Taking the knee

[ZedLeg]

People have been trying to get football fans to stop being racists for 30 years and don’t seem to be getting very far. I don’t expect that there’s going to be a sudden moment of enlightenment between the monkey chants and abusing players on Twitter.

Well I don't think there's any reason to highlight football fans in particular, they're just a vocal and visible reflection of a societal problem sadly.

Not saying that it’s more of a problem in football than anywhere else. It always seems to surprise people when someone involved in football draws attention to racism and some fans act like morons about it though.

[duncs500]

People have been trying to get football fans to stop being racists for 30 years and don’t seem to be getting very far. I don’t expect that there’s going to be a sudden moment of enlightenment between the monkey chants and abusing players on Twitter.

Well I don't think there's any reason to highlight football fans in particular, they're just a vocal and visible reflection of a societal problem sadly.

Not saying that it’s more of a problem in football than anywhere else. It always seems to surprise people when someone involved in football draws attention to racism and some fans act like morons about it though.

Yep fair enough, there was some supporters club representative on the news the other day trying to justify the booing, it was plain embarrassing. His reasoning was so weak.

[ZedLeg]

We don’t want politics in our football, unless we agree with the politics or we want the prime minister to step in when our sell out clubs want to sell out more

[Broccers]

The booing is a vocal minority anyway, you'll find more people clapping trying to drown out the booing.

If you think that then good for you being positive.

[Broccers]

Anyone actually watching the football will be in shock. There will be no booing if any games actually get under way now.

Edit saying this it wasnt as bad as it looked in the end.

[Swervin_Mervin]

People have been trying to get football fans to stop being racists for 30 years and don’t seem to be getting very far. I don’t expect that there’s going to be a sudden moment of enlightenment between the monkey chants and abusing players on Twitter.

Well I don't think there's any reason to highlight football fans in particular, they're just a vocal and visible reflection of a societal problem sadly.

Not saying that it’s more of a problem in football than anywhere else. It always seems to surprise people when someone involved in football draws attention to racism and some fans act like morons about it though.

It does seem to be more of a problem in football than in other sports though doesn't it?

[ZedLeg]

I would say there’s more of an organised racist element among football team support. There’s always been connections between some team’s hooligan crews and far right politics/white power groups.

You probably hear about it more than other sports as well because football is such a huge part of our culture.

[V8Granite]

I would say there’s more of an organised racist element among football team support. There’s always been connections between some team’s hooligan crews and far right politics/white power groups.

You probably hear about it more than other sports as well because football is such a huge part of our culture.

Combat18 were very much part of the Chelsea supporters and were pretty brazen with their racism.

Dave!

[ZedLeg]

Aye, the Chelsea headhunters and C18 are probably the biggest one.

[Broccers]

Noone is bothered about a show of standing up to racism - they can do other things like in cricket where noone booed. Its a distraction this knee thing simply because the BLM message isnt required as kick it out was already there - as I said last year.

Nicely they are now using that logo and organisation. Maybe Sky should have listened in the beginning but I suspect the people running it now, know best.

[dinny_g]

Tomorrow, our England senior men’s team will begin their EURO 2020 campaign at our home, Wembley Stadium,” the FA said in a statement.

Major tournaments don’t come around often and when they do, it’s an opportunity to unite friends, families and the country. This collective support is what spurs our team on during challenging moments and it gives them the best chance of succeeding.

As the team has reiterated many times, they will collectively take the knee ahead of their fixtures during the tournament.

They are doing this as a mechanism of peacefully protesting against discrimination, injustice and inequality. This is personally important to the players and the values the team collectively represents.

This gesture of unity and fighting against inequality can be traced back as far as the 18th century. It is not new, and English football has made it very clear that it does not view this as being aligned to a political organisation or ideology. There can be no doubt as to why the players are taking the knee and what it represents in a footballing context.

We encourage those that oppose this action to reflect on the message you are sending to the players you are supporting.

Please respect their wishes and remember that we should all be united in the fight to tackle discrimination. Together.

They will do their best for you. Please do your best for them.

[Carlos]

Noone is bothered about a show of standing up to racism

You tell that to the guy who goes to work to have bananas thrown at him or monkey chants

And frankly the booing is more of a distraction than the fellas taking a knee for a few seconds.

If the banana throwers stopped booing(and throwing obvs) no one would feel the need to take the knee.

[Broccers]

Hardly worth discussing this with a bunch of people who have never had a season ticket in their lives

[ZedLeg]

Aye, best to save it for the folk who’ve been paying to throw bananas at players for years

[duncs500]

Well I didn't hear any boos.

[duncs500]

Hardly worth discussing this with a bunch of people who have never had a season ticket in their lives

... because having a season ticket helps you understand racism, or indeed 'politics'?

If you wouldn't mind Broccers, could you explain to us what exactly is the justification for booing the players taking the knee?

Edit - Maybe you'll do better than the guy hired as a spokesman to do it to the media, it wouldn't be hard!

[V8Granite]

Taking the knee shouldn’t be a thing at all, it’s linked to something I think has no place in football.

If football genuinely wanted to oust racism at the games it’s simple. You are seen making racist comments on video, ban for life. You join in with a crowd doing it, van for life. Either remove those doing these disgusting things or make it so those who believe it are too scared to voice it. Linking yourself with a group on an extreme left or right will just put someone’s arse up.

Dave!

[Simon]

You join in with a crowd doing it, van for life.

Dave!

Iveco? VW? Or worse?

[V8Granite]

You join in with a crowd doing it, van for life.

Dave!

Iveco? VW? Or worse?

That’s annoying as I saw that and changed it, clearly I changed it for van

Dave!

[dinny_g]

Taking the knee shouldn’t be a thing at all, it’s linked to something I think has no place in football.

But the people doing it have said it isn't... Do you not believe them ??

Besides, "taking the knee" has been a symbolic gesture used by the black community to highlight inequality since the 18th century.

From 1780:



This was referenced by Martin Luther King in the 60's when adopted the same symbol for the same reasons.



It was Martin Luther King that Colin Kaepernik was referencing when he started taking the knee in 2016.

Black Lives Matter first appeared as a movement in 2013 and wasn't associated with taking the knee until the momentum of Kaepernik's started to take hold.

People in the stadium are not booing because they disagree with the gesture. If players stood with heads bowed, or raised a fist, or hopped on one leg, they would be booed.

People in the stadium are booing for one reason and one reason only - and I think deep down, you probably know that

Edit - and one more thing. And this NOT aimed at Granite Dave or Broccers AT ALL. I want to be clear on that. it's aimed at the people in the stadiums who are booing.

IF we give the booers the benefit of the doubt for a moment and allow for the fact that that they are complaining about the gesture only . The fact that a group of White People, who have never experienced the injustice that the gesture is being used to highlight, feel they have an input into the gesture that is used to highlight injustice... is staggeringly ironic