UK Sports Walkout

[beorhthelm]

i dont know if this is serious. to what end would sports here walk out achieve? why now and why not all the other groups across the world facing injustices?

 

[T.G]

I get many forms of protest but how does it help anything? It's not the sports governing bodies that are responsible for the shootings.

Sports people standing in silence outside police stations for 24 hours would be much more moving. But that's kind of inconvenient

many of the sports club owners are very powerful and wealthy. This action threatens their wealth, which sadly is often the only way to get their attention.

 

[happypig]

I think I understand that.

I'm not suggesting they don't, nor shouldn't protest, but I don't see the nature of the protest as being particularly plausible or sincere. It's not as if they are protesting against the NFL, NBA or any other body.

If they did something meaningful, with some obvious personal sacrifice, that would be the sort of protest that might resonate a bit more (with me anyway)

With respect, I think you've missed the point which is not to protest against their organising bodies, teams or owners but as a way to highlight the issue and keep it at the forefront of peoples thoughts.
Given that a bunch of feckless wasters and herberts on a message board 3000 miles away are discussing it, I'd say it was quite successful.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

You can't really compare UK to US. How many UK Cops are shot and killed each year?

I have little compassion given how idiotic most Americans are to gun ownership.

 

[lost in london]

At the danger of being branded a racist gammon - I’m not a fan of Walk outs

I personally think sports and politics on the field should be kept apart (off the field do what you want) - these are millionaires walking off the courts/refusing to play will have a knock on to those further down the food chain as well.

In the U.K. we are now in the position if you don’t take the knee before a game you are branded a racist!

You can't deny though that it's a very high profile way of drawing attention to a cause. 75% or so of NBA players are black, you can see why they would take this stand.

 

[GT49er]

Regarding people who actually think that some people take the knee for fear of ostracism, maybe that's the case. I do raise an eyebrow about the fact some people feel footballers must be 'put upon' because they all take the knee. I can only assume this is because they are racists.

I wonder if Gaetan Bong saw any irony in Jay Rodriguez taking the knee?

 

[The Optimist]

Ok then lets have a walkout for Dawn Butler , at least that would be relevant to the racial injustice epidemic in this country and perhaps our leaders would take notice .

I think I might have misunderstood your original point. Is your point why would we protest in this country about issues in America?

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

You can't deny though that it's a very high profile way of drawing attention to a cause. 75% or so of NBA players are black, you can see why they would take this stand.

I get that, but if professional sportsman did anything on mass it would draw attention.

 

[carlzeiss]

You can't deny though that it's a very high profile way of drawing attention to a cause. 75% or so of NBA players are black, you can see why they would take this stand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5pW8itbzBk

 

[Music City Gull]

With respect, I think you've missed the point which is not to protest against their organising bodies, teams or owners but as a way to highlight the issue and keep it at the forefront of peoples thoughts.
Given that a bunch of feckless wasters and herberts on a message board 3000 miles away are discussing it, I'd say it was quite successful.

Took the words out of my mouth. Have to say it’s kind of a weird thing reading the exact same thing on here I was reading on a college (American) football board 10 minutes ago. Spreading their message is working.

As to the person you were responding to - I don’t understand everything you were saying (could be because it’s 4am here) but their actions are definitely sincere. The Milwaukee Bucks (the closest NBA team to where the shooting happened) were the first team to start the boycott. It was so sudden the opposing team was on the court warming up and had no clue it was happening. Players on the team boycotting were in their locker room trying to get the Wisconsin Attorney General on the phone to discuss what was happening. For the most part I don’t think players are being disingenuous at all.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

This. Many of us who enjoy white privilege will simply never get what BLM is all about, hence the tired irritable whaboutery from the usual suspects on this thread (some of whom are decen't people who simply appear to lack imagination or empathy). I say that as someone who, as a 15 year old, considered the best solution to racism was to 'repatriate' all black people (whatever that means). And I was at a Grammar school so not obviously thick (but had never spoken to a black person - fancy that)

Regarding the OP's question (which, sorry Crodo, has a whiff of fishing about it), solutions for contexts. In America I can see this may have traction. Here I suspect it will be counter productive. Taking the knee is good though. It feels right.

