TOPIC:

Dirty Weekender wrote: There's 20 kids in a school playground....19 constantly boo one child very time he/she walks towards the others... Now try explaining to that one kid how this is in any way a positive experience and that he/she is not being picked on.

we're not talking kids in a school playground...we're talking a full grown highly paid professional athlete who is quite prepared to accept the accolades that comes with being a national sporting celebrity but isn't prepared to accept the opposite side of the coin. someone who cries racism when something happens that he doesn't appreciate and everyone else falls in line to be seen to do the PC thing. then you get people like Alan Jones, Dermott, Andrew Bogat and Andrew Bolt expressing a different view and they get howled down by those who are quite prepared to look beyond the obvious to try and find something sinister.

The Australian Editorial Today


To boo or not to boo has never really been the question. Good sports frown on booing. Sure, we expect a crowd to express disapproval of a high tackle, late hit or missed free kick. We know all umpires are blind, favourite players shouldn’t switch clubs and politicians are never welcome for presentations, so on some occasions the boos betray a hint of irony and add to the theatre. But we don’t boo and jeer champions — not when there is no obvious reason — and not week in and week out. That is why the crowd treatment of Adam Goodes has been so different — and ugly.

Twice Goodes has been awarded the Brownlow Medal as the AFL’s fairest and most brilliant player. Twice he has held aloft the premiership trophy. At the end of four seasons he has been named an All-Australian. If he runs on to the SCG on Saturday — as we still hope he may — he will play his 366th game. Only seven players in history will have played more games at the elite level and none with higher distinction. With six rounds and finals to go, AFL fans may be running out of chances to see this 35-year-old forward/midfielder in action. Neither this sporting legend nor the children in the crowds deserve to have these appearances marred by mean-spirited shows of disrespect.

That this newspaper should feel the need to write these words is as upsetting as it is confusing. What could better typify or celebrate this nation’s beating heart than the embrace of one of our indigenous sporting champions on the field of play in our indigenous game before typically enthusiastic crowds? This is what we expect and this is why the discord is so jarring. As Dickie Bedford points out today, football has always provided a meeting place for indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. “We’ve always had our footy to fall back on,” he explains, “regardless of the political punch-ups of the day.” For “blackfellas” Goodes is one of the greatest role models. “So the next time you boo a footballer like Adam Goodes, remember you’re booing those young hopeful kids in the backblocks of Australia who only want a chance to showcase the unique skills and talents indigenous footballers bring to our wonderful national game.”

The Australian is not blind to other factors at play: the shaming of a girl at the MCG; the drift of political activism on to the sports arena; and opposing fans’ digs about on-field antics. But Goodes could not have known the age or circumstances of the teenager when he called out her racial abuse in 2013. He was quick to insist police should not be involved and when a storm erupted he was quickly on the phone, reassuring her and publicly defusing the situation. Those still playing up this episode are being unreasonable. The following year Goodes was named Australian of the Year. Whatever first triggered crowd antagonism, it has now gone too far.

Some commentators claim the indigenous “war dance” performed by Goodes and now emulated by Lewis Jetta is provocative and out of place. They ought to calm down. Those who would condemn an act that is clearly a celebration aimed at infusing sporting triumph with indigenous pride give the impression they’d prefer Aborigines just hid away their culture or their identity. This reeks of racism and should be resisted. Don’t let the war dance scare you; embrace it. To hear former players such as Barry Hall, a former teammate of Goodes who won notoriety for on-field king-hits, denounce this celebration is absurd.

With Goodes taking time off this week to escape the pressure, and the AFL hierarchy calling for crowds to show respect, the situation has become diabolical to manage. Irreverent crowds didn’t like being told they were racist and won’t like being told what to do. But Australia’s sporting crowds tend to know when someone has overstepped and, we expect, will put an end to this senseless booing.

