Since watching the documentary I still just feel sad. I am finding it hard to move on. I knew that Sam Newman was harsh and racist to Adam, but hadn't realised the full extent of it and the bullying that he did for Adam. I had never really paid attention to Andrew Bolt but had heard about the Bolt Report. After seeing this documentary I don't want to hear any of his opinion because it is just biased, racist and he takes situations well and truely out of concept. He also in my perspective bullied Adam. Eddie has had a bad case of foot in mouth numerous times, but I dislike how he doesn't apologise to Adam first. Instead he called the AFL, Head offices of Sydney Swans and then Adam. Shouldn't Adam be the first port of call if you are genuinely sorry, not be covering your backside first before making the apology that is deserved?
I understand that people don't like certain players in sport. I understand that you boo players that you don't like and don't agree with. I get it. I have booed players myself, even players in my own team but most of the time that is because they have played wrongly and injured another player. To those people who are saying they booed him because he took dives to get free kicks, many many many players have done that in the past and many players still do it today. If you want to boo them for taking a dive, boo them when they take the dive, not every single time they touch the ball like Adam was. I agree that some people booed him to just join the booing band wagon, with no actual idea behind it.
But I do feel that a large number of people booed Adam because he called out racism, he called out those who abused him, his heritage, his race, his appearance. Those who kept harping on about the 13 year old girl that he labelled as the face of racism, he followed that up in the same breath that it wasn't her fault. It is what she hears from those around her. I would love to hear from that same girl about what her opinion is now. I'd love to hear how that incident has impacted her and her perspective of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. I would love to hear if her racist comment is something that she now understands and whether she actually stands with Adam now. Maybe she doesn't, maybe she hasn't changed at all, but I hope that she has and it has all impacted her for the better.
I wrote this facebook post after the documentary.
Friends,
Our words are dangerous. They can build people up but they can tear people down.
I have just watched The Final Quarter and am saddened by what I have seen and heard. I was at many of the home games that Adam Goodes played at and I heard the booing first hand. It was loud, it was on going and from my perspective it was undeserved. I was at the game where he did the war cry in celebration of his goal and to be honest I remember thinking in that moment that it was wrong to do, especially being focussed at the opposing team ending in a spear throw. My eyes were openned when I listened to Adam explain it. It was a celebration dance. It was a sign of respect and pride of his heritage and it was a sign of respect to the students who had taught him it earlier that week. There was no malice in it like I initially thought. We need to be open to being educated.
I hope and pray that my kids will grow up respecting all people no
matter what race, religion, background they may have. That they will
speak to everyone with kindness and love no matter what. That they will
show respect to the traditional owners of our country, both past,
present and those who are to come. I hope that I can continue to educate
myself so that I can correctly educate them. I am grateful for the
amazing education they are receiving at preschool in this area. I hope
that we can take a stance on racism and not just turn our backs on it.
I am sorry for the hurt Adam Goodes received playing a sport that he loved when taking a stance for his race, his heritage, his background, his people. I hope and pray that this documentary challenges people to stop and think about their words, their actions and their perspectives of others - whether you are a follower of AFL or have no clue about it. Hopefully racism stops here.
I am sorry for the hurt Adam Goodes received playing a sport that he loved when taking a stance for his race, his heritage, his background, his people. I hope and pray that this documentary challenges people to stop and think about their words, their actions and their perspectives of others - whether you are a follower of AFL or have no clue about it. Hopefully racism stops here.
I think what saddens me more is seeing the comments on Facebook posts (I know I know, never read the comments). The saying haters are gonna hate is true. People are standing firm in that they booed Adam for taking dives, for not liking him as a player, etc and that's all well and good. They are allowed to have that opinion but it saddens me that they aren't open to being educated or open to seeing the hurt that their booing and reaction has caused. Then it again saddens me because of people's responses to them - calling them names and putting them down. It's like some who stand with Adam are being hypocrites in their responses to those who booed Adam and stand by it. Don't call them names, don't lower yourself to their standard, instead just feel sad and sorry that they aren't open to being changed or seeing that they have hurt another person. Our words hurt.
I do hope that this next generation have a different perspective of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. I hope that they respect them and their beliefs. That they acknowledge that they are the traditional owners of the land. I do hope that the colour of their skin is just that, a colour. It doesn't mean that they are any less or any more than us. We are all Australian and we are all proud of this country that we live in. I do hope that we can learn from them and that they can learn from us - both with mutual understanding and respect.
As history is taught at school, I hope that European Settlement with still be taught because if it wasn't for Captain Cook we might not be living here today, however, I hope that it is taught with respect to the indigenous people who were living here before us and that they understand the hurt that was brought in the European approach. It will be a hard concept to teach but I hope we can do it justice. This week I took the kids into the city and we saw a statue of Captain Cook. My kids don't know anything about this man. When they asked why there was a statue of him I told them it was because he was the first European to find Australia and decide to settle here. I told them that because of him white people started to live in Australia because they saw that it was a wonderful country. Only he didn't treat the Aboriginal people very well. He took their land, he took their homes, he told them that they weren't living the right way. He even fought with the Aboriginals. Eliza's comment was 'Why did they make a statue of him when he isn't a nice man?' Fair question. I responded with 'He didn't know that his way wasn't the only way to live. He didn't understand that this land was the Aboriginal's land. He didn't think he was treating them wrong. He didn't know any better. So he wasn't a mean man, he just didn't know better. But we do know better and we can live the way Captain Cook should have.' I don't know how much went in and how much was understood but I hope that I said the right things and that it helps the kids to understand that it was an important moment in history so we acknowledge Captain Cook, but that it is also a hurtful time in history for many so we need to acknowledge the Indigenous people too.
Anyway, these are thoughts going through my head. You might agree, you might not. You are welcome to have your own opinion but just remember that words can build others up or hurt them deeply. Whether it's a constant boo at a sporting game, calling someone names based on their appearance or heritage. Let's be open to being educated, let's treat others how we want to be treated. And let's teach our kids to respect others too.
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