Supporters Club & Trust Statement: Taking The Knee (Merged)

[BS2 Red]

Just now, Maltshoveller said:

Yeah you were allowed to wave and fly flags back then

without some snowflake being offended 

Yeah, there's definitely no flag waving at football matches anymore. We literally never see the English or British flags anywhere!!!

The only snowflakes here are the pathetically sensitive souls who can't handle footballers taking 3 seconds to perform an anti-racism gesture. 

[Baba Yaga]

Funny how the main policy change that I see footballers pushing for would strip discriminated people the right to post anonymously on social media. In my view its a very ill thought out campaign that in reality doesn't benefit people at the bottom that they care so much for, it might stop some (not all) highly publicised abuse of footballers but for everyday people I don't see the benefit.

[IAmNick]

4 minutes ago, Sturny said:

Gonna be honest I've read what it means a few times and still don't fully understand it. Probably because it's been thrown around a lot recently followed with others not understanding it. 

It sounds like an spectrum of concepts that can be made up on the spot. 

Yeah, it is quite complicated for sure.

That's why it's a perfect catch-all bogeyman to get people riled up that has been thrown around almost at random for over 100 years now! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Scare

[Totterdown's Finest]

17 minutes ago, redcard said:

It was started not resurrected by an 'American sportsman' and yes it was resurrected by the BLM, tell thousands of rioters in USA dressed in black with face coverings that BLM is not political!! Look up the meaning of paranoid, not sure where that come from!

 

Martin Luther King "took the knee" in 1965, prior to his sentencing for "parading without a permit". So, I think it was resurrected by sportsmen in more recent times. 

[Redinthehead]

45 minutes ago, Cowshed said:

As far as = You do not know. You logically cannot and neither can the Supporters trust come to their conclusion unless they engage with supporters asking them their why.

Seriously? Your whataboutery is reduced to this now? 

[Redinthehead]

2 hours ago, Three Lions said:

The OB called Bristol City fans far right and hundreds came out to protest against that now the supporters trust are doing it. Madness!! Supporters trust should be apolitical instead of putting out statements saying City fans are racists and sowing division because some fans black and white think taking the knee is wrong for all kinds of reasons that are not racist.

It’s a small number of fans that booed. They’re not calling all City fans it at all, just the ones who are booing a (clearly labelled) anti-discrimination gesture (if they even are at all).

Keep stirring your own division as much as you like but it won’t change the actual actions taking place here.

[Red-Robbo]

3 minutes ago, RedRock said:

The same ‘tiny’ minority that voted for Brexit and repeat years of Tory Governments.

 

 

52% voted for Brexit. If you think 52% of fans at AG booed TTK then you are either deaf or mad.

Stop politicising the game. The players made clear why they were doing this. The club made clear.  Do people think Pearson, the Lansdowns and all the players and staff are radical "lefties"?  Do some not accept all they were against is racial discrimination?  That's hardly surprising in such a racially integrated game. 

However you vote in elections or referenda, booing your own players for taking a heartfelt gesture to say "stop racist abuse" is just pathetic.

If you think the gesture is meaningless, or too American and "trendy", or just has had its day, fair enough. We can have that discussion, and I may even agree with you.

But actively booing our team before the match? No, STFU. Utterly disrespectful of the professional sportsmen you have chosen to come to watch.

So, my post had nothing to do with wider politics, the football forum 'aint the place for that.  It noted, with some pleasure, that the vast majority of fans sitting in AG yesterday did not boo. Certainly no one within a 30ft radius of me did. Far from 52% it was more like 2%.

The majority either clapped or sat silent. The latter I would suggest is what grown-ups should do if they don't think some pre-match ritual is a great idea.

[Strictly Obi]

They're probably not even sure why they're booing themselves. Let's face it still a lot of idiots watch the footy. Probably the same type who booed the national anthem of other counties. Same sort of mentality I guess. But on a positive, still far more people that don't boo. 

[Red Skin]

56 minutes ago, Yoyo2345 said:

Don't moan if people have an opinion on people taking the knee, if I was there I would of booed. This is football playing with politics a dangerous game.

That's the cherry on the cake.   People posting in their offence at something they weren't even there to be offended by.   FFS!  

[Numero Uno]

24 minutes ago, Maltshoveller said:

Yeah you were allowed to wave and fly flags back then

without some snowflake being offended 

.....or calling you a flag shagger.

[mozo]

2 hours ago, Redandproud said:

There's to that word again"RACISTS", Im not, but I think it's gone on long enough, 2yrs, and it happened in America not here, how much longer does it go on, 

It has gone on too long? Why does it bother you how long it goes on for? It doesn't affect you at all does it?

