Perhaps it’s time to acknowledge that Adam Goodes and the wide number of football reporters are not the best representatives for modern racial equality.
These major sporting personalities are clearly trying to light a slow-burning fire with the wrong kindling.
Every word Adam Goodes speaks about this most passionate of issues is underpinned by a deep-seated anger and notable aggression. This was recently highlighted by his use of an Aboriginal war cry directed at Carlton fans in Round 9 and the furore around Hawthorn fans booing him the previous week.
Reading into his history, there is no denying that Adam’s feelings and opinions are completely valid and reasonable. I cannot imagine what it is like to feel that kind of displacement, or to be personally touched by such an enormous national tragedy.
The disgraceful treatment of his mother as a child of the Stolen Generation is unforgivable.
The issue with Adam as the face of racial equality is that he is unforgiving. An apology requires forgiveness before any progress towards recognition and resolution can be successful.
It is time to realise the enormity of this issue and its ramifications outside the world of Australian rules football. The face of this issue must be across all aspects, and be provided the opportunity to work with all Australian communities for the greater good.
An individual working towards true equality must lose a bit of their individuality to be able to accept and live in peace with all people and affect change.
Aggressive actions cause aggressive responses, the result is a divisive environment that is not conducive to change.
You have two choices, Adam.
Step down. You’re proving yourself as not the best suited to this job and could potentially cause more harm than good as such a provocative personality.
Or, change your approach. Be aware of how you interact with your community. Your choices create your relationships and this in turn creates the environment you live in. Try positivity and you may receive a more positive response, break down the silos.
I feel there has been a very harsh indictment of fans caught up in the emotion of supporting their team, these people do not have the ability to personally respond to being branded racist. I’ve heard a crowd lift in anger in response to a great many actions on the footy field and to immediately call these lovers of the sport out as racist is damaging and disrespectful.
Stop perpetuating a hate that simply is not as pervasive in AFL fans as it’s made out to be.
Lindsay Thomas, Hayden Ballantyne, Ryan Crowley – there’s no question as to why these players are sledged by the crowd. Adam has been on this list for a long time, and to say that he was not booed before is ridiculous.
Play or dive for a free kick? You get booed. Be aggressive and antagonistic to the crowd? You get booed. Shy away from contact then remonstrate with the umpires? You get booed. Publicly complain about being booed? You get booed.
I’m sorry, but this is just football fervour, not racial vilification. Let’s all take a few steps back and take some responsibility for what we’re accusing people of and what we’re perpetuating.
As Adam says, there are always two sides to every story and you can choose to be offended or not.
I choose to give these people the benefit of the doubt – therefore I choose not.
Snert Underpant
Roar Rookie
Stumbled across your article today Joanna. May just be the best summation of the whole Goodes thing I have read. Well done!
Tilly Vandenberg
Guest
I find it extraordinary that one person in an opinion piece, doesn't know Goodes, hasn't met Goodes, can purport to describe his character. Then wishes to represent the 30,000 people booing at the 'G. Subsequently ignoring all the indigenous and 'white fella' statements of support for Goodes, for his war dance. I was at the 'G amongst Hawks supporters that Saturday night and it was UGLY! There were so many ugly racist comments, in between the booing, that we eventually moved. Goodes decided his dance would occur to celebrate his first goal. It happened at the Carlton fan club end. He was prepared to dance in front of the home crowd if he scored at that end. Jetta was also to dance but didn't score a goal. In our young history of dealing with the indigenous people Australia has a poor record. Goodes stands up proudly much as Noel Pearson has and Charlie Perkins before him. They did not tread quietly into the fray. Every advance for cultural recognition has carried a strident voice. Goodes just happens to have a sports platform. The "Recognise" organisation has the full support of the AFL and it's players. Goodes is giving a voice to minority players, just extending what Michael Long started 20 years ago. Don't purport to speak for all AFL supporters - not many comments have come from people actually in the crowd. It was ugly and your one sided article panders to the loudest 'white fella' negators. Never before has an AFL crowd had such a pack mentality and booed so loudly before. Your published opinion just adds to the white noise. I suggest you sit in a Hawthorn crowd next time they play Sydney.
Jacques of Lilydale
Guest
I've got nothing personal against Adam Goodes, or Buddy or Cyril, I admire them for the talent they posess. They enhance the game with their freakish skills. However, of all of those players Adam Goodes is the most disliked. and you have to ask why that is. Its just the way he goes about it. It's not a racist thing, although in this politically correct world my comments will be construed as just that, it's his diving and milking for frees and elbows up style and overall demeanour when he's out there. He's also not the most astute politician either, having a whinge about being booed and then antagonising the opposition supporters at the very next game with a war dance when they're already having a bad night is not smart, pretty bloody dumb. Buddy doesn't whinge when he gets booed, and he gets booed whenever he gets near the ball against Hawthorn. We also boo Joel Selwood because of his milking of free kicks. That's just a normal supporter reaction and in that case there are no racist accusations, yet somehow because its Adam Goodes it becomes a racist issue! Give me a break, when I go to the footy I want to go to the footy, if I want to boo a player that's my choice, nothing to do with the colour of his skin or where he comes from. I've never booed Cyril Rioli or Buddy, I applaud their breathtaking skills, love watching them play, not so Adam Goodes.
