I don't have a sports blog, so whiteboydancefloor has to cop my sporting opinions. At my prac school, the motto was Moving Forward With Pride... it seemed to fit as a title, so I ran with it. Now I’ve been called a lot of things in my life and I won’t pretend I’ve experienced racism... I look slightly European, had braces, prior to that bugs bunny teeth and have been told so in less than flattering terms but that’s more bad luck than anything.
Initially my take on the whole saga was that he was a whiny little hyper sensitive wuss. But you wouldn’t expect anything less from a middle class white kid from Western Sydney. It did make me take a look in the mirror to some extent and I’ll admit that the comments Johns made would be similar to things I’ve said myself, primarily as crude jokes. It’s not right at all but I’ll admit it rather than sitting here all high and mighty. When I thought a little harder, I can certainly appreciate that Tahu had every right to walk out on the camp in light of John’s comments. Oww and might I add I am a huge Newcastle & Andrew Johns (the player) fan.
But once Johns was removed from the camp, what’s the issue? Why couldn’t Tahu return? Am I to assume the issue wasn’t solely the comments of Johns but the comments / actions of other members of the Origin side? If it was current players, be as bold as you were in outing Johns and do the same. Before we parade him around as some Martin Luther King Jnr. Let’s see him show some real ticker...
I can’t sit here and comment on my vast experience with racism and I appreciate that does weaken my case to an extent but what’s done is done. The key now is moving forward, moving forward, moving forward. If Tahu, Johns and everyone have the best interests of Rugby League, swift reconciliation is essential. I’ve always been taught it’s not what happened but how you deal with it. I’m not talking a Get Over It! mentality, I’m talking about a Let’s Deal With It! mentality. To that Tahu responds with nearly two weeks of meeting and talking to everyone except Andrew Johns. Important? Yes... More Important than sorting things out with Johns and moving forward for the future of the game, No.
On the plus side, Tahu’s thuggish display on Monday night has provided him with more than enough time to fit in all his important meetings and hopefully he might squeeze a 5 minute meeting with Johns. That is if his next youtube video is finished.
What Johns did was inexcusable, it will and should jeopardise his place in Rugby League coaching. Let’s face it he wasn’t doing much as a Origin Halves / Kicking coach anyway. But the longer this goes on, the longer it hurts OUR game. No one player, coach or official should be bigger than the game. Tahu’s crusade against racism is good for the game, if he sets the right standard. The last thing League needs is an Us against Them mentality which would undermine everything the Indigenous All Star game stood for. More so than any racist comment of one individual.
Oww and just a question, why did he walk out after he’d received his $800 Origin allowance when the matter happened much earlier? Perhaps that money would have been better used as a donation to the charities which Tahu stated fed him sausages (which he ended up hating) when his mother went off and left him for extended periods of time?
I've had my say, you have yours... feel free to disagree but don't be a wimp... ditch the anonymous comments.
3 comments:
The fact that the thought "that he was a whiny little hyper sensitive wuss" even crossed your mind is pretty evident that you have no idea about copping racist remarks or being stereotyped.
I'm not saying I'm fleeing from angry torch wielding villagers but I have experienced it a bit, starting from when I was 11 being called a gook and told to "go back where I came from" to not being allowed in bars and clubs in Cronulla/Miranda. I also get assuptions put on me that I'll be shy, studious and whatever other Asian stereotypes you can think of.
Hell, I'll makes jokes in jest about myself and I'm not saying I'm the most politicaly correct person out there but when you're employed in any kind of situation, there is a certain restraint and respect you should show your other employees. Not being an ignorant racist knob would be one of them
By not returning shows that he actually is making a stand and that it cuts a lot deeper than just getting rid of Johns.
John's mother must be so proud of her two boys; she's raised a racist and a rapist. Well maybe not a rapist but a questionable idiot.
Well that's my two cents anyway, I probably shouldn't have read this when I'm such a bad mood.
i already said my experience with racism is somewhere between limited and non existent...
i thought its totally unacceptable and it did make me re-evaluate my own attitude. i too only ever make 'racist' remarks in jest but regardless it still got me thinking about how i conduct myself, particularly with the career im pursuing.
this wasn't a piece in defense of johns and if you thought that i think you missed my point. my point was tahu can't use this burden as something that influences his every breath from here on in. It is detrimental to himself, the people who look up to him and the game i can only assume he loves as much as i do.
thanks for your comments nancy! love it
I knew it wasn't a pro Johns piece but just making the point that you don't understand how he feels and neither do I. He shouldn't have to go on some sort of anti racism crusade, he shouldn't have to cop it in the first place and I think leaving was a fitting thing to do to make a point. It did start a forum in which people start talking about the issue of racism though.
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