Goodes riddance, Eddie gone!

[samoht]

A Greek Aussie, now about 80, related an experience he had as a Telstra employee (Telecom back then).

He was having a conversation with a fellow employee, when he was rudely interrupted by a derisive comment from a work colleague with a strong Aussie accent:
"How come you new-Australians always wave your hands around when you speak?" ... and he started laughing and waving his hands mockingly.

The Greek Aussie guy coolly replied -- "Okay, I'll tell you why. It's because we're celebrating the fact that our hands are free - that we didn't arrive in Australia with our hands and legs shackled and manacled.
That's why we proudly wave them around at every opportunity."

You need a sense of humour and some good comebacks (even if they are inappropriate, too) sometimes - to put the ratbags in their place.

[CQ SAINT]

My best friend, a white man from a privileged background, was debating the validity of my work, which at that time was focussed on the reintegration of young Aboriginal offenders back into society after being detained in a youth detention facility.
His opinion was that their upbringing was the problem and their hatred of whites was due to the punitive justice they received from the courts for the way they behaved.
I told him that this wasn't isolated to black kids and he inferred that thieves were just thieves. While I didn't disagree, I invited him to the local IGA for the smokes test.
I'm older than him and earn more money than him, I own more wealth than him and Ive never stolen from a shop in my life but I guaranteed him that at this shop I would be treated differently to him because of my appearance. He laughed and said bulls***, so off we went.
I purchased a packet of smokes and waited as the white teenage girl hung onto the smokes until my EFTPOS transaction cleared. Then she passed me my smokes and said next.
It was his turn. The smokes were placed on the counter and she asked him for the price. His head dropped and he went even paler. He looked at her and asked why she held on to mine and not his. She readily replied that she was trained to do that and seemed really nervous and almost cried. We apologised for the fuss and we left, ensuring her that there would be no problem for her.
Id already spoken to the manager about this which was pointless really. It is the mess we have inherited in this previous penal colony built on someone else's land.
Do I let it get me down? I can't help it. I dont want my own children treated like that. I dont want their dignity shamed like that. I dont want the girl behind the counter fear me.
I'm not sure what the answer is, other than to raise me kids to value education, honesty and hard work. I dont want them filled with hate in a social system that will beat them into the ground for the colour of their skin, so I teach them tolerance.
I know how Harry O feels and I see Eddy as fear-filled little girl behind a counter holding on to his smokes.

[asiu]

nice post CQ

thats a bit of a teary read that

****

i do a thing
(when the moment is appropriate)
usually in a supermarket

that , is that experienced described
but reversed

i’ll pay with a big note (50 or 100)
for a little bit of stuff
and when she/he finishes organising the change
i say

throw the change in the bag luvvie / mate

stops em dead , everytime.

now its about THEIR honesty

[shanegrambeau]

I second Aisu,

Good post CQ

Boring out the girl for holding the smokes is kind of sad.

To think that people don’t ‘twitch’ judge and behave in a microsecond, which then leads to other decisions and situations that flow into consequences undesirable is folly.

It’s in our primitive brain to judge - ain’t no stopping it. But the inputs that lead to programming the hardware come from culture ...

Then you have motive. That’s more of a mental thing.
Say you watch two identical looking guys approach the counter. You’d seen them earlier in the morning too. One just won tattslotto, the other just saw his family get thrown over a cliff for a parking infringement- as happens somewhere. So for no other reason than to suppose one is happy and the other is angry or devastated, you might hold the smokes differently.

Say you are a RealEstate agent in 1966 Detroit.
It’s the middle of ‘white flight’. It’s been a tough year. Your performance targets are down, wife is pregnant again and the company is laying off salesman.

You know people are noticing massive changes in neighborhood values...your commission is waiting. All you gotta do is remind that white family at number 12, that the white family at number 18 and 22 just sold, and bam, you get your commission.
Of course it is never ending...

Sorry I said if drop it.

It’s such a charged topic though. We all have our stories.

(Aisu, thanks for posting that video)

[The_Dud]

Nice post CQ

Pity some will deny the issue, pass it off as nothing, making a mountain out of a molehill, you both got your smokes so what’s the big deal, get over it?!