They may be helped by Goodes and those who play with and against him if they can turn his celebration into something communal and common. A troupe of Swans joining a corroboree for a goal in front of Sydney’s home crowd may be just the tonic. Born in South Australia and reared in Victoria, this Adnyamathanha man has made Sydney his own. His charity work and community leadership is exemplary. He deserves only sporting rivalry and reciprocated sportsmanship. Perhaps he could leave his war dance behind — like a haka for Aussie rules — as a legacy to remind us about the beauty of on-field contests and off-field respect

Proud to be an Australian Reader today!

bullshit...Goodes can think what he likes..as long as the boos don't have a racist intent by the perpetrators why should they stop? that's why people pay good money to attend contests like sporting events so they can cheer on their heroes and throw crap at the opposition. should dockers supporters stop booing Boomer Harvey in case he interprets it as a commentary on his height and takes offence? cant see the difference personally. its very easy to play the racism card when you can't accept people dont like you just like Gillard cried misogyny and wouldn't accept the fact she was a hopeless PM. trotting out PC when it suits is very convenient.[/quote]

how are you going to monitor that - do people have to fill out a form when they enter the ground whether their booing has a racist intent or not ?

it is his work environment, if he feels that the booing is racist under laws in Australia he can actually make a complaint, you dont have to like that but its a fact.
he has a made a complaint to the AFL and they have to do something about it, pretty simple really.

no..not so simple. it falls to the reasonable person test..would a reasonable person deduce that the booing aimed at Goodes is racially motivated given no other Aboriginal player cops the same? i would say that a reasonable person would not arrive at that view. i would also say from that, it is quite evident the crowds reaction is targetting the individual and not the race. case in point, Bashir Houli came out a few years ago and expressed an opinion that every AFL ground should have a prayer room for reasons I can only suggest was to accommodate his Muslim faith....now given to current ground swell of discontent again Islam in the community you'd be excused for thinking the crowd's would have reacted to that too...but they didn't did they? for people to say the continued booing of Goodes is based on racism for mine is just showing intellectual laziness by going down the path of least resistance and being seen to be politically correct rather than looking for the real reasons why..and that is Goodes over the years has not ingratiated himself to the football public. I for one wouldn't even entertain the thought of booing Goodes as I think its mindless nonsense but I do stand by for those who do because it's what we've done at sporting events for a very long time and I see no reason for it to stop just because one particular individual cries racism.

View from the Kimberley


The Adam Goodes issue has shown Australia is at a critical junction in its relationship with its indigenous peoples.

While some may dismiss it as nothing more than a storm in a teacup, to me and many blackfellas in the Kimberley it has only highlighted the deep misunderstanding that remains between white and black Australia.

It reinforces our scepticism that while Australia — a country we all love deeply — pretends to embrace us, it fails miserably when it comes to taking real and significant steps towards truly understanding our culture, our lore and our traditions.

To make matters worse, the fact that Goodes was booed incessantly by a West Coast crowd at Domain Stadium has devastated many of us up here who are rusted-on Eagles supporters and who have cheered on so many black (and white) Eagles since day one.




Changes to the heritage protection laws that govern our sacred sites, threats to close some of our remote communities and silly comments from Tony Abbott about “lifestyle choices” have unsettled our mob in a way not seen for many years. But we’ve always had our footy to fall back on, regardless of the political punch-ups of the day.

I know how hard it is to get our young men into any sort of structured day, but they will run 10km across the desert to play a game of footy. You reckon you guys down there are passionate about the game? You come and watch a derby in the Kimberley and you’ll see what real passion is. Why? Because many young Aboriginal men who live in remote Australia see footy as their only hope for a better life. They dream of being the next Goodes, Wirrpanda or Rioli, of kicking the winning goal in a grand final, of soaring to take a screamer in front of a packed Gee.

But news that Goodes is considering retiring early because of the reception he gets when he runs out onto the paddock has bitterly disappointed all of us who love the game, especially our young ones. We don’t understand why people are doing it.

Was it because he picked out that 13-year-old girl? Or was it his war dance? Or was it because he just happens to be an inspiration to his people?

Hope and opportunity are not words that are used up here very often. This latest furore has given all those kids who want to be the next Adam Goodes a kick in the guts. Why would you want to succeed if all you do is cop abuse?

If we are to get ahead, to achieve, to hope and aspire, our young people must have role models to look up to.

There is no greater role model than Adam Goodes to us blackfellas. We are proud of his achievements, his drive, his ambition and the recognition he has won in the toughest arena of them all — white Australia.

So the next time you boo a footballer like Adam Goodes, remember you’re booing those young hopeful kids in the backblocks of Australia who only want a chance to showcase the unique skills and talents indigenous footballers bring to our wonderful national game.

