It seems to me it is kind of like, it is not guns that kill people....
It is not the flag but the person with it?
It is not the flag but the person with it?
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Australian Flag banned at the BDO
- Thread starter Tigers of Old
- Start date
rosy23 said:
Definately stirred up angst. I reckon Westy is trying to run a music fesival where mums and dads can send their kids to have some fun without being punched up. Last year their was a lot more punching-up of people than usual, predominantly brown people, and the vast majority of the punching was done by young bloke wearing Aussie flags.
I'm not necessarily saying he should ban the flag at the BDO, but I can see where he's coming from. His no. 1 priority is to have a non-violent fun festival, not to fuel national outrage. I've met him a couple of time, I have worked on a few BDOs, he's a very calm, normal, funny bloke.
feisty tige said:
I think that's what many of us have been saying feisty. Deal with the problem...a problem that doesn't happen to be our Australian flag, a symbol for many of the great country and freedom we have here, but rather small minority abuse it.
Interesting about Mr West ts. I wonder how selective the journos have been in regard to the context of his comments. If they're accurate I'm not a fan.
struggletown3121 said:
I'm very thick skinned. I agree with the principle, but its exactly the same as being treated like criminals every time we enter a venue or a plane or whatever because of terrorism. A few violent thugs spoil it for everyone.
I'd boil it down to this, rather than get pissed off with Ken West, I'm pissed off with thugs who wear the flag and degrade it.
tigersnake said:
Yeah but instead of spoiling it for everyone get the security to do their bloody job and kick the idiots out that abuse it.
What happens if on the day of the BDO people wear T-shirts with the Aussie Flag on it, or paint their faces, green & gold or Red, white and blue? Are they 'gang' colours?
Where does it end TS?
What happened to freedom of expression?
So ironic at an 'alternative' music festival. :blah
He might be a 'calm, funny bloke' but Ken West is a fool because he's created an atmosphere of anger and hostility which is anything but those things.
He's tarnished his precious BDO for good by making a mountain out of a molehill.
What we’ve gotta remember here is that there is infinitely more good about this country than bad, that we have come a long way as a nation in a relatively short period of time, and that we have achieved things that many other countries have only ever been able to dream about.
So, with all of that, I say that in no way whatsoever should any of us EVER be prevented from using our flag to celebrate or convey our feelings of just how proud we are of this nation and the aforementioned achievements simply because an infinitesimal minority of aholes choose to use it as a symbol for something else.
The flag is NOT the problem here.
So, with all of that, I say that in no way whatsoever should any of us EVER be prevented from using our flag to celebrate or convey our feelings of just how proud we are of this nation and the aforementioned achievements simply because an infinitesimal minority of aholes choose to use it as a symbol for something else.
The flag is NOT the problem here.
tigersnake said:
Apparently you haven't been to the cricket at the MCG lately then? There are many young girls/women with Aussie flags draped around them too.. and I'm sure they're not there to pick a fight with anyone.... just having some fun, and showing their patriotism. Nothing wrong with that, is there?
thanks JB and MB, i do my best. You've gotta have a go.
I agree Ken West could have handled it better.
I'll try and put it another way. Middle Eastern people get targetted more than white people when they are going into airports or whatever, its unforunate and I feel for the non-extremeist middle eastern people, but thats the way its gotta be. The alternative of targetting everyone is impossible. People might disagree with me, but its a simple logistic necessity.
I reckon if its pissed, chrystal-methed young thugs wearing aussie flag capes causing trouble at the BDO, and last year it was, its fair enough that they're targetted for extra security. Again, simple logisical necessity. And it wasn't a molehill last year TOO, there was a fair bit of violence, you wouldn't think it was a molehill if your 14 year old son was beaten up, well I wouldn't anyway. Ken West has said to himself 'flag wearing young blokes spoiled last years festival, how can I best stop it happening again?'
We all know its a great country. West reaction to the problem may not have been good, but the problem is there. I'm not saying the whole country's gone to sh!t, becuase a few *smile*s think they have a mortage on the flag.
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I agree Ken West could have handled it better.
I'll try and put it another way. Middle Eastern people get targetted more than white people when they are going into airports or whatever, its unforunate and I feel for the non-extremeist middle eastern people, but thats the way its gotta be. The alternative of targetting everyone is impossible. People might disagree with me, but its a simple logistic necessity.
I reckon if its pissed, chrystal-methed young thugs wearing aussie flag capes causing trouble at the BDO, and last year it was, its fair enough that they're targetted for extra security. Again, simple logisical necessity. And it wasn't a molehill last year TOO, there was a fair bit of violence, you wouldn't think it was a molehill if your 14 year old son was beaten up, well I wouldn't anyway. Ken West has said to himself 'flag wearing young blokes spoiled last years festival, how can I best stop it happening again?'
We all know its a great country. West reaction to the problem may not have been good, but the problem is there. I'm not saying the whole country's gone to sh!t, becuase a few *smile*s think they have a mortage on the flag.
!
jb03 said:
well, they did, you don't have to take my word for it though of course. Sydney was particularly bad. There was a bit of press about it. I reckon its very interesting the Ken West saying 'I don't want flags at the BDO' attract massive outrage, media, controvery etc. While gangs of young blokes wearing flags and punching people at random doesn't get cause much outrage and controvery.
Aside from the press, which you can verify, I'll give you some anecdotal evidence, which you can't verify because this is an anonymous forum, A few very good friends of mine, 2 in particlular, work on the BDO every year. Also have quite a lot of aquaintances. Some of these people are not wimpy bloke, some a big ugly roadies who have been around. The general impression of the BDO tour last year was that there was much more violence, heaps of people wearing flags which they'd never seen before, and that Sydney in particular, was pretty scary.
tigersnake said:
Well there's your problem.
As Red keeps harping the flag is not the issue here.
If the BDO wants to get fair dinkum then it's got far bigger social problems to handle than a bit of fabric.
Tigers of Old said:
yeah, and I agreed with that, its just a rectangle bit of material after all. But the BDO has to process punters quickly otherwise the thing can't happen. They can't ban every young male, they can't ban people who've had a drink, they can't test everyone for amphetamine use.
I thought i lived in Australia.
There should never ever ever ever be a time when our national flag should not be allowed to fly nor its people wave it with pride.
This country is overgoverned by left wing, panderers who just offended me and probably most proud Aussies by once again submitting to the bleats of minorities.
THIS IS AUSTRALIA FFS!!!!!
There should never ever ever ever be a time when our national flag should not be allowed to fly nor its people wave it with pride.
This country is overgoverned by left wing, panderers who just offended me and probably most proud Aussies by once again submitting to the bleats of minorities.
THIS IS AUSTRALIA FFS!!!!!