[CQ SAINT]

I second Aisu,

Good post CQ

Boring out the girl for holding the smokes is kind of sad.

To think that people don’t ‘twitch’ judge and behave in a microsecond, which then leads to other decisions and situations that flow into consequences undesirable is folly.

It’s in our primitive brain to judge - ain’t no stopping it. But the inputs that lead to programming the hardware come from culture ...

Then you have motive. That’s more of a mental thing.
Say you watch two identical looking guys approach the counter. You’d seen them earlier in the morning too. One just won tattslotto, the other just saw his family get thrown over a cliff for a parking infringement- as happens somewhere. So for no other reason than to suppose one is happy and the other is angry or devastated, you might hold the smokes differently.

Say you are a RealEstate agent in 1966 Detroit.
It’s the middle of ‘white flight’. It’s been a tough year. Your performance targets are down, wife is pregnant again and the company is laying off salesman.

You know people are noticing massive changes in neighborhood values...your commission is waiting. All you gotta do is remind that white family at number 12, that the white family at number 18 and 22 just sold, and bam, you get your commission.
Of course it is never ending...

Sorry I said if drop it.

It’s such a charged topic though. We all have our stories.

(Aisu, thanks for posting that video)

Interesting response Shane.
I did question my friend why he confronted the girl on they way back to his house. It was a twitch moment for him, I guess.
He said he was filled with anger, instantly. He felt he wanted to protect me from 'systemic racism'. He made an apology. For doubting me.
As we drank the night away, playing ukulele and singing old songs, he repeatedly reflected on his emotions, trying to readjust beliefs he was raised to imagine.
His reflections did turn to the poor little girl behind the counter. How she too is a trained victim of the same systemic racism, while she is just trying to earn her pocket money and contribute to her community.
It infects us all like a virus, stripping away our humanity and suffocating us in greed, fear, hatred and even violence.

[Trev from the Bush]

Eddie's major flaw, through my eyes, is that he grew up and remains a one-eyed, super passionate Collingwood man.

How I wish he were a Saints man. Much of the crap that spews forth about our Club on this and other forums would have been laid to rest a couple of decades ago had Eddie been calling. The shots at the Saints instead of the Pies.

Hate to admit it but if you step back and look at the guy I completely agree. He's absolutely in love with that club and it showed in his dealings. Glad we've got a President who seems professional, committed and very business like but it must have been nice to have a totally committed partisan at the wheel for all those years.

Yes. I'm jealous, somewhat.

The only thing haters really love is hating. Take a bow Eddie, you have been fantastic for your club and a great ambassador for the game.

[Vortex]

A Greek Aussie, now about 80, related an experience he had as a Telstra employee (Telecom back then).

He was having a conversation with a fellow employee, when he was rudely interrupted by a derisive comment from a work colleague with a strong Aussie accent:
"How come you new-Australians always wave your hands around when you speak?" ... and he started laughing and waving his hands mockingly.

The Greek Aussie guy coolly replied -- "Okay, I'll tell you why. It's because we're celebrating the fact that our hands are free - that we didn't arrive in Australia with our hands and legs shackled and manacled.
That's why we proudly wave them around at every opportunity."

You need a sense of humour and some good comebacks (even if they are inappropriate, too) sometimes - to put the ratbags in their place.

I understand the sentiment however the solution your story attempts to offer has very limited application by most people who suffer at the hands of racism.

Ironically the man in your story clearly suffered from racism enough to have developed a repertoire of quick witted retorts, sort of sounds like a bloke that had to accept a racist nickname in order to "fit" in.

[asiu]

He said he was filled with anger, instantly. He felt he wanted to protect me from 'systemic racism'.

thats why i led my lot off
(wasn’t even the Captain)

lol ... was not a happy chappy that day

the young kid , fairly fresh in oz , copping that crap


(in hindsight ... that was a ‘whatever it takes ‘ moment)

that cost us our cricket team
‘n the community that went with it

fuckers

[The_Dud]

I second Aisu,

Good post CQ

Boring out the girl for holding the smokes is kind of sad.

