The Penns are so f**king shit. Can't stand them. This is just f**k up number #127384747 in their long history of f**k ups. Like seriously, you idiots didn't think to consult the playing group? One of the toughest men to ever pull on the Maroon and White also happens to be an LGBTQIA+ pioneer in world sport. Didn't think about getting him in to chat with the playing group? Fancy not consulting the playing group in a sport that draws a large part of it's player base from PI communities. This is just typical of their cooked decision making that ends up with the club eating shit.
As for the players, whatever. For a bunch of blokes whose salaries are in no small part funded by gambling and alcohol sponsorships, their choice of hill to die on sure speaks volumes about them as individuals. They're turning out to regularly play on the Sabbath in blended garments plastered all over with Pointsbet logos in a ground named after a brewing company. Now I'm no big city theologian but last time I checked a strict reading of the bible would also have you being morally opposed to all of that shit too. But for some reason, it's people being themselves and supporting that, that's the f**king problem!
But then again, hypocrisy is a bit of a non-starter in my books. We live in a world where ethical consumption just simply isn't possible, and we're compromising on our morals every day. These players might be strongly against these things, but of course to make a crust that can help your family you do what you need to do, you hold your nose up and you wear that Pointsbet Jersey. It's what you gotta do to help you and yours. That it's the bloody rainbow that they have decided is what they can no longer compromise themselves over is exceptionally telling.
They're all still young men. I hope that they can change as individuals and become more accepting of people as how they are. Seems like there are plenty of Churches and theologies that are capable of embracing people for who they are, and I sincerely hope that one day they can find a way to be more embracing of other people.
But frankly I want nothing Manly to have nothing to do with them. They have chosen not to play because they don't like a jersey that is inclusive of people they don't like. These guys need to figure themselves out, and that's a journey that's not going to happen at Manly. Play in the rainbow jersey for the rest of the season as far as I'm concerned, if they don't want to play in that, fine. I reckon Schuster, Haumole, Tippy Toes and Koula can all attract good money elsewhere. Manly as a club represents an area. This is an open, inclusive society that dumped out Transphobe shitheads at the last election. The Northern Suburbs of Sydney are the kind of place where a gay dude like Trent Zimmerman can run with exactly no one outside a few fringe lunatics giving a f**k about him representing the area. At the end of the day if you'd sooner decide not to play because of a few f**king colours splashed on a jersey, good luck to you. Those are your non-negotiable values. I hope the club has some too.
