Why the NRL Indigenous All Stars match is not racist
January 21st, 2012 by Shaun · 9 Comments
This time of year is always one of great anticipation for footy fans. The trial games are just around the corner and excitement builds. For the past two seasons the center piece of the pre-season has been the
Indigenous All Stars Game. Unfortunately, the advent of the The All Stars game always brings out accusations that having an all Indigenous representative side is racist. I won't link to the disingenous cretins who promolugate this nosense. Google will do that for you if you want to wallow in the mire.
This argument that the Indigenous All Stars team is racist is no diffferent from claiming that the Women In League round is sexist. The argument comes from a position of priviliege that ignores all the historical and social differences between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. The failure to recognize privilege along with some good old fashioned relevance deprevation syndrome concludes that recognising Indigenous Australians is somehow racist against the white majority.
The great thing about the Indigenous All Stars game is that it is inclusive. Non-Indigenous Australians are welcomed to join in the celebrations not the least through helping select the NRL All Stars team. The point of the game is also to help raise awareness of the issues that the Indigenous community still face in Australia. As Mark Liebler
wrote in The Age recently regarding proposed constitutional changes:
We need to have laws that relate to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people just as we do for many groups in society - women, the elderly, the disabled, veterans, people living in remote areas - but these laws should be based on need and the national interest, not race.
Need because Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people remain Australia's most disadvantaged citizens. The national interest because their cultures and languages are unique to this country to be celebrated as part of our common heritage.
And while the efforts of Indigenous NRL players to engage with the community are important that is not enough. The future of Indigenous Australians is part of the future of all Australians and is something we all should be concerned about. The All Stars game helps reminds us that as far as Australian has come in regards to Indigenous Australians there is still a long way to go. The game itself won't solve all the problems but if each year the
gap can be closed then a better country we will be.
Remember the game is a celebration and not black against white (and if you still think that, consider the make up of the NRL All Stars sides). Both teams will play hard but at the end of the game they will stand united. Sit back and enjoy that footy. That is what I'll be doing.
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9 responses so far ↓
Bismark O'Measles // Jan 22, 2012 at 12:27 am
Hi Shaun – welcome back!
Maybe I’m naive but I’ve never met a “cretin who promolugates this nonsense” – I don’t think we’d get along well.
I for one can’t wait.
Shaun // Jan 22, 2012 at 11:26 am
It happens in the darker conerns of the internet or Twitter (and most likely Facebook as well).
Looking forward to the Bunnies game against Warrington next weekend if only for it marking the start of the trials.
Mountain Boy // Feb 2, 2012 at 1:30 am
Greetings all. Nothing like starting the year with some spice. I for one have never been a fan of the Indigenous v Caucasian Australian + Other Internationals concept. I don’t see it as racist, but nor do I see it as progressive. I believe that what seems like a novelty event and a bit of fun actually does more harm than good. Giving people an impression that Indigenous Australian is different to Other Australian, to me, is, well, Un-Australian. I think amongst all the things T.Abbott is wrong about, he is right about the fact that the government has done just about all it can to help people of aboriginal background to start helping themselves and be part of one big happy productive country. This land of opportunity hand feeds those that still feel pursecuted from the wrongs of 230 odd years ago, yet the large majority of those continue to build a wall against progression, whilst never flinching at holding their hands out every second Thursday, instead of just getting on with it. A very small percentage have broken the mould and exceeded in their chosen field to the highest levels, and to those I take my hat off to, but no less hat taking-off than to those just out there having a go. As an analogy, Negro-America seems very much to have moved on in a far more bigotted country than ours. I say this not as an Indigenous Australian, nor as a Caucasian Australian. Nonetheless I am Australian, have been since day one, yet not as proud as I could be knowing that backwards continues to be the new forwards. The irony of course, is that while the concept for this game would have been thought up as a great showcase of what those of aboriginal background can achieve, its really just more fuel for the us vs them fire.
Shaun // Feb 2, 2012 at 3:55 pm
MB, good to see you are back for another year. Been thinking about the Panthers as I work on season previews.
There is an “other” Australia. One where life expectancy if a good 15 years less than the average (and one of the lowest for inidegnous populations). One where the infant mortality rate is higher than the average. One where the population has health issues twice the normal rate. So when these disadvantages (and others) still exist how can people move on? Move on to where? Remember it is not just about what happened 230 years ago but also what has happened since.