Regarding people who actually think that some people take the knee for fear of ostracism, maybe that's the case. Likewise racists very regularly zip it rather than come out with their racist views, for fear of ostracism. I do raise an eyebrow about the fact some people feel footballers must be 'put upon' because they all take the knee. I can only assume this is because they are racists. It will be interesting to see if a footballer bucks the trend anytime soon and doesn't take the knee. My guess is it will be a white one

Has anyone mentioned 'white lives matter' yet? What about 'enough is enough'?

I think we all support parts/all of what BLM are trying to achieve, but with sport what’s the cut off - what happens if a group of footballers decide another cause is equally as worthy of action?

I personally think how the PL do things (certain match days for kick it out/Rainbow laces etc) is the way to go - is it perfect? No - could they do more things ? Yes.

 

[sydney]

Just shoot everyone, problem solved.

Unbelievable...

 

[portlock seagull]

Maybe we could make Walk Outs a new sport? There’s enough demand from Woke, virtuous signallers, SJW’s etc. This way, for example, footballers and other sports men and women could actually get on with what they’re paid to do and people come to watch them for. Leaving others to professionally protest according to a fixture list of causes, with ‘cup’ rounds consisting of a very recent event to add some spice and unpredictability? “Gonna to see the BLM v NHS this weekend, Aubergina?” “Definitely Flymo, it’s the big one isn’t it so wouldn’t miss it...Especially after Climate Change thrashed Fracking last week, with Greta getting a brace of worthy speeches early on. In fact, I’m on my hols after that, then there’s the international break but I’ll be back for the minutes silence for the annual Poppy Fund. You here for the Trump State visit weekend? Always a hostile atmosphere that one...”

 

[sydney]

This. Many of us who enjoy white privilege will simply never get what BLM is all about, hence the tired irritable whaboutery from the usual suspects on this thread (some of whom are decen't people who simply appear to lack imagination or empathy). I say that as someone who, as a 15 year old, considered the best solution to racism was to 'repatriate' all black people (whatever that means). And I was at a Grammar school so not obviously thick (but had never spoken to a black person - fancy that)

Regarding the OP's question (which, sorry Crodo, has a whiff of fishing about it), solutions for contexts. In America I can see this may have traction. Here I suspect it will be counter productive. Taking the knee is good though. It feels right.

Regarding people who actually think that some people take the knee for fear of ostracism, maybe that's the case. Likewise racists very regularly zip it rather than come out with their racist views, for fear of ostracism. I do raise an eyebrow about the fact some people feel footballers must be 'put upon' because they all take the knee. I can only assume this is because they are racists. It will be interesting to see if a footballer bucks the trend anytime soon and doesn't take the knee. My guess is it will be a white one

Has anyone mentioned 'white lives matter' yet? What about 'enough is enough'?

i'll clarify ....if US sportsmen want to walk out then i would say it is justifiable but UK sports people .....no , not for mine , we all know its wrong what is happening on a weekly basis in the states , the fact is it is a violent society on the verge of total melt down , the UK is not.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

It's all a bit devil's advocate for the fun of it - regardless of what you are actually arguing. I shouldn't get annoyed but the idea that police murdering their own citizens is justifiable in any case is just maddening.

Indeed.

America is such a mess. My understanding is that a bunch of white people (the gammon element) took it on themselves to stand outside stores yesterday to protect them from looting, just like some of our gammon took it upon themselves to stand in front of statues of historical figures to protect our heritage a few weeks ago. Except the Americans were armed. And one 17 year old murdered an unarmed protester with a long range shot from a rifle. I didn't catch all the details but I gather the shooter is white and the dead man black, although I could be wrong....

And the President has repeatedly shown he's on the side of the white guys. Come what may.

We are very fortunate in this country. The toxic mix of gun culture and 'freedom of expression' in the US has made the murder of black people an unexceptional part of life, and pretty much sport for some. This clearly includes some police there. I remember reading how an 'all white jury' convicts a 'black man' with a regularity in the 1960s. How much has changed? If I were a black American I'd be perpetually wavering between depression and anger, reluctant to step away from what seems like a safe neighbourhood. And yet.....

