03-07-2024, 09:36 PM
Kerr is entitled to her day in court (or out of it, if they can get the charges dismissed.)
We’ll let that play out.
She’s denying the charge.
There seems to be a general feeling that it’s all a bit trivial.
It’s certainly not worth gaol time.
If proven, is it that big a deal?
In some respects it is, for Sam’s reputation and position.
If the captain of an AFL side went out, got drunk and called an indigenous arresting officer a "stupid ‘black’ bastard" would they still be the captain.
I’m pretty sure the answer would be ‘no’.
There would be a contrite apology and a ‘stepping down’.
These discussions are always a bit tricky because we all approach them with our own experiences and prejudices.
I like to think I had pretty good relationships with the indigenous kids I taught. Over the 40 years I was teaching in Juvenile Justice/ Welfare I taught hundreds, if not thousands. There were times when my classes were 100% indigenous.
But I’ve probably been called a white c**t more times than I’ve had hot breakfasts.
Was I offended?
Maybe the first couple of times I heard it, but as the years went on, I don’t recall it ever hitting much of a nerve for two reasons.
-I was in the position of power and control. (Contrast that with being the only black student in a class of white peers+ a white teacher.)
-I knew it came from a moment of anger. I’d probably refused what the kid saw as a reasonable request-(The student wanting to do Art first thing in the morning rather than Maths or English…I was a bit of a c**t in that respect)
While I may not have been offended, there was probably a feeling of ‘sadness’ when a student I may have considered I had a pretty good relationship with expressed this ‘point of black/white difference’.
Because that attitude, expressed in a moment of anger, was real.
There was a difference between us based on colour.
Kids aren’t born with these prejudices.
It mostly comes from entrenched family and friend influences, and then experiences growing up. And that applies for both black and white families.
Admittedly my students usually came from a more depressed and oppressed background than most, where poverty, domestic violence and problems with the law and authorities were features of their family background, so I can only talk from that perspective.
We’ll let that play out.
She’s denying the charge.
There seems to be a general feeling that it’s all a bit trivial.
It’s certainly not worth gaol time.
If proven, is it that big a deal?
In some respects it is, for Sam’s reputation and position.
If the captain of an AFL side went out, got drunk and called an indigenous arresting officer a "stupid ‘black’ bastard" would they still be the captain.
I’m pretty sure the answer would be ‘no’.
There would be a contrite apology and a ‘stepping down’.
These discussions are always a bit tricky because we all approach them with our own experiences and prejudices.
I like to think I had pretty good relationships with the indigenous kids I taught. Over the 40 years I was teaching in Juvenile Justice/ Welfare I taught hundreds, if not thousands. There were times when my classes were 100% indigenous.
But I’ve probably been called a white c**t more times than I’ve had hot breakfasts.
Was I offended?
Maybe the first couple of times I heard it, but as the years went on, I don’t recall it ever hitting much of a nerve for two reasons.
-I was in the position of power and control. (Contrast that with being the only black student in a class of white peers+ a white teacher.)
-I knew it came from a moment of anger. I’d probably refused what the kid saw as a reasonable request-(The student wanting to do Art first thing in the morning rather than Maths or English…I was a bit of a c**t in that respect)
While I may not have been offended, there was probably a feeling of ‘sadness’ when a student I may have considered I had a pretty good relationship with expressed this ‘point of black/white difference’.
Because that attitude, expressed in a moment of anger, was real.
There was a difference between us based on colour.
Kids aren’t born with these prejudices.
It mostly comes from entrenched family and friend influences, and then experiences growing up. And that applies for both black and white families.
Admittedly my students usually came from a more depressed and oppressed background than most, where poverty, domestic violence and problems with the law and authorities were features of their family background, so I can only talk from that perspective.
