It's not easy for a surfer to make the pages a major metropolitan newspaper, but in March of 2010, Mick Fanning managed to make a splash in both the Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian, two of Australia's biggest. This came after news leaked of his drunken racist tirade at a party held in his honor by his sponsor, Rip Curl when he won the World Title in 2009. In a nutshell, he called Stab Magazine journalist, Charlie Smith some unnecessary and offensive things. While there's no excuse for what he said, I'd like to take a little "stab" at giving Fanning a fair trial.
Australia really is the "Land Down Under." While jet planes and the internet have made the world smaller, they haven't made it that small. Australia remains relatively isolated from the rest of the world and is a little slow at catching on to social changes. When I moved to a small, isolated beach community north of Sydney in 1985, I was so stunned when I heard people refer to me as a "Seppo" (short for septic tank and an ethnic slur against Americans) behind my back, I actually laughed. It was too bizarre for any other reaction.
I only remained an outcast for a short time, however. Thankfully, there was new blood in town and because at least some of the local surfing community accepted my presence, the others eventually came around as well and judged me on my merits or lack of thereof and not on my weird American accent.
Mick Fanning comes from the Gold Coast of Queensland. Born in 1981, that places his youth at the tail-end of the infamous Jo Bjelke-Petersen reign of power in Queensland. "Sir Jo" was corrupt and racist to the core. He stayed in power by currying favor with the rich and fanning (no pun intended) racist attitudes towards the aboriginal community. Like all of us, Fanning is a product of his upbringing.
I seriously believe that when Mick apologized to the Jewish community for his outburst, he meant it. The country still has quite a way to go, but most Australians are embarrassed by their Neanderthal past and are trying to make amends.
Did you blanch when I made the racist slur against Neanderthals just now? Probably not. It's just a figure of speech. Calling that journalist a "Jew" was just a figure of speech to Fanning, too. He just had to figure out that there were real people who really did get deeply offended by what he said.
Mick Fanning also represents what's best in Aussie blokes. He's a battler. He's suffered setbacks in his career that would have made lesser men throw in the towel and give up. Instead, his setbacks have made him stronger. I like to think he is able to become wiser, too.
Written By: Rob Schneider