And yet how many times did Danny Rose say he's been stopped by the police in his nice car, and have his first class train ticket checked while all the other white passengers just got the 'good morning sir' from the guard? We don't generally kill our black people in the UK, unlike the Americans, but we certainly give them some cause for consternation.

So if I were black British I'd feel a bit miffed that some white people are bored and irritated by the knee taking, think that 'enough is enough' and that its 'time to move on' or even that 'white lives matter too'.

Somewhere there is a space between abandoning all human activity as a protest against against yet another murdered black man in America, and doing nothing at all. I'm happy with what is happening in the UK right now. Americans can make their own choices. And threads ike this and conversations like this have more than a whiff of fishing about them, giving some the opportunity to express their white privileged views.....

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Maybe we could make Walk Outs a new sport? There’s enough demand from Woke, virtuous signallers, SJW’s etc. This way, for example, footballers and other sports men and women could actually get on with what they’re paid to do and people come to watch them for. Leaving others to professionally protest according to a fixture list of causes, with ‘cup’ rounds consisting of a very recent event to add some spice and unpredictability? “Gonna to see the BLM v NHS this weekend, Aubergina?” “Definitely Flymo, it’s the big one isn’t it so wouldn’t miss it...Especially after Climate Change thrashed Fracking last week, with Greta getting a brace of worthy speeches early on. In fact, I’m on my hols after that, then there’s the international break but I’ll be back for the minutes silence for the annual Poppy Fund. You here for the Trump State visit weekend? Always a hostile atmosphere that one...”

What you say has a ring of truth in my opinion. The problem is that inequality exists and particularly in the USA land of the free. It is good to protest against despicable practise, however the number of worthy causes could lead to a certain amount of fatigue on behalf of the participants and the viewers. In the UK, I would suggest that open racism is rarer than that expressed in America, although the dreaded B word has stirred a bit of a hornets nest along with us invading Iraq in the 00's. I personally do not think that UK sportspeople should strike about something that is most pointedly an American issue. I am not saying that there are no bent or racist coppers here but I believe that we are further along the road this side of the pond.

 

[Klaas]

Unreal

I'm well aware Baker Lite is a racist troll who likes to make trouble online as some kind of ****ed up hobby, but I wonder what your excuse is for missing the point of my sarcasm aimed at NSC's biggest advocate of guns?

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

And yet how many times did Danny Rose say he's been stopped by the police in his nice car, and have his first class train ticket checked while all the other white passengers just got the 'good morning sir' from the guard? We don't generally kill our black people in the UK, unlike the Americans, but we certainly give them some cause for consternation.

So if I were black British I'd feel a bit miffed that some white people are bored and irritated by the knee taking, think that 'enough is enough' and that its 'time to move on' or even that 'white lives matter too'.

This is a very good point and I am sure we could all do something that would make a difference. I am just not sure bending the knee or going on a sports strike would be the answer.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

NBA ratings were down 20% on last seasons figures for the first round of finals. Quite a significant drop for a league that's been experiencing steady growth for a while now.

 

[portlock seagull]

What you say has a ring of truth in my opinion. The problem is that inequality exists and particularly in the USA land of the free. It is good to protest against despicable practise, however the number of worthy causes could lead to a certain amount of fatigue on behalf of the participants and the viewers. In the UK, I would suggest that open racism is rarer than that expressed in America, although the dreaded B word has stirred a bit of a hornets nest along with us invading Iraq in the 00's. I personally do not think that UK sportspeople should strike about something that is most pointedly an American issue. I am not saying that there are no bent or racist coppers here but I believe that we are further along the road this side of the pond.

I know I’ve been deliberately provocative and OTT, to exaggerate a general truth though. I want to watch sport without constant having views of others thrust down my throat even if I do agree with them. Whether this country or somewhere else in this world. It seems only a matter of time before Aliens are going to get in on the trend and we’ll have to clap (or be ‘shamed’) Mars for two minutes. Let’s keep ‘politics‘ out of sport, at least as much as possible.