Booing Adam Goodes - it's awkward isn't it?

It’s a long time after the fact & I still get annoyed remembering all those crowds continuing on with the endless booing of Adam after they had long made their supposed point. I was at the SCG at a Swans / Hawks match in 2012 when the swan’s fans were carving up Buddy by booing him, calling him a p*** & bed wetter etc. Buddy turned around, smiled & gave them cheeky wink. He kicked four goals that night & got the Hawks across the line. These same fans now idolise Buddy as an immortal. So, I ask myself, were those swans’ fans basically racists Australians or were they just being disrespectful? The most europhic moment as a sports fan I have ever experienced was being at the Olympic stadium in 2000 when Cathy Freeman hit the lead in the straight & came away with the gold medal. The whole stadium was on their feet cheering her all the way & there were strangers hugging strangers. The fantastic buzz that was still in the air whilst we were leaving that stadium that night was unbelievable. Adam was a legendary player who people would queue into stadiums to see him play & 100s would queue to get his autograph in public situations. It was a tragedy not seeing him on Grand Final day 2015 not being farewelled with all the other retirees by a 100K crowd. BTW, Cyril Rioli won the Norm Smith that day & all the crowd rose & cheered the champion.

Because Shorten picks his nose and eats it. How can we possibly have him as PM, no-one would shake his hand.

Harsh Reality - Aren't you and Mark fundamentally arguing the same point at the start? He says the race card message doesn't dwindle after each use, you basically say the same thing except you state that it loses its value after it is used in a non racist area. As by the looks at both of your comments neither of you are indigenous or from a minority group what you consider to be a racist comment doesn't really have much standing when we are talking about Goodes. As we are talking about Goodes, Harsh Reality can you please point me to the times Goodes has played the race card when it has been out of context as you would put it? As for your definitions given on racism I would argue that Mark could use the top two to further his argument. I had never heard Mark's side of it before and it makes sense. While you say that Mark is stating that only Caucasians and in power can be racist I think you are missing the entire point. Marks example uses White Australians because they are the majority and the Indigenous people are the minority group. Like Mark states Indigenous people can be racially prejudiced which I guess in one of your definitions means that they are being racist but he also shows that you cannot even hold a candle to the impact of racism against a White individual compared to an Indigenous person because of the history of the racism in this country. The last paragraph I agree with you Harsh Reality is poorly written but the underlying message that I get from it is that people who are privileged in their upbringing need to make a stand against racism. If you truly believe that Indigenous people have the same privileges when growing up go out into the communities and see them for yourself.