Dickie Bedford, a former ATSIC commissioner, is chief executive of Marra Worra Worra, the biggest service provider to remote Aboriginal communities in the Kimberley.

BC wrote: no..not so simple. it falls to the reasonable person test..would a reasonable person deduce that the booing aimed at Goodes is racially motivated given no other Aboriginal player cops the same? i would say that a reasonable person would not arrive at that view. i would also say from that, it is quite evident the crowds reaction is targetting the individual and not the race. case in point, Bashir Houli came out a few years ago and expressed an opinion that every AFL ground should have a prayer room for reasons I can only suggest was to accommodate his Muslim faith....now given to current ground swell of discontent again Islam in the community you'd be excused for thinking the crowd's would have reacted to that too...but they didn't did they? for people to say the continued booing of Goodes is based on racism for mine is just showing intellectual laziness by going down the path of least resistance and being seen to be politically correct rather than looking for the real reasons why..and that is Goodes over the years has not ingratiated himself to the football public. I for one wouldn't even entertain the thought of booing Goodes as I think its mindless nonsense but I do stand by for those who do because it's what we've done at sporting events for a very long time and I see no reason for it to stop just because one particular individual cries racism.

Keep pissing in the wind BC.

maybe you can explain to me why we sit back and marvel at Cyril Rioli, Sonny Walters, the Hill brothers just to name a few and cheer on their exploits but we boo Adam Goodes.

Bazza wrote:

BC wrote: no..not so simple. it falls to the reasonable person test..would a reasonable person deduce that the booing aimed at Goodes is racially motivated given no other Aboriginal player cops the same? i would say that a reasonable person would not arrive at that view. i would also say from that, it is quite evident the crowds reaction is targetting the individual and not the race. case in point, Bashir Houli came out a few years ago and expressed an opinion that every AFL ground should have a prayer room for reasons I can only suggest was to accommodate his Muslim faith....now given to current ground swell of discontent again Islam in the community you'd be excused for thinking the crowd's would have reacted to that too...but they didn't did they? for people to say the continued booing of Goodes is based on racism for mine is just showing intellectual laziness by going down the path of least resistance and being seen to be politically correct rather than looking for the real reasons why..and that is Goodes over the years has not ingratiated himself to the football public. I for one wouldn't even entertain the thought of booing Goodes as I think its mindless nonsense but I do stand by for those who do because it's what we've done at sporting events for a very long time and I see no reason for it to stop just because one particular individual cries racism.

Keep pissing in the wind BC.

what part of my previous isn't to your liking bazza other than the fact you're a rusted on sydney supporter? would you be so vocal if it was a player from another club?

BC wrote: no..not so simple. it falls to the reasonable person test..would a reasonable person deduce that the booing aimed at Goodes is racially motivated given no other Aboriginal player cops the same? i would say that a reasonable person would not arrive at that view. i would also say from that, it is quite evident the crowds reaction is targetting the individual and not the race. case in point, Bashir Houli came out a few years ago and expressed an opinion that every AFL ground should have a prayer room for reasons I can only suggest was to accommodate his Muslim faith....now given to current ground swell of discontent again Islam in the community you'd be excused for thinking the crowd's would have reacted to that too...but they didn't did they? for people to say the continued booing of Goodes is based on racism for mine is just showing intellectual laziness by going down the path of least resistance and being seen to be politically correct rather than looking for the real reasons why..and that is Goodes over the years has not ingratiated himself to the football public. I for one wouldn't even entertain the thought of booing Goodes as I think its mindless nonsense but I do stand by for those who do because it's what we've done at sporting events for a very long time and I see no reason for it to stop just because one particular individual cries racism.

well based on the comments of the Eagles fan who yelled out "go back to the zoo" there was at least 1 fan who had racist undertones to his behaviour at the game.

Based on probability i reckon there may have been at least a few who were booing Goodes due to racist reasons.

like a lot of things in the world the minority ruin it for the majority, so those people that booed Goodes for racist reasons have now contributed to this, whether they like it or not.

so like a lot of things, we are told to stop - once again, its not your work environment, its Goodes', so whether you disagree is irrelevant, you enter into someone else's work environment then you have to deal with that, that's the laws of the country.