After over 4 years of this blog lying dormant within the depths of the internet - it's cool (and sort of funny) to start seeing several comments popping up on my posts on the Springbock tour; many of them in complete disagreement!
Just so you know - this blog was for a school assignment I did back in highschool. We had to study the different perspectives various groups within NZ held towards the tour - and my idea was to create a fake online forum (in the format of a blog), with several 'fake' members who had conflicting views to one another. In short - I wrote all of those blog posts!
Cheers.
Thursday 8 September 2016
Wednesday 14 March 2012
Ryan#thecopper890
"Looking back at the situation from a police perspective, both sides were extremely troublesome on game day. I can't recall how many times I was forced to confront unruly protestors, many of whom were under a Mob mentality and "really" over-expressing themselves. They didn't spare a second to appreciate the consequences of their actions.
There was one religeous lad who I recall running onto the field with a giant cross, on behalf of the Anglican chuch ! The various methods that protestors were using to mix all sorts of colourful ideas into a sporting event was really bizzare in my personal opinion.
The Fans niether made our job any easier. Broken glass, flying binoculars......you name it, came tumbling down towards us. Doing our duty, ofcourse, we provided the demonstrators with protection and escorted them off the grounds (or as in many circumstances), 'arrested' individuals who did not comply with our instructions." I can not help but laugh at the comments defending the actions of the fans that day in '81. They were getting 'very' violent by the time we had got the situation under control, and even more so when the game was called off. There was just too much broken glass, etc on the field for any match to be hosted on. They should accept part of the blame for the abortion of the Hamilton match rather than just dusting it off their shoulders and onto the party who were, at the end of the day, playing a vital role towards resolving an international issue.
There was one religeous lad who I recall running onto the field with a giant cross, on behalf of the Anglican chuch ! The various methods that protestors were using to mix all sorts of colourful ideas into a sporting event was really bizzare in my personal opinion.
The Fans niether made our job any easier. Broken glass, flying binoculars......you name it, came tumbling down towards us. Doing our duty, ofcourse, we provided the demonstrators with protection and escorted them off the grounds (or as in many circumstances), 'arrested' individuals who did not comply with our instructions." I can not help but laugh at the comments defending the actions of the fans that day in '81. They were getting 'very' violent by the time we had got the situation under control, and even more so when the game was called off. There was just too much broken glass, etc on the field for any match to be hosted on. They should accept part of the blame for the abortion of the Hamilton match rather than just dusting it off their shoulders and onto the party who were, at the end of the day, playing a vital role towards resolving an international issue.
Sunday 11 March 2012
Maori-dudeJohn80
"I find it ridiculous how those who protested against the Springbok Tour didn't open their eyes wide enough to see the sheer hypocrisy in what they were doing. They disrupted local matches and caused a series of problems for rugby fans, as a show of concern towards the currupt Aparthied System in South Africa, yet you would have had to be exeptionally lucky to see such events take place as a move to tackle the racism and lack of support aimed at us Moari in this 'Godzone' we live in.
As oppose to mingling with an international crisis and causing a plethora of economic and social issues for ourselves, it would have been a lot more beneficial to the country if we had adressed our own flaws before dealing to someone elses."
As oppose to mingling with an international crisis and causing a plethora of economic and social issues for ourselves, it would have been a lot more beneficial to the country if we had adressed our own flaws before dealing to someone elses."
Friday 9 March 2012
Bob234Pro Tour
@ (H.A.R.T)protesta567.....The 'fans' were out of control....??
Who was said to have stolen a light plane from Taupo airport and started heading towards the Hamilton Stadium? A man named Pat McQuarrie. An anti-tour 'protestor'.
I really do not see how those who opposed the tour can't help but put the fan's in a such negative light, when we were just giving back what they were asking for after they stormed the Rugby park. They burst the perimeter fence in a matter of seconds, ran onto the pitch and threatened to go the whole nine yards in regards to taking an international matter into their own hands and consequently turning it into a New Zealand oriented problem; and it seems as though they were just expecting us to sit their and watch them ruin a large sporting event which promoted our national sport.
As what Robert Muldoon and the RZRU strongly advocated, politics and sport...Do. Not. Mix !
Ofcourse we responded violently to their eratic behaviour after the game was cancelled. They should've kept their drama for the end of the game and not ruined it for those of us who were out to enjoy ourselves.
Who was said to have stolen a light plane from Taupo airport and started heading towards the Hamilton Stadium? A man named Pat McQuarrie. An anti-tour 'protestor'.
