Saturday night’s banana throwing incident will be forever remembered as abhorrent, despicable, unacceptable, detestable and loathsome. Most agree, it was an unambiguously racist act. Make no mistake, throwing a banana at an indigenous person is racist.
And when I saw the vision of the women throwing a banana at Crows player Eddie Betts, I immediately came to the same conclusion.
Like everyone else, I immediately focused on the woman. I tried to understand what would have possessed her do such a thing. What about the effect this would have on Eddie, his family, friends and teammates?
This act deflected the focus away from what was an extraordinary Showdown 41. A Showdown that again clearly demonstrated that ladder positions are irrelevant during these battles.
I knew immediately this would be a massive story. Within a couple of minutes the woman’s image had been uploaded to social media sites. Unfortunately for her, someone in the crowd had captured the moment she threw the banana and then when she left, again she was snapped and it was posted for all to see. By Sunday night everyone in Australia knew what she looked like.
The social media trolls where having a field day, calling her every name imaginable.
But as Lucy Cornes so correctly blogged, those who were spitting their poisonous venom at this woman are in fact part of the problem. There is no solution associated with unhelpful and distasteful criticism. All it does is manifest more hatred.
Both the Crows and Port Adelaide released statements condemning the woman’s act. Port Adelaide says the fan has been banned indefinitely.
It also said:
“After talking to witnesses it is clear that the offender’s behaviour was racially motivated and is therefore a significant breach of the club’s values and spectator code of conduct.”
“Port Adelaide will meet with the offender in the coming days to offer her an opportunity to take part in the club’s industry leading Aboriginal cultural awareness programs.”
By Monday there was an overwhelming call for the woman to be banned from attending Port Adelaide football matches for life.
But in my humble opinion this is not the answer, nor is it fair.
Everyone deserves a second chance. Even her.
It goes without saying she has done a terrible thing, and she will probable be defined by the act for the rest of her life, which in itself is a major burden to carry.
Think about this; we give AFL footballers many chances when they make mistakes. We allow Sam Newman to continually spew offence on the Channel Nine Footy Show.
How many chances does Kyle Sandilands deserve?
You see it is one rule for some and another rule for others.
Life is not meant to be fair, I understand that, but in this case we need to take a really deep breath and collectively think carefully about all of those involved in this incident.
There is a duty of care for both parties.
From what we understand Eddie is okay, and simply wants to get on with winning football matches and kicking goals. Crows CEO Andrew Fagan said as much on FiveAA breakfast on Monday Morning.
But we do not know what this woman is going through. She is in a hole with Australia looking down on her.
Again I reiterate, what she did was inexcusable, but she deserves a second chance. She deserves a chance to redeem herself. She deserves an opportunity to explain herself. She deserves the chance to meet with Eddie face-to-face. She has already agreed to attend a cultural awareness session.
And while I am only guessing, I will bet my collection of wrestling videos that Eddie would welcome this approach as well, rather than the approach of most, who have no solution apart from simply abandoning this women for life. I am sure Eddie would prefer education rather than significant punishment.
And I leave you with this thought: can we guarantee that everyone criticising this women are devoid of any racial bias?
Racial discrimination can be subtle, and it doesn’t always manifest itself in the form a flying banana.
clipper
Guest
They could advise people to watch this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U90dnUbZMmM
Penster
Guest
Ha. Up there with "political correctness gone mad" aka the women, ethnics and gays are standing up to my belittling, humiliating and discriminating against them (all in the name of good fun of course), and I don't like it! Game's up Harry.
Camo McD
Roar Guru
That is a good point. Would've thought she needs to be banned for some period of time and ideally some education but a life ban seems a bit inconsistent when the likes of Eddie can carry on with no problems and Lehmann is welcomed with open arms as national cricket coach.
