As Rugby refuses to take the knee, is it time the Premier League stopped too?

[Zexstream]

At the weekend the Irish and Scottish Rugby teams refused to take the Knee for BLM.

Surely this cringe show should now end and the silliness of millionaire footballers taking the knee before an empty stadium every week should stop.

Whilst I have sympathies with the problems in the United States I fail to see how millionaire footballers bending the knee each week does anything to help those in the States and certainly is something we have to worry about in the UK.

No matter what your view, BLM is a political Movement, I much prefer we aim to make all lives better no matter, and one thing that Rashford has highlighted in the UK is the divide between the haves and have nots regardless of colour.

I honestly believe this Premier League Wokeness needs to stop, and I fully support the Rugby Teams in taking a stand on this.

NOT ONE Ireland player decided to 'take the knee' before Sunday's match against Wales at the Principality Stadium.

As both teams lined up before their first round Six Nations clash, an obligatory 'anti-racism' message came over the tannoy system.

Notably however, every single Irish player, as well as every single Welsh player, remained standing during the announcement.

It comes following scrutiny of England and Scotland after 14 of the 30 players who lined up for Saturday's Six Nations clash refused to take the knee ahead of kick off.

https://www.irishpost.com/news/enti...e-before-six-nations-tie-against-wales-203307

 

[Plant0x84]

Nope, absolutely not. It’s an important message that needs to be seen worldwide, and the PL is a far bigger audience than some silly egg chasing.

It’s not for the stadium either, empty or not. It’s for the millions strong world wide tv audience.

It’s not cringe. This thread however.....

 

[DWelbz19]

Mmm, yes. Barely a week after 3 of our own players have been racially abused online.

 

[Uniquim]

Every time Tuanzebe makes an error, he gets racially abused online, and football is supposed be for everyone.
As long as there is racist abuse towards players in football, I'd be happy to have them taking a knee before every game from here until eternity.

Also, don't get too hung up whether people started taking a knee in the US first. Racism is a global issue.

 

[Judas]

It's a big no from me.

 

[arnie_ni]

Mmm, yes. Barely a week after 3 of our own players have been racially abused online.

Is clearly a token gesture and not working. More needs to be done, not less at this stage.

I've no idea what more is

 

[NotThatSoph]

"Wokeness".

Time to start up the reactionary Bingo. I've got snowflake, SJW and political correctness. Was going to do All Lives Matter but OP already went there.

 

[RooneyLegend]

Pathetic thread this

 

[Bwuk]

Rugby is a Tory sport. Not surprised.

 

[VeevaVee]

Taking the knee isn’t about stopping poor white people’s lives improving. It’s also not just about what’s happening in America, or, in my opinion, about BLM as a group.

It may just be a small gesture but it’s something a lot of people see and start to talk about. Anyone who has an issue with that likely has deeper issues. The pushback is very odd, if unsurprising.

 

[Mogget]

Why did you feel the need to mention footballers being millionaires more than once?

 

[Pass and Move]

I'm not a huge proponent of BLM, or any of these movements, but I also don't think it's my place to decide whether people should partake in them or not. Your issues with taking a knee in PL matches surely pales in comparison to the issues faced by those it's attempting to show solidarity with, don't you think?

 

[Hernandez - BFA]

At the weekend the Irish and Scottish Rugby teams refused to take the Knee for BLM.

Surely this cringe show should now end and the silliness of millionaire footballers taking the knee before an empty stadium every week should stop.

Whilst I have sympathies with the problems in the United States I fail to see how millionaire footballers bending the knee each week does anything to help those in the States and certainly is something we have to worry about in the UK.

No matter what your view, BLM is a political Movement, I much prefer we aim to make all lives better no matter, and one thing that Rashford has highlighted in the UK is the divide between the haves and have nots regardless of colour.

I honestly believe this Premier League Wokeness needs to stop, and I fully support the Rugby Teams in taking a stand on this.

https://www.irishpost.com/news/enti...e-before-six-nations-tie-against-wales-203307

I’m very curious as to why you singled out the Irish and Scottish teams only, when the article you referenced also state that the Welsh team also didn’t do it.

In terms of the actual topic - I see your point but I feel given how prominent racism is at the moment in football, you can both argue that 1) the action is not actually helping much or 2) this is the wrong time to sack off the mode of protest while racism is at a low in football.