Victoria is the most racist state in Australia. This is where most of the racial vilification in sport seems to comes from. Only 20 Aboriginals played in the VFL between 1897-1979. WC has drafted 35 in its very short history. How many has your club drafted since 1987 when WC joined the league? Statistics show that the number of indigenous recruits has fallen in recent years. 22 Aboriginal players were selected in 2009, only 10 were taken in 2012 and 13 in 2013. There were 5 indigenous players picked up in the 2014 rookie draft. Is the AFL going backwards and are Aboriginal players staying away? When it comes to racial equality states like WA and the WAFL were (and are) miles ahead and dare I say it, far more evolved as human beings and as a society, far better educated and far more willing to accept an Aboriginal as their equal than the vast majority of Victorians. West Aussies are far from perfect in this regard believe me but they are more advanced than Victorians which might just be the most racist state in Australia. Let's use sport (the great equaliser) as a measuring stick. We don't see the same number of racial issues in the NRL (NSW & QLD). NT, SA and WA don't seem to have many issues. I'm not sure about Tassie and the ACT so that leaves us with Victoria. Victoria has the worst rap sheet in the country when it comes to racial vilification in sport. Goodes was vilified twice during and just after the Indigenous Round just two years ago. Once by nothing less than a club President and national media identity (Eddie) and the other by a 13yo girl in the crowd. I’m not sure how you can wear your self-proclaimed sporting capital of the world title with any honour when you have this massive negative hanging over your heads but burying it in sand is one way of running away from this inconvenient truth. I'm glad that you mentioned Chris Lewis as he is often overlooked yet he is an excellent case to take a closer look at. The following may surprise you. Chris Lewis is the son of Irwin Lewis, a notable scholar, sportsman, public servant, and indigenous Australian artist. Like his father, Chris attended Christ Church Grammar School, one of the elite independent schools in Western Australia. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Lewis_(footballer) His Dad was not only a scholar, he was also the Dux of his junior school and he was also a prefect. He captained the first XI cricket team and the first XVIII football team and he went on to play for Claremont in the WAFL. He was also the first Aboriginal to attend the University of Western Australia. He did all of this during the 1950’s. Fair to say that Chris Lewis went to a great school and that he grew up in a very well educated and respected family, so what happened? Chris Lewis walked into WC as a very happy young man with a big warm smile but that smile quickly disappeared when he came face to face with Victorians. He won WC’s B&F in 1990 and we all know how many stars were in that team (that was the year before Dermie vilified him).. He became very distraught and he soon turned into a very angry young man and it manifested itself in his footy after receiving his regular dose of vicious racial abuse from ignorant and arrogant Victorians. His formative years in WA were far more civilised than what he experienced in Victoria yet some people have the arrogance, stupidity and audacity to call WA backwards? He was never vilified at school, junior football or in the WAFL yet the minute he entered into the VFL system (a workplace) he had to endure a non-stop barrage of filth that was directed at him. He was never reported prior to receiving the abuse and some will try to label him as a dirty player when I would call the people that vilified him scum. Chris was retaliating in the only way that he knew at the time. You have to remember that many Victorians and VFL clubs were against WC joining the league. It was a case of don’t rock the boat because that’s what Victorians think, say and do and we are only the new kids on the block so we better put up and shut up which was obviously a mistake. The WAFL has a very long history of embracing and supporting its Indigenous players. The VFL was a racist cesspit and some elements of that culture still linger to this day though most Victorians can’t see it. You don't know what you don't know right? I must say that the vast majority of Victorians aren’t racist but you aren’t exactly role models either. All states have racist residents I am certain of that but I’m quite sure that Victorians are the most racist of all Australians. Following are some quotes and the links to my sources are below. "Look, it cut pretty deep," a stern Lewis said. "I was only a young boy trying to go out and do what I did best and I’d never really experienced any of that sort of stuff until I played AFL. ‘Black c..ts’ and all this sort of stuff. "The crowd (also) were quite vocal in that sort of area which was also a bit upsetting.” Brereton claimed the taunting was a product of that era but he still regretted his actions. "You did what you had to do and if part of that was hurting somebody deliberately from the opposition, you did it. Back in those days, racial vilification... gee, I don’t think the two words had ever been used together. So we went and gave it to Chris Lewis and I reckon it boiled over. (West Aussies didn’t do it yet we lived in the same era which is why I say that Victorians are backwards and less evolved when it comes to racial equality). "Only now, in this day and age, do we understand what we’ve done. I’ve apologised to Chris Lewis since. (I’ve got a) pretty dark sort of memory of it and (it’s) something I’m not proud of.” (West Aussies knew this in the 1950’s but Dermie only recognises it now?) Lewis said the constant barrage of abuse forced him to simply cop it and move on. "After getting suspended and not being able to play because of retaliating and all that sort of stuff, you sort of learn to put up with it," he said. "I was a little bit disappointed that we probably didn’t, as a club, push the issue a bit further. But I think it was one of those areas that we all didn’t want to go to because it was a bit prickly." "It was absolutely disgraceful," a still angry Malthouse said. "I don’t think eras have anything to do with it. Chris was reported on a couple of occasions and in my mind, I have no doubt that he was vilified. "We accepted it and we have got a lot to pay for that as a nation, as a league and as individuals. Football wore him down and from a young man, when I first got to that football club, with a beautiful, big smile ... that became more and more tested through his career. "Lewis was retaliating to an alleged torrent of on-field racial abuse but in Lewis' defence, his club revised the term ''racist abuse'' to ''verbal abuse’'. Why? "We had our reasons for leaving racism out of it,'' said Eagles' then chief executive Brian Cook (current Geelong CEO). ''One reason is, as an interstate club, we have to be very careful not to be seen as whingers.’' Well done Victoria and the VFL. You guys really are a beacon of light for the rest of Australia to follow aren’t you! It's time for us all to take a long hard look in the mirror and be honest with ourselves and that includes Victorians. . https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/10272199/eagles-let-me-down-over-racial-abuse-lewis/ http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/revisiting-past-controversy-on-racial-taunts-20130419-2i5rc.html

Couldn't agree anymore. You don't know what you don't know right? Ignorance is bliss as you say.

