News Do you care if Israel Folau returns to the NRL?

[Timbo]

He's 30. Could very well go good for 1-2 years, but it appears that door is closed to him too. I have no idea where'll take him now. I thought maybe Japan, but then I saw this-

I thought Japan too because, well, racism and other ism's are still less taboo there than in the west.

But the south of France, particularly the south-east, is fairly conservative. He'll probably end up playing for a Top 14 club in one of the regions that was pro-Le Pen at the last election.

 

[Shark62]

I thought Japan too because, well, racism and other ism's are still less taboo there than in the west.

But the south of France, particularly the south-east, is fairly conservative. He'll probably end up playing for a Top 14 club in one of the regions that was pro-Le Pen at the last election.

What about the Toronto Wolfpack? That would be quite amusing methinks!

 

[age.s]

Left wing political parties LOL. Stamp it out?

Stamping out people discriminating against others?

I'm beginning to think you're not as against what Izzy said as you implied.

Of course you are. You're a binary idiot.

Crap like this is the exact reason people don't stand up for issues like freedom of speech. It's the exact reason these principles get eroded over time. Defending the freedom to say something we all agree on is completely meaningless. Its in cases like the bigoted homophobe that the principles need to be protected. That should be obvious, but doing so still gets you the old "You're a wolf in sheep's clothing" bullshit that poisons the well of any halfway decent discussion.

And yes "stamp it out" is part of the Australian Green party platform.

 

[Shark62]

Of course you are. You're a binary idiot.

Crap like this is the exact reason people don't stand up for issues like freedom of speech. It's the exact reason these principles get eroded over time. Defending the freedom to say something we all agree on is completely meaningless. Its in cases like the bigoted homophobe that the principles need to be protected. That should be obvious, but doing so still gets you the old "You're a wolf in sheep's clothing" bullshit that poisons the well of any halfway decent discussion.

And yes "stamp it out" is part of the Australian Green party platform.

An angry man who hates lefties I see!

 

[age.s]

An angry man who hates lefties I see!

I don't hate anyone. I don't vote left and think lefties are mostly wrong. I think the right is wrong about a ton of shit and Israel is definitely wrong on the idea that being gay will land someone in a pit of fire for all eternity.

The idea that politics needs to be about hating those you disagree with is dangerous in the extreme.

 

[Shark62]

I don't hate anyone. I don't vote left and think lefties are mostly wrong. I think the right is wrong about a ton of shit and Israel is definitely wrong on the idea that being gay will land someone in a pit of fire for all eternity.

The idea that politics needs to be about hating those you disagree with is dangerous in the extreme.

I’m a political agnostic myself. Gave up caring a long time ago.

 

[Timbo]

What about the Toronto Wolfpack? That would be quite amusing methinks!

I don't think a Canadian team would touch him with a fifty-foot cattle-prod.

They sacked Dave Taylor and Fuifui Moimoi for a night on the tiles at a training camp after all.

 

[age.s]

I’m a political agnostic myself. Gave up caring a long time ago.

Yeah I don't have that in me unfortunately. I can't hold that against someone though. They're all lying lollipopers who want to line both their and their constituents pockets at the expense of others.

 

[Timmah]

Of course you are. You're a binary idiot.

Crap like this is the exact reason people don't stand up for issues like freedom of speech. It's the exact reason these principles get eroded over time. Defending the freedom to say something we all agree on is completely meaningless. Its in cases like the bigoted homophobe that the principles need to be protected. That should be obvious, but doing so still gets you the old "You're a wolf in sheep's clothing" bullshit that poisons the well of any halfway decent discussion.

And yes "stamp it out" is part of the Australian Green party platform.

You're getting this reaction because you're creating an issue where there isn't one, and seem incapable of absorbing the information about this issue that is clear and obvious.

Let me try again in simple dot points:

• Freedom of speech isn't constitutionally guaranteed in Australia.
• Even so, freedom to say what you like isn't freedom from the consequences of having said them.
• What Folau said was discriminatory against several different groups of people.
• He is now reaping the consequences of that discrimination, the chief consequence being that he violated his employer's code of conduct and has apparently had his contract terminated.

This isn't a freedom of speech issue. He has the freedom to say what he said, and people have the right to respond. Citing obscure bullshit from another country doesn't support your point, nor does citing someone suggesting they hope to "stamp out" discrimination. I don't understand why someone would want to stand up for someone's right to discriminate.

