Thursday 8 February 2007

We decide who comes into this country

Fox Sports have been showing “World Series Cricket Classics” in the lunch breaks of their other cricket coverage for the past few weeks. It’s quality viewing - where else could you see my second favourite player of all time Tim Zoehrer (come on, he was a wicketkeeper that bowled) lining up against India at the MCG in 1987? No fecking where.

But there was an interesting set of banners in the crowd for the India game. The ninth wicket went down and somebody in the crowd unfurls a huge sign saying “STICK THAT UP YOUR TURBAN”. Somewhat offensive in a modern context but you can see how people would have gotten away with it in the less tolerant 80’s. Then the last batsman goes, the crowd goes wild and it gets turned around to reveal the frankly offensive slogan “GO HOME YOU CURRY MUNCHERS”

At what point did that become offensive? 1989? 1992? 8.05pm on September 7th, 1995? And what tipped it over the edge?

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