Loud and continuous booing from some Millwall fans at the New Den today when both teams took the knee just after the starting whistle was blown. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55111474 Was this the first EFL game (since 2,000 fans were allowed back in) where players have taken the knee? I don't recall anybody mentioning it at any recent Charlton games. On SSN the pundits are saying the booing was premeditated, as it began instantly and loudly rather than gradually. That would mean that the fans who began the booing knew in advance the knee would be taken. Was it in the match programme? Or did they learn about it from another source. EDIT: It has been mentioned on SSN that there were a few scattered boos at the West Ham v Man Utd game as well when players took the knee there. Apparently it began more slowly though, and was nothing like on the scale of the booing at Millwall.
Millwall fans have and will always support anti-discrimination groups!! Not the BLM movement though, which bending the knee is all about. This is the organisation whose supporters defaced war memorials, burnt the Union flag, and threatened to tear down the Winston Churchill statue. They are a group of anarchists & far left Marxists. Will gladly boo again and again and again!!!!
I think this whole matter is more complex than it first appears. There are several different things going on, which appear to be parallel but are actually pulling in radically different directions. But these are so emotionally charged that it's very difficult to untangle some of the different issues and look at them objectively. The politics of the racism debate is a minefield. It's a conversation many would rather not have.
A large national opinion poll in the Guardian of all places last week found that 55% of people thought the BLM movement was stirring up racial hatred, not trying to solve it. Most interestingly, 40% of black people agreed. It’s also a fact that the BLM movement has made a series of anti Semitic (ie racist) comments. “BLM” has been hijacked by a collection of BAME extremists, woke, rich middle class white people with fake guilt complexes, tankies & Trots. As we saw yesterday, normal people have started to see through it.
Once again this is an example of the rashness of mixing politics with sport. Anti-discrimination campaigns set up by individual football Clubs have been running for decades in many cases, doing good work in local communities to educate and give opportunities, often on a one-to-one basis. As far as I'm aware there has been little resistance to these initiatives. Some might argue there has been little resistance because these schemes make little or no difference. Because they are (in effect if not in intent) only window dressing. Though I have no personal experience of these anti-racist schemes, I think it devalues the effort and time put into them by good people to just assume that because they are usually low profile and non-confrontational in nature, that they make no difference. But taking the knee - which began as a genuine and brave act by one sportsman, who paid a high price for his show of courage - has become a policy implemented by powerful sports governing bodies, and imposed on professional players regardless of whether or not they believe themselves that it is right or appropriate. In what must be hundreds of occasions now involving thousands of individuals, has one player not done it when everybody else on the pitch did so? And if nobody declines, why is that. Because every single player genuinely believes taking the knee is the right thing to to? Because players have been instructed to do it, and been told they will be in trouble if they don't? Because some players feel intimidated into doing it, because of the spotlight that will be upon them should they decline? An action or a gesture which is not genuinely felt by the person performing it is empty. Indeed it harms the original purpose of the gesture because of it's insincerity. So, what to do? Ideally I would like to see taking the knee stop at football matches. Whether people like it or not, the action is seen by many as political. And seeing it as a political gesture does not automatically make the person who perceives it that way a racist. But if removing the guidance/instruction to take the knee not going to happen, I would make two suggestions. 1) Taking the knee should NOT happen during the match (after the referee has blown his whistle to begin the game). To many fans, the time between the first and final whistles is the most sacred of times. The time when nothing should be happening except the game itself - the competition between two teams of 11 men. And it has always been that way for 150 years. Other ceremonies, including those of solidarity or unity between rival fans (such as minute's silences or national anthems) always take place before the match itself begins. That is the time for other aspects of life to be acknowledged or respected at football matches. When the first whistle blows it's time to compete - and nothing else. Sportsmanship yes, on occasion. But only within the pure spirit of the clash. What the football authorities have done with taking the knee after the first whistle is blown, is imposed that non-footballing action onto the game itself. Something that has never been done before. Many fans may feel (as I do) that they don't pay good money to watch imposed and arguably political gestures being performed during the 90 minutes of the game. They want to watch football - uncontaminated by any other issues. If taking the knee is deemed necessary, time should be made for it before the match itself begins. 2) Taking the knee should be entirely voluntary, and no stigma should be attached to those players who choose not to do it. It is possible to respect a cause without having to take an action which has taken on political connotations. Wearing a remembrance day poppy is a prime example of this. Rightly or wrongly, wearing a poppy is seen as a political act by some people. And in my opinion it is a matter of shame that some people in the public eye have been criticised and even vilified because they choose not to wear one. It is possible to be respectful of lives sacrificed in war without having to wear a poppy. And I believe it is possible to respect race equality without having to take the knee. But the intolerance of politically correct evangelists who wish to impose their values (which they believe are above any questioning) upon everybody leads to a climate of fear among broadcasters and commentators. Every subject that affects our lives should be open for reasonable discussion, with offence not automatically taken at the first suggestion of opposing views. If we cannot talk about such things, they are surrendered to those who would use them to tell us how to live and what to think. Nothing good ever came from not talking about a controversial and perhaps painful subject* *vaccination not included. That subject is not controversial or painful. It will save millions of lives. Anyone who has a problem with that is an idiot.
Yes, thanks Gary for that contribution. Very helpful. Pretty rich too, coming from somebody who would deny everyone else grown-up contributions to this subject because it conflicts with his political correctness.
It should be very simple, even for the rancid, woke Left .... it is possible to be both anti racist and anti BLM Because BLM is a political organisation
I just think it is sad that in the 21st Century there are people that hate other people just because of the colour of their skin. Having said that I think it is time that players stopped taking the knee, it has lost its impact. What you can do about people's racist views, both black and white, I have no idea. Education from both the parents and Teachers is obviously a starting point. I feel that this hatred is learned behaviour, usually from a parent or parents. One isn't born racist.
Absolutely. Where I come from it's religious bigotry which is handed down. Equally, racial tolerance is learned behaviour.
A lot of it is pure ignorance. In my lengthy experience there are good people of all races & religions. A man I am friendly with from the gambling industry is a Muslim - he is the most peaceful and placid and well mannered guy imaginable.
Clinton Morrison basically lost his rag. He was shaking with anger as this story broke. To be fair, Morrison has probably been on the end of a lot of nasty racism during his life and career - something I'll never fully understand as it has never happened to me. His life experiences have obviously affected his views, and the strength of them. Not saying that makes his reactions right or wrong. But I don't think he was 'putting on' a reaction (for want of a better expression). He was really upset. And I can appreciate that. It's one of the reasons this whole subject is so difficult to talk about in an objective manner. Real in-your-face racism is absolutely horrible. Nobody should have to suffer it.
But on this subject he has the kind of experience we both don't have. We cannot know how this feels to him personally, just as he'll probably never understand the perspective of people like you or me.
