Quote G1="G1"Strange that you think I have defended Bailey's actions on the field.'"
I never said you have, because you're unable to. What you have done instead is to state that the massive unpopularity Bailey suffers from is down to the colour of his skin. It either is or it isn't. If all you're saying is that in [isome[/i cases that's what it is, then fair enough, I've no doubt that there will be some people who do indeed dislike him purely on racial grounds, but I think where you and I differ is on our belief of how prevelent that particular circumstance is. I believe it to be in the minority, you appear to believe it in the majority.
Quote G1="G1" Did I not finish my first lengthy post by supporting the disciplinary action the RFL have taken against Bailey for his recent actions?'"
Ironically I believe a 3 game ban for what he did to be OTT
Quote G1="G1"Your feverish defensive reactions appear to be continually missing the point and assuming I am saying things which I am not.'"
You're like a wriggling worm. Either you're saying that the majority of people dislike Bailey simply because of the colour of his skin, or you're not, and you're not really saying anything interesting at all - a bit like Stevo & Eddie who never shut up during the match commentary but don't really say anything of note.
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I know he deplores racism and has been known to stand up against it.
'"
I know you're using the exact same phrases (re: we all suffer from prejudice to some extent) as he has done on many occasions when we've discussed this.
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Have I said it was the ONLY reason?
'"
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Quote G1="MjM"I wonder what it is abvout Ryan Bailey that makes people dislike him so much?
'"
We all know what it is.
It's the elephant in the room that nobody likes to talk about. A big dark elephant.'"
Quote G1="G1"Firstly, I've never used the language such as "the only possible reason".'"
See the above. You either believe people dislike him because of "the big dark elephant", or not. If you believe it is, then you may not have used those exact words but it's what it implies.
Quote G1="G1"Secondly, if you cannot see that I can observe what I perceive as a degree of racism or prejudice in clouding peoples opinions without necessarily judging them for it then I appear to have grossly over estimated your intelligence.'"
So what's the main reason behind many people disliking Ben Cockayne? A deep rooted prejudice against people who ... no, sorry, I'm at a loss. Both players play the game right at the very edge of what is acceptable on the field of play. Both players are either loved or hated/disliked. There is no difference.
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In terms of things that invoke abhorrence I would have thought this would be quite low down the list but it fits with your pattern of overreaction and sensationalism.
'"
Not really. Blind prejudice leads to over-reactionary or utterly absurd generalisations about entire groups of people. That's what racism IS. In the racism case it's based on the tone of their skin. In other cases the connecting trait can be their dislike for a person or organisation. In your case, you are immediately prejudiced against people who outwardly show/say that they are not fans of Ryan Bailey and automatically assume that they have some kind of deep rooted racially motivated prejudice.
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I've formed a view about the opinions various people have expressed. I haven't made a view about those people. I don't know most of the people. Only someone dim witted would fail to see the difference.
'"
And yet the original comment is that the reason people don't like Bailey is because of "a big dark elephant". What puts you in a position to say that without it being unsupportable prejudice?
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I know people who hold many different views and opinions about a variety of subjects. However, I am evolved enough to recognise those views, challenge them where necessary without letting the views people hold or opinions they express define them.
'"
And yet people who dislike Bailey fall in to the "dark elephant in the room" prejudice. It would appear that you're
not evolved enough to recognise that so many people en-masse may just have formed a negative view of Ryan Bailey on anything other than the colour of his skin.
Quote G1="G1"Bailey is not the "thug" or cheap shot merchant" that he is labelled as. Certainly no more so than his front row contemporaries in the league.'"
I would say there are others in the league who are probably worse, agreed.
Quote G1="G1" Any other argument is simply unsustainable if you look objectively at his record. If people have come to the conclusion that he is a "thug/cheap shot merchant" then there must be some reason they have reached such a flawed and negative conclusion about the boy. '"
Absolutely. I did my part and gave one of the 5 examples that have been called for, I'm sure there are others but the one example I gave is the one that comes immediately to my mind.
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If it comforts you and eases your abhorrence shall we simply say that, in your case at least, you've reached your view about Bailey not because of some deep rooted yet valiantly suppressed prejudices or racism but because you haven't the first clue about what you're talking about when it comes to rugby league. Would that sit better?'"
I'm afraid you've hit a dud note with that one, try again. You still seem to be under the impression that I foam at the mouth whenever Bailey takes the field willing for him to be sent off, or some such. I don't, I simply dislike the way he plays the game, and the same goes for many other players in the league. It's simply part of being a Rugby League fan.