Cody Walker refuses to sing national anthem at State of Origin

[Mr Invisible]

@Mr Invisible, I'm trying to understand your point of view on this. So if someone is only 25% Aboriginal and 75% White, they should only be 25% bothered about Australian history regarding treatment of the Indigenous people?

No... it would be like someone whos great grandparents were Jewish (and is 25% Jewish by heritage), being all up in arms about why Angela Merkel won't apologise for the nazis killing people in concentration camps.

In addition to that, it'd be like them buying a German built BMW, owning all German built appliances, and getting a handout from Germany to apologise for war crimes of the past.

Does that make sense?

In short people complaining were never impacted, have never been impacted, and are happy to enjoy the comforts brought into their lives by the very people they are complaining about.

It's highly hypocritical.

Not to mention most of those in these protests don't even have a drop of aboriginal blood in them.

My cousin is a quarter blood and doesn't buy into all this BS, despite her family members taking advantage of every indigenous offer they can get (and never working a day in their life).

 

[Mr. Ditkovich]

Can someone please explain to me in laymen’s terms why they are not signing the national anthem please? I’m a little slow lol

Apparently the anthem is oppressive to Indigenous people.

To me, it seems like they need an excuse to look like they’re standing for something, when they probably couldn’t care less.

No one cares about whether they sing the anthem or not, the problem is that they’re making a big show and dance about it, basically “everyone look at me I’m so good I care about something”.

 

[Flanagun]

So the argument to date (from the players) and anyone else, doesn't seem to be about anything specific, no words or lines in the anthem. Just a general 'vibe' that because the anthem was created decades ago, that it should be changed, because some people have a 'perception' about Australia's societal values at the time the anthem was created.

I'm not saying we can't change it, but if that is the rationale, then we have some issues.

It wasn’t created decades ago btw... it became our anthem in 1984 but was actually written Over 100 years earlier in 1878.

 

[Mr Invisible]

Another idiot joins the fray: https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/05/31/chambers-i-wont-be-singing-it/

Loved the question about singing the anthem before, and watching him backtrack and think of an excuse.

Apparently the anthem is oppressive to Indigenous people.

To me, it seems like they need an excuse to look like they’re standing for something, when they probably couldn’t care less.

No one cares about whether they sing the anthem or not, the problem is that they’re making a big show and dance about it, basically “everyone look at me I’m so good I care about something”.

If they want to make a stand about something that will make a difference, they should use their position as an NRL player and indigenous role model, and speak out against rape in remote communities.

It wasn’t created decades ago btw... it became our anthem in 1984 but was actually written Over 100 years earlier in 1878.

Well would the indigenous community prefer "God Save Our Queen"? That's what Advance Australia Fair replaced.

Or the other options in 1984 were "The Song of Australia" (which is absolute arse), or "Waltzing Matilda" (about a criminal swagman committing suicide).

Wouldn't matter if it was changed to Funky Town.. they'd just find something else to whinge/complain about. Rent-A-Crowd are never happy!

 

[COVENS]

No... it would be like someone whos great grandparents were Jewish (and is 25% Jewish by heritage), being all up in arms about why Angela Merkel won't apologise for the nazis killing people in concentration camps.

In addition to that, it'd be like them buying a German built BMW, owning all German built appliances, and getting a handout from Germany to apologise for war crimes of the past.

Does that make sense?

In short people complaining were never impacted, have never been impacted, and are happy to enjoy the comforts brought into their lives by the very people they are complaining about.

It's highly hypocritical.

Not to mention most of those in these protests don't even have a drop of aboriginal blood in them.

My cousin is a quarter blood and doesn't buy into all this BS, despite her family members taking advantage of every indigenous offer they can get (and never working a day in

Aren't we talking about a few Indigenous players making a symbolic stand about the National Anthem which they feel doesn't represent their culture? This isn't about welfare payments or Nazi Germany.

You don't have to agree with them, that's fine but these percentages and anecdotes I think are pretty irrelevant to the conversation at hand.

They aren't complaining about the white fella, they're stating the National Anthem, in this format is not representative of Aboriginals.

 

[COVENS]

If they want to make a stand about something that will make a difference, they should use their position as an NRL player and indigenous role model, and speak out against rape in remote communities.

You've made this point a few times.
A) What does this strategy look like in your mind? Cody Walker holding a press conference saying underage rape is bad?
B) Isn't rape just something we should be trying to stop as a species?

 

[dogwhisperer]

Apparently the anthem is oppressive to Indigenous people.

To me, it seems like they need an excuse to look like they’re standing for something, when they probably couldn’t care less.