 

[Shark62]

I don't think a Canadian team would touch him with a fifty-foot cattle-prod.

They sacked Dave Taylor and Fuifui Moimoi for a night on the tiles at a training camp after all.

Very true. He’s stalking a limited market then.

 

[Sphagnum]

The LGBTIQ fraternity is being attacked by one of their own here.

Painfully obvious

 

[Captain Apollo]

A few here seem to be unaware of the importance of a code of conduct in the workplace.
RAs position on this is clear.
Folau chose to play rugby under a RA contract and then chose to act outside it’s code of conduct and then chose not to explain why to his employer.
He’s free to say whatever he likes but he’s not free to act contrary to his terms of employment without sanction .

Not sure exactly what RA are hypocritical about, he very clearly violated their code of conduct and in the 24h since he made the posts he's been uncontactable by RA.

And you'll find it's more than just RA who oppose his discriminatory views.

It is not just RA's code of conduct, but after the last blow up they had, Folau's new contract with RA (which they terminated overnight), which he had only signed relatively recently, had very specific provisions in it about Folau's use of social media. As such it could not have been more black and white clear that, if he made controversial statements on social media, it could have severe consequences for him.

 

[age.s]

• Freedom of speech isn't constitutionally guaranteed in Australia.

You realise that at its core this is what I have a problem with right? Not the ARU, not people getting shitty at Israel. This.

 

[Pedge1971]

2 major takeaways that everyone seems to have missed in this debate:

1. Folau is implying Buzz Rothfield will go to hell and that is unforgivable.

2. There is a ready made sport waiting in the wings to sign him up full of people who support him and his kind. Expect the Essenderp Bongers to announce Folau is coming home to Melbourne to kick a sharon in the next few days....

 

[Last Week]

You're getting this reaction because you're creating an issue where there isn't one, and seem incapable of absorbing the information about this issue that is clear and obvious.

Let me try again in simple dot points:

• Freedom of speech isn't constitutionally guaranteed in Australia.
• Even so, freedom to say what you like isn't freedom from the consequences of having said them.
• What Folau said was discriminatory against several different groups of people.
• He is now reaping the consequences of that discrimination, the chief consequence being that he violated his employer's code of conduct and has apparently had his contract terminated.

This isn't a freedom of speech issue. He has the freedom to say what he said, and people have the right to respond. Citing obscure bullshit from another country doesn't support your point, nor does citing someone suggesting they hope to "stamp out" discrimination. I don't understand why someone would want to stand up for someone's right to discriminate.

Yes you do. And so does he.

 

[Timmah]

You realise that at its core this is what I have a problem with right? Not the ARU, not people getting shitty at Israel. This.

For what reason?

 

[VirgilTracy]

The only surprising thing about this is the timing.

If he's done it to get out of his contract then its nothing to do with his religious beliefs anyway.

If it is down to his beliefs then he's just another of those happy clappy christians who 'love' everyone except for huge sections of the world's population that they would quite happily see die and spend eternity suffering.

Either way he's a tool.

 

[Wizardman]

As if this isn't just a orchestrated attempt form Folau to get out of his ARU contract. He had already been warned about posting stuff like this on social media before and knew what would happen. This has Isacc Moses name all over it and I bet he signs a mega bucks deal in overseas rugby shortly.

Some people are giving Folau way too much credit here by believing that him and his manager conspiried to get him out of his contract.

I'd say with certainty that Folau is simply guilty of being a complete idiot. A few factors confirm this...

*World Cup year. No player in their right mind would get out of contract in a world cup year, particularly a contract of his size....that would be pure insanity. If this happened right after the World Cup, I may have even considered the theory plausible....before the world cup, not a chance.
*He was on huge money in the ARU. French union money is big but with sponsorships and contracts, he was not on small cash here.

His manager would want to punch him in the face right now.

 

[Timmah]

The only surprising thing about this is the timing.

If he's done it to get out of his contract then its nothing to do with his religious beliefs anyway.

If it is down to his beliefs then he's just another of those happy clappy christians who 'love' everyone except for huge sections of the world's population that they would quite happily see die and spend eternity suffering.

Either way he's a tool.

Tele reported overnight he was even preaching against other Christians. He's gone completely rogue.

 

[martielang]

ARU sign a fundamentalist Christian & then sack him for being a fundamentalist Christian...