5 hours ago, Matsuo Basho said:

A speech is as much about what you don’t say as what you actually say. 

I remember the speech and just re-read it. It was hard hitting which is fine but not particularly conciliatory. It was certainly not a unifying, positive minded speech of the kind you’d hear say a Barack Obama make. 

He also chose to use the term “Invasion Day” on Australia Day as well which is clearly politically charged and was so obviously going to stoke more animosity in the nuff-nuffs. Unnecessary and unwise. Just like the simulated spear throwing at the crowd.

These things might’ve given some satisfaction to militant Far Leftists but they did nothing for race relations in this country. Anger and hysteria wins no friends.

As far as (let’s call it) Middle Australia was concerned, I think a lot of people saw a healthy, wealthy, well spoken young man and, although very understanding regarding the welfare of many indigenous Aussies, couldn’t cop why he wasn’t just a little more grateful to live in a country, a free and egalitarian country, which has provided him with such wonderful opportunities in life. Barely a word proffered about that.

I thought it was a poor speech. An opportunity missed.

No not an opportunity missed, but a courageous speech which spoke to the essence of the experience of indigenous Australians since Cook hoisted that flag.

1 hour ago, rjay said:

What would you have him say 'Matsuo'??? what could he have said that would have taken race relations forward and not kept the status quo at best?

Put yourself in his position and give us an outline of the speech he should have made and the actions he should have taken.

 

29 minutes ago, Matsuo Basho said:

Bring people together. Don’t push them apart. And certainly don’t throw imaginary spears at them with your war face on.

More Barack, less bonehead. 

This kind of vibe: 

 

Come on 'Matsuo' surely you can do something better than that.

That kind of vibe???

 

39 minutes ago, Matsuo Basho said:

Bring people together. Don’t push them apart. And certainly don’t throw imaginary spears at them with your war face on.

More Barack, less bonehead. 

This kind of vibe: 

 

Not a fan of the haka?

Edited June 9, 20195 yr by Moonshadow

That imaginary spear could have had someone's imaginary eye out, you know.

11 minutes ago, Moonshadow said:

Not a fan of the haka?

Different context.

 

And the booing hurt his .... Feelings.

 

I don't think Goodes was only focusing on what happened over 200 years ago. He and his people have endured disadvantage and subtle or overt racism in their every day lives. Wasn't Eddie Betts targeted by trolls only recently this year? Some things haven't changed for indigenous people, no matter how much the rest of society would like to think it doesn't happen. We cannot keep denying other people's reality simply because we haven't experienced it, or witnessed it ourselves.

Having some relatives killed fighting wars and even being decapitated as Fork'em states to proudly show how he got over it so easily, is completely different than having your family wiped out in a genocidal event or your land stolen. It takes a little longer to get over it, especially if the oppression continues affecting the survivors for 200 years. 

I suspect there is a lack of empathy amongst many who take the positions of some frequent posters here - they just can't imagine what it is like.  They have always been in the 'in group' and never in a marginalised group like some of us.   But nothing anyone says will change their minds.

34 minutes ago, Matsuo Basho said:

Different context.

 

So you've spoken with Goodes to know exactly the context he was intending? Or is it just 'your opinion' again...

15 minutes ago, Moonshadow said:

So you've spoken with Goodes to know exactly the context he was intending? Or is it just 'your opinion' again...

You’re just being silly now. Following me into each thread and deliberately antagonising, then complaining about threads “going to sh...”.

Give it a rest or put me on ignore. 

1 hour ago, Matsuo Basho said:

You’re just being silly now. Following me into each thread and deliberately antagonising, then complaining about threads “going to sh...”.

Give it a rest or put me on ignore. 

Congrats on making 1 week back... And yet to be banished again

Do you get a token?

1 hour ago, Matsuo Basho said:

You’re just being silly now. Following me into each thread and deliberately antagonising, then complaining about threads “going to sh...”.

Give it a rest or put me on ignore. 

It was a serious question. I'll take it the answer is no.

You are all over every busy thread 24/7, so its hard not to post after you somewhere. You could also ignore if it upsets you.

I'm surprised we didn't solve this issue in an online forum. Time to close thread?

25 minutes ago, Moonshadow said:

It was a serious question. 

We both know it wasn’t. 

