Brock McLean article - "Tackling footy's silence on gays"

[binman 42,591]

You guys have your wires crossed a bit.... Binman is saying that there's some poor "Collingwood like" comments in this and the Jurrah threads, Deeluded is saying it would be great to have the same kind of enthusiasm, passion, and "one-eyedness" as Collingwood supporters. They are totally different points. Both are correct in their individual statements IMO.

Spot on Stuie

[Sir Why You Little 36,954]

Banana Smoothie anyone?

[dee-luded 2,959]

You guys have your wires crossed a bit.... Binman is saying that there's some poor "Collingwood like" comments in this and the Jurrah threads, Deeluded is saying it would be great to have the same kind of enthusiasm, passion, and "one-eyedness" as Collingwood supporters. They are totally different points. Both are correct in their individual statements IMO.

there you go, all we needed was an interpreter.

binman tried to offset what I originally said to suit some sort of distraction. but I think he new all along what he was doing. funnybuggers.

but thanx stu for being bob hawke for a day...

[Johnny Karate 559]

This topic is one big bore for me.

I couldn't care if you're hetero, homo, bi, or asexual. I don't want gay rounds. I don't want the AFL to be a moral police with their green agenda. I don't want messages shoved down my throat. I don't want any player encouraged to come out and be a poster boy. They can please their bloody selves. If they want to come out great, not that I'd give a stuff. I couldn't care less either way.

I tend to agree. I too find the AFL's themed rounds tedious. However, I see them as being more of a marketing campaign targeted at involving/attracting niche groups in/to the code rather than "messages being shoved down our throats".

Homophobia is a problem in greater global society, whether it's through downright anti-gay activism or tacit reinforcement of it from people who don't have anything against homosexuals but have used derogatory language & terms (most people, myself included have been guilty of the latter) as well as everything in between.

The fact there are no "out" gay players in the AFL reflects this. So, if the AFL decides to have a GLBT round, I'd be a little suspicious of their motives (exploiting a wider societal issue for financial gain), however I see no reason to be opposed to the idea.

[nutbean 8,838]

It really is a double edged sword.

On the one hand I dont mind the AFL having a voice in social issues that do indeed touch on the game. I wish it was unneccessary to have to do a bit of "rooftop shouting" when it comes to the issue of gay rights. I wish it was a bore and and everyone just got on with it. Unfortunately that is not the case so some publicity is necessary to put the issue clearly in the spotlight and hopeful bring about the change to make the issue a bore.

The other side of the "sword" is trade unions in the 80's and 90's. Whilst I had no issue with union dues being used to promote causes that directly affected their members, certain unions ran political campaigns on issues and made contributions to causes that I strongly disagreed with and felt were well outside the sphere of what unions needed to be involving themselves with ( specifically certain countries and their policies).

So the AFL has limited itself to drugs and indigenous issues and now we are discussing involvement in the gay debate. These are all mainstream issues which affect the players and the society at large. There does need to be some care taken by the AFL as to what issues it chooses to champion.