 

[Ainu]

I can't take anyone who uses the term "wokeness" as a criticism seriously.

 

[RedDevilzFox]

Is clearly a token gesture and not working. More needs to be done, not less at this stage.

I've no idea what more is

So long as internet remains largely anonymous, no amount of 'knee' taking would ever stop racism. Does that mean we should stop making a stand? No is the answer.

Keep on pushing the envelope as best as possible. Society has made so much progress in just last 100 years, that wouldn't have happened if we stopped doing what on the surface may seem 'cosmetic' token gestures. The only problem is, progress tends to be extremely slow.

 

[TrustInJanuzaj]

I actually can't get my head around the fact people seem to have an issue with taking the knee. It's a constant reminder that the issues they are protesting against haven't disappeared overnight. Also funny that we should follow the example of predominantly white, middle-class sport like rugby above all else.

 

[Zexstream]

I fail to see how a Millionaire footballer taking the knee will stop Racism?

The only way you will ever stop online Trolls is by identifying online trolls and making arrests. I am also not won over that it is racism who direct online racism, what's to say it isn't rival fans trying to stir up trouble and making a footballer uncomfortable at their club.

Racism is a much bigger problem because of being anonymous online, unless we are all happy to self identify to use the internet you will never stop it, no matter how many knees people take.

 

[RedDevilRoshi]

No chance. I want this to continue for as long as possible.

 

[Gio]

I honestly believe this Premier League Wokeness needs to stop, and I fully support the Rugby Teams in taking a stand on this.

I'm not sure the rugby teams did take a formal stand against it as such. It was more about a combination of ignorance and a haphazard pre-match approach that was more disjointed than in football, where the expectations on players are much clearer. Following the mostly negative reaction to what happened, I suspect in the next round of international rugby fixtures the majority of players will be taking the knee.

 

[VP89]

I don't see a single harm of taking the knee.

I don't see a huge benefit but I do see solidarity. So the pros of doing it outweighs the cons.

 

[Zexstream]

Why did you feel the need to mention footballers being millionaires more than once?

Because I doubt a Millionaire Footballer is really in touch with the world and are only doing as they are told, not what they actually care about.

For instance, its ok for them to break lockdown rules, have haircuts etc, whist the rest of us follow the rules.

 

[Bubz27]

Is clearly a token gesture and not working. More needs to be done, not less at this stage.

I've no idea what more is

Not working? Based on what?

I'm not black, I'm brown. Grandparents from India, parents born in England, me too. And I know this isn't brown loves matter, but it has made people more aware of racial issues, in England and abroad. I've had more white friends ask me about racism and if I've actually experienced it since BLM, since taking the knee. How many of them have been shocked that I've had plenty of racist abuse in my life has actually shocked me. These are people I've known for 20 years.

So has this made people more aware of how much racism actually goes on? Yes.
Has it made them more aware of what racism actually looks like? Yes.

All because they're not afraid to ask the question now. They're not afraid to talk about it. I've never been one to tell all my woes to my friends. Like that guy guy in that club who kept asking me to get him a curry or that other guy who kept laughing with his mates that I looked like their Uber drive tonight and could I give them a lift home after.

So unless you know more than I do, don't say it's a token gesture and don't say it's not working.

 

[iamBen]

It's possible to believe that black lives matter and not be a part of the Black Lives Matter organisation.

If you're taking offence to a minute of people showing togetherness then that's a bit snowflakey, isn't it?

Can you explain exactly what you mean by wokeness?

 

[Pass and Move]

I fail to see how a Millionaire footballer taking the knee will stop Racism?

So I guess we should all stop wearing poppies then too, as doing so hasn't ended all wars.

 

[Kaos]

You lost me at 'wokeness'. I don't care what they do in Rugby, its irrelevant.

 

[Judas]

I fail to see how a Millionaire footballer taking the knee will stop Racism?

The only way you will ever stop online Trolls is by identifying online trolls and making arrests. I am also not won over that it is racism who direct online racism, what's to say it isn't rival fans trying to stir up trouble and making a footballer uncomfortable at their club.

Racism is a much bigger problem because of being anonymous online, unless we are all happy to self identify to use the internet you will never stop it, no matter how many knees people take.