I really do not see how those who opposed the tour can't help but put the fan's in a such negative light, when we were just giving back what they were asking for after they stormed the Rugby park. They burst the perimeter fence in a matter of seconds, ran onto the pitch and threatened to go the whole nine yards in regards to taking an international matter into their own hands and consequently turning it into a New Zealand oriented problem; and it seems as though they were just expecting us to sit their and watch them ruin a large sporting event which promoted our national sport.
As what Robert Muldoon and the RZRU strongly advocated, politics and sport...Do. Not. Mix !
Ofcourse we responded violently to their eratic behaviour after the game was cancelled. They should've kept their drama for the end of the game and not ruined it for those of us who were out to enjoy ourselves.
(H.A.R.T)protesta567
"It was a 'terrifying' experience running out onto the field that day. I decided to accompany my father in law (who was demonstrating on behalf of H.A.R.T), and help protest against the tour. It was an opportunity to be involved in something which would make a difference to a country exposed to numerous problems surrounding Human rights. Obviously, the fans at the Hamilton game thought otherwise.
They were 'out of control' from the moment we stepped out onto the field !! They hurled objects at us, and it was very clear that they were more than just furious with us interfering. I remember seeing a man beside me get hit by what looked like a boot, obtaining a nasty gash to the side of his neck. Fans tried climbing onto the pitch in retaliation. Even the police looked vulnerable as they spread around the whole ground to 'control' the situation from escalating.
It was barbaric in the sense that people were resorting to violence as a method to settle their differences in values and beliefs.
I personally hold the Anti-Racisism groups, who were involved, in high regard for what they did during the Hamilton game on July 25 1981. As Nelson Mandela said during a News interview, the campaigning which took place and eventually lead to the cancellation of the Springboks-Waikato match, was 'as if the sun had come out' for South Africa. The more Kiwi's got involved with opposing the tour and encouraging matches and various other events to be called off, the stronger a message New Zealand was able to voice to South Africa."
They were 'out of control' from the moment we stepped out onto the field !! They hurled objects at us, and it was very clear that they were more than just furious with us interfering. I remember seeing a man beside me get hit by what looked like a boot, obtaining a nasty gash to the side of his neck. Fans tried climbing onto the pitch in retaliation. Even the police looked vulnerable as they spread around the whole ground to 'control' the situation from escalating.
It was barbaric in the sense that people were resorting to violence as a method to settle their differences in values and beliefs.
I personally hold the Anti-Racisism groups, who were involved, in high regard for what they did during the Hamilton game on July 25 1981. As Nelson Mandela said during a News interview, the campaigning which took place and eventually lead to the cancellation of the Springboks-Waikato match, was 'as if the sun had come out' for South Africa. The more Kiwi's got involved with opposing the tour and encouraging matches and various other events to be called off, the stronger a message New Zealand was able to voice to South Africa."
RugbyFan111
I completely disagree with AntiTourDave123.
For those who were loyal towards the 'Anti-tour' mindset, the Hamilton protest may indeed have seemed like a 'wonderful' gesture to humanity, however it certainly wasn't that way for us rugby fans who (paid) good money to see a rugby game, and were left with several hundred demonstrators running around on the field, waving banners in our faces and stirring up as much havock as they were capable of.
It's about time some people had a reality check and stopped being so self centred.
For those who were loyal towards the 'Anti-tour' mindset, the Hamilton protest may indeed have seemed like a 'wonderful' gesture to humanity, however it certainly wasn't that way for us rugby fans who (paid) good money to see a rugby game, and were left with several hundred demonstrators running around on the field, waving banners in our faces and stirring up as much havock as they were capable of.
It's about time some people had a reality check and stopped being so self centred.
AntiTourDave123
Personally, I believe that the groups which campaigned against the tour during the Hamilton match (July 25 1981) had the right to do so. The manner in which they acted (leading to the abortion of the match) wasn't anything to get too wound up over when you appreciate the hard work that they put into organising the demonstration; aswell as the calibre of what they were doing. The display of disloyalty and disgust towards the 'exotic' and unjust mechanics of South Africa's Aparthied regime is something which they (In my opinion) were entitled to as citizens of a Democratic Nation; where we do not encourage nor support such acts of discrimination.
What I believe to have been very unfortunate regarding the 1981 cancelled Hamilton match, was the bitter response the protestors were given by the fans 'supporting' the tour. Binoculars, can's, shoes and fists were among what were thrown at them by the furious crowd. Totally uncalled for if you ask me.
What I believe to have been very unfortunate regarding the 1981 cancelled Hamilton match, was the bitter response the protestors were given by the fans 'supporting' the tour. Binoculars, can's, shoes and fists were among what were thrown at them by the furious crowd. Totally uncalled for if you ask me.
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