'Happy to cop the brunt': Eddie Betts' stunning stance on racism
A hurting Eddie Betts has questioned his AFL future as a result of constant racial vilification but is determined to keep fighting for what he believes in.
The veteran Carlton forward this month called out the latest in a long and constant line of racially motivated attacks directed at him.
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Playing in his 16th AFL season, Betts says he has been racially abused at least once a year for the past decade and the persistent attacks hurt deeply.
The 33-year-old considered whether to address a Twitter post, which depicted him as a monkey, but felt it was his duty as an Aboriginal role model to call out despicable behaviour.
"I was really angry and I wanted to put something up that was aggressive, but that's not my nature. I'm kind and I always like to give people a second chance and I always like to educate people," Betts told Fox Footy on Tuesday night.
"I've got to set up barriers every day when I leave the house, thinking I'm going to get racially abused when I'm driving or when I go to a supermarket.
"All I want to do is rock up to training, play and enjoy the game of footy.
"I'm sick and tired of it but I want the AFL to be a safe platform for young Aboriginal kids to come and enjoy and play footy without being racially abused.
"If I have to take the full brunt of all that and try and educate people so that the platform is a safe place, I am happy to cop the brunt.
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"It deeply hurts and you think to yourself 'why do I keep playing footy if I keep copping this', but I want to make a change.
"The way to hurt these guys is keep playing great footy and keep smiling and that's what I love doing."
Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield went up to Betts to offer his support following Geelong's loss to Carlton last Saturday.
"I know he's had to deal with this s*** for his entire life, and it's crap," Dangerfield told SEN.
"He doesn't want his kids to have to go through it, I don't want his kids to have to go through it.
"We just all need to be better, and I don't understand how people get off on this sort of commentary they're willing to drop on us, it's so disappointing.
"I just hope that we can all help change what is currently happening, because it's not in the past, it's still happening.
“Eddie's done such an incredible job leading it, confronting it, which no doubt would be incredibly difficult."
