[tdyen]

To drag this into the Australian sporting arena. There is an Australian Rules Footballer here named Adam Goodes, (its not rugby, soccer, or NFL its only played in Australia). He is a very good and very famous footballer. He has won the Brownlow medal not once but twice (MVP) for the league and last year he was honored as Australian of the year by the Prime minister. But most importantly for this discussion recently he has been booed every time he gets the ball and he is an Aboriginal. During his year as Australian of the year he was outspoken about racism and Aboriginal issues. Which are numerous, health care, incarceration rates, prison deaths, violence, alcohol etc and have never been successfully addressed.

He called the booing racism and took a week out of the game, there was a lot of support for him but also a large negative reaction. And part of this reaction seems to be a reaction to the culture of victim hood. Other players have been booed before mercilessly, he is a good player, other good players get booed. Particularly high profile ones.

Is he a victim of racism? partly. Are supporters just booing the other sides good player? partly. Has he made himself a target with some of his speeches? Probably.

[gaius]

its only played in Australia

It's also played in Ireland, they call it Gaelic Rules there. I can't believe you'd unvalidate a whole culture like that, you monster :-p

[barry-cotter]

Australian rules football and Gaelic Football are not the same thing although there used to be an international rules series every year between Ireland and Australia.