- Australia's "Anti-Defamation Commission" roars into action against Australian football commentators. Archived Message
Posted by Morrissey
on December 7, 2022, 8:54 am
|
I have highlighted especially dodgy statements by Dr Abramovich in bold italics. https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/afl-greats-garry-lyon-and-tim-watson-fail-to-call-out-antisemitism-on-sen-breakfast/news-story/22b2ae8c4cc223682bef5e488f3381c7 AFL greats Garry Lyon and Tim Watson fail to call out anti-Semitism on SEN Breakfast Two AFL legends have come under fire over their response to damaging comments from a regular caller to their radio program. Joey Riordan 3 min read December 6, 2022 - 1:49PM AFL legends Garry Lyon and Tim Watson have been criticised over an SEN radio segment in which they failed to call out and condemn anti-Semitic comments from a caller. The comments, made by regular caller ‘John from Epping’, centred around North Melbourne draft pick Harry Sheezel, the first Jewish person to be drafted to the AFL since 1999. During a call to Melbourne’s SEN Breakfast program on Friday December 2, John, a passionate North Melbourne fan, was asked about his team’s performance in the draft a few nights earlier. In response the North fan repeated a harmful stereotype of Jewish people, while referencing the fact that the Kangaroos are paid by the Tasmanian government to play home games on the Apple Isle. “We got this Jewish player (in the draft),” John said. “You know, the Jewish, they are loaded with money, so maybe, we don’t need to go to Tasmania anymore, because probably if we needed some money his parents might pay for it.” Lyon then replied: “I wouldn’t worry about that, I’d just worry about the fact that he’s a very, very good player, they reckon he plays a bit like Stevie Johnson, what about that?” As of Tuesday morning the podcast featuring John’s comments was still available on SEN’s website - however it had been deleted by Tuesday afternoon. Dr Dvir Abramovich, chairman of The Anti-Defamation Commission, led criticism of Lyon and Watson over the segment, insisting they should have denounced John’s comments at the time they were made. “When you ignore anti-Semitism, you empower it, and Garry Lyon and Tim Watson have failed us all in not calling out the demeaning stereotype peddled by John that reflects an age-old and dangerous slur about Jews and money,” Dr Abramovich wrote in a statement to news.com.au. “This kind of warped and prejudiced worldview has fuelled violence against Jewish people in the past and should have never been given a platform on a radio program. “Public figures bear an outsized moral responsibility to strongly challenge all expressions of anti-Semitism, especially at a time when hatred against the Jewish community in Australia has reached record levels.” Dr Abramovich went on to question how the comments ever made it to air in the first place. “It’s actually hard to believe that these disparaging, deeply hurtful remarks made it to the airwaves and that they did not raise any red flags among the hosts and producers,” he wrote. “Why didn’t the hosts use the seven-second delay to stop this ugly rhetoric from being heard? Almost as bad, SEN chose to post this segment on its podcast.” He went on to say: “I hope that both (Garry and Tim) do some soul searching and apologise for this lapse in judgement.” In a follow-up statement to news.com.au, Dr Abramovich described the stereotype of Jewish people as being extremely wealthy as: “One of the most pernicious and enduring anti-Semitic stereotypes and conspiracies." He said it “portrays Jews as unscrupulous and stingy, corrupted by an insatiable greed for hoarding wealth, and depicts the community as relentless in its pursuit of money.” In response, SEN argued Lyon made an attempt to change the course of the conversation at the time, and that following the program both hosts contacted John to denounce his comments. “Garry heard one reference only and immediately corrected course with the caller and moved to shut the comment down,” an SEN spokesman told news.com.au. “Garry and Tim spoke to the caller within half an hour of the program ending and addressed the issue with him and told him that sentiment is not acceptable. “Garry and Tim have always stood for an inclusive show for everyone.” Sheezel, who was taken as the third pick of the AFL Draft, has unfortunately had to learn all too quickly how to deal with anti-Semitic comments in the past few weeks since he’s been linked to the high draft picks. The forward was subjected to disgusting anti-Semitic social media attacks in the hours before he became an AFL player in late November. The 18-year-old was on the receiving end of a series of slurs after an article about his prospects hit social media the night before the draft. The comments focused on Jewish stereotypes and made light of the Holocaust. Sheezel, who has played in the NAB League for premiership team the Sandringham Dragons, kicked 36 goals across the season. He is the first Jewish player to enter the AFL since Ezra Poyas was drafted by Richmond in 1999. |
| Message Thread:
|