A good post CS.

Fortunately most of us in North Queensland never experience that sort of vilification. Our Aboriginal Rugby players were heroes. Even going as far as prison sentences being suspended for training & weekend games with the support of the northern communities.

The Lamptons were all great players. The old man was the fastest winger anywhere. The Lamptons lived in a Gunya on my Grandfathers property in Ayr in the 40's & 50's & were of mixed Aboriginal & Indian decent. A very large family.

The Tallises, I went to school Bernie, the father of Gordon, or maybe his or uncle or grandfather? (so long ago)They all played Football in Ayr before moving to Townsville.

Vern & Frank Daisy are still legends in North Queensland. And always in trouble with the Law. They went to the State School in Ayr & used to beat me up regularly when we were growing up. They moved on from playing in Ayr to Townsville, then back to Mt. Isa, where they came from Mt. Isa originally as children. Their Tribe staged the only successful armed revolt against Australian troops. It was negotiated to a successful conclusion. They were going to make a movie of the incident once. I don't know what ever happened to that idea.

The Sailors also originally came from Ayr, although I didn't have much to do with that family as I had left home before they played. But I do know of their unmatched reputation for playing Rugby League.

All these players were Heroes in North Queensland, & many more.

I remain convinced that Goodes overreacted to a mild offensive remark.

However the last couple of days has seen the media talk of nothing else but Maguire.

What about the treatment of the girl? it was well out of proportion and there should be some recognition that it was. The media and all concerned have convienently forgotten about her.

She made an unthinking remark, and for that she has been publicly humiliated and questioned by police. Quite unreasonable when a repremand and request for an apology would have been sufficient.

Maguire on the other hand is a seasoned radio performer and presumably an adult. His words made a farce of the whole episode and, in my opinion, there should be public recognition that the girl was treated badly.

But those involved will not have the guts to admitt that, they just forget about her.

Dear Poirot,

I've just received an article by Zoe Krupka.
I'll cut and paste a bit from it because I
think she raises some interesting points.

Adapting just a little...

"Eddie McGuire's apology is not an apology or a
defense - but a plea that he didn't mean to offend,
"I don't want to be rude, and hurt people that's
not what nice people do. So I'm apologising for
my rudeness. Sorry if I offended you."

The way Zoe interprets it - McGuire wants to skip
the shame involved in facing his own racism and
instead retreat to the safer territory of "good
intentions." But his reference to "King Kong,"
(the same as the 13 year old's "ape" reference)
isn't "impolite." It's plain and simple racist.

As Krupka states, "it calls up a whole history of
exploitation, stereotyping, and marginalisation of
black people.

We can find a running theme on this discussion here,
of the burden of s0-called "political correctness."
Most of the negative comments can be as Krupka
sums up distilled into one line, "You're maing me
feel bad and I don't want to so shut up with your rules
already."

Krupka tells us that:

"It is the ultimate crazy-making reversal many of us feel
tempted to perform when we're asked to feel some healthy
shame. We send the blame back to the person who pointed out
our bad behaviour and tell them they are being cruel and
unusual."

"We focus on the idea that there are rules that they're
unfair to us - and we skirt around the issue that what we've
done has caused harm. "It's not a big deal man. I didn't
mean it."

It's mistaking racism for larrikinism or a simple lack of
courtesy. And this is hurting the cause of any real change.

Goodes didn't "overreact" to anthing.

It was "not" a "mildly" offensive remark.

It was grossly offensive vilification.

Do you suggest that Goodes should have trotted along the fence until he homed in on someone a little more appropriate to be held up as a prime example of that which takes place on a weekly basis in our fair and egalitarian society?

I state again that Goodes, and others before him, are exceptionally brave to call out "Australians" on this utter garbage.

Judging from most of the comments here, the "cowardly custard" practice of hiding amongst "yer own" while delivering abuse to minorities is alive and well and thriving in modern Australia.

Poirot, "Standing up to them is bravery"

So now it is the Cross of Valour for pointing the finger at a 13 yr old girl, a minor at the footy with her nan?

Now Eddie McGuire is 'gutted' as well, tears welling up in his eyes, all choked up.

A small country girl, clueless and probably has never read a newspaper in her life, much less consulted the ABC's Drum daily for her political opinions like some here, chose the wrong round of footy to call a footballer an ape. But women and especially feminists have labelled footballers apes for years and girls follow their lead. But this time a trip wire was sprung and a wisp of a girl has lost her childhood innocence and rights as the blood sacrifice in a much larger political game that she could not possibly comprehend at her tender age.

Another word that has become loaded with political significance it never possessed before and a giant leap made towards more PC self-censorship of the media. Even comedy has been threatened.

A footballer saw hurt in a word and most would sympathise. But that doesn't justify an over-reaction by making a monster of a child as the media has obligingly done. "Racism had a face - and it was a 13 year old girl"! Say what?!

Now Eddie is a victim as well. It is all HER fault, you know. (sic)

Another thing, Banjo.

Read Goodes' words here.....

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-25/goodes-gutted-but-places-no-blame/4712772

"I don't put any blame on her."

He didn't vilify the girl. He tried to understand that she did not understand the implications of what she was saying or the pain that such abuse inflicted.

His point was that she was the product of a society that indulges in this crap and passes the mindset onto following generations.

She was the personification of an attitude that pervades Australian popular culture - the lowest common denominator - the basest of human characteristics - the fear and vilification of "the other".

And we strut around pretending we're the products of an advanced society.....