To think that people don’t ‘twitch’ judge and behave in a microsecond, which then leads to other decisions and situations that flow into consequences undesirable is folly.

It’s in our primitive brain to judge - ain’t no stopping it. But the inputs that lead to programming the hardware come from culture ...

Then you have motive. That’s more of a mental thing.
Say you watch two identical looking guys approach the counter. You’d seen them earlier in the morning too. One just won tattslotto, the other just saw his family get thrown over a cliff for a parking infringement- as happens somewhere. So for no other reason than to suppose one is happy and the other is angry or devastated, you might hold the smokes differently.

Say you are a RealEstate agent in 1966 Detroit.
It’s the middle of ‘white flight’. It’s been a tough year. Your performance targets are down, wife is pregnant again and the company is laying off salesman.

You know people are noticing massive changes in neighborhood values...your commission is waiting. All you gotta do is remind that white family at number 12, that the white family at number 18 and 22 just sold, and bam, you get your commission.
Of course it is never ending...

Sorry I said if drop it.

It’s such a charged topic though. We all have our stories.

(Aisu, thanks for posting that video)

Interesting response Shane.
I did question my friend why he confronted the girl on they way back to his house. It was a twitch moment for him, I guess.
He said he was filled with anger, instantly. He felt he wanted to protect me from 'systemic racism'. He made an apology. For doubting me.
As we drank the night away, playing ukulele and singing old songs, he repeatedly reflected on his emotions, trying to readjust beliefs he was raised to imagine.
His reflections did turn to the poor little girl behind the counter. How she too is a trained victim of the same systemic racism, while she is just trying to earn her pocket money and contribute to her community.
It infects us all like a virus, stripping away our humanity and suffocating us in greed, fear, hatred and even violence.

It’s a big thing being a strong enough person to reflect on your previous behaviour or thoughts, or how you interpreted the world, once new information is presented, and change the way you act and perceive society.

So many grow up seeing the world one way, then hang on to that the rest of their lives, and decades later, even with overwhelming evidence, still refuse to budge on the way they view society and how they act within it.

[The Fireman]

Before things get out of hand here.. and we lose clarity.....F5ck Eddy and F%ck the Skunks.

Get real people..look at their racist vermon club and their past presidents....their supporters...thats right..their supporters .. I mean really ..all of a sudden sympathy...

Drink some wet cement people.

[mr six o'clock]

I also say good post CQ
However I'll also say what are you doing buying smokes , those things aren't good for your health !

[asiu]

Before things get out of hand here.. and we lose clarity.....F5ck Eddy and F%ck the Skunks.

Get real people..look at their racist vermon club and their past presidents....their supporters...thats right..their supporters .. I mean really ..all of a sudden sympathy...

Drink some wet cement people.

is that sorta like ... toughen up Princesses

[CQ SAINT]

I also say good post CQ
However I'll also say what are you doing buying smokes , those things aren't good for your health !

5 years ago. 4 years clean lol.

[The Fireman]

Before things get out of hand here.. and we lose clarity.....F5ck Eddy and F%ck the Skunks.

Get real people..look at their racist vermon club and their past presidents....their supporters...thats right..their supporters .. I mean really ..all of a sudden sympathy...

Drink some wet cement people.

is that sorta like ... toughen up Princesses

sorta yes

[Scollop]

It was a twitch moment for him, I guess.
He said he was filled with anger, instantly. He felt he wanted to protect me from 'systemic racism'. He made an apology. For doubting me.
As we drank the night away, playing ukulele and singing old songs, he repeatedly reflected on his emotions, trying to readjust beliefs he was raised to imagine.
His reflections did turn to the poor little girl behind the counter. How she too is a trained victim of the same systemic racism, while she is just trying to earn her pocket money and contribute to her community.
It infects us all like a virus, stripping away our humanity and suffocating us in greed, fear, hatred and even violence.

The reason it exists today is because there’s too many leaders in positions of power (like Eddie) who are borderline racist and choose to ignore episodes of racism when it happens. I’d acknowledge that there are dumbarses in society who are apathetic, but I don't think the current day Ediie would qualify as a boagan nuff nuff dumbarse.

