Boro, please 'take the knee' next season

[SmallTown]

Unfortunately human rights are set by politicians. Go and take a look at countries with tyranical leaderships if you don't think thats the case.

Where have I said I want to ignore inequality or bigotry?

There are many opportunities to raise and voice your concerns about any matters you feel strongly about. I don't see why it has to be brought into football where a lot of people go to simply for the love of football.

You want to ignore footballers bringing attention to it. Funny the reasons you state human rights issues shouldn't be highlighted in football are the reasons the absolutely should. Lots of people go to football, yes. Making it the perfect platform to push for equality. It's troubling to me you don't want this

 

[JM14]

Reading through these posts I must be the only person who believe's football and politics shouldn't mix.

How is an anti racism message political?

 

[uncle_rico]

It’s about communicating about what the club thinks about racism, and the game still has a problem with it

Maybe those that oppose taking the knee don’t think that enough is being done? Many clubs, including ours took that stance.

As stated above, allowing tournament hosts and club owners who have links to government and leaders who have total disregard for any sort of diversity was, and still is, a massive backwards step.

 

[Wobbleyhead]

Taking The Knee is a Anti Racism message and should be encouraged . We should all be united on this , every step we can take big or small to get rid of racism and racists in any form of sport we should encourage

 

[ForssAwakens]

Maybe those that oppose taking the knee don’t think that enough is being done? Many clubs, including ours took that stance.

As stated above, allowing tournament hosts and club owners who have links to government and leaders who have total disregard for any sort of diversity was, and still is, a massive backwards step.

That’s why it important to communicate other solutions

 

[equaliser]

Wow erm ok

Personally I’d argue that we are witnessing in Ukraine is more a battle for the soul of the world.

Indeed, they are two facets of the same thing. Putin seeks to deploy reactionary religion-sanctified nationalism in the service of corrupt autocracy. Part of that ideology is to portray 'traditional' social structures as being under siege from the effete forces of post-modern relativism which manifests itself in 'woke' iterations such as gay rights, positive discrimination, Black Lives Matter etc. the same arguments are being deployed by right-wing parties and leaders all across the world, from Trump, to the culture warriors of Brexit, to Bolsonaro, Orban, Law & Justice, Duterte etc. Look at how Farage & trump lionise Putin! It's the same battle. The war in Ukraine is a proxy war for the wider battle of global ideas: democracy, rule of law, free speech, personal autonomy vs autocratic repression. Orban is in Putin's pocket, but he needs to keep cashing EU cheques so he plays both sides.

 

[exeterboro]

Let the players make personal choices, it's the only way forward, and if players are booed by some fans then the other fans should drown them out with chants of solidarity with the players.

 

[Randy]

Has any player or team in favour of taking the knee made a decision on boycotting the world cup Qatar yet?

 

[Expat Smoggie]

While educating the narrow minded or those who are maybe compromised from a cultural sense, can be obviously beneficial however people should be allowed to think and form opinions for themselves.

Booing (whatever the subject) is obviously a form of hatred, but the word “hate” is also a word often misused, overused and maybe misunderstood by those who use it. Nonetheless, no matter what the colour or creed people will always have reasons and opinions to hate other humans.

Some people actually don’t need a reason to hate or dislike someone else, so while we’d all like to see and live in a fairer society the truth of the matter is that ending hatred is probably only possible by ending the human race.

 

[borgelite]

While educating the narrow minded or those who are maybe compromised from an cultural sense, can be obviously beneficial however people should be allowed to think and form opinions for themselves.

Booing (whatever the subject) is obviously a form of hatred, but the word “hate” is also a word often misused, overused and maybe misunderstood by those who use it. Nonetheless, no matter what the colour or creed people will always have reasons and opinions to hate other humans.

Some people actually don’t need a reason to hate or dislike someone else, so while we’d all like to see and live in a fairer society the truth of the matter is that ending hatred is probably only possible by ending the human race.

100% agree with you

 

[SmallTown]

Has any player or team in favour of taking the knee made a decision on boycotting the world cup Qatar yet?

Why?

 

[changingman]

How is an anti racism message political?

This was the very first argument put forward when taking the knee began in this country...."politics and sport don't mix".

As far as I can see, there are two logical positions for putting forward this argument.

1. Ignorance, either accidental or wilful, of the act, what it means and why people do it.

2. It doesn't align with "your" politics. Politics in this instance doing a LOT of heavy lifting in this sentence as a thinly veiled metaphor for "my racist views".

 

[Pembroke]

How is an anti racism message political?

When the anti racism uses political tenets.

 

[Caesium137]

When the anti racism uses political tenets.

Such as?

"The journey to earn an England cap is an incredibly difficult one, regardless of background or circumstance.

Only around 1,200 players have represented England at senior men’s level. Ever.

