As a lifelong Souths supporter and NRL fan I was proud and uplifted to see the strong and genuine support offered to Latrell Mitchell by the club, especially coach Jason Demetriou, and the NRL community in the wake of the racial abuse he was subjected to at the game against Penrith last Thursday night.
Many commentators have noted the incident shows we still have a long way to go before racism is eradicated. This is undoubtedly correct. However, it is also undoubtedly correct, and needs to be positively acknowledged, that so far as racism in sport is concerned, especially in the NRL, we have come a long way in a relatively short space of time and the positive trajectory is very rapid.
For 40 years of the almost 50 years I’ve been attending football games and closely following sport, racism, overt and casual, to borrow from Trent Robinson’s comments, was commonplace. Racial slurs would echo around the grandstand and rather than gaining censure from the crowd, reactions would often be to join the abuse, or at best complicit laughter or smirks would be seen. Very rarely was a racist heckler called out by the crowd.
I witnessed this at grounds all over Sydney, including at Redfern Oval where Souths always had a strong representation of indigenous fans and players. Often within teams casual racism would be present and it was not unusual for the media to engage in casual or not-so-casual racism, speaking of indigenous players “going walkabout” and similarly insensitive comments.
This all started to change about 10 years ago and has gathered momentum in the last five years, and especially since the Adam Goodes experience. Nowadays almost no one is stupid or foolhardy enough to yell racist slurs at a game. If they do, they are lucky to make it out of the ground alive and their best hope would be for the ground staff to throw them out before the crowd takes matters into their own hands.
Further, developments such as commentators properly pronouncing Polynesian players names is evidence of a more culturally sensitive game.
The NRL has always been the game for the regular folks and is now the sport that many indigenous and Polynesian men (and women) gravitate to and feel most comfortable playing. The NRL hierarchy has been very strong in supporting our indigenous and Pasifika players and fans. However, indigenous and Pasifika players were in the minority for most of the game’s history – even if they always had an outsize influence on the game.
Many of these players must have felt very self-conscious and isolated in a more hostile era. How courageous and strong were players like Eric Simms and Arthur Beetson? Latrell is also very strong but thankfully he has a very big group of brothers and fans to support him and enjoys the institutional support of the game.
So, when we rightly lament the terrible abuse Latrell copped at Penrith, let’s also take some encouragement from the fact that the outrage it provoked is proof positive of the fact that racism is rightly and widely condemned throughout the general community and let’s harness this positive momentum.
The NRL and the players, fans, media and key administrators are showing great leadership. No cause for complacency to be sure, but let’s acknowledge the positive progress and leadership being demonstrated.
Hardman
Roar Rookie
:thumbup:
The Barry
Roar Guru
Hahaha…you come after me with your lightweight cheerleading BS and cry ‘stop bullying me’ every time you get a serve back Don’t you have a some ra.cists to go and defend…?
JennyFromPenny
Guest
You are sad, insecure, and delusional with only two strategies, personal attack and self-gratifying stodge.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Congratulations…that’s the most intelligent and most relevant thing you’ve ever posted her. Keep it up…
JennyFromPenny
Guest
..
The Barry
Roar Guru
Same old, same old You dish it out but can’t take it…
JennyFromPenny
Guest
Oh wow. How hurtful and upsetting of you. And then to keep ending with dot, dot which in psychology is pleading for a reply, a loner with insecurity issues. Would rather seek conflict in their life than be alone. How very sad.
The Barry
Roar Guru
No, it’s not just me. Yore pretty much loathed across the board…
JennyFromPenny
Guest
Only in your concussed head.
The Barry
Roar Guru
You just refuse to add any value to any discussion…
JennyFromPenny
Guest
Higher than one.
The Barry
Roar Guru
“Higher dimensional” - what does that mean…?
The Barry
Roar Guru
I haven’t seen one comment that this was said on behalf of the Penrith club or its supporters More of your Panther-noia…
JennyFromPenny
Guest
Something higher dimensional than where's the security staff. Nice one.
Aragorn home
Guest
Geez it'd be hilarious if all he said was "yora slack dog".
JennyFromPenny
Guest
If it's not been clear enough any time previous, needs any more clarity, then hope it's plainly understood that the Panthers community stand with Latrell. Such supremist views in public should always be denounced. Only the small-minded would judge the comment down the tunnel was said on behalf of Panther fans, players, and club. Unfortunately, there are a lot of those.
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
It was "your mum is a rig" which was supposedly a complement (go figure) but Tallis read it as your mum is a pig
quoinkey
Roar Rookie
Yes I would have to admit that after the last few years. Hopefully Christo can do a follow up article when the dust settles.
mushi
Roar Guru
It’s a fine line, booing (before it becomes a trope) or heckling related to game play should be okay but there’s lines that can’t be crossed and unfortunately, as per the Larry Flint judgement, you only know the exact line when you see it. Call a player fat: unimaginative but meh, his mum/wife: crass and more a poor reflection on you, his kid: I’m calling no deal there. NBA struggles with it because the fans are right there, heck an away player expects a serve when they throw their body into the courtside seats. But there’s been some poor comments made that have been called out recently.
mushi
Roar Guru
Well I think you'll find we're apparently not great at knowing what is and isn't acceptable.