So why did he do it? As a leader it was one of his biggest responsibilities. Why did he ignore Harry’s complaints? Why did he make that comment about Goodes?

Maybe....just maybe....it’s a bit like the conversation going on below, where some forumites choose to ignore the issue of racism

Eddie's major flaw, through my eyes, is that he grew up and remains a one-eyed, super passionate Collingwood man.
F
How I wish he were a Saints man. Much of the crap that spews forth about our Club on this and other forums would have been laid to rest a couple of decades ago had Eddie been calling. The shots at the Saints instead of the Pies.

Hate to admit it but if you step back and look at the guy I completely agree. He's absolutely in love with that club and it showed in his dealings. Glad we've got a President who seems professional, committed and very business like but it must have been nice to have a totally committed partisan at the wheel for all those years.

Yes. I'm jealous, somewhat.

The only thing haters really love is hating. Take a bow Eddie, you have been fantastic for your club and a great ambassador for the game.

Maybe Eddie is a trained victim

Racism is systemic because people like Eddie were born and raised in a time where our leaders in government and leaders in business were racist. He grew up in a time where it was normal to joke about aboriginal people and call them all sorts. Your mind and your whole psyche is telling you that you are doing nothing wrong. The laws of our nation were racist so it is ingrained. This is the reality and the truth that some just want to ignore.

[The Fireman]

excuse my ignorance and bring on the footy

[roskilde]

Apologies I didn't realize I was 'ignoring racism' Scollop I was just in a discussion with another poster about the merits of the guy as a football president. Out of line for me to be discussing that.

A thousand apologies. I'll shut up and you go back to talking about systemic racism uninterrupted.

[asiu]

re duds point

perception is everything

if we ‘perceive’ differently
all the rest of our internal / external stuff
changes naturally
... coz the old ways that no longer serve us
fall away ... of their own accord

it can’t get any easier than that , Shirley

personally , i think
the healing journey is about the unfolding of authenticness
via an allowance of ... let go

adding another layer of right/wrong
is not fit for purpose if the quest is evolutionary expansion

[Scollop]

Perception and authenticness. I like it

So ...there’s 2 young Aussie kids and each of them asks their dad why the black fellas are just sitting around in the park.

The first dad tells their child that they’re good-for-nothing drunks and lazy and it’s their own fault that they’re in this situation.

The second dad tells their child that the aborigines were treated badly and most of them just need a little help to catch up to the rest of us.

The 2nd father also educates his child and describes how the descendants of these folk in the park were driven out of the cities decades ago and their parents and grandparents were banned from mixing with the whites, banned from even entering certain parts of the city. The government made laws which meant they were forced to live in squalid conditions on the outskirts of metro areas or 100’s of miles away from where there was any sort of work. Without a job, without any prospects for a good education and without the support of the majority population, most of the people in the indigenous communities did not have a chance to prosper and enjoy the same opportunities that the white folk enjoyed.

The second dad tells his child that the children of some of the people drinking in the park are just like him, but they just aren’t as lucky. If they were as lucky as him and they lived in a stable home with a stable family life they’d probably go to the same schools and be friends.

The second dad says that he’s hopeful that with some mentoring and guidance he’s sure that they will have a better future.

[The Billings Method]

A number of year's ago, while consulting to IATSIS in Canberra (Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies) I did a research paper on living standards according to geographical location.

What I found was that the further aboriginal people lived from a capital city, or major regional centre, the bigger the "gap" in terms of living outcomes became. This was a steady, linear effect. The greater the distance, the wider the "gap" in outcomes you may have read about in numerous "Closing the Gap" reports.

Life expectancy, employment, general health markers, employment, income, education etc. all decreased the further you moved out. What struck me about the results for so called 'Urban Aborigines' was their results were similar to the general population. Statistically insignificant differences in all the major categories measured.

The results for non-aboriginal populations mimicked those of aboriginal populations, in that disadvantage and poor outcomes were roughly the same for both.