Nothing you say upsets me. But it is tedious. Thinly disguised baiting. 

Edited June 9, 20195 yr by Matsuo Basho

5 hours ago, Fork 'em said:

Goodes has never experienced being invaded.
Never had his land in Sydney declared terra nullus.
And never been shot at.
Maybe some of his ancestors 200+yrs ago.
Talk about holding a grudge.
  

Flat out wrong, indigenous Australians weren't even allowed to vote or be recognized as citizens until the 70's. Sounds a lot like Tibet or Sudan to me, his parents would have been able describe the invasion pretty well. Also massacres of indigenous communities were occurring in the 20th Century, this is not 200 years ago.

Yet for all of this terrible history, we as a country are going in the right direction, let's not bugger it up by being dishonest about the historical record. Own it, and let's get on making it a place where everyone gets a fair go.

 

blegh

Edited June 9, 20195 yr by Sigil

5 hours ago, Matsuo Basho said:

Bring people together. Don’t push them apart. And certainly don’t throw imaginary spears at them with your war face on.

 

Let's also try and have some sympathy for all of the imaginary people that were killed and wounded by said imaginary spear. Thousands of football followers put through the torture of being subjected to an imaginary spear being hurled in their direction. The imaginary hospitals, imaginary doctors and nurses that had to deal with these imaginary injuries, it must have been horrific for them. I think that is where the real sympathy needs to be directed.

The big tough people who call Adam Goodes are sook....having a whinge about an imaginary spear. Imagine that.

17 hours ago, jnrmac said:

Why don't other indigenous players get booed? There is more than 100 of them playing and most of us marvel at their talents. 

as for calling someone a knuckle dragger I think this says more about you and your bs virtue signalling than anything written here about Goodes.

The why don't other indigenous players get booed question has been answered over and over again. It's equal with the stupidity of the 'Gaff got booed, is that racist?' type of argument.

It's a ridiculous stance and if you can't be bothered getting up to speed with the discussion (after 4 years) then best stay out of it.

23 minutes ago, Melb16 said:

Let's also try and have some sympathy for all of the imaginary people that were killed and wounded by said imaginary spear. Thousands of football followers put through the torture of being subjected to an imaginary spear being hurled in their direction. The imaginary hospitals, imaginary doctors and nurses that had to deal with these imaginary injuries, it must have been horrific for them. I think that is where the real sympathy needs to be directed.

The big tough people who call Adam Goodes are sook....having a whinge about an imaginary spear. Imagine that.

This attempt at black humour (no pun intended) was used by another poster earlier in the thread. At least try and be original. 

In the context of the politically charged atmosphere at the time, the mock spear throwing was only ever going to inflame the situation and make it worse. It was a simulated act of aggression. Exactly what the nuffy contingent in the crowd would’ve wanted him to do. 

If you don’t understand the power of symbols and gestures, you know very little about politics and political history.

16 hours ago, Nasher said:

To you it’s politics. To Goodes it’s a lifetime of lived experience. Potato/potarto.

Lol, yeah goodes has had such a tough life. Stardom and big money to play sport must really enable him to connect with those less fortunate. 

The guy is a professional victim ( as player and as a man) and the day he retired was a great day for the afl

 

 

4 hours ago, Fitz Fitzpatrick said:

The guy is a professional victim ( as player and as a man) and the day he retired was a great day for the afl

Exhibit A.

5 hours ago, Fitz Fitzpatrick said:

Lol, yeah goodes has had such a tough life. Stardom and big money to play sport must really enable him to connect with those less fortunate. 

The guy is a professional victim ( as player and as a man) and the day he retired was a great day for the afl

 

 

You don't achieve what Adam Goodes has in sport and in life by being a 'professional victim'. It takes courage and conviction to deliver the speech that he did, and the moment he gave it marked his exit out of the AFL while it should have been a step forward in reconciling our nations abhorrent treatment of our indigenous people.

?

One of the worst aspects is my naive belief that Demon supporters didnt boo Goodesy. Yet here is the pudding.

 

14 minutes ago, Moonshadow said:

?

There’s a discussion ongoing about a topical event in the news at the moment. Who are you to say it’s over? If you dislike a thread or have nothing of value to offer it the solution is obvious - don’t click on it.

Edited June 10, 20195 yr by Matsuo Basho