No one cares about whether they sing the anthem or not, the problem is that they’re making a big show and dance about it, basically “everyone look at me I’m so good I care about something”.

Thanks for the info mate.

I don’t see anything wrong with the anthem TBH. This country took my parents in, back in the 60’s. If it wasn’t for this great country my parents would still be in the Middle East suffering through wars and famine and hardship. God bless this Country a million times! With all due respect to the indigenous people of Australia and I have nothing against them but it was white Australia as it was known back in the 60’s that gave my family the chance to make a good life for themselves in Australia. And they welcomed my family with open hearts.

Never bite the hand that fed you or continues to feed you to this day. Forever grateful for everything this country has given my family. I’m proud to call myself an Aussie and I’m proud to sing the anthem anytime and at any place.

 

[Mr Invisible]

Aren't we talking about a few Indigenous players making a symbolic stand about the National Anthem which they feel doesn't represent their culture? This isn't about welfare payments or Nazi Germany.

You don't have to agree with them, that's fine but these percentages and anecdotes I think are pretty irrelevant to the conversation at hand.

They aren't complaining about the white fella, they're stating the National Anthem, in this format is not representative of Aboriginals.

You've missed my point. We are talking about a few players that are 50% Aboriginal (at most), because neither parent is likely to be a full blood.

Players that (in the case of Chambers and Addo-Carr in the past) have both sung the anthem proudly before at Grand Finals and Rep Games.

They are crapping on about doing it "because it doesn't represent My People" by which they mean Aboriginals. But the fact is they are as much Aboriginal as they are white Australians, yet pick and chose the side of the fence they want to be on.

Ergo, in comes my analogy about Nazi Germany.

Suddenly singing the anthem doesn't suit them because one newbie SOO player has decided it doesn't suit him?

If they wanted to do that, just stand there and don't sing it.. no need to make a massive song and dance about it.

They are making a big song and dance to draw awareness to their own personal cause and try to get others on the bandwagon.

Pisses me off that these shitcunts make something like an Origin game another political statement. They did the same shit at the Indigenous vs All Stars game.

They soon forget that if it wasn't for the white man, they wouldn't be getting paid 6 figure salaries for playing sport.

You've made this point a few times.
A) What does this strategy look like in your mind? Cody Walker holding a press conference saying underage rape is bad?

Well .. see... footballers aren't the most intelligent of blokes (Inglis, Walker x2, Roberts, are living proof), but here's how they could have done it.

Footballer: "We won't be singing the national anthem during State of Origin!"
Media: "Why is that?"
Footballer: "Because we are standing in silence"
Media: "Why so?"
Footballer: "Because too many aboriginal kids are being raped in remote communities, and the communities overlook it and stay silent on the abuse. This is our way of raising awareness for the issue."
Media: "Wow, that's great to see you are doing it for such a great cause".

B) Isn't rape just something we should be trying to stop as a species?

You'd think so, but some clearly can't help themselves, and kids are the easy target for these sexual predators. But hey... I'm sure the white mans to blame for that as well.. and for their over representation in prison incarcerations. Anything that negatively shines light on indigenous australians is always someone elses fault.

 

[SPEARTAKVIDREFS]

Why didnt Cody Walker rally as many players, commentators, community leaders, politicians, celebs, as many people as possible, use his position to raise funds to for example hit the whole front page of the Telegraph. Why didnt he go on 'Today'. Why didnt he campaign to raise 200,000 signatures and hand deliver them to the PM with a smile and photograph for the media. He states he 'wants to have a conversation surrounding why Indigenous people are absent in the Australian anthem'. I dont see a problem with that. With that in the last 100 years, many people have come here and pledged themselves and there families to be Australian. Im open to changing the anthem to be inclusive of everyone, as a nation have a forum as how to write an Anthem that represents all Australians. Cody Walker is protesting instead of trying to have a conversation. Zero effort using SOO as his platform. 3 mins before kick off and his focus is 'Look at me and what I stand for'.

 

[Mr Invisible]

Thanks for the info mate.

I don’t see anything wrong with the anthem TBH. This country took my parents in, back in the 60’s. If it wasn’t for this great country my parents would still be in the Middle East suffering through wars and famine and hardship. God bless this Country a million times! With all due respect to the indigenous people of Australia and I have nothing against them but it was white Australia as it was known back in the 60’s that gave my family the chance to make a good life for themselves in Australia. And they welcomed my family with open hearts.

Never bite the hand that fed you or continues to feed you to this day. Forever grateful for everything this country has given my family. I’m proud to call myself an Aussie and I’m proud to sing the anthem anytime and at any place.