It's still racism?

 

[Siorac]

"Wokeness".

Time to start up the reactionary Bingo. I've got snowflake, SJW and political correctness. Was going to do All Lives Matter but OP already went there.

Cultural Marxism, identity politics, cancel culture, triggered, facts don't care about your feelings.

 

[Pexbo]

BLM is a political movement.


No fecking shit sherlock, that’s the same level of naivety as people who claim they don’t care about politics and then proceed to complain about every facet of the world they exist in.

Black people are the victims of institutional racism on a daily basis, the more that fact is highlighted the more chance there is that something is done about it.

People getting offended by people taking a knee for a few seconds before a match rather than the systemic abuse its intended to highlight are the real problem.

 

[No Spring Chicken]

There will come a moment where it loses its impact because its happened so often. At that point Im happy for it to stop. But at the moment its still making people talk about and focus on the issue, so its working, and it should continue.

 

[BarstoolProphet]

"Wokeness".

Time to start up the reactionary Bingo. I've got snowflake, SJW and political correctness. Was going to do All Lives Matter but OP already went there.

I don't see why anyone could have a problem with it. It's not like it's offensive to anyone else than EDL and Trump.

 

[Siorac]

Because I doubt a Millionaire Footballer is really in touch with the world and are only doing as they are told, not what they actually care about.

You yourself mention Rashford in the opening post. Do you think he's just doing what he's told to do, not what he actually cares about?

 

[2 man midfield]

It might be a bit played out at this point but you can tell the likes of Pogba, Rashford etc feel strongly about it while doing it. Might be best to listen to them.

 

[Solius]

I feel like if someone uses 'wokeness' then what they're saying loses any credibility.

It's a lazy term used to dismiss people that are actively trying to change things for the better. If you're having a go at those people rather than the type they are fighting against, you might want to take a second and think about what side you're actually on.

 

[Bubz27]

There will come a moment where it loses its impact because its happened so often. At that point Im happy for it to stop. But at the moment its still making people talk about and focus on the issue, so its working, and it should continue.

Being racist hasn't lost its impact because it's happened so often.

 

[duffer]

I fail to see how a Millionaire footballer taking the knee will stop Racism?

"a millionaire footballer taking the knee" won't stop racism. Nobody has said it will.

It's about the players showing solidarity and trying to keep a spotlight on the issue.

 

[Siorac]

I don't see a single harm of taking the knee.

I don't see a huge benefit but I do see solidarity. So the pros of doing it outweighs the cons.

I think in the end it really is this simple. It doesn't hurt anyone and it might help, even if only a little.

 

[Zexstream]

Is Racism such a problem in the UK though?

I for one think we have many more problems than Racism, in fact, Id likes to believe racism is something of the past. Sure, I imagine there are still issues surrounding racism but how relevant are they to most peoples lives. I believe there are more divides than colour and Rashford for instance is highlighting that himself.

Black Lives Matter is a Political Movement, Political Movements have no place in Sport.

I grew up as a child on the 80s, I remember the Brixton Riots etc, I would like to think the UK has moved on and grown up since those days. Today we have so many laws enforcing equality that I don't think Racism is in any way the issue it once was in the UK.

If anything I think this "Wokeness" and I will use the term Woke, does more harm than good and highlights a problem that really isn't there anymore from a UK perspective.

 

[DWelbz19]

Is Racism such a problem in the UK though?

Err... yes?

 

[Red_toad]

Mmm, yes. Barely a week after 3 of our own players have been racially abused online.

That is an issue the likes of Twitter and facebook need to address, they allow people to create false accounts and spew hatred. Footballers taking a knee won’t stop that, nor will it stop people being racist. Education and taking away the platforms people have in abundance to spew hatred from will.
How this is happens I’ve no idea as both Twitter and Facebook have become worryingly politically powerful. Maybe if footballers want to make a differ they can withdraw from those platforms, I just don’t know.

 

[Zexstream]

It's still racism?

Depends, What is Racism?

Hypothetically,

If I hated someone because of their skin colour and told them directly how I felt about them using derogatory words, then that I would consider would be racism.

If I wanted to unsettle a player at a rival club, one tool I could use is derogatory terms to unsettle them. Would that be racism if I cheered on my own players of colour and I didn't really care about skin colour at all?