Nugent4nil Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 Yes you guessed it, it’s the annual ‘Show Racism the Red Card’ weekend where 22 guys standing in the middle of a pitch holding red cards and wearing wee red badges rids us of one of the most despicable things in modern society. Before I go on I am NOT criticising the SFA, the SJFA or whoever but what good does it do, seriously? There have been a few incidents publicised recently of players being racially abused but will holding a card up for a minute or two stop it happening again? If you believe that it will then I suggest you start writing your letter for Santa as you’ll obviously believe in his too. Personally I think most of the abuse is through ignorance rather than nastiness, it doesn’t for a second make things right but it does make me sure of one thing. In a day and age where we are actively trying to encourage families to come to junior football should we have that sort of stuff going on? If you heard some of the comments on a bus, rain, in the street, wherever, would you accept them, no, so whey then does it seem ok to shout what you want at a football game? If children are there and hear something and nobody acts they will think it’s acceptable and then the cycle continues. The clubs putting pictures of their players holding red cards up on social media won’t change a thing nor will adverts in match programmes. Clubs are run by volunteers and it’s not fair to expect them to act or police events, neither is it the job of officials etc…. the people or more to the point the person I feel is responsible is YOU! We are supporters and well as humans should act, if someone shouts something in connection with someone’s race, creed, colour or religion its really up to us to make them know that in 2016 it’s just not acceptable, not that it ever was. I know a manager recently confronted supporters over this and I admired that but we cant go on saying “it’s not my problem” or “it’s only a bit of banter” it’s time to shout these people down and make junior football and well life in general a happier place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shanner Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 The football environment is a strange place where people often think they're stepping outwith normal society for a couple of hours and the normal rules don't quite apply. It's a throwback to the game being seen as a way for working class men to blow off some steam. It should go without saying that a player receiving racial abuse on the field of play should have the same status as an employee anywhere and if someone came into your workplace and stared it the police would be phoned. A lot of fans send a mixed message on police intervention though, plenty in the Senior game particularly are quick enough to run to the authorities to tell them who sang what song or unfurled a banner. 99 times out of 100 they aren't offended by anything they've witnessed but want to get rival fans in bother. This has unfortunately led to a dilution of the things that should really be tackled - like racism. Most fans also have selective hearing when it comes to challenging one of their own and the incidents can be whitewashed rather than dealt with. Show Racism the Red Card isn't the stand alone answer but at least it's something. The problem is that there is often nothing that can be done to change people's attitudes, all that can be done is to ensure that they remain unacceptable and encourage other people to challenge it. Having read this sort of thread on here a few times there will be a couple of wilfully ignorant tubes along to ask why it's not ok to abuse a black player but it is ok to slag a fat one or a ginger haired one, so just thought I'd get a post in before it descends into that particular line of stupidity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbaxters Posted October 18, 2016 Share Posted October 18, 2016 Ruminated about whether I should respond here but finally plumped on the side of "ach dae it". I can see where Nugent4nil is coming from with his post as the displaying of big red cards seems futile, to say the least, in response to such a deep set, worldwide issue but something has to be done in our wee acre to get rid of it. I love my club but, controversially, our fans absolutely do my nut in sometimes. (Hence the reason for my doubt at whether I should reply). I will never forget being in Rugby Park in one of our (many) Scottish Finals and hearing people who I knew to be good guys shouting incredible stuff at Chris Mackie. I was stunned to say the least and embarrassed on their behalf in front of my kids. The thing that got me was no one shouted them down. I include myself in this and it has haunted me since. Not only the words but my lack of action. Having said all this, (and I know I'm in danger in falling into Shanner's "line of stupidity" trap), there are many other things shouted at matches which although not racist are as maddening. I have had this debate on here before, and went as far as to suggest that Junior football matches are no place for children. I got shouted down for that as we all want the younger generation to be involved, but when youngsters hear family friends or men to be respected in their part of the world calling players and officials the kind of expletives that they do, what are they to think? Quite simply, they will think it's ok, and the done thing. Until we all get a grip of ourselves, realise that game on a Saturday doesn't transcend life and common decency, and begin to stand up to those shouting such bile, then our game will have problems. A fitba park is a place where people should go to enjoy a match, not to display the sort of gang mentality that they seem to. If the sight of their heroes getting on board with this initiative makes them stop and think then more power to the program I say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troon Portland Posted October 18, 2016 Share Posted October 18, 2016 I agree it isn't going to make a difference overnight, but I think it's still very worthwhile doing. We did it at Greenock on Saturday.Reaffirms a very positive message - and without it, we wouldn't be having conversations like this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shanner Posted October 18, 2016 Share Posted October 18, 2016 a perfectly reasonable post JB which highlights that challenging these things is often easier said than done. I wasn't attempting to dismiss non-racial abuse as insignificant, but on these threads you usually see attempts to equate milder stuff with more serious stuff to muddy the waters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nugent4nil Posted October 18, 2016 Author Share Posted October 18, 2016 I was at the Beith Arthurlie Scottish Cup game last season and an 'Arthurlie' supporter I had never seen before or since started shouting about the IRA and the pope? He was thankfully told to shut up as neither had any place there or relevance for that matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue manalishi Posted October 18, 2016 Share Posted October 18, 2016 50 minutes ago, Nugent4nil said: I was at the Beith Arthurlie Scottish Cup game last season and an 'Arthurlie' supporter I had never seen before or since started shouting about the IRA and the pope? He was thankfully told to shut up as neither had any place there or relevance for that matter. He's turned up at the wrong cup tie ,Pope plays for the Talbot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitburn exile Posted October 18, 2016 Share Posted October 18, 2016 wasn't sure to respond however I feel I should for a couple of reasons. is a red card being held up going to make a blind bit of difference. Yes it does. If it didn't then we wouldn't have this thread. Also it may make some people think even I only fleetingly. Should more be done by clubs to tackle racism yes. Should more be done to tackle homophobic,religious abuse yes. Now who can be counted as the club. To me this includes not only club official's,the managers and players but also the fan's. If you hear a knucklehead shout any form of abuse that is discriminatory then there is in my view an obligation to tackle it. That could be by telling them to pack it in, report it to the club or phone the old bill. By doing nothing then it could make the club look back if no one does nothing. living in England I have suffered a number of racist comments and each time I have challenged them and reported the incident to the police and on one occasion the call handler said it wasn't racist. I quick call to someone I know and they took it seriously. Will this stop them being racist possibly not but it may male them think for even a brief second about spouting their crap again. There is a bigger debate to be had about educating folk which to me has to start at a young age and to me football clubs need to have a part in that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbaxters Posted October 18, 2016 Share Posted October 18, 2016 Who did you phone? The Big Man off of Chewing The Fat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitburn exile Posted October 18, 2016 Share Posted October 18, 2016 1 hour ago, jimbaxters said: Who did you phone? The Big Man off of Chewing The Fat? haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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