Pies players should show support for Goodes

[Jezza]

Goodes is being booed not because of his Indigenous background but because he epitomises the political correctness that has emerged and is now rearing its ugly head in Australia.

When supporters are told by the AFL and the media to behave in a certain way, this results in a rebellion against these outlets which is not surprising. Adam Goodes is a symbolic figure of this political correctness and does himself no favours in the way he conducts himself.

He's been a great footballer for Sydney for many years so that's not the issue in question. The issue in question is that Adam has created division in the community and this has upset people. I understand he's passionate about Indigenous causes but doing such things as ridiculing the Australian Constitution, saying Europeans killed, raped and stole from Aboriginal people (using 'Europeans' in a very loose manner) and humiliating a 13 year old has done him no favours along with other things he's mentioned and stated over the years.

Adam also embodies a personality that is unlikeable and stubborn and his playing antics such as diving, playing for free kicks and thuggish acts towards opposition players makes people angry because he is viewed as a protected species by the AFL and the media.

I'm certain that a small percentage boo Adam Goodes because they are racists and have an issue towards Indigenous Australians but to categorise everyone as racists because they boo the man is unacceptable and irresponsible and the likes of Sydney chairman Andrew Pridham are leading the pack here in making comments of that nature. Paul Roos' comments on AFL 360 on Monday night that if Adam 'feels the boos are racists, therefore it's racist' are absurd and don't make any logical sense.

For what it's worth I don't boo Goodes personally unless he has a set shot at goal against Collingwood or he commits an untoward act towards one of our players where such a reaction will exist.

If this was a race issue why are 70 other Indigenous players on a playing list not receiving boos of a similar nature to Goodes? Clearly the issue is Goodes himself and not racism and taking stress leave depicts him as a weak individual.

[E]

[Bob Sugar]

[E]

[Neil Appleby]

[qldmagpie67]

[Mugwump]

For my part, I buy into most of the arguments for Aboriginal Australia deserving greater recognition for what they suffered and the consequences that endure. None of that makes me feel good about a harbourside millionaire with enormous power picking a 13 year old girl from Moe out of a crowd to be held up to ridicule and contempt. If he had said it after the match, i would have thought it good that he did so. Doing it in the way that he did turned something that had minimal consequences for him into something that could have ended very badly indeed for this child. She was not my daughter, who was about the same age at the time, and probably would not have said what the girl from Moe did - but then again, she might have, in a thoughtless moment, without realising or processing the overtone, in the moment. Is that the world we now live in, where we will humiliate a 13 year old kid on national TV like that ?

I do not really care if our elites consider his actions heroic - i do not. I consider them the self-seeking and ireesponsible actions of an egoistic man in love with his own influence, as shown by his provocative, attention-seeking and crowd-inciting dance.

That was all compounded when our elites absurdly named him Australian of the year for his actions. He has become the symbol of elite connivance in a narrative about Aboriginal Australia which makes them feel a little better about themselves without actually putting their hands in their pockets or sacrificing anything serious in recompense.

I don't boo opposition players, but right now, i'd be tempted.

[Bob Sugar]

[magpie1111]

Razor Ray was boooed last night now racists are targeting white folk wish they would make their mind up

[Bob Sugar]

[Pies4shaw]

[Mugwump]

^ sometimes, P4S, but not necessarily. I'd say that Goodes is being given credibility on this issue because of the nature of the issue itself, despite the inflammatory way he has pursued it and the ambiguities in the case. That seems to me political correctness. One does not have to hold neanderthal views to say that the behaviour of an individual can be objectionable even if that behaviour is wrapped in the cloak of a good cause (ie anti-racism).

[Pies4shaw]

He's not being booed because his behaviour is "objectionable" per se. If that were it, there are a couple of hundred AFL players we'd be booing ahead of him. The problem people have with him is that he's indigenous and objectionable.

[yin-YANG]

Exactly right pies4shaw. Goodes is an agitator and unlike the other Indigenous players he had a platform as Australian of The Year and is creating waves.

Boos are given for lots of reasons - and even the Boos for Goodes are for a multitude of reasons - but clearly some are due to his profile and his actions over the years including his calling out the racist taunt from the 13 year old collingwood supporter and the follow-up when Eddie suggesting he could play King Kong.

He called it how he saw it - vilification.

Some might feel he has used his profile to raise non-footy issues - but that is his right. Ultimately it will do more good than harm. With some of the stirring it seems a few pieces of crud have come loose and that is good to.

[September Zeros]