TOPIC:

I have been thinking about the message the AFL and Fox Footy have been sending this last AFL round - multicutural round. In my opinion I think they have it all wrong.

It was only a few rounds ago we were all taught by the AFL that racisim has no part in the game, yet I find myself, my race and my culture on the receiving end at the hands of the AFL and Pro AFL Channel - Fox Footy.

I am not Aboriginal, I am not Italian, I am not African, nor Greek... What I am is Australian of British decent (like many others). When my family came here does not matter, and nor should it, yet I (and many others) have been singled out as being different this week in the world of the AFL.

Am I looking at this the wrong way? Is multicultural round emphasising the contribution of people from other cultures a far? Quite simply No, I don't believe so.

Fox Footy made a point of 5 players from the past, four of which included Australian's with Italian heritage. Unacceptable!

Does Cricket Australia push the point that Sir Donald Bradman himself was of Italian heritage? No they don't, and nor would the average Australian know that Sir Donald's grandfather was the first Italian to come to Australia. Quite simply Sir Donald Bradman was the greatest Australian cricketer of all time, hands down and thats all we should care about.

Fox Footy also made it clear that Alistar Lynch was a "Pom". What makes him more multicutural than anyone else of British decent?

Why do the AFL make a TV advert advertising that singles out Majak Daw? Surely this is not right. The bloke is Australian, listen to him being interviewed.

Unfortunately to the average Australian male of British decent (Scots, Irish and English) being born here in Australia is a distinct disadvatage. A culture non existant, a no body with no cultural heritage, a lost race, and quite possibly sub-human peices of Sh!t it would seem...

Why is the AFL sending an Australian team made up of those with Aboriginal heritage to Ireland? Is this really sending a unifed Australia message? Again this should be totally unaccepted by any Australian with Aboriginal heritage and the wider Australian community. The AFL are getting away with it.

The way I see it is if we want to be Australian, then we have a fantastic tool in Footy. I don't think the AFL should be doing what they are currently doing and the policies are incorrect. In 20 years we will look back and say it was wrong. Hopefully...

To all footy players of Anglo-Celtic decent (yes this is the official term used by the ABS to categorise them), chins up even if there is no round for your recognition.

Mike.

Excellent post Mike and spot on. It's becoming a crime to be a white Australian now!
Maybe I should be picked as part of the support team...being Welsh/English and Russian heritage

Thanks Shark, I really had to get it off my chest. I've been noticing it in the wider community for sometime. It would seem that the "Anglo-Celt" themselves are the worst offender. Those are the ones that shy away from this topic.

The AFL, as the self proclaimed custodians of the indigineous game we call Australian Rules Football should really be setting a better example than this.

Mike.

MikeXU1 wrote: Thanks Shark, I really had to get it off my chest. I've been noticing it in the wider community for sometime. It would seem that the "Anglo-Celt" themselves are the worst offender. Those are the ones that shy away from this topic.

The AFL, as the self proclaimed custodians of the indigineous game we call Australian Rules Football should really be setting a better example than this.

Mike.

Put me on this list too. What annoys me is on the phone OR indians who now seem to be in every servo, look at ME as a piece of scum because THEY cannot undertsand basic english language

MikeXU1 wrote: I have been thinking about the message the AFL and Fox Footy have been sending this last AFL round - multicutural round. In my opinion I think they have it all wrong.

It was only a few rounds ago we were all taught by the AFL that racisim has no part in the game, yet I find myself, my race and my culture on the receiving end at the hands of the AFL and Pro AFL Channel - Fox Footy.

I am not Aboriginal, I am not Italian, I am not African, nor Greek... What I am is Australian of British decent (like many others). When my family came here does not matter, and nor should it, yet I (and many others) have been singled out as being different this week in the world of the AFL.

Am I looking at this the wrong way? Is multicultural round emphasising the contribution of people from other cultures a far? Quite simply No, I don't believe so.

Fox Footy made a point of 5 players from the past, four of which included Australian's with Italian heritage. Unacceptable!

Does Cricket Australia push the point that Sir Donald Bradman himself was of Italian heritage? No they don't, and nor would the average Australian know that Sir Donald's grandfather was the first Italian to come to Australia. Quite simply Sir Donald Bradman was the greatest Australian cricketer of all time, hands down and thats all we should care about.

Fox Footy also made it clear that Alistar Lynch was a "Pom". What makes him more multicutural than anyone else of British decent?

Why do the AFL make a TV advert advertising that singles out Majak Daw? Surely this is not right. The bloke is Australian, listen to him being interviewed.

Unfortunately to the average Australian male of British decent (Scots, Irish and English) being born here in Australia is a distinct disadvatage. A culture non existant, a no body with no cultural heritage, a lost race, and quite possibly sub-human peices of Sh!t it would seem...

Why is the AFL sending an Australian team made up of those with Aboriginal heritage to Ireland? Is this really sending a unifed Australia message? Again this should be totally unaccepted by any Australian with Aboriginal heritage and the wider Australian community. The AFL are getting away with it.

The way I see it is if we want to be Australian, then we have a fantastic tool in Footy. I don't think the AFL should be doing what they are currently doing and the policies are incorrect. In 20 years we will look back and say it was wrong. Hopefully...

To all footy players of Anglo-Celtic decent (yes this is the official term used by the ABS to categorise them), chins up even if there is no round for your recognition.

Mike.

Top post Mike. And the AFL are sending an All Aboriginal side to play Ireland when they should be saying everyone on the footy field should be equal staus regardless of race, and no special treatment for anyone.

