Who the HELL????

[Moorabbin Man]

The mighty saints, coaches, players, supporters.... Just can't do anything wrong can they?

So charges need to be laid, for it to be a low act?

Mad Monday... Had it last week..... Had about 20 in cricket and footy... Never lit anyone up?

Something dickheads do....

Perhaps imagination was lacking by you and your team mates? Sorry BM I disagree with you on this one. I blame Game Of Thrones of course, for stigmatising dwarfs as womanising piss heads and disappointments to their father.

[Moorabbin Man]

I've dedicated my life to stopping the abuse of disabled people.
I wrote a book about hate crimes against people with disabilities.
This sort of stuff is appalling and unfortunately very common.
I don't care how long I've followed St. Kilda, I hope someone goes to jail for this.
There is NO EXCUSE for abusing vulnerable people... and someone who is a little person will always be seen as physically vulnerable by football players who are always so much bigger.
I am disgusted, and seriously considering whether I should cancel my membership next year. This is a big deal to me. Huge.

Mate I think it is appalling that you refer to a small person as disabled.

[8856brother]

Amazing how "no injuries" can become "minor injuries" overnight.

Any chance they after a payout?

This is our societies biggest problem, not a bit of fun. "How can I make a buck out of this". Yes. Stupid thing to do, but seriously.

[saint75]

If there are charges to be laid, lay them, otherwise report on something useful instead of filling our news wires with utter tripe
Has anyone on here not been part of end of season footy or cricket trips...
Can't believe the beat up....

Did anyone else laugh or was it just me? Come on, FFS, was just a prank. Jeez, humiliation? Embarassment? Up in arms? What a joke. Some people need to go out and get themselves a sense of humour.....or perhaps they are just after a few minutes in the spotlight.....

Also, there will be a hell of a lot more to the story than what was reported, so I will just wait for the full story.

Still chuckling as I am typing and thinking about this. Nothing to do with it being a Dwarf that was set on fire, I just think the prank was humorous. Perhaps my sense of humour is more warped than some.....still remember my high school Year 12 muck up day and what we got up to. This was nothing. People are just so damn touchy these days!

[Moorabbin Man]

What sort of occasion would you hire a dwarf for just out of curiosity?

For the new Olympic Sport maybe

Gold!!!

[saint75]

Gotta laugh at ppl defending the dwarf's rights and the big mean footballers humiliating him. So hiring yourself out as entertainment based pretty much 100% on your height and wrestling with ppl of similar stature isn't humiliating enough? What exactly is their comic value, other than the fact that they are fully matured ppl who have undersized bodies? They are making money out of the fact they look different to everyone else. They're not exactly standing up telling jokes and just happen to be small. The joke is their height! They're the ones asking us to laugh at that, and also asking us to give them money for that. So when MarkInUSA jumps on and declares that he makes a living defending ppl who discriminate against them - he probably needs to start with the little ppl before he gets onto the big bad footballers.

Of course lighting anyone's clothes on fire is stupid. Did they light his clothes on fire as opposed to other players clothes that were lit, just because he was a dwarf? If his were the ONLY clothes that were lit, then he may have a point. Otherwise it's just 40 drunken blokes being silly, and he got caught up in it unwittingly. The club will pay the bill and he can move on. Why try and pretend the dwarf was targeted? It doesn't read like that at all.

I'm not defending anyone BTW. I chuckled when I read the article before I even knew that it was the Saints involved. I would prefer it wasn't us, but I'm not horrified by it.

Thank god for sanity.

Second this. I laughed and I am still laughing. Sense of humour people.

[Moorabbin Man]

I'm contacting the press and offering to give a disability rights perspective on this matter. I am 100% certain on this; I've seen it many times before... this is not just unacceptable; it's not just abuse; it's criminal and its got to be condemned.

How do you figure that dwarfism is a disability? I suspect by your handle that you reside in the USA. Obviously in the USA the rights of the disabled are paramount. This is evidenced by the fact that they have had at least three retarded Presidents: Truman, Reagan and Bush jnr. They also have a fine record on racial rights don't they? Dwarfs are not disabled.

The country in which you choose to live has a disgraceful human rights record, I suggest you concentrate on your own back yard.

[saint75]

"The victim sustained minor injuries as a result of the prank."

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-09-02/d ... p-by-saint

Convenient that now comes out today. His partner last night said there was no burns or injuries, just burnt pants and shirt. Not to mention that the publicity is fantastic for their business. Never even knew that you could hire out dwarfs for events and functions. I do now don't I?

Still laughing by the way.......

[BringBackMadDog]

I'm contacting the press and offering to give a disability rights perspective on this matter. I am 100% certain on this; I've seen it many times before... this is not just unacceptable; it's not just abuse; it's criminal and its got to be condemned.