Great post... that's the thing.. Doesn't matter the colour of your skin or where you've come from, as long as you appreciate the things that Australia has given us (that we take for granted).

I used to do work for a bloke who came here from Africa as a refugee. His family were slaughtered when he was 19, and him and his younger brother made their way to a refugee camp and ended up in Australia. He came to Australia with a bag of clothes for them and that was it.

He worked hard, loved this country and the brothers wanted to repay Australia for the opportunity it gave them. They ended up starting up a business importing coffee beans, which then branched out into cafes, and they ended up with about 5 or 6 around Sydney in the end. They used links in Africa to support fair trade and pour money back into communities over there that needed help, whilst eventually selling their coffee beans to cafes throughout Australia. Business turns over well in excess of $1 million a year, and they owe it all to Australia.

People call Australia "the lucky country", and whilst it annoys me that people are trying to force it to change from the Australia I grew up in in the 80s, people just need to take a step back and realise just how lucky they are to enjoy such a fine country (be it Aussies, new refugees, indigenous Australians, etc etc).

Rather than whinge about this or that or actions of the past, appreciate what you've got AND how you got it!

I'm damn sure that if Australia wasn't colonised, it wouldn't be the same as it is now.

 

[dogwhisperer]

Great post... that's the thing.. Doesn't matter the colour of your skin or where you've come from, as long as you appreciate the things that Australia has given us (that we take for granted).

I used to do work for a bloke who came here from Africa as a refugee. His family were slaughtered when he was 19, and him and his younger brother made their way to a refugee camp and ended up in Australia. He came to Australia with a bag of clothes for them and that was it.

He worked hard, loved this country and the brothers wanted to repay Australia for the opportunity it gave them. They ended up starting up a business importing coffee beans, which then branched out into cafes, and they ended up with about 5 or 6 around Sydney in the end. They used links in Africa to support fair trade and pour money back into communities over there that needed help, whilst eventually selling their coffee beans to cafes throughout Australia. Business turns over well in excess of $1 million a year, and they owe it all to Australia.

People call Australia "the lucky country", and whilst it annoys me that people are trying to force it to change from the Australia I grew up in in the 80s, people just need to take a step back and realise just how lucky they are to enjoy such a fine country (be it Aussies, new refugees, indigenous Australians, etc etc).

Rather than whinge about this or that or actions of the past, appreciate what you've got AND how you got it!

I'm damn sure that if Australia wasn't colonised, it wouldn't be the same as it is now.

100%...Forever grateful

 

[Roll the Bones]

I'm damn sure that if Australia wasn't colonised, it wouldn't be the same as it is now.

I normally keep out of these types of discussions, but I will say that compared to Cook, Christopher Columbus was an absolute ****. If he rocked on by to this part of the world, the outcome would be very different. Not the nice chap and hero that american primary school kiddies are taught he is. Anyhows, if we are going to change the anthem, i vote for something by TISM.

 

[Flanagun]

Anyhows, if we are going to change the anthem, i vote for something by TISM.

Anyone could enjoy that..... except River Phoenix...

 

[stinkypinky]

Well a little history lesson for you guys the aboriginals were not here first there was other people here called the pigmy people they were short little Africans and do you know who killed them off ? The aboriginals absolutely smashed them killed everyone one of them and now they don’t exist look it up guys

 

[CroydonDog]

Anyone could enjoy that..... except River Phoenix...

I occasionally try to drink the slab that Bon Scott drunk.

 

[GA45]

We tried that approach once and it didn’t help.... in fact, it did the opposite.

With all due respect, having witnessed the problems first hand does not mean you are raising practical solutions....what’s that old saying about insanity and doing the same thing twice and expecting different results?

We need to work together with the Indigenous community to solve these problems. We can’t do it by ourselves any more than they can....and a respectful relationship and ability to discuss these issues maturely and openly is the best way to promote unity between the Indigenous population and the wider community. Shouting down these players and attacking their character for exercising their freedoms is the opposite of constructive action in my opinion.

In their DNA? What nonsense. A lot of these problems are pretty common amongst dispossessed cultures. Self esteem and difficulties with self identity are a huge part of the problem.

If parents continually tell a child they are no good, the chances are significantly increased they will grow up to live up to those words. Again, basic human psychology.

You can’t help people that don’t want to help themselves. Doesn’t matter the colour. All I’m hearing are excuses to hide behind.

