Players refusing to sing the National anthem in protest

[Vic Mackey]

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/st...e/news-story/af1f78f9b55c068afcb24b65ef550c34

Here is an alternate view from an semi high profile indigenous ex player. This is the sort of attitude that will move the country forward

And unsurprisingly he is now getting attacked by the ‘tolerant left’ for declaring that he sung the Anthem.

 

[typicalfan]

Oh shut the f**k up. In the age of social media there are plenty of ways for already famous people to get attention for any issue they wish to highlight. As I said earlier the could of approached the NRL who are very conscious of our indigenous people and they could've done it in a way using RL to help their cause without it taking away from origin.

Now f**k off if you cant discuss it without the outrage and completely making shit up that I didn't say, you are a dumb merkin of the highest order.

FTR ive already said in this thread I have no problem changing the anthem, I don't even like the f**king song and think it should be inclusive of our first Australians. I just think this is taking away from the game tonight now. What a f**king joke.

I agree with you. But this is on the media trying to drum up friction asking the question. The media already knew Cody wouldn't sing as he made his opinion clear earlier in the year. Some people like it and sing, others don't.

I want Cody to be truthful about what he says and he did. I don't understand the outrage over him. Justin and Kurtley thing differently, good on them too.

Its funny how this stuff drums up attention. People are going to tune in to just watch Cody not sing an anthem and then get outraged by it either way.

 

[unforgiven]

exactly. 3% of the population is indigenous. Yet almost 30% is in prison. 10% finish high school...Far bigger issues than whether an anthem is disrespectful or not. It is great we can protest and good on those for standing up for what they believe in but many many other issues

So what you are saying is they can't choose which issues they wish to protest and are only able to protest about one issue at a time! Do you have a list of the issues they are allowed to protest against so they don't get confused next time and protest the wrong one?

 

[carcharias]

Be interesting to see the reaction when a white fella refuses to sing because it is disrespectful to indigenous.

 

[franklin2323]

So what you are saying is they can't choose which issues they wish to protest and are only able to protest about one issue at a time! Do you have a list of the issues they are allowed to protest against so they don't get confused next time and protest the wrong one!

I am saying we are talking 4 people in Around 1m indigenous people don't speak for the majority. So people are basing what the other 95% want on 4 people.

 

[franklin2323]

And unsurprisingly he is now getting attacked by the ‘tolerant left’ for declaring that he sung the Anthem.

The beauty of this country is he is free to sing it. While Walker and co are free not too

The worst part of it are those that decide what others should believe in

 

[unforgiven]

I am saying we are talking 4 people in Around 1m indigenous people don't speak for the majority. So people are basing what the other 95% want on 4 people.

No that is not what you said!

exactly. 3% of the population is indigenous. Yet almost 30% is in prison. 10% finish high school...Far bigger issues than whether an anthem is disrespectful or not. It is great we can protest and good on those for standing up for what they believe in but many many other issues

You are trying to say this issue isn't as important as others, when you have no right to do so. Raising money for cancer is so much more important that for the local pet shelter, I still donate to the local pet shelter because that is an issue I decided to support.

 

[unforgiven]

The beauty of this country is he is free to sing it. While Walker and co are free not too

The worst part of it are those that decide what others should believe in

Which is exactly what you did!

 

[betcats]

I agree with you. But this is on the media trying to drum up friction asking the question. The media already knew Cody wouldn't sing as he made his opinion clear earlier in the year. Some people like it and sing, others don't.

I want Cody to be truthful about what he says and he did. I don't understand the outrage over him. Justin and Kurtley thing differently, good on them too.

Its funny how this stuff drums up attention. People are going to tune in to just watch Cody not sing an anthem and then get outraged by it either way.

Yeah I can see how the media is drumming a lot of this up, its unfortunate because it is being directed at Cody quite a bit.

 

[unforgiven]

Well they are willing to wear the colours and emblems which are as much part of the problem if the anthem is.

You di understand it is possible to love and want to represent your country while having concerns about how that country represents and treats you? This protest allows them to have their say without giving up their chance to achieve their goals and represent their family, people and country!

 

[betcats]

No that is not what you said!

You are trying to say this issue isn't as important as others, when you have no right to do so. Raising money for cancer is so much more important that for the local pet shelter, I still donate to the local pet shelter because that is an issue I decided to support.

That is the worst analogy. Franklin has no right to decide which issues are more important than others but you have decided that cancer is more important than the pet shelter. Franklin hasn't tried to stop anyone supporting the anthem change issue.

 

[unforgiven]

That is the worst analogy. Franklin has no right to decide which issues are more important than others but you have decided that cancer is more important than the pet shelter. Franklin hasn't tried to stop anyone supporting the anthem change issue.

