#299

The NFL is a completely different case given that they’ve systematically oppressed a player of colour engaged in a peaceful protest on this very subject. Their statement the other day was downright hypocrisy, no more, no less.

5 Likes
#300

I’m simply asking a question about something I felt unsure about, I’ve said I’m happy to be proven wrong, I just find the idea of any big brand (with a questionable history regarding this) presenting themselves like this is worth questioning.

#301

I think it is a good starting point, just as a declaration of “we’re not going to push out own shit today”, but then if there is nothing for the rest of the day it starts to feel like a bit of a hollow, no-effort gesture

Talking specifically about businesses and organisations here, personal accounts it is a bit different. I posted a non-tagged black square this morning on insta, but as people who follow me are 99% disers who are already posting lots of the main links I didn’t feel like there was anything to be gained by doing the exact same. Instead I researched to try and find any organisation that helped neurodiverse black people as that was a specific group I hadn’t seen attention called to. I failed, but then luckily @Tiergarten posted a link to donate to funds helping Autistic People of Colour in the neurodiversity thread here which was precisely what I wanted to find to pass on. Here if anyone has anything spate to donate (realise a lot of people will have already made what contributions they can already though):
https://autismandrace.com/autistic-people-of-color-fund/

Edit: there’s also more links and reading on that site too I believe. I haven’t got round to them yet because of intermittent toddler chaos)

6 Likes
#302

To be clear I’m not saying the two things are equatable, NFL’s statement is complete bullshit whereas this I just find a bit questionable given recent history. I only brought it up because @anon9806217 said “any show of support is welcome” and the NFL is an example where its not.

#303

Yeah. Called it ‘incongruous’ upthread, but that is letting them off way too lightly. Pretty much the clearest example of hypocrisy you’ll ever see

1 Like
#305

If this is driven by the players then I don’t see the issue. I think a bigger issue would be if the club refused to give its players of colour a platform when they’d asked for one because they were too concerned with the optics of doing so.

#306

Definitely seeing a LOT of brands taking the piss by showing solidarity now with questionable past endeavors (e.g. InTheStyle with their “body positive” campaign containing no black fat women and Loreal ditching Munroe Bergdorf, a black trans woman). They can rightfully piss off.

Are a football team a brand though? :woman_shrugging:

5 Likes
#307

Something I’m personally weighing up at the moment and genuinely would appreciate the community’s view of:

For DiSers not in the US, if a BLM protest was held near you this weekend and you had no ‘logistical’ reason not to attend (i.e. you could get there safely and easily, had no other plans etc), would you go? I ask this in light of the lockdown and social distancing measures that are still in place across the UK and the BLM protests that have just been announced in places like Glasgow and Edinburgh this weekend.

Anonymous poll.

  • Yes I would attend the protest
  • No I would not

0 voters

#308

Very much so imo

16 Likes
#309

I don’t go to protests/marches full stop due to the stress of crowds. Would be even less likely to go now due to the circumstances of lockdown/corona + crowds.

3 Likes
#310

was in 2 minds about going but think i’ll join the AFA one here tonight. Event page says to wear a mask and keep distance so hopefully there aren’t too many people being silly. here’s a bit ahead of the uk in terms of opening stuff up though, cinemas already opening etc.

1 Like
#311

But footballers do shit ALL THE TIME and their team never speaks out or does anything about shitty behaviour and even if they did, it does nothing to damage the supporters of the team.

Whereas you’re more likely to not give your money to a clothing brand if they did something shitty, you know what I mean? People who like football will still go watch football no matter what.

3 Likes
#312

I do think there is some grey area with football clubs, though, in that footballers themselves are part of the “brand”, but are prominent individuals in their own right; in that way, they’re more comparable to prominent heads of companies, like Bill Gates, or Anita Roddick (when she was still involved with Body Shop).

1 Like
#313

Mine too. If anybody wants to talk about football and trade marks, just let me know!

(I will never, ever doing this again)

#314

I’d like to go, but I’m shielding and on the off-chance that I ended up needing medical attention a week or so later I’d feel really stupid and guilty.

3 Likes
#315

Yeah, that’s all fair enough, I’m not sure a private apology is really good enough, because then something like this comes up, but at least its something. I’m all for company’s changing in positive ways and agree they generally have a good bunch of people involved but given there was no public acknowledgement from the club (who were owned by Fenway by that point so it is the same people as far as I’m concerned) that they publically scapegoated a French-African player (who played for their biggest rivals) to protect one of their own makes this sentiment questionable at least.

I don’t doubt the majority, if not everyone, involved have good intentions. It’s good that the club listened to their Black players in order to create this, and your other post about individual accounts I think is spot on. I just worry that if the message is coming from a club who hasn’t publicly acknowledged wrong doing in a racial incident it can just come off as p.r exercise. I just think part of the conversation everyone needs to be having right now if their serious about social change is also accepting and acknowledging their own privilege and past misdemeanours in order to move forward.

2 Likes
#316

Keep seeing things saying attending is not advised and wider organisers have said not to but there is online stuff instead?

1 Like
#317

Oops replied too soon

Nm can’t be arsed to finish what I was going to say

1 Like
#319

Large groups of people in confined spaces for prolonged periods, regardless of it being outdoors has to be an infection risk. There’s a good chance of infections taking place, and that will lead to further infections, and that will most likely lead to some deaths. So no, I would not be part of that, no matter how important the message.

3 Likes
#320

The biggest clubs are, absolutely. Their monetary worth and image is recognised across the world and is therefore quite a powerful and wide reaching platform. Not just football either, like how recognisable the Yankees are it transcends sports.

1 Like