[Football] Has Barber got it wrong re: club stance on Ukraine?

[Creaky]

My point is - there is nothing stopping anyone doing any kind of gesture they like - but if you expect another person or organisation to do something on your behalf you might be disappointed.

I was - precisely the point of this thread, to show our disappointment.

 

[El Presidente]

A. Why has Barber 'got it wrong'? As opposed to Tony Bloom, or the other members of the board?

B. 'Should they be doing more?' Like what? What do you propose? Send the U23s* to take up arms in Kiev? Get the youth team to start knocking up molotov cocktails?

*Although that would be difficult, as presumably by the same logic they'd already be busy in Yemen, or Kashmir, or Xinjiang, or Myanmar?

Sure they could put out some kind of statement "Everyone at Brighton is against war, and urges President Putin to reconsider his actions", but for what?

About the only thing the club could realistically get involved in, that wouldn't be entirely pointless, would be to contribute to and publicise the Red Cross refugee appeal.

At the risk of being accused of being Thitist, This.

If you want to donate money to the Red Cross or similar, do it now instead of waiting until the next home match, the earlier you donate, the quicker the difference that can be made.

If you want to show visible support wear some yellow and blue at the Amex.

We should not need the club to be a moral and ethical wet nurse in terms of what is happening under Putin’s slaughter, take individual responsibility or as a group of fans if you want to show some solidarity.

 

[keaton]

At the risk of being accused of being Thitist, This.

If you want to donate money to the Red Cross or similar, do it now instead of waiting until the next home match, the earlier you donate, the quicker the difference that can be made.

If you want to show visible support wear some yellow and blue at the Amex.

We should not need the club to be a moral and ethical wet nurse in terms of what is happening under Putin’s slaughter, take individual responsibility or as a group of fans if you want to show some solidarity.

While I agree with your general point I think it's ok to question why other clubs/leagues seem to be able to make a gesture but we can't. Millions of people around the world will be watching our games or highlights, I get that some want the club to leave this thing alone, some would want a club to try and use it's position in what little way it can

 

[rippleman]

A. Why has Barber 'got it wrong'? As opposed to Tony Bloom, or the other members of the board?

B. 'Should they be doing more?' Like what? What do you propose? Send the U23s* to take up arms in Kiev? Get the youth team to start knocking up molotov cocktails?

*Although that would be difficult, as presumably by the same logic they'd already be busy in Yemen, or Kashmir, or Xinjiang, or Myanmar?

Sure they could put out some kind of statement "Everyone at Brighton is against war, and urges President Putin to reconsider his actions", but for what?

About the only thing the club could realistically get involved in, that wouldn't be entirely pointless, would be to contribute to and publicise the Red Cross refugee appeal.

Brighton Rocker reported on another thread and that he had emailed Barber who responded to say that the regulations prohibited the club from making a "political gesture". I have asked Brighton Rocker to post the email but he hasn't done so yet.

So it could all be total BS or it may be true. We don't know.

So there's your "why Barber" answer. Because it was Barber who (ALLEGEDLY) said that support of Ukraine was a "political gesture" and NOT Mr Chairman or other members of the Board.

Maybe the club should put out a statement clarifying their position?

 

[Eeyore]

He got it badly wrong.

It is reported that he described the situation as "political" - so the club would support no protest - in a reply to a fan before the weekend.

It is not about "politics". It is about decency and humanity.

Perhaps, although such a view will always be down to interpretation.

I wouldn't be uncomfortable the club making an open show of support for Ukraine, but not doing so is not an indicator of indifference.

I don't think it's right to be instructing folk, or institutions, as to how they should respond, or indeed if they should at all.

Albion are a football club with many competing views among a wide group of folk. They are not an authority, nor a moral arbiter.

 

[Hamilton]

Not much the club can do. Maybe follow the NSC lead and stick a blue and yellow banner at the top. Shake some buckets at games etc.

 

[Baldseagull]

The club's (in)action so far in demonstrating their support has been lacking/non-existent. Should they be doing more?

