has reacted over the past 20 years has done more to set the tone in our community than any other campaign. Where once the treatment of our indigenous players was a stain on our game, now it is a badge of honour that some 12 per cent of the playing population is indigenous and, as a result, we are drawing more "minority" nationalities to our wonderful indigenous game. Nicky Winmar is a national hero for his act of defiance. Ironically, it helped save the Collingwood Football Club.”
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/act-of-defiance-kicks-off-a-new-era-for-the-game-of-football/story-fni0ffsx-1226648723588

Well mate that's my take. It is a Victorian perspective I know but I thought it need to be shared so you are welcome to make of it what you will. Big day tomorrow so I will have to wait till the weekend for the kid gloves to come off.

Jansey,
After all that has been said here I think you inadvertently asked the wrong question in the first place. Had you asked "was my friend insensitive" or "was my friend a moron" or "am I too sensitive" or "did I subconsciously detect another loophole to make a well-flogged point" you would have opened a more balanced debate & make yourself look more like a balanced human being. As it turned out (in hindsight of course) the debate started more problems than it solved & made you look like someone seeking any opportunity to bleat your cause. In my opinion you AND your friend need a dose of sense.

OTB my mind on hearing the old faulty towers thing went in another direction.
The wonderful Basil Faulty doing his very high stepping Goose walk, finger under his nose while trying to convince his guests he was not talking about the war, a wonderful and laughing memory.
Hey! not trying to defend Eddy, not possible, but the thread,airing important thoughts, was not about that.
While a long one its author has long gone, taken refugee under his/her bed?
In a country that insults , even considering telling a bloke his mum and dad never wed a complement!
How are we to wade in to feeble thoughts like the threads waste of indignation proposes?
Joe loudmouth you put true racism forward and I respect every post and thought, will stand by you always.
But lets not ever forget, maybe I am wrong!
*But in total truth I think claims like this thread made harm more than any thing else*
Well past time we, all of us, looked at the work ahead, for both sides, in lifting these folk up, not putting them down.
Any comments about the reports Northern Territory easing grog law has greatly harmed many?

csteee.

Thanks for your posts.

One thing for sure, is that your recollections of sitting in the stands mindlessly hurling racist abuse, has crystallized and clarified the issue for me.

A few here have labbelled Goodes a sook and a bully.

The reality is ,of course, that the sooks and the bullies are those who sit anonymously on the benches at the games launching their abuse.

Not only are they bullies, but they're also craven chicken-hearts who only find their obnoxious voice when they're heavily padded and protected by a coterie of like-minded abusive aggressors

Standing up to them is bravery.

Dear Jayb.,

Ah, if I'm "looking for the bad in people," as you state
in my reference to Eddie McGuire's "King Kong," comment.
Then you infer that it was "bad." I was actually
merely responding to your question about his ancestry -
and mentioned that perhaps you were confusing Mr McGuire's
comment, with his ancestry. I wasn't looking for anything
"bad." You're the one who seems rather taken with "bad"
things.

Dear onthebeach,

I'd be curious as to what reasons the librarian would give
you for having those particular series of books removed.
Perhaps it was something as simple as making shelf-space
for new books (if it's a small library) by getting rid of
books that don't circulate or haven't for years. That's only
one suggestion. You're making all sorts of PC assumptions.
The reasons may be quite understandable. All you have to do
is ask.