30 January 2007

Psst, wanna be a Raiderette? How about beating up Muslims?

| johnboy
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Want to be a Raiderette?

“come to Club Lime in Belconnen this Sunday (February 4), for a chance to become involved in the best cheer squad in the NRL”

Appealing no? Actually with Chris and Sarah from FM 104.7 there as fluffers the whole thing might be a bit of a jolly to see the clingers and mingers, shame there’s no bar there.

And then, down the bottom of the page I noticed a strange little ad.

The Raiders’ newsletter is called “The Crusade”?

Ok first things first, vikings had very, very little to do with the Crusades [Wikipedia], sure they were somewhat related to the Normans but that’s really not much to be going on with. So bonus points for ignorance up there with the Brumbies a few years ago talking about the Tigers of Africa in a promotion.

Then there’s the minor matter that Muslims rightly regard the Crusades as a genocidal war of conquest waged against them for no other reason than their faith.

What kind of message are the Raiders trying to send to their fans?

BTW here’s what my dictionary has to say on the matter:

crusade |kroōˈsād|
noun (often Crusade)
a medieval military expedition, one of a series made by Europeans to recover the Holy Land from the Muslims in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries.
• a war instigated by the Church for alleged religious ends.
• an organized campaign concerning a political, social, or religious issue, typically motivated by a fervent desire for change : a crusade against crime.

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VYBerlinaV8_now with_added_grunt11:51 am 01 Feb 07

Maybe if a few people a thousand years ago who seem to be the root cause of this problem had rung lifeline, we wouldn’t be arguing about how something that happened so f***ing long ago is affecting the lives of modern people.

It is a bit of a niggle with JB, though. One might almost say he’s making it a personal crusade…

Evidently JB does. Perhaps a phone call to Lifeline is in order. We could even click on the websites ads to generate the 30 odd cents for him.

VYBerlinaV8_now with_added_grunt10:48 am 01 Feb 07

A very fine line…

Ultimately, who cares? Really?

The point is that a riot can target anyone, a crusade is specifically about the ancestors of one group in our society murdering the ancestors of another.

VYBerlinaV8_now with_added_grunt10:29 am 01 Feb 07

That’s not the point. The point is that the name of this blog could be construed as offensive to some members of the community.

I don’t think this illiterate immigrant Stan has heard of the expression “read the Riot Act”.

This blog is called The “Riot ACT”

Ok first things first, riots have very, very little to do with pontifications on Canberra related news items.

Then there’s the minor matter of the Cronulla Riots, the Redfern Riots and the recent Noble Park Riots.

What kind of message is this blog trying to send to their readers?

BTW here’s what my dictionary has to say on the matter:

ri·ot /ˈraɪət/
–noun
1. a noisy, violent public disorder caused by a group or crowd of persons, as by a crowd protesting against another group, a government policy, etc., in the streets.
2. Law. a disturbance of the public peace by three or more persons acting together in a disrupting and tumultuous manner in carrying out their private purposes.
3. violent or wild disorder or confusion.

descended from certainly, but a very different people by then.

Slow news day.

Get over yourselves; you can guarantee that in any footy club there is not much thought given to the monthly rag that some of their members might be able to read.

Despite the fact – already alluded to – that Raiders are associated with Vikings and Vikings are not widely renowned as being “Crusaders” in the sense of the 11th and 13th Century type.

All of this could have been prevented if we’d taken “Cowboys” instead of “Raiders”. Although that means all the fair-weather sailors in this town would struggle finding something cute to rhyme with “Cowboys” with the same “Faders” connotations.

That being said I believe Amy was the best looker of the ’06 lineup.

Johnboy, the Normans are Vikings that settled in France, Norman = Northman = Norseman = Nordic.
The German anglo-saxon invaders won the war and created Anglo-land known now as England, so if you are from a British background you probably stem from German/Nordic heritage.
The term ‘crusade’ used in the context of a sporting club logo is just a appropriated word with modified connotation.
However I would feel safer to stay at home if I thought there was some raiderettes loitering on the street corner, hate being asked have you got a spare fag.

p.s. I tend to think that any smart Muslim / “The Crusade” newsletter subscriber would believe that in the case of a crusade in reference to a rugby league team – definition 1 pretty much covers it.

Always knew you were a heretic, betty. Fire and brimstone upon you!

