It's time for Aker to listen to his own advice

I agree Kurt he has every right to express his opinions. We as Australians are to pollitically correct nowadays. If you don't like what he has to say, don't listen. Is that too hard?

A worthwhile read, Bret, thanks for the link. Next younger brother was gay, sadly now departed, and it was never a big deal for any of the family - his mate of many years is treated with great affection. He was a mighty achiever, and well known, in his craft and he never sought special consideration or made "grand courageous announcements" about his sexuality. Our old Dad never made mention of it - a tough worldly fella whose other sons excelled in sport and at military officer school - and all I recall is, before he died back in the late '60s, his brief message to me "He's not as strong as you blokes, you are to look out for him." He might only have been referring to my brother's poor health as a child, which dogged him for his life. In my view there is way too much vicarious interest in the subject, unnecessary and unproductive spotlighting on something that was pretty much dealt with decades ago and raised since primarily to entertain the ignorant masses.

There is an implied constitutional freedom of political communication in Australia (see, for instance, Coleman v Power (2004) 220 CLR 1 and numerous other High Court cases). It is also protected, though can be overridden by legislation, in the ACT and Victorian human rights charters. And Australia has ratified international declarations and treaties that include freedom of speech: Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and 1966 UN treaties on civil and political and economic, social and cultural rights.

on this topic of a good point badly made, Gerard Whateley on the ABC's The Drum has had a crack at writing the article Akermanis was looking for: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/05/21/2906126.htm?site=thedrum

Yes but why was the poliie sacked? If it was just an affair with a woman I think he would have survived. As if any institution is going to bag homosexuals, get real they can only take one stance. Aker was advocating a path (righty or wrongly) that coming out would do the individual no good. You wont find anyone within the game on public record saying they would be against gays. Off the record...well I KNOW guys he played with who would not be wrapt about it, despite what SOME of them have publicly said... And that is Ackers point that has been lost.

The media hysteria and Channel 7's pathethic excuse certainly does back up Aker. Obviously a lot of AFL players agree- otherwise they would be coming out all the time. Maybe when the media and society grow up a bit it would be possible but given this latest epiosde- I wouldn't hope that would be happening soon. Ian Roberts and Gareth Thomas are at the top of tehir professions and extremely mentally strong individuals- do you think a 19 year old kid would be able to survive the scrutiny?

Missed the point? Spot on Bret. I read Akermanis' comments a day or so ago, before the commentators got stuck into him yesterday. I have seen previously Akermanis is an intelligent and articulate fellow and I thought his comments were fair enough. When they hit the headlines yesterday my first reaction was the shrill critics had not read the article and were running a classic beat up. The main point he made are summarised in the quotes you used. Further, he is entitled to be uncomfortable with that which makes him uncomfortable (it was mentioned as an aside, not as a central theme) and certainly no less entitled than a homosexual claiming special status because of that alone. Do we live in a nether world now in which no-one is permitted to express an opinion or observation that does not conform to a pre-determined acceptable script, crafted by a government agency at the behest of a particular lobby group, enforced by some rights agency as the only permissible viewpoint, of which everyone is terrified? I recall days of easy candour, before the code chiefs had their every utterance processed first and rinsed by the media advisor, when one didn't have to look behind the words to understand what they were really saying. A simple example is Peter Moore - "Bullfrog" of Canterbury Bankstown Leagues Club, an outstandingly succesful leader of his code - who spoke plainly, clearly and free of interpretation, without the assistance of an expert in media camouflage.

I don't think so, nobody outside Akermanis gives a stuff, which makes his comments all the more bizarre. Anyway, we all already know Fevola is gay, so what's the problem?

Well it looks like Collingwood wont be making any annoucements soon them, thanks Aker.

There is some element of truth in that. But I dont think Aker will get off that lightly.

Well saying that it would cause discomfort in the locker room if there was an openly gay player there I would consider bigoted, yes. I suppose it is OK if they are in the closet, ignorance is bliss and all of that. And let's face it, odds are that Akermanis has had at least one gay team mate, probably quite a few more, over the course of his career. Phil Waugh recently said in the wake of Welsh rugby player Gareth Thomas's outing that he and everyone else in the Wallabies (and hence presumably the Welsh team and his club side) had known for some time that he was gay, but no one particularly cared. That Akermanis believes a gay player would be aroused after a long training session or game in the showers says more about him than it does about gays. It shows evidence of a deep insecurity, and possibly a level of arrogance bordering on narcissism in his belief a player could find him attractive in such a setting. And for all those bringing up free speech, there is no legally protected right to free speech in Australia. I think this article sums it up pretty well: http://thingsboganslike.wordpress.com/2010/03/01/95-freedom-of-speech/

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/afl/if-jason-akermanis-said-so-it-must-be-true/story-e6frepkx-1225869330423 Mike Colman in the Courier mail.... "In 1995, Ian Roberts became the first NRL player to announce that he was gay, ending years of speculation and sniggering. At the time we were told that the floodgates had broken, that Roberts had taken a brave step that would be followed by others who could now live openly without fear. Yet not one other gay footballer has followed his lead and declared their sexual preference. Why? Was he the only one? Is it believable that there are no other gay men playing either first-class rugby league or Australian football? Or is that they are afraid to come out?"

If you say so Link. Perhaps the cheaters of melb storm should be given the generalisation treatment and that all nrl clubs are cheaters??

just the normal x-section of society really...... other than women, and Jeff Kennett was predicting that.

BigAl's comment is also spot on. Especially the bit about me being spot on.

People like Akermanis are great for their sport, just when the media is getting into other stories like the Budget, mining taxes, Tony Abbott lieing, Justin Bieber etc etc he drags sport right back into the headlines. Anthony Mundine used to be great for this as well. And people are well entitled to express their opinion. Even though their opinion may be wrong! The interesting thing in this case is waiting for a reaction, not the predictable reaction from the media, but from within his sport. Cmon AFLF! Players, Administrators, Fans come out and say it loud. Is he right or is he wrong? Is being Gay in a AFL team an issue or not?

Because it won't be such a shock when he does come out. The way I read it, he was warning the player "don't come out yet, the AFL world isn't ready for it". That changed the minute that article was published because it sparked this entire debate where everyone is saying "being gay is okay", so when it happens, there will be less joe-public idiots who react poorly too it. This is simple risk management.

MattRusty's post was spot on ! - an ice breaker. The next time this issue comes up there'll be far less hyper-ventilating!

Sounds like Akermanis is getting the Kevin Sheedy treatment. "Funny old Aker, there he goes again.." or something to that effect. The message from the usual suspects and captured journos is just ignore him he doesn't speak for the game. Rubbish. An AFL senior player with a profile in AFL's expansion markets has said that young gay men should not come out. This has affected the AFL, regalrdless of how its spun. What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

Akermanis today: people have "missed the point" http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/jason-akermanis-hits-back-at-critics-over-gay-comments/story-e6frg7mf-1225869511899