The Rugby Union are not racist (and other myths)
So that forced apology over the NZ Rugby Union's racist past, was just window dressing and not very sincere at all huh?
What's that smell I can smell? Why it's the scaly claws of the head of Slitherin House, Murray McCully (who never seems to get any criticism in that dreadful rich house wife lifestyle magazine 'The Listener') - look at him weave his spell...
Haden to keep Cup role despite 'darkie' jibe
Rugby World Cup ambassador Andy Haden will stay on in his role after a ruling was made that he had made a mistake, apologised - and that that was the end of the matter.
Haden's comments last week - that the Crusaders Super 14 franchise had a limit to the number of Polynesian players they had - sparked heated debate nationwide.
His use of a racial term many regard as offensive sparked even more controversy.
"Once they've recruited three, that's it. That's their ceiling. Three darkies - no more," he said on the Deaker on Sport TV panel show.
Rugby World Cup minister Murray McCully, who faced calls to sack Haden as one of six world cup ambassadors, met the former All Black yesterday.
Mr McCully announced that Haden would keep his role but said it was not favourable to have to be addressing issues such as suggested racism or the use of language, instead of rugby.
"Look, if we were to take out everyone who made a mistake and shoot them, we'd sooner or later run out of people to do things in this country," the minister said.
..a mistake? WTF? Is that how Muzza is clearing Haden??? When I first read about what Haden had said, there were two immediate responses:
1: I'm no expert in any way shape or form on Rugby, personally I think it gets WAAAAAAY too much exposure culturally in this country and a certain knuckle dragging element seems to go along with it that always leaves me a bit cold (a bit like Federated Farmer meetings) - but I have NEVER EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER met a NZer who wouldn't want the best team possible to be fielded so I found Haden's claim that the Crusaders had set a limit on non-white players extraordinary to accept based on my limited knowledge of how competitive NZers are when it comes to rugby. NZ Rugby fans may have many criticisms, out right racism to select a weak team certainly doesn't seem to be one of them (in the modern game of course).
2: When he referred to 'darkies' I thought he was parodying the mindset of those racist Crusaders management members to bolster his original claim, but then it turns out he was just using the term 'darkie' as a racist would casually use the term in everyday discussion.
So, he's utterly wrong in his assertions of racism at the Crusaders and in trying to make his case, he accidentally revealed his own deeply racist views. How that can be construed by Muzza as a 'mistake' is generous in the extreme, the guy can't be a Rugby Ambassador now, his position is totally compromised and his promise not to be so racist in the future isn't really good enough is it?
posted by Bomber @ 6:52 am
4 comments
4 Comments:
yeah they don't mind using the word darkie to describe people with brown complexions but they would never, ever, use the word "whitey" to describe themselves
NZRFU is New Zealand's most racist institution by a long long way, and is held in very low regard around the world, despite what Kiwi's think.
They were solely responsible for 28 African teams boycotting the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games, bringing shame to the country that considered itself to have "the best race relations in the world".
The I.O.C. didn't want us there, Canada didn't want us there, but we rolled up like the arrogant arseholes we are.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1976_Summer_Olympics#Boycotting_countries
One of our heroes, John Walker, got his Olympic gold thanks partly to the racism of the NZRFU.
Check the photo finish, something seems to be not quite right.... http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/81399994/Sports-Illustrated
They don't teach this in schools, thats why racism is still prevalent within the NZRFU and why using the word 'darkie' is only considered a mistake.
Seems to me the whole deal is a pile of non news bollocks! Radio NZ spent vast amounts of time this morning on it. For anyone like me who never played for fear of serious injury and because of a natural lack of ability it is clear that the whole institution is riddled with racism, sexism and an obscene level of self satisfied Tory smugness. It simply isn't fucking news! I couldn't give a toss what the Canterbury region does when selecting rugby players, far more interesting is that they can't seem to keep their young women from being raped and murdered.
"It simply isn't fucking news!"
You are right that this isn't new news, its a deep rooted problem, but with the world cup being held here, and having a racist as an ambassador, its something we have to deal with quickly and firmly.
"I couldn't give a toss what the Canterbury region does when selecting rugby players, far more interesting is that they can't seem to keep their young women from being raped and murdered."
Far more interesting? Its actually a myth, check the stats here;
http://www.police.govt.nz/statistics/2009/calendar/index.html
Its a moral panic generated by the media, devoid of facts.
Per head of population, Canterbury has the lowest amount of violent crime of any region in the country.
And it has the second lowest amount of sexual crimes of any region behind Auckland.
It is the safest place to live.
The reason for the view of a Canterbury being violent is that any high profile/violent crime within the South Island goes through the Christchurch courts and gets flashed before your eyes at 6pm. Also the high profile crimes have been excessively high within Christchurch eg House of horrors, etc.
But overall I wouldn't worry about Canterbury's crime, cause is relatively low.
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