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BLM and South African Players
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<blockquote data-quote="Mr Ruggleby" data-source="post: 1000974" data-attributes="member: 41553"><p>I can understand why questions are being asked about why a group of white players, all from a country that has had one of the most recent and highly-publicised regimes of racial discrimination, unanimously chose not to kneel as a show of support to the BLM movement. However, if their reasoning was that taking a knee would contravene their religious beliefs, this is clearly a non-issue. The focus should be on the fact that they wore the "Rugby Against Racism" T-shirts, clearly showing support, and are totally entitled to uphold their religious beliefs whilst doing so. For anyone who supports BLM to argue otherwise would be insanely hypocritical.</p><p></p><p>The one instance where I can see this blowing up into more of an issue is if a distinction is made by the players between supporting Rugby Against Racism vs BLM. Similar to an All Lives Matter vs BLM debate. Having worked and lived in SA, I've seen the impact of the Black Economic Empowerment movement and the resentment it causes amongst some white South Africans, who are marginalised in the workplace due to the actions of previous generations - on an individual level it feels and is unquestionably unfair. On a macro-level, I personally believe it's a necessary short-term evil to create a more equal society in the longer term, but I can totally appreciate that this is little comfort to the individuals who are directly and negatively impacted. For that reason, I can imagine a scenario where these players might reject a request to kneel in support of BLM because they feel, in South Africa at least, that Black Lives have been prioritised over White Lives for most of their lives. If this is the case, I think the media and public reaction in SA will be very negative. Of course, I have no evidence whatsoever to suggest that this is the case, so it is pure conjecture at this point and, in all likelihood, I think religious beliefs will be cited as the reason for not kneeling.</p><p></p><p>I'd be interested to hear from the SA-based members whether my observations of BEE from my time there ring true.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Mr Ruggleby, post: 1000974, member: 41553"] I can understand why questions are being asked about why a group of white players, all from a country that has had one of the most recent and highly-publicised regimes of racial discrimination, unanimously chose not to kneel as a show of support to the BLM movement. However, if their reasoning was that taking a knee would contravene their religious beliefs, this is clearly a non-issue. The focus should be on the fact that they wore the "Rugby Against Racism" T-shirts, clearly showing support, and are totally entitled to uphold their religious beliefs whilst doing so. For anyone who supports BLM to argue otherwise would be insanely hypocritical. The one instance where I can see this blowing up into more of an issue is if a distinction is made by the players between supporting Rugby Against Racism vs BLM. Similar to an All Lives Matter vs BLM debate. Having worked and lived in SA, I've seen the impact of the Black Economic Empowerment movement and the resentment it causes amongst some white South Africans, who are marginalised in the workplace due to the actions of previous generations - on an individual level it feels and is unquestionably unfair. On a macro-level, I personally believe it's a necessary short-term evil to create a more equal society in the longer term, but I can totally appreciate that this is little comfort to the individuals who are directly and negatively impacted. For that reason, I can imagine a scenario where these players might reject a request to kneel in support of BLM because they feel, in South Africa at least, that Black Lives have been prioritised over White Lives for most of their lives. If this is the case, I think the media and public reaction in SA will be very negative. Of course, I have no evidence whatsoever to suggest that this is the case, so it is pure conjecture at this point and, in all likelihood, I think religious beliefs will be cited as the reason for not kneeling. I'd be interested to hear from the SA-based members whether my observations of BEE from my time there ring true. [/QUOTE]
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