From the West Stand, you can see the boxes on the East North and South ends are painted Blue and Yellow as per the Ukraine Flag.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Send money via the Red Cross. We don't need the club to tell us when.

https://donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/ukraine-crisis-appeal

 

[jackalbion]

The club haven't done anything, if you need your football club to define your political response, then I think you a bit lost.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Much as I bristled against Barber allegedly referring to this as "political" there is far greater evil to worry about tbh.

 

[jcdenton08]

The club haven't done anything, if you need your football club to define your political response, then I think you a bit lost.

This is NOT A POLITICAL ISSUE. It is a HUMANITARIAN one.

 

[timbha]

The club's (in)action so far in demonstrating their support has been lacking/non-existent. Should they be doing more?

Can’t be bothered to read this tiresome thread, but what have you done?

 

[dazzer6666]

this is not a political issue. It is a humanitarian one.

they aren't mutually exclusive

 

[Bold Seagull]

A. Why has Barber 'got it wrong'? As opposed to Tony Bloom, or the other members of the board?

B. 'Should they be doing more?' Like what? What do you propose? Send the U23s* to take up arms in Kiev? Get the youth team to start knocking up molotov cocktails?

*Although that would be difficult, as presumably by the same logic they'd already be busy in Yemen, or Kashmir, or Xinjiang, or Myanmar?

Sure they could put out some kind of statement "Everyone at Brighton is against war, and urges President Putin to reconsider his actions", but for what?

About the only thing the club could realistically get involved in, that wouldn't be entirely pointless, would be to contribute to and publicise the Red Cross refugee appeal.

The football club has done lots of pointless things over the years, like flags, holding up pieces of coloured paper or card. Let's remember views of the East Stand are beamed across the globe either as a live game or highlights.

Saturday kicking off with the East Stand Upper in blue and the East Stand Lower in yellow would not have been a pointless message imho. If Ukrainians hunkered down and watching their version of Match of the Day and sees our East Stand bathed in their country's colours - are you really concluding that would have been an empty gesture?

That could have been a gesture without pretext or statement - just the simple sight of our East stand as the Ukrainian flag. It could have been really symbolic. Symbols and gestures are powerful things.

 

[Gazwag]

Weird thread, we have had one home match which was only a few hours after the invasion started. Was it expected that the club immediately sourced 10,000 yellow and blue plastic bags to put on an east stand display. I was quite surprises how little effort our fans made on Saturday to be honest, I didn't see any yellow and blue flags or posters. Some people are very quick to expect somebody else to do something they can't be bothered with.

 

[Springal]

[tweet]1498682535479545864[/tweet]

There you go.

 

[jackalbion]

This is NOT A POLITICAL ISSUE. It is a HUMANITARIAN one.

The same applies, in a humanitarian response, I have my stance and that is all that defines me, if the football club want to say anything it will affect me in no way whatsoever. My view is its horrific, and war crimes are taking place all over the Ukraine, but never has my thought been, oh yeah, I think thats horrific, but I really wonder what an organisation completely unrelated thinks.

I'm going to down to my local corner shop tomorrow and ask them why they haven't repainted it yellow and blue.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Weird thread, we have had one home match which was only a few hours after the invasion started. Was it expected that the club immediately sourced 10,000 yellow and blue plastic bags to put on an east stand display. I was quite surprises how little effort our fans made on Saturday to be honest, I didn't see any yellow and blue flags or posters. Some people are very quick to expect somebody else to do something they can't be bothered with.

The invasion began in the early hours of Thursday, so not sure how you count your hours but there.

I did see some Ukranian flags dotted about, but yes surprisingly little from fans and nothing from the club. Even the screens could have been in blue and yellow like they managed at Wembley - how long might that have needed to load up? It seems other fans managed to do stuff around the country as well.

Our anthem afterall is about young soldiers far from home defending freedom. But you know, lets not risk a yellow and blue jumbo screen in case someone from the FA gives us a behaviour point.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

[tweet]1498682535479545864[/tweet]

There you go.

Good stuff.

 

[Bold Seagull]

[tweet]1498682535479545864[/tweet]

There you go.

That's more like it!