1005 Folau teammates 'like' his anti-Gay post. Folau sacking could bring down the Gay Lobby

Folau teammates 'like' his anti-Gay post as sponsor Qantas backs Rugby
Australia sacking

Newsletter published on April 14, 2019

(1) Tongans in Childers
(2) Israel Folau youtubes
(3) Rugby Australia coaching director Rod Kafer "not a massive fan" of
Israel Folau
(4) Wallabies can’t win Rugby World Cup without Israel Folau says former
champion Jeremy Paul
(5) Polynesian teams (Fiji, Samoa, Tonga) at Rugby World Cup - why not
combine into one team - and WIN?
(6) Folau teammates 'like' anti-gay post as sponsor Qantas backs RA action
(7) The Otrage Mob is out to get Folau

(1) Tongans in Childers
- by Peter Myers, April 14, 2019

Nine days ago, before the Israel Folau story hit the news, I met two
Tongans in my small town, Childers Qld.

The Childers-Bundaberg region is a major fruit and vegetable growing
area, supplying the east coast markets (Brisbane, Sydney & Melbourne) as
well as export. The main crops are avocadoes, mangoes, macadamia nuts,
lychees, tomatoes, citrus fruits, small crops (zucchinis, capsicums) and
sugar cane.

The Tongans were here for 6 months to pick lemons, and send the money
home to their families in Tonga. They met other backpackers from
Germany, Russia etc.

They have been here for five months, and had not visited anyone's home,
so I invited them to come & see our small farm (7/8 acre). This morning,
I picked them up and showed them around.

Here's the photo. They are big guys, and make me look small:
http://mailstar.net/Apaiata-Peter-Siate.jpg

Apaiata, on the left, is 30, and has one child; Siate, on the right, is
35 and has three.

You can see why these people would be good footballers: they are solidly
built.

I asked what they eat back home, to get so big. Taro is their staple
food; coconuts, mangoes and mangoes grow wild. They cultivate breadfruit
trees, bananas (plantain i.e. cooking bananas, which they eat green as a
vegetable), and orange trees. Also chicken and pork, free-range.

They are Christians, quite aware of Israel Folau; and told me that
homosexuality is illegal in Tonga.

(2) Israel Folau youtubes
- Peter Myers, April 14, 2019

Israel Folau has a cult following. The officials and sponsors will sack
him at their own peril. And it could rebound on the Gay Lobby. A
Polynesian footballer, a working class man, could bring down the
second-mightiest lobby in this country and the world.

See him in action on the field:

Israel Folau Tribute (2018): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-sK-6QN47I

Honour Punished. Israel Folau Update:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUqzf85ntkU

(3) Rugby Australia coaching director Rod Kafer "not a massive fan" of
Israel Folau

https://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/wallabies/wallabies-stronger-on-the-field-without-israel-folau-on-field-says-rod-kafer/news-story/f542cecef30fb7b1dd2c2d622f942d21

Wallabies stronger on the field without Israel Folau on field says Rod Kafer

Christy Doran

April 13, 2019 11:36pm

As Israel Folau fights to keep his Australian rugby career alive, Rugby
Australia’s elite coaching director Rod Kafer has made the assertion
that the Wallabies would be stronger without him on the field.

While praising the dual international’s athletic brilliance and unique
skill set, Kafer said that at international rugby Folau had been found
wanting at times and that the Wallabies’ balance had been compromised by
playing him at fullback.

Folau scored a brace of tries on his Test debut against the British and
Irish Lions in 2013.

Four Tests later, however, Folau was moved to fullback and the
30-year-old has played the bulk of his 73 matches for the Wallabies in
the No 15 jersey since.

But the effectiveness of Folau at fullback started to wane over the past
few years as oppositions began to increasingly target his kicking
deficiencies and positional play.

Indeed, after previously being a lock under Wallabies coach Michael
Cheika at fullback, Folau was shifted to the wing for four Tests in 2018
before finishing the season back in his regular position.

Kafer, who has long held the view that Folau’s best position is on the
right wing, said that the Wallabies’ backline had struggled, in part,
because of him playing predominantly at fullback.

"If we just take the Wallabies view, we’ve struggled to find actually
Israel’s best position for the Wallabies," Kafer told Fox Sports.

"He is a player that brings some real unique characteristics.

"But … in international rugby I don’t think he’s been an outstanding
player and I think we compensate around him, we have to pick different
players in different positions.