My point is, it appears that it is a case of "Build it and they will come", when it comes to positive outcomes in these major categories and variables
In living standards. The racial differences don't discriminate as much as we are led to believe by the MSM, where poverty and squalor are concerned. What we derisively refer to as " white trash" struggle as much as our indigenous brothers.

Without being naive and idealistic, can we not lift everyone, regardless of race or colour? The ravages of disadvantage will only be cancelled out by the provision of opportunity. Of course there are failures, but that's the nature of the human condition.

My final conclusion was that if you give people opportunity and the conditions in which to succeed, most will. It takes generations to achieve this. Patience, grasshoppers.

[Joffa Burns]

My best friend, a white man from a privileged background, was debating the validity of my work, which at that time was focussed on the reintegration of young Aboriginal offenders back into society after being detained in a youth detention facility.
His opinion was that their upbringing was the problem and their hatred of whites was due to the punitive justice they received from the courts for the way they behaved.
I told him that this wasn't isolated to black kids and he inferred that thieves were just thieves. While I didn't disagree, I invited him to the local IGA for the smokes test.
I'm older than him and earn more money than him, I own more wealth than him and Ive never stolen from a shop in my life but I guaranteed him that at this shop I would be treated differently to him because of my appearance. He laughed and said bulls***, so off we went.
I purchased a packet of smokes and waited as the white teenage girl hung onto the smokes until my EFTPOS transaction cleared. Then she passed me my smokes and said next.
It was his turn. The smokes were placed on the counter and she asked him for the price. His head dropped and he went even paler. He looked at her and asked why she held on to mine and not his. She readily replied that she was trained to do that and seemed really nervous and almost cried. We apologised for the fuss and we left, ensuring her that there would be no problem for her.
Id already spoken to the manager about this which was pointless really. It is the mess we have inherited in this previous penal colony built on someone else's land.
Do I let it get me down? I can't help it. I dont want my own children treated like that. I dont want their dignity shamed like that. I dont want the girl behind the counter fear me.
I'm not sure what the answer is, other than to raise me kids to value education, honesty and hard work. I dont want them filled with hate in a social system that will beat them into the ground for the colour of their skin, so I teach them tolerance.
I know how Harry O feels and I see Eddy as fear-filled little girl behind a counter holding on to his smokes.

An IGA is an Independently owned small Supermarket, usually owner operated. If a group of people be it junkies, gender, sexual preference, age, race, religion, bikie club, etc had an MO of ordering smokes and grabbing and running without swiping their cards would it not be prudent for an owner to mitigate his/her loss by training their staff to reduce the risk with a sales technique similar to what was utilised by the girl?

Is the IGA in an area where crime is prevalent and did you bother to ask the girl if smokes were stolen regularly and what technique was used in the theft? Did you study people buying smokes to understand if there was any other groups she was trained to mitigate against?

Was there any persons of indigenous background working in the IGA and if so so you watch their technique when selling smokes?

Did you take that one grab as your total sample size or did you delve further and understand the background to that behavior or was your mate to busy shooting the messenger and bullying a teenage girl about the way she was trained to do her job to gather any further information?

In your scenario, who is the racist here?
Is it the girl?
Is it the person who trained her?
Is it the business owner?
Or is it a society issue culminating an a specific issue in this small retail outlet?

Do you believe that the technique utilised & the training was purely based on skin colour with no reason for that business owner/ manager to implement such a procedure? Personally I would try and educate the shop owner to employ they safe sales technique for all cigarettes sold to ensure that no particular group feels they are targeted.

Personally I think racist behavior is abhorrent, but am equally vocal about about a grown man bullying a teenage girl at her place of employment and almost bringing her to tears.

But then again I don't agree with smoking at all or excessive alcohol consumption so I guess we all have our tolerances.

Lastly, I'm pretty sure Heritier prefers his birth name to "Harry O" .

I must say I do not agree with all of Heitier's comments, however I have nothing but respect for his stand against racism and for the courage he has shown to hold the course of his convictions and bring this behavior to a head.

Well done to that man for standing up for himself against the power and influence of a man of Maguires standing.

I dips me lid to you Heritier!

[CQ SAINT]

Perception and authenticness. I like it

So ...there’s 2 young Aussie kids and each of them asks their dad why the black fellas are just sitting around in the park.