The Original Buzz
Guest
Maybe they should just ban fruit all together.
db swannie
Guest
You can understand why she thought it was ok to do what she did . The AFL basically put a sign up saying it's ok to be racist when they slapped Racist Eddie with a wet lettuce leaf for his ape joke. There was a chance to show that Racism wouldn't be tolerated & punishment would be harsh . Instead of using him as an example & getting rid of him for 6-12 months they did the token punishment thing . No wonder fans think it's acceptable .
harry houdini
Roar Rookie
Really good post again Angela.
harry houdini
Roar Rookie
Really good post Angela.
alicesprings
Guest
Agree. Awareness is key. Its one of the main reasons why every year we are inundated with high schools students from down south and east on school trips. Living in the NT for the last few years has been a serious education for myself, shameful to think how ignorant i was about Indigenous cultures and languages before coming up here. Its a slippery slop from lack of awareness to ignorance to passive racism and much worse.
13th man
Guest
Nah she should be banned for life, she should be made an example of.. it's unnacepptable and must not happen again!!
harry houdini
Roar Rookie
Irish slave nonsense !!! Gee you have a very limited view of history then. What if someone threw a potato at Zac Touhy how would you see that ? You actually have no idea of Irish history I take it ? .
clipper
Guest
Hope it's higher than 95%, AJ - with such a large crowd, that would mean 2,500 people cannot contain themselves
Tricky
Guest
If that is the case then that is racism and it is abhorrent, however it was labelled racist as soon as the incident happened. Now that we have the facts then yeah it is racist and disgusting. I do defend my original post because at the time it looked like it was labelled as something it might not have been before the facts come to light. At the time I surely did not know what she was thinking or if it was racially motivated - no one could have. You could have guessed but obviously no one should be pre determining until the evidence is there............ that's all I'm saying.
Reservoir Animal
Guest
Some of the people backing this banana-thrower are closet Hansonites. You wouldn't hear Harry Houdini saying these things to the faces of people close to him.
paulywalnuts
Guest
"SJW" is a catch-all employed by clueless rednecks who find that as they unable to just stop the world and get off as they wish they could, the Internet at least allows them to lash out.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
I dare that the final result will be something along these lines, with a two or three year ban shortened by a year or so if genuine contrition is exhibited. The club will be keen to promote education as an answer to racism founded on ignorance.
Casper
Guest
Do you think she had a banana ready, just in case Betts happened to be in that pocket, and then happened to kick a goal, and then happened to turn around and bait the crowd? Plausible I guess. The bottom line is, Port could ban her from being a member but she could still go to games through general admission.
Birdman
Guest
Excellent article - well balanced - definitely a racist and potentially dangerous act in throwing anything on the field in the direction of players. However, if she shows contrition and participates in re-education, she should get a second chance - probably at the start of 2018.
clipper
Guest
Can't believe some people not accepting throwing a banana is a racially motivated act - this is very clearly pre meditated - whether it was going to be the full extent or just waving it around can be argued. In saying that 'life' for hardened criminals is often 10 or 15 years, so perhaps if the cultural awareness people so decree (if the course is a success), then that may be a compromise.
Angela
Guest
AJ Sure, but I suggest that a crowded football match where mass hysteria and bad behaviour is encouraged as fans of opposing teams taunt and egg each other on is a vastly different scenario to a workplace. As a relatively new footie fan I'm still shocked at the way opposing goal kickers get booed as they line up to kick, how, at home games the opposing teams don't get equal mention on the big screen after they score (it's as if they don't exist), how ex-players get booed by their former clubs and how clever play by a player doesn't get any acknowledgement (like a clap) from fans of the opposite side. Footie culture doesn't encourage rational behaviour and anyone who's a 'bit-off' is likely to break out and do something stupid, like throw a banana for 'no reason'. Of course, in her head, she did have a reason, as silly and inappropriate as the reason and her response may have been. For me, there's a strong element of playground behaviour by everyone here - the dobbers, the sanctimonious virtue-signallers and the guilty racist woman as well an uncomfortable faint hint of Stasi about the treatment the woman is receiving. Yes, obviously ugly racist responses at footie matches need calling out but a ban for life?? Even four or five years seems excessive.That's hardly going to improve her racist outlook, if anything I imagine it would encourage her to become even more racist. The person who's come out of it best is Eddy, and I still think his idea makes the most sense plus a ban for a year. Most people with racist views react quite differently on an individual one-on-one level when they hear what the target of their racism has to say, especially if it's someone they admire.
EddyJ
Guest
That's odd. I'm pretty sure you would have used a keyboard to post that stupid comment. Maybe you're not a real person doing real things?