"I think the game has in some ways moved on."

Kafer also questioned Folau’s work ethic and alluded to him being a
selfish player.

"This is a guy that has got unbelievable skills, but I don’t necessarily
see him as a great team player," Kafer said.

"His work ethic’s not great, he doesn’t work that hard off the ball
(and) defensively there are issues.

"I’m not a massive fan."

(4) Wallabies can’t win Rugby World Cup without Israel Folau says former
champion Jeremy Paul

https://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/wallabies/not-a-chance-wallabies-cant-win-rugby-world-cup-without-israel-folau-says-former-champion-israel-folau/news-story/8c897b87d01a95bdb23fccdbf56c06e0

‘Not a chance’: Wallabies can’t win Rugby World Cup without Israel Folau
says former champion Jeremy Paul

Christy Doran

April 11, 2019 1:45pm

The Wallabies can’t win this year’s Rugby World Cup without Israel Folau.

That’s the opinion of 1999 World Cup-winning Wallaby Jeremy Paul, who
said that Folau was "one of the best players in the world."

Folau’s rugby future hangs in the balance as Rugby Australia’s integrity
unit reviews his latest social media posts, which stated that hell
awaits "drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves,
atheists and idolators" — adding they should "repent" as "only Jesus saves."

Rugby Australia responded on Wednesday evening with a strongly worded
statement stating that his views were firmly at odds with the governing
body.

"The content within the post is unacceptable," the statement read.

"It does not represent the values of the sport and is disrespectful to
members of the Rugby community.

"The Rugby Australia Integrity Unit has been engaged on the matter tonight."

(5) Polynesian teams (Fiji, Samoa, Tonga) at Rugby World Cup - why not
combine into one team - and WIN?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Rugby_World_Cup

The 2019 Rugby World Cup will be the ninth Rugby World Cup, and is to be
held in Japan from 20 September to 2 November.

The below table shows the qualified teams:

Africa: South Africa, Namibia

Americas North: United States, Canada

Asia:  Japan

Europe: England, France, Georgia, Ireland, Italy, Russia, Scotland, Wales

Oceania: Australia,  New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga

Sudamérica: Argentina & Uruguay

(6) Folau teammates 'like' anti-gay post as sponsor Qantas backs RA action

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-union/folau-teammates-like-anti-gay-post-as-sponsor-qantas-backs-ra-action-20190411-p51d6b.html

By Tom Decent

April 11, 2019 — 1.28pm

Rugby Australia’s major sponsor, Qantas, has labelled Israel Folau’s
anti-gay comments "really disappointing" as it emerged that other
Wallabies players had liked the dual international's latest
controversial social media post.

It comes at a precarious time too for RA given it is in the process of
re-negotiating a new sponsorship deal with Qantas, which expires at the
end of the year.

But another problem is also brewing for RA given other Wallabies
players, such as Samu Kerevi and Allan Alaalatoa, have liked Folau’s post.

The Wallabies and Waratahs fullback listed "homosexuals" as one of eight
groups of people for whom "Hell awaits", following it with a Bible
extract that read: "Those that are living in Sin will end up in hell
unless you repent. Jesus Christ loves you and is giving you time to turn
away from your sin and come to him."

This time last year, Folau shared a similar sentiment, saying in reply
to another poster on social media that "HELL" is where gay people were
destined.

Qantas, a major sponsor of RA for a number of years now, is not
impressed by the stance.

"These comments are really disappointing and clearly don’t reflect the
spirit of inclusion and diversity that we support," a Qantas
spokesperson said on Thursday.

"We’re pleased to see Rugby Australia’s condemnation of the comments and
will await the outcome of their review."

On Wednesday night, RA released a statement coming down hard on Folau.

"The content within the post is unacceptable. It does not represent the
values of the sport and is disrespectful to members of the Rugby
community," the statement said. "The Rugby Australia integrity unit has
been engaged on the matter tonight."

A RA spokesperson would not comment on Thursday whether Folau had been
contacted by the organisation.

However, RA is aware that a number of high-profile players, including
Wallabies representatives, liked the post Folau put up just after 6pm on
Wednesday.

As of midday on Thursday, Kerevi and Alaalatoa had liked the photo,
while Henry Speight is understood to have unliked the post, as had
several other rugby players.

