tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2523157134200402843.post2998477051903846628..comments2023-07-02T19:23:47.154+10:00Comments on scuze i: putting the boot inFruitCakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15660225514077942415noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2523157134200402843.post-28889292336987876772012-03-27T22:41:04.467+11:002012-03-27T22:41:04.467+11:00The shift in Australian tastes from beer to wine h...The shift in Australian tastes from beer to wine has helped break down the 'getting pissed is normal' attitude a little... but I think someone hit the nail on the head when they said getting pissed and/or doing drugs or both has become a rite of passage in itself. And for some, the line between greenhorn and grown-up just keeps shifting outwards to "braver" and more stupid behaviour.<br />Bring back the good old days when boys graduating from shorts to long trousers was a rite of passage. Or girls wearing their first pair of heels. <br />But you're right, it is inconsistent. On the one hand our "values" don't condone aggressive intoxication, but in the name of freedom and free enterprise we not only allow it and in many ways encourage it.FruitCakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15660225514077942415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2523157134200402843.post-6182298389637830802012-03-25T11:15:12.999+11:002012-03-25T11:15:12.999+11:00There are so many things wrong with a culture that...There are so many things wrong with a culture that accepts excessive drinking as a norm when it is done by sports people, backpackers and even grey nomads; and accepts that 'boys being boys' is the norm for sports star bad behaviour. It saddens me that our culture is so inconsistent.Red Nomad OZhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03020668094026661054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2523157134200402843.post-36613045641668489712012-03-19T23:09:40.905+11:002012-03-19T23:09:40.905+11:00Couldn't agree with you more, Diane.Couldn't agree with you more, Diane.FruitCakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15660225514077942415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2523157134200402843.post-58663638953641705252012-03-19T21:31:47.587+11:002012-03-19T21:31:47.587+11:00It must be very difficult for these talented young...It must be very difficult for these talented young football players to come from their background and try to understand the city footy culture. I hope the clubs can develop understanding on both sides of the camp, so that the aboriginals can be proud members of their community and of their football team.diane bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12002292118984909883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2523157134200402843.post-92162250346076195782012-03-17T10:34:31.834+11:002012-03-17T10:34:31.834+11:00Hi Andrew,
I suspect what is more important than k...Hi Andrew,<br />I suspect what is more important than knowing a lot about Aboriginal culture is having some human decency, which I know from your blog is something you have by the bucketload.<br />The "thank you" story shows that despite their best intentions - and I believe they were the best intentions - AFL people are struggling with the idea that white players could make an effort to at least question their own assumptions and learn from these.<br /><br />Perhaps you've seen today's story [which looks like it's meant to provide a positive spin for balance] about Amos Frank, another fully initiated man who has been recruited for Hawthorn. <br />It's telling that in an almost casual way the article quotes the club's development and welfare officer as saying <br /><i> it puts him in a realm where he's obligated to be a strong element in his community. We considered funerals...when he comes back, and so on.</i><br /><br />Something has been left out of the quote, but I think the welfare officer gets it, but the journalist doesn't, that far too many Aboriginals spend their lives criss-crossing the continent to attend funerals. <br /><br />We can only keep our fingers crossed for everyone involved.FruitCakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15660225514077942415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2523157134200402843.post-51207730657393487262012-03-17T07:49:12.687+11:002012-03-17T07:49:12.687+11:00The quote from the recruiter sounds bad and I thin...The quote from the recruiter sounds bad and I think he put his thoughts clumsily, to say the least. What I read into what he was saying is that clubs can't take aborigines from the outback, from their family and friends, and put them in a big city without giving them considerable support. Thinking further, taking anyone from an outback environment where they have grown up and putting them in a big city on their own could be problematic. Whatever the right and wrongs, it is good that this is being discussed. McKinnon said that when Liam was brought to Melbourne for a try out, he had minimal English and he was put up in a North Melbourne hotel and left on his own for the night. I don't know much about aboriginal culture, but I would guess that most aborigines do not have nor want very much alone time when they are growing up. It might have even been the first time he had been on his own. I thought that was pretty shocking, but who knows what the details really were.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com