EddyJ
Guest
I wrote 'written by a white person' a couple of minutes after my first post – it was The Roar that took a while to post it. I think there is still a major problem with racism, whether it be casual or overt, in this country. The posts on The Roar that seem to have the most comments on are the ones that refer to Adam Goodes. The author is saying that Goodes has got two options: to resign, or to shut up and change the way that he behaves himself. Sounds like the imperialist white world talking, telling how blacks needs to behave in this country. Shades of OA Neville from Western Australia in the 1930s. Goodes is being 'divisive'? I don't think so, and many Aboriginal people would probably agree.
Aransan
Guest
Perhaps the war dance could have been done before the game, I do admire Adam Goodes as both a player and a person, but I believe he made a mistake in doing the dance when he did and directed against opposition supporters as he did. The racist card has been overplayed and isn't it possible that some supporters just feel their game is being hijacked by matters that have little to do with football? It is nice to have that warm inner glow when espousing causes that we feel deeply about, but wouldn't it be better to take actions that will actually be constructive in dealing with these causes rather than alienating people? I wish people would stop booing Adam Goodes but I am worried that it will actually get worse after his war dance. He is employed by the Sydney Football Club as a footballer and I hope he isn't going to be distracted by "the issues".
Aransan
Guest
What team did he play for?
Roger
Guest
Actually, written by a person with a dual-heritage, ethnic background, living in Australia. You slam the author for having the 'opinions of the uninformed', and suggest she have a "better understanding of...actions and motivations." Yet five hours after your original comment, you find the need to jump back on to throw 'written by a white person,' with no knowledge of the heritage of the author or the basis of her article. You're not part of the solution, pal, you're part of the problem.
Warren Cooper
Roar Guru
Martin Luther King Jr. was a provocative personality, I suppose he wasn't suited to the task either, right?
Gman
Guest
So there is no misconceptions I am a Caucasian Australian and I admire 100% the strength and courage of Adam Goodes. I loved his "war" dance. I just cannot comprehend how and why people have an issue with it. It's Indigenous Round and he did an Indigenous dance. If you want intimidation and threatening posturing have a look at the Haka the All Blacks do. A dance embraced by all New Zealanders and Aussies don't seem to have a problem with it. I think Adams war dance is far better than the rubbish that Soccer, NBA, and NFL players dish up when they score. I hope Adam gets supported by other Indigenous players this weekend who do similar after they score goals.
EddyJ
Guest
Written by a white person.
cm
Guest
Do you recall the vitriol directed from some quarters? The point is the same. Freeman pushed some boundaries 20 years ago and wasn't meek and mild. Times have changed; although seeing as the new boundary seems to be a display of indigenous culture for indigenous round, maybe not that much. If you are primarily upset about the oppositional fans thing I will presume that you have called for censure on cornes or any other player who's got up opposition supporters before.
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
Yep. I would be.
WhereIsGene
Guest
Would you be defending Goodes so ferociously Jack if he wasn't a Swans player?
EddyJ
Guest
This article is typical of the opinions of the uninformed. Perhaps if you read up about the history of Aboriginal massacres in Australia and treatment that continues up to today, and you might have a better understanding of Goodes' actions and motivations. You want him to stand down, because he stands up for his culture? Australia has a real problem with its passive and overt racism. Every criticism that I've heard about has come from a white person. Words such as 'this will only inflame tensions further' – Aborigines are around 3 per cent of the population, and a war dance on a football field in the context of Indigenous celebrations is going to inflame tensions further? People really need to get a grip of themselves. It seems like we want to supposedly embrace Aboriginal people and culture, but it's got to be on our terms, and in a way that's acceptable to non-Aboriginal people. Well, that's not accepting a culture, and it's totally condescending.
WhereIsGene
Guest
"Goodes' war dance is just the modern day equivalent of wearing the aboriginal flag" You aren't seriously unintelligent enough to believe that are you? What a ridiculous statement. Frankly if you can't recognize the difference between an athlete draping themselves in their traditional flag and another performing a threatening gesture to a group of opposition supporters then you probably shouldn't get involved in a debate that is clearly over your head.
cm
Guest
Oh wow. Can you find me that quote? I've had it all wrong.
Jrod
Guest
Good article. Why are balanced articles outnumbered by the bleeding heart ones that doll about the r word.
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
Indigenous Round and he was doing an Indigenous war cry. Suddenly that makes him a bad guy after celebrating his goal in Indigenous Round. What a joke.
Paul W
Guest
You'd believe anything Jack. Once again Goodes made it all about himself, not the team, I'm sure that would go down well at the Swans. Aker used to be slammed for doing things that made him the centre of attention, Goodes was no different.
Aransan
Guest
I find your article reasonable. The booing of Goodes has a significant element of baiting to it and to an extent that I have never seen applied to anyone else. I can understand Goodes's angry reaction to it which is only human but he should put this war cry away in matches as it will only inflame tensions further. I can think of supporters of teams other than Carlton who would be a lot worse.