There is no suggestion Kerevi and Alaalatoa are condoning the contents
of the message, which has received more than 12,000 likes and 10,000
comments.

Last year, NSW and Australian player Curtis Rona wrote on social media:
"We Stand With Israel Folau".

Folau’s post has received plenty of criticism, with Matildas captain Sam
Kerr and Welsh rugby player Gareth Thomas among those to speak out.

Kerr put an Instagram story up of Folau's original post and wrote over
the top: "Australia, we should not let athletes or ANYONE preach this
hate in our country ... you must be proud @wallabies @nswwaratahs’’.

Thomas, a former British and Irish Lions captain who has come out as a
gay man, also gave his two cents on Twitter.

"I don’t write this with hate or anger after Israel Folau’s comments,"
he wrote. "I write with sympathy. To everyone who reads it, don’t be
influenced by his words. Be the better person and be YOU. Whoever YOU
is..Hell doesn’t await YOU.Happiness awaits YOU."

England prop Joe Marler also tagged Folau in a number of posts and
shared photos of men kissing each other.

Australia's first gay rugby club also condemned the Folau post.

"The Sydney Convicts welcome the swift comments from Rugby Australia in
response to the recent social media content posted by Israel Folau,"
club president Don Rose said. "We agree that the content of that post is
unacceptable and contrary to the values of both our game and our community.

"The Sydney Convicts condemn these comments in the strongest of terms. I
also call for the consideration of the impacts that comments such as
these have on LGBTI members within our rugby community, in particular
the younger players who may still be grappling with their own sexuality.

"We are pleased that the Rugby Australia Integrity Unit has been engaged
and eagerly await the outcome of this process."

(7) The Otrage Mob is out to get Folau

https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-outrage-mob-is-out-to-get-folau-20190411-p51dbl.html

By Morgan Begg

April 11, 2019 — 5.35pm

The outrage mob is out in force following rugby star Israel Folau's
latest social media comments. The mob wants to more than disagree with
Folau's opinion, as is our right in a free society. It wants to ban him
from expressing it, which is totalitarian.

On Wednesday, a Rugby Australia spokesman branded Folau’s comments about
sexuality and religion "unacceptable", and said its integrity unit had
been "engaged in the matter". Now it has signalled its intention to sack
him.

Folau shared on his Instagram account an image which said to "drunks,
homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists,
idolators" that "Hell awaits you! Repent! Only Jesus saves." Israel
Folau's controversial social media posts.

Israel Folau's controversial social media posts. Credit:AAP

In the caption to the image Folau provided quotes from the Bible, and
added: "Those that are living in Sin will end up in Hell unless you
repent. Jesus Christ loves you and is giving you time to turn away from
your sin and come to him."

By all accounts, these opinions are a manifestation of Folau's religious
beliefs. Many people would profoundly disagree with what was said, and
find such sentiments deeply offensive.

Should he lose his job for expressing a genuine religious belief? One
held not only by many Christians, and also those of other faiths.

The outrage that followed has far exceeded Folau’s supposed wrongdoing.
On Instagram, Australian soccer player Sam Kerr wrote: "Australia, we
should not let athletes or ANYONE preach this hate in our country."
Prominent club level Aussie rules player Jason Ball called the comments
"downright dangerous". In this paper, Peter FitzSimons declared Folau
needed to "repent" for his wrongthink before being allowed to play again.

The authoritarian desire to impose ideological orthodoxy on Australians
is demonstrated in how our national flag carrier, and the sponsor for
the Wallabies team, intervened in this situation. Qantas said of Folau’s
comments in a statement released on Thursday afternoon that: "These
comments are really disappointing and clearly don’t reflect the spirit
of inclusion and diversity that we support."

While Qantas says it believes in diversity, it doesn’t believe in the
right of someone to express a religious viewpoint. Qantas is
hypocritical. It has partner airlines such as Qatar Airways and
Emirates, owned and operated by repressive regimes the Qatar and Dubai,
respectively. Qatar imprisons those deemed guilty of homosexual acts,
and the United Arab Emirates (of which Dubai is a part) punishes
homosexuality with the death penalty.

There is a genuine fear in many fields about the tyranny of corporate
social justice policies, and Qantas's decision to intervene in this case
shows why.

The NSW Waratahs – Folau’s employer – may be entitled under the terms of
his contract of employment to sack him. But whether it should is a
different question.

Morgan Begg is a research fellow at the Institute of Public Affairs.