Note definitions 1 in both noun and verb. Esp “The
team was ready for a drive toward the pennant”

WordNet – Cite This Source

crusade

noun
1. a series of actions advancing a principle or tending toward a particular end; “he supported populist campaigns”; “they worked in the cause of world peace”; “the team was ready for a drive toward the pennant”; “the movement to end slavery”; “contributed to the war effort” [syn: campaign]
2. any of the more or less continuous military expeditions in the 11th to 13th centuries when Christian powers of Europe tried to recapture the Holy Land from the Muslims

verb
1. exert oneself continuously, vigorously, or obtrusively to gain an end or engage in a crusade for a certain cause or person; be an advocate for; “The liberal party pushed for reforms”; “She is crusading for women’s rights”; “The Dean is pushing for his favorite candidate”
2. go on a crusade; fight a holy war

This sums it up perfectly for me and could have saved a lengthy and pointless discussion. Although, being Catholic, it has made me re-think my support of the Melbourne “DEMONS” AFL club!

VYBerlinaV8_now with_added_grunt4:32 pm 30 Jan 07

Screw this, I’m moving to Canabia

Ralph, why stop at Eurabia? What about Austrabia – by which time this Raiders newsletter will appropriately be renamed ‘The Jihad’. Oh, and the Raiderettes will all wear burkhas. Sexy!

I think the actual crusaders would be more inclined to take offence then any muslims. I mean, who in their right mind would won’t to be associated with that loser outfit – the Canberra Faiders. (my wife is a big fan).

“Bending over backwards not to offend certain groups is not helping them to integrate.”

Might encourage them to support your team though.

I believe Shock-Jock wannabes have previously been flamed by JB but I’m not motivated enough to look.

My pick is the original concept.

PC is so 90s these days, and thankfully dying a slow death. This is Australia, not Eurabia (what Europe is fast becoming), if some minority group doesn’t like it they can p!ss off.

These people should be integrating. Bending over backwards not to offend certain groups is not helping them to integrate.

VYBerlinaV8_now with_added_grunt2:11 pm 30 Jan 07

I don’t know what’s funnier – the original concept or the attempts to defend it.

well it shouldn’t be news and I feel sorry for those who might take offence or look for such offence to a simple word in a SPORTS RELATED NEWSLETTER.

There’s a place in Narrabundah that – wait for it – sells German beer, and has pictures of Germany on the walls. What kind of message are they trying to send to Jews?

Slightly more disturbing was the Croatian Club in Turner which had (still has?) a nice picture of a gentleman in an SS uniform.

WMC, I think you are missing the point here. Although “crusades” mean nothing to 99.9% of the people, there is someone who will link it to something and take offence to it. JB was merely pointing out that a Muslim person might be the one who takes offence. Now, I’m sure you know just as well as the rest of us that as soon as someone takes offence to something based upon minority/religion, in this PC world that we live in, it is news.

wow JB – considering you’ve also provided a perfectly valid definition as not having anything to do with Muslims, Christians or the historical Crusades, I think you’re going way over into PC territory.

As someone else noted, you don’t seem to have a problem with the Caterbury Crusaders who have an image far more closely linked to the historical meaning (knights galavanting around on horseback, castles etc).

“My big hairy chopper”, for one thing…

Wow – this thread has taught me a lot this lunch break 🙂

Anglo-French dismemberment of the Ottoman empire, Israel, Suez crisis, invasion of Iraq.

From an islamic perspective the crusades are still going on and we’re out to get them.

I ran the mohammed cartoons weeks before Tim Blair did because I thought there were some things we shouldn’t be told not to think.

If the Raiders really want to call their newsletter The Crusade then I’m not saying they shouldn’t, but it seems like a poor choice when there are so many things they could do with a Viking motif that wouldn’t alienate a section of the community.

“A few, laughing at half, is not a very representative sample.”

True, but if they are really that sensitive about an *possible* inference to events that occured so many generations ago its not funny then perhaps they really should take a hard look at themselves…

Absent Diane1:04 pm 30 Jan 07

The vikings tended to act as mercenaries during the crusades I believe.

Halal translated into English = Don’t buy any other valid product (ie bread, who would have thought that there was a pro-religious way of baking it?) because of our discimanatory practices or we’ll sic religion onto you.

Same applies for Jew ‘Kosha’ and McDonalds ‘Happy Meal’, so don’t get all PC on me too quickly.

Please do not disparage halal kebabs, WMC. My brothers will get very angry.

