Some idle thoughts ...

Do we know that the 13 yr old, meant the "ape" comment to be racist? I understood she was with her grandmother, and not a bunch of hoons.

If the comment was deliberately racist, an appeal to the grandmother to explain that is was wrong ... and an apology made privately to the player. Surely, surely this would have been enough.

But to make this a public humiliation! What were they needing to prove. One can't help but be cynical, very cynical ...

What if she had been 11 yrs or 9 yrs old, younger ...?

I know that if an adult had made the comment, the response would not have been the same. ... And what adult would co-operate in such a public humiliation

Some years ago, I attended a conference and later had coffee with a group of indigenous women. The issue of problems within their communities arose.

These women said that root of all problems was that their menfolk had been emasculated by the white community. This was compounded by the white paternalism meted out to them; a paternalism they also saw as patronizing. Their menfolk no longer had a position within their communities.

Dear onthebeach,

You obviously did not get the message that the Indigenous MP
was trying to get across on "Q and A."
She quite clearly stated that:

"I think this is a much deeper issue than a couple of
statements. But you know what, I'm really sick of hearing...
you know ... "It was a slip of the tongue." I'm really
sick of hearing, "You know mate, I didn't really mean it."

"These things are not good enough anymore. I don't have any
particular feelings about that young girl. I think she has
probably learnt the best lesson ... and maybe she started
a conversation that we actually needed to have but I do
say to adults who have continued in the same vein in this
country that should know better, it's not a slip of the
tongue. It's not acceptable and we are saying no to it and
that's my big message tonight."

Dear Danielle,

Perhaps this may clarify a few things for you:

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/txt/s3759900.htm#transcript

Perhaps not quite relevant but ...

A cousin is married to a Senegalese woman. When walking together in London,he heard two of her compatriots make reference to smelling coconut. About to confront them, he fortunately, also smelled coconut coming from a nearby-cafe.

"Coconut" is an extremely derisive term for a person who is black on the outside, but white inside; meaning that the person has become "white"

I challenge all to look at this video without being reduced to tears.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf6PHUBz_go

Average people, no expensive education or powerful friends, lobbyists and paid lawyers to spruik for them. Little people, a child, and grist for the mill of people who should know better.

Two wrongs do not make a right. Especially where one wrong is alleged against a child minor and the other serious wrong, done deliberately, is the treatment of this child, which sad to say, is continuing.

"...which sad to say, is continuing."

Not least on this thread with you attempting to make mileage out of her predicament.

As you point out - it's sad.....