[The Gasbuster]

28 minutes ago, The Dolman Pragmatist said:

It was interesting to notice while watching the recent rerun of the 1966 World Cup Final that the fans were all waving Union Jacks, not a cross of St George in sight.

I think the general "move" from the Union Flag to St George Cross came about just before Euro 96.

Not sure why, but guessing it was confirmation that the tournament was in England, rather than Britain.

(I'm aware of course the same applied in 1966).

[BS2 Red]

5 minutes ago, Numero Uno said:

.....or calling you a flag shagger.

Flag shagger refers to those who wave the flag for political or xenophobic reasons. Politicians who have 5 flags in the background as a way of saying "see! I am patriotic, honest!!" or a racist on Twitter who has a load of flag avatars.

It doesn't refer to football fans or people that are displaying/waving a flag for honest reasons. 

[Numero Uno]

27 minutes ago, RedRock said:

The same ‘tiny’ minority that voted for Brexit and repeat years of Tory Governments.

Maybe, a multitude of other reasons for their votes but put to the ballot I strongly suspect it’s a sizeable minority, if not a majority. 
 

Would be useful if all sides sat down - condemned their extreme racists/religious nutters on all sides - and had a full and frank, open discussions out this Country and how we can unify around a common set of principles and values. Too hard for most so they just go around screaming and gesturing at each other and the divides widen.

Always thought this Country was lions led by donkeys. Now think donkeys led by donkeys.

 

 

No, it's the likes of you that fan the flames tbh. You are no different than the extreme right wing types you claim to despise.

The vast majority of people in that ground yesterday were not booing the knee. To claim that the majority of people who vote Tory or Brexit, regardless of your political persuasion and views on that, condone the booing of the knee simply displays the very pre-conception and intolerance that is epitomised by racists themselves and a thorough lack of understanding of people on your part.

[Numero Uno]

1 minute ago, BS2 Red said:

Flag shagger refers to those who wave the flag for political or xenophobic reasons. Politicians who have 5 flags in the background as a way of saying "see! I am patriotic, honest!!" or a racist on Twitter who has a load of flag avatars.

It doesn't refer to football fans or people that are displaying/waving a flag for honest reasons. 

I take your point in terms of that is what it is meant to mean but the term isn't always used correctly.

[BS2 Red]

1 minute ago, Numero Uno said:

I take your point in terms of that is what it is meant to mean but the term isn't always used correctly.

Of course, just like how "Marxism" is thrown around by people that don't understand the first thing about it, so will "flag shagger" be used incorrectly.

[RedRock]

12 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

52% voted for Brexit. If you think 52% of fans at AG booed TTK then you are either deaf or mad.

Stop politicising the game. The players made clear why they were doing this. The club made clear.  Do people think Pearson, the Lansdowns and all the players and staff are radical "lefties"?  Do some not accept all they were against is racial discrimination?  That's hardly surprising in such a racially integrated game. 

However you vote in elections or referenda, booing your own players for taking a heartfelt gesture to say "stop racist abuse" is just pathetic.

If you think the gesture is meaningless, or too American and "trendy", or just has had its day, fair enough. We can have that discussion, and I may even agree with you.

But actively booing our team before the match? No, STFU. Utterly disrespectful of the professional sportsmen you have chosen to come to watch.

So, my post had nothing to do with wider politics, the football forum 'aint the place for that.  It noted, with some pleasure, that the vast majority of fans sitting in AG yesterday did not boo. Certainly no one within a 30ft radius of me did. Far from 52% it was more like 2%.

The majority either clapped or sat silent. The latter I would suggest is what grown-ups should do if they don't think some pre-match ritual is a great idea.

Did I say I booed or would boo - nope. Do I think it is American Tokenism - yes. Do I think gesturing does any good? Nope. Do I think it deflects attention away from actions to resolve the issue - yes.

Free world - if you think the reverse so be it, imo all sides keep on gesturing to each other we will go around in ever decreasing circles. More interested in saving the planet myself. Maybe we can get the players to do some shapes to show their support for that cause.

 

[Numero Uno]

8 minutes ago, BS2 Red said:

Of course, just like how "Marxism" is thrown around by people that don't understand the first thing about it, so will "flag shagger" be used incorrectly.

Agreed.

[swanker]

1 hour ago, BS2 Red said:

And I knew you'd be here with nothing sensible to add.