My understanding of what they are trying to do is to attract migrants and others from their traditional sports such as soccer to give footy a try. Don't see anything wrong with trying to tap new markets and grow the sport. I think having people from Africa and other parts of the world participate in a uniquely Australian game brings a different dimension to it and increases the chance of footy developing a world wide profile. There was a real excitement in Ireland for example when Tahdg Kennelly was playing in a Grand Final for the Sydney Swans. Many places in Ireland telecast the game live.

I think that this is a good move if it will help people feel more connected with their community and other Australians and I personally don't see it as downgrading to my own heritage( Irish-Australian). Lets share our great game with the rest of the world

mikeh wrote: My understanding of what they are trying to do is to attract migrants and others from their traditional sports such as soccer to give footy a try. Don't see anything wrong with trying to tap new markets and grow the sport. I think having people from Africa and other parts of the world participate in a uniquely Australian game brings a different dimension to it and increases the chance of footy developing a world wide profile. There was a real excitement in Ireland for example when Tahdg Kennelly was playing in a Grand Final for the Sydney Swans. Many places in Ireland telecast the game live.

I think that this is a good move if it will help people feel more connected with their community and other Australians and I personally don't see it as downgrading to my own heritage( Irish-Australian). Lets share our great game with the rest of the world

Good in theory, but becuase of ground sizing ( as just one minor problem), aussie rules will go no further. Thats before we could ever "teach" umpires what the rules are (its too open to interpretation)

when will the first Eskimo oops sorry Inuit run out for Greater Western Sydney, recruited by kevin Sheedy as his parting gift to the AFL

UNKA2 wrote: Put me on this list too. What annoys me is on the phone OR indians who now seem to be in every servo, look at ME as a piece of scum because THEY cannot undertsand basic english language

You say that like you have got more right to be here than they do?

@Mike - if you think that the typical, average white Australian is at a disadvantage you are fucking kidding yourself. White people have 'reigned' supreme for far too long and it is about time that white people got off their high horse and gave back to cultures that they have taken so much from throughout history.

So there is one multicultural round and one indigenous round per year, so what? It doesnt mean anything negative towards us white folk. I think it celebrates our multicultural society and is helping bridge the racism gap by bringing different cultures together through the best sport in the world, AFL. There are a lot of racists out there still, and if having multicutural round means that just one extra person out there takes the time and realises that there is no different between myself, yourself, Majak, Nic Nat, Houli or Fyfe then surely that has to be a good thing.
I think you are reading too much into it and maybe you should have a xanax and just chill out a bit

MikeXU1 wrote: I have been thinking about the message the AFL and Fox Footy have been sending this last AFL round - multicutural round. In my opinion I think they have it all wrong.

It was only a few rounds ago we were all taught by the AFL that racisim has no part in the game, yet I find myself, my race and my culture on the receiving end at the hands of the AFL and Pro AFL Channel - Fox Footy.

I am not Aboriginal, I am not Italian, I am not African, nor Greek... What I am is Australian of British decent (like many others). When my family came here does not matter, and nor should it, yet I (and many others) have been singled out as being different this week in the world of the AFL.

Am I looking at this the wrong way? Is multicultural round emphasising the contribution of people from other cultures a far? Quite simply No, I don't believe so.

Fox Footy made a point of 5 players from the past, four of which included Australian's with Italian heritage. Unacceptable!

Does Cricket Australia push the point that Sir Donald Bradman himself was of Italian heritage? No they don't, and nor would the average Australian know that Sir Donald's grandfather was the first Italian to come to Australia. Quite simply Sir Donald Bradman was the greatest Australian cricketer of all time, hands down and thats all we should care about.

Fox Footy also made it clear that Alistar Lynch was a "Pom". What makes him more multicutural than anyone else of British decent?

Why do the AFL make a TV advert advertising that singles out Majak Daw? Surely this is not right. The bloke is Australian, listen to him being interviewed.

Unfortunately to the average Australian male of British decent (Scots, Irish and English) being born here in Australia is a distinct disadvatage. A culture non existant, a no body with no cultural heritage, a lost race, and quite possibly sub-human peices of Sh!t it would seem...

Why is the AFL sending an Australian team made up of those with Aboriginal heritage to Ireland? Is this really sending a unifed Australia message? Again this should be totally unaccepted by any Australian with Aboriginal heritage and the wider Australian community. The AFL are getting away with it.

The way I see it is if we want to be Australian, then we have a fantastic tool in Footy. I don't think the AFL should be doing what they are currently doing and the policies are incorrect. In 20 years we will look back and say it was wrong. Hopefully...

To all footy players of Anglo-Celtic decent (yes this is the official term used by the ABS to categorise them), chins up even if there is no round for your recognition.

Mike.

The easiest part of your comments to respond to is with respect to the team going to Ireland. The reason is simple, a significant number of players who would be picked have chosen not to play in the past. Adding to that has been the spirit in which the series have been played in recent times where the professional Australian footy players have indulged in thuggery to win matches against a group of amateur footy players. The premise behind the proposed team is that they want to play and will play the games in the appropriate spirit.

With respect to the rest of your commentary it is a very complicated issue, but can be encapsulated in a few terms and scenarios. The first and obvious one is the concept of Terra Nullius and the fact it took to the 1967 referendum to recognise our indigenous people.

Also, what the multicultural round is attempting to do is to celebrate the relative success of Australia's diverse population.

Of course this is all about the VFL/AFL players' links to other countries rather than be inclusive of those players who played in the WAFL and SANFL.