No he 100% said they have more important issues to worry about, saying they should be protesting those instead! He has no right to do that!

 

[Perth Tiger]

The focus should be on the game. Not social issues that NRL have no control over

I don't get this argument. Sport has always mixed with social issues.

If a bunch of uppity northeners focused on the game and ignored social issues we would all be watching union tonight instead of TGG.

 

[franklin2323]

That is the worst analogy. Franklin has no right to decide which issues are more important than others but you have decided that cancer is more important than the pet shelter. Franklin hasn't tried to stop anyone supporting the anthem change issue.

Exactly. This topic is important to those players protesting and good on them for standing up for their beliefs and those that feel just as strongly should do the same

 

[franklin2323]

No that is not what you said!

You are trying to say this issue isn't as important as others, when you have no right to do so. Raising money for cancer is so much more important that for the local pet shelter, I still donate to the local pet shelter because that is an issue I decided to support.

Nope. I was merely pointing out these highly paid individuals have issues that is more important to them. Doesn't mean everyone has the same issues that is important to them.

As for your example. That is good that you have issue to support. Those that have lost a family member to cancer may go the opposite way..Doesn't make either choice wrong nor does it make either issue that important to the majority of the country either.

 

[unforgiven]

Nope. I was merely pointing out these highly paid individuals have issues that is more important to them. Doesn't mean everyone has the same issues that is important to them.

As for your example. That is good that you have issue to support. Those that have lost a family member to cancer may go the opposite way..Doesn't make either choice wrong nor does it make either issue that important to the majority of the country either.

Maybe you should have worded it better then!

 

[franklin2323]

Maybe you should have worded it better then!

I do it all the time

 

[Timbo]

I don't get this argument. Sport has always mixed with social issues.

If a bunch of uppity northeners focused on the game and ignored social issues we would all be watching union tonight instead of TGG.

Sport dipping it’s toe into politics helped end apartheid. I wonder how many people who disagree with this on political grounds think we should’ve been playing the Springboks in the 80s.

 

[carcharias]

It is true. I struggle to think of an uncivilised country. If not the English the Chinese or someone would of settled eventually

So f**king what?
That doesn’t make it any better.
The fact is the place was invaded by white fellas .
They killed thousands, they enslaved men.
They raped women, stole children
Stole everything.


Now their descendants don’t want to join in the glee club that sings a song that offends the memory of their ancestors.

 

[wibble]

So f**king what?
That doesn’t make it any better.
The fact is the place was invaded by white fellas .
They killed thousands, they enslaved men.
They raped women, stole children
Stole everything.


Now their descendants don’t want to join in the glee club that sings a song that offends the memory of their ancestors.

Not only did "this" (the sorts of misery you describe inflicted on indigenous people by British invaders) happen a lot, it is often conveniently forgotten, and people do have a right to be upset about it.

Though it also shouldn't be forgotten that the same things, rape, torture, murder, slavery, were inflicted on most of the non indigenous population also. It was a brutal time and the elite British hierarchy enforced misery through much of the world, including on their captive colonists in what would become Australia.

And many people have since come to Australia precisely to escape these sorts of things in their countries of origin.

The real issues are deeper than the misery from imperial British hierarchies of two and a bit centuries ago (who were horrible, but not especially worse than any other ruling forces in the world at the time).

The issues are that the legacy of that invasion has left us a scarred nation, with ongoing, real problems today, some of which are cruelly targeting indigenous people disproportionately to the rest of us. Mind you, it would still be cruel to have terrible child mortality, for example, in an otherwise modern, healthy country, even if it was not a problem really affecting a segment of our population more than another.

The real strength of our nation is that despite the crap dished out to our indigenous people, our first penal colonists, the underpriveleged and those fleeing persecution from elsewhere, we have a strong, healthy, vibrant population that has created a very pleasant place to live for most of us, most of the time.

One of the many things we have embraced is the idea that we are democratic, not just in having a right to vote, but in having a right to a good life (a sort of egalitarian pluralism that we mostly believe in). While this does not always turn out to be true, as long as we continue to agitate for the right of all our people to have good lives, we are heading in the right direction.

The anthem is seen by some as uniting us, and not singing it is therefore dividing us. But the anthem is a symbol, as is not singing it. It is the ideal of everyone having a "fair go" that unites us. If not singing an anthem is one way that someone can point out an area that is important to them where they feel everyone is not getting a "fair go", then really, that is being a part of us.

I think the respect shown in this forum, in the media, by the NRL, to this idea of a protest, is also part of our united faith in the idea that we should all strive for everyone to have a good life.

It may not be a perfect protest. The criticism of it may not be perfect. But mostly it is coming from a place where we want to see all our people have a fair go.