It’s a profound privilege. Don’t forget, many of our lads started out at Football League clubs like Barnsley, MK Dons and Sheffield United. Their backgrounds are humble. For them to make it to this point as one of the chosen few in England’s history … well, it simply doesn't happen without pride.

This is a special group. Humble, proud and liberated in being their true selves.

Our players are role models. And, beyond the confines of the pitch, we must recognise the impact they can have on society. We must give them the confidence to stand up for their teammates and the things that matter to them as people.

I have never believed that we should just stick to football.

I know my voice carries weight, not because of who I am but because of the position that I hold. At home, I’m below the kids and the dogs in the pecking order but publicly I am the England men’s football team manager. I have a responsibility to the wider community to use my voice, and so do the players.

It’s their duty to continue to interact with the public on matters such as equality, inclusivity and racial injustice, while using the power of their voices to help put debates on the table, raise awareness and educate."

 

[SmallTown]

When the anti racism uses political tenets.

You're working really hard to defend racism here

 

[Same_as_before]

The booing of the England players by a crowd of Hungarian children makes it clear. Without wishing to sound over the top, I must still say, in this simple gesture is crystallised a battle for the soul of the world: on the one side tolerance, inclusion, compassion and respect; on the other, hatred, fear, ersatz 'division' and the 'othering' of outsiders. In Hungary you see a country where free debate is being systematically closed down and instead a narrative which holds that European society should properly be white, Christian, heterosexual and conservative is being imposed. And of course, like any crusading ideology, the most important place it is imposed is in the minds of little children, the next generation of obedient worker slaves.

Again, that the 'gesture' has power is clear - which is why culture-warriors such as Priti Patel leapt to decry it in the first place - and why the England players' unity is an important, and in many ways remarkable, challenge to the prevailing media discourse which would prefer to tidy up the anti-racist conversation and place it back in its little box, thank you. Whilst Southgate deserves enormous credit for his heartfelt and beautifully judged letter to England fans last year, he shows that he still lacks understanding with regard to the wider context when he claims to be "surprised" by the Hungarian crowd's booing. If he knew what has been going on in Hungary under Orban, he wouldn't be.

I completely understand why Middlesbrough players took the decision they did to abandon the taking of the knee before kick off. In their decision they probably felt a duty to reflect the apparent opinions of many of their supporters, some of whom last summer were undoubtedly among those booing the England team at the Riverside. Nevertheless, with the alarming sight of thousands of Hungarian children effectively declaring themselves 'for' racism, I hope they might reflect again. As role models, and as a happily diverse and inclusive workforce, they can continue to make a humble, but insistent, difference.

There you go. A benefit of Brexit, Hungary cannot effect our decisions. See it's simple. The reason the EC countries continue to spend 312billion euros per annum with Putin is because they could not stop, Hungary made sure.

Before I am accused of being Bigoted against Hungarians, I don't know any.

 

[Pembroke]

Such as?

I am not sure what the purpose of your quote was. The question was, how is an anti racism message political? The answer obviously would be when anti racism aligns itself with political tenets.

So in answer to your question. Political anti racism would be BLM, Resisting Hate, UAF etc.

A individual can be anti racist without being political. Most of us are.

Football meanwhile is very prone to cosying up to tyranical regimes, and dodgy racist (?) owners. Anti racist?

 

[Caesium137]

So in answer to your question. Political anti racism would be BLM, Resisting Hate, UAF etc.

But they aren't a BLM organization, they're the England squad?

The quote was the England manager, about his and the squads strength of feeling on the issue.

 

[Pembroke]

But they aren't a BLM organization, they're the England squad?

The quote was the England manager, about his and the squads strength of feeling on the issue.

I answered a question how is an anti racism message political,

Are you stating that taking the knee from its outset was free of any politics? The FA made repeated statements distancing itself from politics. That indicates a problem with the message. The gesture, the act was seen as political.

In regards to depth of feeling the anti racism sentiment in football is paper thin. Mr Southgate gets himself into a Gordian knot. Players benefit from gaining wealth from unprincipled individuals, business, organisations and states. Their anti racism has terms and conditions that ignores the soiled and some times bloodstained hands that help them accrue wealth.

Not one player makes reference to Nikes dodgy racist working practices in the third world, the performative politics staunchly ignores the racist and murderous treatment of African migrant workers and on this exploitation goes. Football is balls deep in brazen non anti racist hypocrisy and doing well out of it.

 

[1finny]

I am not sure what the purpose of your quote was. The question was, how is an anti racism message political? The answer obviously would be when anti racism aligns itself with political tenets.

So in answer to your question. Political anti racism would be BLM, Resisting Hate, UAF etc.

A individual can be anti racist without being political. Most of us are.

Football meanwhile is very prone to cosying up to tyranical regimes, and dodgy racist (?) owners. Anti racist?

For the vast majority - Taking the knee, and supporting 'black lives matter' is not political. It is anti racist.