I’ll take that to be as close to a graceful concession as you’re capable of WMC.

Woody Mann-Caruso12:38 pm 30 Jan 07

An update: Superman bemusedly noted that Batman, not he, is more frequently known as the Caped Crusader. “I love halal kebabs,” said Superman.

Woody Mann-Caruso12:35 pm 30 Jan 07

In other news, Superman, The Caped Crusader, has been deemed offensive to Muslims the world over. “Why does he keep digging up the past?” asked Ahmed Deed, 23, a plumber of Surrey. “I can remember the Crusades like they were yesterday”. Archaeologists were quick to take offence at the phrase “digging up the past”.

Woody Mann-Caruso12:24 pm 30 Jan 07

You would contend those deaths were not serious?

Sure they were – a thousand years ago. In the historical scheme of things, they’re pretty much completely irrelevant. Their children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s (…) children are dead and gone. You trying to link it to the title of a sports club’s newsletter a thousand years later is the saddest, sorriest pissweak excuse for journalism I’ve seen you pull here. You’ve left “closing schools will kill children” way behind here.

Would you, perhaps, agree that should the club newsletter be called “The Holocaust” then the Jews would have something of a point?

Yes, because it’s recent history, there are people alive today who remember it because they were actually there, and it’s an historical term with a very specific meaning for the time being – unlike “crusade”, which is none of the above. Can you tell the difference now, or should I type more slowly?

nifty viking long boat in the logo which, to my eyes, links the Raiders with historical Crusaders.

I guess I’d feel the same way, if my eyes were looking for any pissweak material I could get my hands on for the front page of my blog – anything at all, no matter how hard I had to twist it, no matter how long the bow I had to draw, no matter how desperately I clawed to make a link between something that happened on the other side of the planet a thousand years ago and a bunch of footy players.

I’m surprised you haven’t used the colour green as evidence of Irish Catholics’ involvement in the conspiracy. I bet somebody at the Vikings Club is even called Richard!

Next week on The RiotACT – Flames Fitness gymnasium offensive to those who dies in the Great Fire of London! Freemasons involved?

I have worked with a few Muslims, and even they laugh about half this stuff.

A few, laughing at half, is not a very representative sample.

VYBerlinaV8_now with_added_grunt12:02 pm 30 Jan 07

“If the Bulldogs (for example) were to have a newsletter called “The Jihad” I think a lot of you would be very concerned.”

What’s the problem? They can call their newsletter whatever they want. If it weren’t for media beatup I don’t think many people would be concerned at all. I have worked with a few Muslims, and even they laugh about half this stuff.

Especially as the boat seems to be heading from West to East…

I never would’ve picked johnboy for a Mac user.

Yes, 20″ core duo iMac. (Sammy has identified the dictionary used for those wondering).

Now, to return to other glaring holes in WMC’s rant:

Serious stuff.

Referring there directly to the deaths of thousands in the sacking of muslim cities during the crusades. You would contend those deaths were not serious?

There’s a place in Narrabundah that – wait for it – sells German beer, and has pictures of Germany on the walls. What kind of message are they trying to send to Jews? There’s the minor matter that Jews rightly regard the Holocaust as a genocidal war of conquest waged against them for no other reason than their faith – a war waged by Germans.

Would you, perhaps, agree that should the club newsletter be called “The Holocaust” then the Jews would have something of a point?

Now to most of us the Crusades is 900 year old history and something we can all have a laugh about. But to every muslim I’ve ever met the Crusades are the oppression of their people by Christans and are still going on.

Anyways I’d agree that the Raiders could fall back on the secondary usage of the word crusade if not for the nifty viking long boat in the logo which, to my eyes, links the Raiders with historical Crusaders.

The real question — given they put themselves forward as sexual objects — is which Raiderette was the hottest in 2006?

My money is on Candice, or Sam.

Or alternatively, he has a copy of the New Oxford American Dictionary, 2nd Edition lying around.

I never would’ve picked johnboy for a Mac user.

Growling Ferret10:34 am 30 Jan 07

“The Bulldogs on the other hand have no linguistic link to Jihad so I think your arguement requires refinement”

However, calling Canterbury the Bullwogs then allows you to generalise that their supporters are all ethnics and lebos and terrorists etc.