As to the question about whether the goverment can do any more, such a discussion is probably beyond a footy blog. However I will say the problem it not so much that the goverment has been involved but that, and this goes for both sides, the government has been paternalistic and non-consultative in its approach.
The Indigenous jumpers will carry the “Learn, Earn, Legend” motto. This is part of Closing the Gap initiative and activities surrounding the game focus on that. Which goes to show that while the All Stars game is about recognising the contribution of Indigenous players to the game, it is also about reminding us that as Australians we have a shared responsibility to close the gap.
Which is the trouble I have with exhorations to get over what has happened and look to the future. It ignores the present.
And and better comparison in regards to the US would not be African-Americans but Native Americans.
Mountain Boy // Feb 3, 2012 at 7:18 am
Anyone from aboriginal background who truly wanted to get off their ass would have done because many of them have. They are offered everything in sight and its never good enough. You can definitely lead horses to water.
Arcturus // Feb 3, 2012 at 10:51 pm
Rant & rave, point your finger, say what you want but nothing you or anyone can ever change is the simple fact that separation based upon race is disgraceful. Artie Beetson spent his entire sporting life trying to end racism in sport & he’d be fucking ashamed to not only see that teams are being drawn up & divided based upon skin colour to “honour” him but also to see that there are still a few muppets living in Deliverance-Land who think that Black vs White is a somehow a good idea.
These players who are now being divided by skin colour (and don’t say they aren’t being divided, they are) are team mates & brothers with all number of players from their own team & other teams. Of different races/skin colours, religions & sexualities during the League season yet for some reason now it seems that despite the amazing oppourtunity for ANYONE to work hard & prove themselves as a human being & as an athlete, teams based upon your race & the tint of ones skin are not only “acceptable” but are somehow “not racist”.
Sooo.. what’s next? Gay vs straight league? Muslim vs Jew? Jew vs Christian? Captain Sidelined can rant & rave as much as he/she wants regarding how he/she thinks it’s perfectly acceptable to create teams along racial lines & then pit them against each other for fun but ANYONE with a fraction of a functioning brain has to realise that this is racism 100% & without a doubt. Black vs white? Fine according to Captain Sidelined. Gay vs straight? Also excellent & worthy of celebration. Bugger the fact we all bleed red & that the worthless fallacies that we use to separate us are nothing more than excuses for our own prejudices, Captain Sidelined wants you to think that this kind of division is a good thing. Sorry but Captain Sidelined is DEAD wrong & by the very example of his/her words seems determined to be a part of the problem. Unity can only come about through….. guess what? UNITY, never through division & separation. Racism is definitely alive & well in Australia. The most shameful aspect of that is it seems people want those of European descent to be ashamed of not only their heritage but the colour of their skin. I’m sick of it.
Shaun // Feb 3, 2012 at 11:31 pm
Hello Arcturus,
Just two points.
1. Beetson coached an Indigenous side back in 1999 and was then pushing for a Indigenous team to play the Kangaroos on Australia day. His own son has recently stated that Big Artie liked the concept.
2. As crude as the “Black v White” term is, you did look at the make up of the NRL All Stars side before you wrote this didn’t you?
Oh and I find the term “Captain Sidelined” very offensive given I’m a Brigadier General.
Mountain Boy // Feb 4, 2012 at 1:59 am
Everyone does have the right to their own opinions and views. It makes sense that this can often end in disagreement. What doesnt really fit on this page is when a case needs to be strengthened by making it personal. I dont exactly agree with Shaun on this one, but I very much respect his right to his own opinions and views.
Makes you realise how good it will be in a few weeks when its just about your team against another and Rugby League takes the wheel, politics having to sit in the back and be quiet.
Kelvin Jeffs // Feb 4, 2012 at 3:41 pm
I’m sorry but reinforcing the idea that people should be treated differently or separately based on their race is disgraceful.
It’s this kind of misguided thinking that marginalises people and prevents them from feeling like a part of the wider community.
If somebody proposed the idea of an African-American vs Caucasian football team in the US, they’d be crucified and rightly so.