No, sorry, but your just fundamentally wrong on so many points I started to wonder if you were serious..... Firstly, the so called "race card" only means anything when it's a response to ACTUAL racism. Just because Goodes perceives it is doesn't make it so. So like Goodes, when you use it constantly to deflect any criticism it dilutes any effect and become meaningless, and does nothing to reduce racism or further the cause against it. Second, you are right that there is no reverse racism, but there is just plain racism and it can happen between ANY races. So lets just look at the ACTUAL definition of Racism while we're at it in case you think I'm wrong. Racism 1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human racial groups determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to dominate others or that a particular racial group is inferior to the others. 2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination. 3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races. While one definition may suit your argument, the others don't. This is where I though you were joking, because you seem to imply that you can only be racist if your in a position of power and white. But as you can see from the definitions supplied, this assumption patently wrong, No where does it say you have to be black, white, pink or purple that matter to be racist. And if you still believe only Caucasians can be racist, then you're very naive. And your last paragraph is the worst, as it seems to go against the cause your fighting for, You seem all to willing to break Australia into groups along racial lines. After all you refer to 'White Australians" and go on to infer that fellow Australians are somewhat inferior and that some need "White" help. So is there only Caucasians and Aboriginals living in Australia now? So my neighbors from Vietnam and Pakistan don't exist? I'm sure they would enjoy being called "white" also. So please get your facts right and don't be a hypocrite, that way your might make a coherent argument that people will listen too.

A good portion of Australia is more than happy to live in 'ignorant bliss' and reacts strongly when a little reality is added to the equation. Things are changing but very slowly. Im always amazed of how little respect/interest/knowledge most Australia's have in regards to the first peoples of this country. Quite bizarre actually.

Adam was booed before the Collingwood game????…Gotta be kidding!

Adam Goodes booed before that Collingwood game??? You got to be kidding!???

"Maybe it’s because Adam Goodes has reminded Australia, as well as the Australian game, of some inconvenient truths. Perhaps we haven’t learned as much as we believe we have." Well said. Couldn't agree more.

I like Goodes but I don't like you and I'm a very good judge of character. I'm not a big Mundine fan but I don't hate him. Hate and loathing are very string words. You said 'Australians loathe Goodes' - i don't and I'm not sure what he has done to you personally to make you feel this way?. Take a look in the mirror before throwing stones. You've got a really bad attitude.

I don't agree with you and Gene and I'm Australian. I thought Warren's article made it perfectly clear that only a minority of people boo Goodes on racial grounds. People like you and Gene might hate him other reasons. Others join the chorus like dumb sheep. The end result after all the finger pointing is a very ugly blight on our game, AFL fans and our nation as a whole. Well done guys

Nice touch Dr.Tolerance.Keep dishing up the abuse to go with stories of equality and I can't wait for the next one.You should make the next about how childish name calling is a better option than a boo.

Warren,didn't you do this story last year? Is this an annual event for you?The story has been done to death but you have to have 2 cracks or have you had more?I boo you Warren Cooper and if that makes me a Warrencooperist then fine.BOO.

Word

First of all Lyn, last time I checked indigenous people or people of colour did not have a magical card that they can only use a finite amount of times. I see this all the time 'he has used the race card too many times', while for people like yourself the power of said 'race card' may dwindle with each use the question that really needs to be asked is why someone needs to keep, to use your phrase calling the racist card? Maybe just maybe, the racism continues and as such the 'race card' needs to be continually played. Second. There is no such thing as reverse racism (or the reverse of any form of oppression), while indigenous people can be just as prejudiced as white people they cannot be 'just as racist' because they do not hold the political, economical and institutional power. Reverse racism is not real because racial prejudice directed at white Austalians doesn’t have the weight of institutional oppression behind it, but that doesn’t mean that white Austalians aren’t sometimes hurt by racial prejudice. It’s not legitimate, though, to equate that language with racist language that reinforces the oppression of indigenous Australians. Sure, it can be a hurtful reaction, but equating racial prejudice against white Austalians with that experienced by the indigenous population erases the often-invisible structures of oppression at play, and doing so ensures that we never actually deal with root causes. Privilege conceals itself from those who have it and because white Austalians benefit most from the current systems of racial oppression, we as white Austalians have a particular tendency to bury our head in the sand on issues of race, but we also have a particular role in acting for racial justice.