Racism / Taking the knee

[Little Shrimp]

Spot on Keith. And to add to that, can anybody really say that they genuinely think that footballers taking the knee are thinking:

"Ah yes, me and my comrades are spreading the message of Marxism far!"

This Marxism link is nonsensical, and the only reason I can think that people have decided to focus on that is because they're uncomfortable with the actual meaning of taking a knee.

As has been mentioned a few times, football players are constantly displaying these kinds of messages - the Rainbow Laces campaign every year, poppies around November, the Mind charity logo being displayed on shirts for the past few seasons etc.

If footballers feel that they want to use taking the knee to keep getting the anti-racism message across, then they should be free to keep doing it. The booing is only giving them a stronger case to keep doing so. Taking the knee is an inoffensive gesture that takes literally nothing away from the match itself.

If footballers collectively doing a brief gesture that represents anti-racism is something that annoys you or makes you uncomfortable, then I think you probably need to take a look at yourself.

This is a good article covering a few things: https://theathletic.co.uk/2244447/2020/ ... rxism-blm/

[redrobo]

I'm all in favour of people having a choice and in this area of understandable concern I feel that sportsmen of all colour and creed should now have the choice without being demonized if they choose not to take the knee any longer.

For me this understandable and justified protest of mass awareness concerning Black Lives Matter ( of which i am 100% in favour) has reached the eyes and ears of the masses and no longer carries the weight of message that it initially did and therefore the right of an individual to 'do or not to do' is his or hers and whatever their choice of action may be they should have that right.

[Phil Anderer]

I think this Marxism thing came about because a Communist group in the UK appears to have made a concerted effort to infiltrate BLM and recruit from within BLM, who have robustly denied any links and sought to distance themselves by some distance from these people. In the past, however, BLM UK have expressed more of an overtly socialist political outlook, which from what Keith's posted I assume they are trying distance themselves from now.

I probably should add that I fully support any moves to achieve better racial equality and end racism in all spheres.

[marky No.1]

Officials will be busy, banning all of Budapest

[Keith]

Officials will be busy, banning all of Budapest

It demonstrates what happens when concerted pressure for change isn't there. I think the UK government is pretty intolerant, in particular, the foul Home Secretary, who actually wants to make it a criminal offence to save a drowning person. But Hungary's government is far worse. The racists there don't even try and hide from it.

[Relapsed_Shrimp]

The footballing governing bodies have gone far beyond ever being able to stop these racists.

Until a significant team leaves the pitch and starts to costs FIFA etc some serious money it will be ignored. Last night's game was disgusting and I bet if a player reacts the fines will flow freely.

I wouldn't walk in to my office and start chanting monkey noises, if I did I would be let go on the spot. All footballers are doing is earning a living and contributing massive amounts of money to fund the often jobless low lives we listen to the abuse from.

Everyone has got this so wrong and as always it's money driven. Playing behind closed doors? Give it a rest. The world has done that for over a year. That means nothing. Try just disqualification outright. Let their own countries rebel against the lunatics.

It is worth noting that our country are amongst the worst offender's and we can't sit pretty after last night playing all innocent.

[RapidShrimp]

It seems incomprehensible to me that Hungarian football crowds can be banned by UEFA on racism grounds yet this doesn’t apply for FIFA competitions, hence the full capacity stadium. If these governing bodies can’t even agree to cooperate on that, what hope have we got?

[Keith]

It seems incomprehensible to me that Hungarian football crowds can be banned by UEFA on racism grounds yet this doesn’t apply for FIFA competitions, hence the full capacity stadium. If these governing bodies can’t even agree to cooperate on that, what hope have we got?

That was exactly my thoughts yesterday, in particular the last part.

I would ban Hungarian fans from the next home games but allow away supporters in (production of a passport to enter) so that decent Hungarian fans and press, turn against the racists.

[Andy D]

the boo boys main counter argument is that politics should not be in football, but racism isn't politics its a form of bullying, and for me taking the knee needs to carry on until the booing stops.

[Posh]

It seems incomprehensible to me that Hungarian football crowds can be banned by UEFA on racism grounds yet this doesn’t apply for FIFA competitions, hence the full capacity stadium. If these governing bodies can’t even agree to cooperate on that, what hope have we got?

Politics. UEFA hate FIFA and vice versa. They both want to control European football.

Makes me laugh people saying don’t bring politics into sport when football has been a political football for decades. From Thatcher seeing football fans as part of the ‘enemy within’; the lies spread by politicians around Hillsborough; and bandwagon jumping at the Euros by Johnson and other MPs, its always been there. The blazer brigade of the FA being some of the worst - killing off women’s football. Only five years since Greg Clarke stood down as Chair of the FA for his remarks about gay footballers, racial slurs and misogynistic remarks.

[Scouseport_Shrimp]

In the meantime the World Cup in Qatar next year carries on at a pace.

Over 6,500 lowly paid foreign construction workers, helping to build new stadiums, have died due to poor working conditions since Qatar was awarded the World Cup next year.

Surely Racism and Human Rights, politically motivated or not makes everyone, officials, players, and fans who support the World Cup in Qatar a hypocrite.

It's all very well talking about what went on in Hungary on Thursday night, but it's just a part of the whole picture.

[marky No.1]

Welcome back Peter

[Keith]

Welcome back Peter

Yes, I had noticed. Absolutely zero warnings if even a toe out of line. Probably best advised to avoid anything even slightly contentious eh?

[Andy D]

Welcome back Peter

and Doris

[Freez]

UEFA and FIFA are completely corrupt and unfit for purpose.
End of.