The first dad tells their child that they’re good-for-nothing drunks and lazy and it’s their own fault that they’re in this situation.

The second dad tells their child that the aborigines were treated badly and most of them just need a little help to catch up to the rest of us.

The 2nd father also educates his child and describes how the descendants of these folk in the park were driven out of the cities decades ago and their parents and grandparents were banned from mixing with the whites, banned from even entering certain parts of the city. The government made laws which meant they were forced to live in squalid conditions on the outskirts of metro areas or 100’s of miles away from where there was any sort of work. Without a job, without any prospects for a good education and without the support of the majority population, most of the people in the indigenous communities did not have a chance to prosper and enjoy the same opportunities that the white folk enjoyed.

The second dad tells his child that the children of some of the people drinking in the park are just like him, but they just aren’t as lucky. If they were as lucky as him and they lived in a stable home with a stable family life they’d probably go to the same schools and be friends.

The second dad says that he’s hopeful that with some mentoring and guidance he’s sure that they will have a better future.

My dad is of Aboriginal descent born in 1932, however from all appearances, he is a white man, mentored and guided to live, study, work and believe he is a white man. His Aboriginal identity was hidden from him and he was raised on the land of his indigenous forefathers, stolen from his great grandmothers family. They grew tobacco and became quite wealthy.
When he found out he was part Aboriginal, via torment and ridicule from his cousins and other locals who knew the history, he left the area. I can only believe it was due to the stigma of shame that came with his DNA, although he refused to talk about it to his children, so I can't be sure.

He married a Maori woman of typical Polynesian appearance. My mother was raised on her traditional land, which has been in the family since they landed on Aotearoa. She had the benefit of a belonging to her cultural roots and in her lifetime, she was also exposed to all the rewards of modern New Zealand prosperity because her parents enjoyed the freedom of self-determination on their own land via the Treaty of Waitangi. They also became very wealthy.

My parents met in New Zealand.

When mum came to live in Australia in 1953, she struggled. She resisted the covert racism she encountered and was also largely protected by my dad and his influence.
Over the course of her life in Australia she worked hard to place herself in a position of influence, so as to bridge the gaps in self-determination she encountered within her community.

She lead mothers/wives groups, she lead church groups, she lead parent based school groups. She qualified herself as a nurse, a teacher and a psychologist and realised that she had a small window of opportunity to work in the gaps not only for black people but also for women and for the poor and disadvantaged.

There is a lot to be said for perception and authenticness, but in my opinion self determination and freedom of movement should always be constitutional rights in progressive society.and until this is the case, patience and tolerance is all I have to work with. If we are not careful, we may regress to the archaic regimes which start this whole s*** fight in the first place. The world is watching.

Thanks for chat

[Yorkeys]

I half expected some media commentator to note among other things he successfully campaigned against Sydney's COL salary cap advantage. Swans won't be sad to see him go for that and a number of other well publicized reasons. I did see Peter Gordon note Eddy did a lot for competition evenness (notwithstanding little evidence in recent times). His resignation/public humiliation is a big moment - hope it leads to really positive results because its a heavy price (which he unfortunately deserved). It would be a pity if all it became was retrospective punishment of one man and, cynically, a text book case study in poor PR management.

[asiu]

valid questions , vaild perceptions joff

i watched from across the road
my (black) mate , henry
(a legend at everything he did)

pull into a servo on bondi road
his old man got out of the drivers side
walked around the car clockwise
(opening the boot)
as he did so

henry (as instructed)
alighted from the front passengers
picked up 1 box of large lemonade
from the bunnings style stack
at the front entrance
placed it in the boot
shut it
completed his journey around and back into the vehicle
anti clockwise

and off they drove
all cool and never been there , like

it was so smooth
no one noticed a thing

just normal people doing normal things
that u would in a normal servo

i was gobsmacked

thinking
that was like hustling a goanna
for brekky
without one dead leaf being crushed

ps

henry’s old man was a tyrant

the last i heard of henry
he was on the nod
in surrey hills
crucified on a pick
... just clinging to ‘his’ life