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If you can’t handle an Indigenous man doing an Indigenous dance on Indigenous Round, please take a step back and ask yourself why.
The media was sent into a frenzy last night when Adam Goodes celebrated his second quarter goal by performing an Indigenous war dance.
It resembled something in the All Blacks repertoire. It was fierce and a manifestation of the pride Goodes has in his Indigenous heritage.
WATCH THE VIDEO OF GOODES’ CELEBRATION ABOVE, OR AT ROAR TV
Yet, instead of embracing the show of pride, the media and public were quick to condemn Goodes as an attention seeker.
Barry Hall, Dennis Commeti and Eddie McGuire – to name a few – were all quick to question Goodes’ actions.
Hall said he understood Goodes was proud of his heritage, but thought the dance was provocative and unwarranted.
Cometti – a respected, level headed and well-received commentator – expressed his doubts from the pulpits of the commentary box, a message which would have echoed through each and every lounge room.
And McGuire labelled the Indigenous dance as “strange”.
In other words: we are happy to acknowledge Indigenous Australia by celebrating Indigenous round, but, please, keep the rest of your Indigenous heritage to yourself.
These comments were not racist, but they did little to deter the vitriolic hate disseminated across the Internet last night.
Commentators – rightly or wrongly – are in unique positions of power and these men should have been wiser because, if Goodes cannot perform that kind of an act on a football field for fear of racist slander from the crowd, then we have much bigger issues at hand than a dance.
Footballers often do things in the heat of the moment that we celebrate, but, when it comes to race, we sit meekly behind our keyboards and join the hate parade.
The AFL now finds itself in the situation where they can back Goodes and champion tolerance, respect and reconciliation over hate, division and xenophobia.
Indeed, in conjunction with Indigenous Round, the AFL are promoting the “Recognise” campaign, the movement to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander peoples in the Australian Constitution and remove racial discrimination from it.
If the AFL are truly genuine in their endorsement of this campaign they will back the Swans legend.
Goodes is a leader in our community and, like all great leaders, in the face of criticism he stood up and made a stand.
If more people stood behind him – Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike – this conversation may have been one of celebration, not condemnation.
Cheer, cheer, Adam Goodes.
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