*note – I don’t believe not agree with the above statement, but it draws a similar length bow to JB’s use of Raiders/Crusades etc 🙂

Give it time…

I’d venture the Crusaders are very light on in the muslim community for members.

Yeah, yeah, I would claim typo but t and K aren’t near each other. Was also tempted to edit my comment but instead I’ll just admit I can’t spell 😉

Thanks for pointing out my faults – it humanises me.

What does this mean for the Canterbury Crusaders fans?

Sorry WMC, how many years of tertiary education studying the middle ages do I need before you think I qualify to have a historical opinion?

Now to demonstrate why (as usual I might add) you’re being a blow hard tosspot, let’s see what happens if we agree with your very long bow that the Normans are an analogue for Vikings. (French speaking christians making heavy use of horse compared to nordic pagans militarily reliant on sail)

That would mean not only is the Raider’s mascot representing the pillaging rapists who laid waste to the Levant, but their newsletter is affirming that link.

Nifty!

…and NTP, tackless = tactless?

The only Crusade they’re referring to, is the one to stay away from the bottom of the table. Simple really.

Poijnt taken JB but as Woody has shown there is a recognised link between Vikings and the use of the word crusade and so tackless in today’s political climate it may be (although I think people are far to focused on being PC these days anyway) it is, IMHO, a valid use of the word by the Raiders.

The Bulldogs on the other hand have no linguistic link to Jihad so I think your arguement requires refinement.

For the Muslims of my acquaintance the Crusades are still a very hot topic, made hotter still by the establishment of Israel and the war in Iraq.

Now maybe those 20 odd guys all being very hot and bothered about it isn’t a conclusive sample but I’m willing to run with it as indicative.

If the Bulldogs (for example) were to have a newsletter called “The Jihad” I think a lot of you would be very concerned.

That’s a pretty close analogy to what the raiders have done here (through ignorance more than malice I strongly suspect)

JB likes longbows (I think it’s his English heritage) but I’ll pay your rebuttal Woody.

I think we can accept that the 11th C stuff was “The Crusades” and the newsletter is an organized campaign concerning a political, social, or religious issue, typically motivated by a fervent desire for change , in this case for the Raiders to change from their current Fader status to a winning team once again.

DID SOMEONE MENTION GERMAN BEER

Woody Mann-Caruso9:54 am 30 Jan 07

Speaking of Germans, perhaps they can be upset about the use of the word “crusade” as well. Well, them, the Fins, the Latvians, the Lithuanians, the Estonians…

Woody Mann-Caruso9:49 am 30 Jan 07

Serious stuff.

Slow news day, JB? Linking imaginary hatred of modern Muslims to something that happened on another continent almost a thousand years ago? Trying to convince us that Muslims will be / have a right to be offended by the title of a football club’s newsletter?

Here’s your next scoop. There’s a place in Narrabundah that – wait for it – sells German beer, and has pictures of Germany on the walls. What kind of message are they trying to send to Jews? There’s the minor matter that Jews rightly regard the Holocaust as a genocidal war of conquest waged against them for no other reason than their faith – a war waged by Germans.

{naomirobson} Serious stuff. {/naomirobson} Or you could pull your head out of your arse and realise that people have described the Viking’s activities in the British Isles and Europe as “crusades” for ages – including real historians, which you aren’t.

VYBerlinaV8_now with_added_grunt9:44 am 30 Jan 07

If this isn’t an example of the media making something out of absolutely nothing I don’t know what is!

You should turn pro, JohnBoy.

ever seen the odd raiderette or ex-raidertte without spac filler makeup?.. now that is scary!

You know me – I’m out to force feed you steak.

seeing as though I work for Hogs Breath

Hmm, maybe the Canberra Times was onto something saying you’re scary. Those girls always terrify me.

I would of called their newlsetter the ‘Rape’n’pillage’ because it’s both relevent to vikings and to footy players.

ewww its the raiders… does anyone actually support them these days?

How embarrassing… why try out to cheer for the Canberra Faders? I shouldn’t be saying that seeing as though I work for Hogs Breath.

Except the pillage doesn’t particularly target muslims.

From the historical body count:

1098, Fall of Antioch: 100,000 Muslims massacred.
1099, Fall of Jerusalem: 70,000 Muslims massacred.

Serious stuff.

someone that works on my floor here is a raiderette…

i think this one might be drawing an extremely long bow or are you being tongue in cheek johnboy 🙂

Well, it could be worse, it could be called “the Pillage”.

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