I’m sorry but the “entitled to own opinions” just doesn’t wash for me and to not engage in strong debate & to see the post in question edited & now be told to ignore inherent issues and discuss the rugby is a bit naive.Tigerbeat wrote: ↑Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:11 am Leicester Tigers have announced their intentions to take the knee and that is a decision that has to be respected. Individuals are entitled to their own opinions and how they support the cause. This is a very emotional topic but not to be underestimated.
Please could we stick to discussing the rugby match on this thread.
Thanks
I was brought up that if you see racism/sexism/discrimination you call it out and challenge it.
Recent & wide ranging demonstrations in support of BLM came as a result of numerous deaths of BAME in the USA at the hands of the police over many years with the recent movment and protests being triggered in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd.
BLM is intrinsically a movement to end all racism with the trigger being the oppression of the black community in the USA but transferable to the disadvantages BAME community’s face here in the UK.
To use the All Lives Matter argument (not made in the post I mentioned I haste the to add) is a bit like criticising Help the Aged for not helping every age. The point is the BLM is highlighting police brutality but also casual and flagrant discrimation of BAME communities.
As such, to not support the principles of BLM is effectively to support racism because if you don’t want racism to end what do you want...
Consequently, to suggest you won’t support your rugby club because they are adopting one of the key symbolic gestures (taking a knee) of the black / BAME struggle as used by civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King is simply flabbergasting to me.
To reach that point where you’d disown your rugby club for taking a knee in solidarity with BLM is one thing (I would still find it impossible to reach that point considering the context) but to actually type it out on a forum is extraordinary.
(for those not aware the post to which I am refereeing has been edited from its original wording and no longer appears - nor does my original flippant reply)
The good thing is that the current wave of protests and demonstrations and provokes this debate and if Tigers taking a knee means that discrimination of All types gets highlighted and addressed here, on twitter or in the pub is a good thing.
Well done Tigers