 

[flamebouyant]

I cant believe how many people are calling him out on this and saying he is a hypocrite. What a load of fucking rubbish. The fact he wants to see the national anthem changed has nothing to do with the fact he earns Australian dollars for doing his job. This is not hypocrisy, not even close.
People in this country need to come to terms with the fact that we have a massive cultural divide between aborigines and white Australians that needs to be changed.

 

[coach]

I cant believe how many people are calling him out on this and saying he is a hypocrite. What a load of fucking rubbish. The fact he wants to see the national anthem changed has nothing to do with the fact he earns Australian dollars for doing his job. This is not hypocrisy, not even close.
People in this country need to come to terms with the fact that we have a massive cultural divide between aborigines and white Australians that needs to be changed.

Most of the divide these days is on the aboriginal side...
No matter what Australia does there not happy
Country said sorry for something none of us done...not good enough
They have every opportunity every other person has ... not good enough
They get more hand outs, payments , scholarships than any other race
Not good enough
My sister won a scholarship to uni...20k that’s for every race.... except if your aboriginal because if you win that one it’s 30k
Can’t win it if you’re white, or Asian or Lebanese or Latin or African ...no your have to fight for the 20k between all of us
But we will give out 30k ones but only qualify if your aboriginal
That’s racist, imagine a white only scholarship...the fucking uproar
How bout these boys do something useful, not sing8ng the national anthem does shit in helping anyone... nothing
How bout donate your 30k match fees to aboriginal communities who are rife with alcohol drug and sexual abuse problems
You have little kids continually getting raped in these communties on a large scale
How bout helping them
Coz not singing the national fuck8ng anthem is a guna help
Fucking pathetic

 

[COVENS]

You've missed my point. We are talking about a few players that are 50% Aboriginal (at most), because neither parent is likely to be a full blood.

Players that (in the case of Chambers and Addo-Carr in the past) have both sung the anthem proudly before at Grand Finals and Rep Games.

They are crapping on about doing it "because it doesn't represent My People" by which they mean Aboriginals. But the fact is they are as much Aboriginal as they are white Australians, yet pick and chose the side of the fence they want to be on.

Ergo, in comes my analogy about Nazi Germany.

Suddenly singing the anthem doesn't suit them because one newbie SOO player has decided it doesn't suit him?

If they wanted to do that, just stand there and don't sing it.. no need to make a massive song and dance about it.

They are making a big song and dance to draw awareness to their own personal cause and try to get others on the bandwagon.

Pisses me off that these shitcunts make something like an Origin game another political statement. They did the same shit at the Indigenous vs All Stars game.

They soon forget that if it wasn't for the white man, they wouldn't be getting paid 6 figure salaries for playing sport.

And I'm asking why does percentage of blood matter? They identify as Aboriginals, not half casts, not whites - Aboriginals. Without knowing their family tree, I would assume a least a part of this is tied to the fact their was a breeding program to regress the Aboriginal race.

I'm assuming by your second and fifth points that you have never changed your mind about anything? Perhaps Chambers and Addo Carr hadn't thought about the anthem until Walker spoke to them about it?

How much have you read about the Stolen Generation and the White Australia Policy? These are fair indicators of why there aren't "full bloods."

 

[Precise]

We tried that approach once and it didn’t help.... in fact, it did the opposite.

With all due respect, having witnessed the problems first hand does not mean you are raising practical solutions....what’s that old saying about insanity and doing the same thing twice and expecting different results?

We need to work together with the Indigenous community to solve these problems. We can’t do it by ourselves any more than they can....and a respectful relationship and ability to discuss these issues maturely and openly is the best way to promote unity between the Indigenous population and the wider community. Shouting down these players and attacking their character for exercising their freedoms is the opposite of constructive action in my opinion.

In their DNA? What nonsense. A lot of these problems are pretty common amongst dispossessed cultures. Self esteem and difficulties with self identity are a huge part of the problem.

If parents continually tell a child they are no good, the chances are significantly increased they will grow up to live up to those words. Again, basic human psychology.

It makes me more knowledgeable about the issues you see daily in the top end then you, do you honestly believe changing the anthem will help the issues in the top end for people who have no idea what day and date it is at any given time of the year?

It isn't the 1900s anymore they would be cared for properly, intervention would help in this case. You know a great way to get children away from environments where their parents tell them their no good and pimp them out to their uncles? REMOVE THEM. Are you saying it's better to have child in abuse then removing aboriginal children from those families?

While we're talking about trying the same thing twice and expecting different results, we said sorry. For something we weren't apart of. It was drummed up this would help them, make them feel better all the exact same things that have been talked about with changing the date and the anthem. You know what happened after we said sorry? The situation got WORSE.