 I honestly knew you’d be on here because you love a bit of taking the knee and the subject of racism. I bet you go to bed thinking about it and dream about it all night long. 

Most normal folk couldn’t care less and find it all a bit boring. 

[BS2 Red]

Just now, swanker said:

 I honestly knew you’d be on here because you love a bit of taking the knee and the subject of racism. I bet you go to bed thinking about it and dream about it all night long. 

Most normal folk couldn’t care less and find it all a bit boring. 

And here you are again with nothing to add except to attack me.

Odd how you find racism boring and that you couldn't care less. And yet here you are, reading and posting in a thread about it. You know what I do with threads I find boring or that I couldn't care less about? I ignore them, try it some time.

[Red-Robbo]

6 minutes ago, RedRock said:

Did I say I booed or would boo - nope. Do I think it is American Tokenism - yes. Do I think gesturing does any good? Nope. Do I think it deflects attention away from actions to resolve the issue - yes.

Free world - if you think the reverse so be it, imo all sides keep on gesturing to each other we will go around in ever decreasing circles. More interested in saving the planet myself. Maybe we can get the players to do some shapes to show their support for that cause.

 

 

Booing your own players before they begin the opening match of the season is arseholery. Pure and simple.

Politics doesn't come into. They didn't take the knee because they support riots or defunding the police or the break-up of traditional family structures (whatever that means!)

They did it because - to them - it shows support for black fellow professionals who face abuse because of the colour of their skin.

As others have said, booing from the crowd simply reinforces to those players why they need to keep doing it. It perpetuates it. 

If people don't like it, keep schtum. It'll be a one-season wonder. In 5 years we'll wonder why the hell it was even a controversy.

Glad to hear you wouldn't boo. My views are only aimed at those who did. 

[red84]

1 hour ago, redcard said:

It took years for the St George cross to become accepted as a patriotic symbol after being used by far right groups, some associations still deem the cross as a symbol of racism. As with the kneeling, people with good reason would still associate it with the BLM. 

Unfortunately there's far too many people with political agendas to understand this common sense logic.

[QuedgeRed]

Footballers kneeling is about stamping out racism in the game, pure and simple. Absolutely nothing else.

Anyone booing this is either massively ignorant or racist.

[red84]

12 minutes ago, QuedgeRed said:

Footballers kneeling is about stamping out racism in the game, pure and simple. Absolutely nothing else.

Anyone booing this is either massively ignorant or 

 

[A Darkwood Red]

2 hours ago, BCFCGav said:

For goodness sake. Bristol City obviously don’t advocate defunding the police. It’s a gesture against racism. Just back it or be quiet.

I think most quoting it don't even know what defunding the Police means 

[LondonBristolian]

1 hour ago, Cowshed said:

You don't know. You cannot. You may want to revisit the Trusts poorly worded statement. It mentions the taking of the knee. Ergo fans can be booing the action. Why? Racism .. Well its a weird type of racism that clocks ins for this kneeling then clocks off to buy expensive season tickets to watch a multi racial team. To malign fans like that is silly.

The Supporters Trust should check their own behaviour that prejudges fellow fans as racists.

 

If someone boos a player because he misses an easy chance or makes a mistake, they are booing that action. But they are also booing the player. The separation you're trying to invent does not exist. The small minority might have been booing an action of taking the knee but they were also booing the players. The idea that booing something a player is doing is somehow not actually booing a player is a thoroughly ridiculous argument. 

[SecretSam]

4 hours ago, Meh said:

A very small minority in the area where the fans bother to support the team so commendably. Does that help?

Nothing issue.

Racism is a "nothing issue"? Wow

[SecretSam]

5 hours ago, Meh said:

Hardly any and drowned out in about 2 seconds; going out to admire my mole hill now

That's okay then, long as it was only a few racist morons

[Aipearcey]

Didn’t boo, didn’t clap but what I don’t get is how someone can say that the kneeling isn’t linked to BLM “because they stated it isn’t” and is accepted, yet when people choose to boo it can’t be accepted that it’s not racist “because they stated it isn’t and that it’s because they don’t agree with this gesture in particular” it’s not. I like most others never agree with racism. The hypocrisy on people’s choices on the other hand is should not be encouraged either.

[Hampshire Red]

Racism is an issue, supporting a political movement is also an issue.

How about the players doing a headstand against those fans who will support England going to Qatar where money has corrupted FIFA, EUAFA, the FA, EFL, every club and BTW 6500 lives have been lost building stadia no fan should support

I will applaud the headstand against greedy English  and freign players of all colours going to Qatar and do what i like when the knee is dropped