First of all: "keep shouting, it just makes my opinions worse" is a famous meme from Dril, a 'weird Twitter' celebrity.
Secondly, I am not among the people who started T-AFC but I'm privy to their discussions and they are *certainly* not planning to taunt or fight other fans. One T-AFC founder said to me: "I would love to go to the football as a football person but even more as a group that also stands for things I believe in as well."
Thirdly, I'm grateful to some posters here for opening my eyes to the extent to which football fans might triggered to verbal abuse (or worse) by, for example, a Tino Rangatiratanga flag or a chant in support of LGBTQ+ footballers. I honestly had no idea. (But the idea of chants against "cis white men" is weird. I expect the Auckland FC roster to be at least 50% cis white men.)
Fourthly, the argument about how we'd like it if there was a "David Seymour Brigade" over in Bay 19 or whatever reminds me the question of "how would you queers like it if there was a *Straight* pride parade". In fact, I think that's a very good metaphor all round. What if there were a LGBTQ+ fan group, all in pink shirts etc. The argument that this was narcissistic, provocative, shoving things down unsuspecting people's throats in public etc. etc. would be more obviously a problem.
Fifthly, I remember when the YF at Mt Smart chanted "Santalab's a racist". I remember when Balbi started the whole "Rainbow Fever" thing at NHS when calling out sexist/homophobic chants. No biff resulted. This is "politics at the football".
But finally: I've strongly recommended to T-AFC that they have a polite word to the club, to security and to The P*rt to reassure that they "come in peace".
Secondly, I am not among the people who started T-AFC but I'm privy to their discussions and they are *certainly* not planning to taunt or fight other fans. One T-AFC founder said to me: "I would love to go to the football as a football person but even more as a group that also stands for things I believe in as well."
Thirdly, I'm grateful to some posters here for opening my eyes to the extent to which football fans might triggered to verbal abuse (or worse) by, for example, a Tino Rangatiratanga flag or a chant in support of LGBTQ+ footballers. I honestly had no idea. (But the idea of chants against "cis white men" is weird. I expect the Auckland FC roster to be at least 50% cis white men.)
Fourthly, the argument about how we'd like it if there was a "David Seymour Brigade" over in Bay 19 or whatever reminds me the question of "how would you queers like it if there was a *Straight* pride parade". In fact, I think that's a very good metaphor all round. What if there were a LGBTQ+ fan group, all in pink shirts etc. The argument that this was narcissistic, provocative, shoving things down unsuspecting people's throats in public etc. etc. would be more obviously a problem.
Fifthly, I remember when the YF at Mt Smart chanted "Santalab's a racist". I remember when Balbi started the whole "Rainbow Fever" thing at NHS when calling out sexist/homophobic chants. No biff resulted. This is "politics at the football".
But finally: I've strongly recommended to T-AFC that they have a polite word to the club, to security and to The P*rt to reassure that they "come in peace".