First of all, I would seriously rethink labeling a dwarf disabled. They consider themselves able bodied, just smaller in stature.
Secondly, the dwarf wasnt singled out for abuse because he was short, the players were ALLEGEDLY lighting their own shirts up too, he was just being treated as one of the boys so in fact there was no discrimination.

[matrix]

gee i wonder how many times he got burnt during the flaming baseball bat wrestling match he had

[SainterK]

Statement yet?

[Richter]

Just reported on 9 news that he is being treated for burns to the lower back, and is seeking legal advice.

Miraculous... yesterday an eyewitness described him as 'physically ok' but today he's injured?

Hmmm... I sniff a compo claim...

[markp]

It's of far lesser relevance that he's a dwarf, someone was hired for a function and set alight, apparently receiving injuries.

I dont like the idea of a dwarf doing something like that for money either... sometimes dwarves are injured and occasionally killed by drunks randomly picking them up and throwing them, all given the idea by a few (idiots) who've chosen to do that for money.

But saying he cant complain because he sets himself up as funny is like saying a stripper cant complain if someone grabs them inappropriately, or a chick in revealing clothes is just asking for it. And things that may be considered ok to do to a close mate are not necessarily ok to do to hired strangers.

I wouldn't have thought that was difficult to understand.

[mullet]

Statement yet?

No and Tony jones pointed out that again the silence coming from our club is deafening.

[matrix]

Statement yet?

No and Tony jones pointed out that again the silence coming from our club is deafening.

nothing knew there at all tbh

[Viking3]

The club only needs to be in touch with the AFL and the victim.
Tony Jones and the media can go fcuk themselves!!

[markp]

Maybe the CEO's in Italy again and the Prez is out to lunch.......

[maverick]

It's of far lesser relevance that he's a dwarf, someone was hired for a function and set alight, apparently receiving injuries.

I dont like the idea of a dwarf doing something like that for money either... sometimes dwarves are injured and occasionally killed by drunks randomly picking them up and throwing them, all given the idea by a few (idiots) who've chosen to do that for money.

But saying he cant complain because he sets himself up as funny is like saying a stripper cant complain if someone grabs them inappropriately, or a chick in revealing clothes is just asking for it. And things that may be considered ok to do to a close mate are not necessarily ok to do to hired strangers.

I wouldn't have thought that was difficult to understand.

the problem is though, the dwarf thing is why its getting a run, or certainly the angle the media love.
If he was set alight and there are criminal or civil charges to be dealt with then so be it, would be the same for any entertainer, bar tender, waiter or any other service person caught up.

It's difficult to call it ridicule or embarrassment when that is what they are putting across....

The comparison with revealing clothes is a little far fetched....

[SainterK]

It's of far lesser relevance that he's a dwarf, someone was hired for a function and set alight, apparently receiving injuries.

I dont like the idea of a dwarf doing something like that for money either... sometimes dwarves are injured and occasionally killed by drunks randomly picking them up and throwing them, all given the idea by a few (idiots) who've chosen to do that for money.

But saying he cant complain because he sets himself up as funny is like saying a stripper cant complain if someone grabs them inappropriately, or a chick in revealing clothes is just asking for it. And things that may be considered ok to do to a close mate are not necessarily ok to do to hired strangers.

I wouldn't have thought that was difficult to understand.

It's not.

[SainterK]

It's of far lesser relevance that he's a dwarf, someone was hired for a function and set alight, apparently receiving injuries.

I dont like the idea of a dwarf doing something like that for money either... sometimes dwarves are injured and occasionally killed by drunks randomly picking them up and throwing them, all given the idea by a few (idiots) who've chosen to do that for money.

But saying he cant complain because he sets himself up as funny is like saying a stripper cant complain if someone grabs them inappropriately, or a chick in revealing clothes is just asking for it. And things that may be considered ok to do to a close mate are not necessarily ok to do to hired strangers.

I wouldn't have thought that was difficult to understand.

the problem is though, the dwarf thing is why its getting a run, or certainly the angle the media love.
If he was set alight and there are criminal or civil charges to be dealt with then so be it, would be the same for any entertainer, bar tender, waiter or any other service person caught up.

It's difficult to call it ridicule or embarrassment when that is what they are putting across....

The comparison with revealing clothes is a little far fetched....

Really?

You don't think it would be getting headlines if it was someone else like the examples you suggested?

[matrix]

im wondering if the little fellas name isnt actually Zwicker

[markp]

It's of far lesser relevance that he's a dwarf, someone was hired for a function and set alight, apparently receiving injuries.

I dont like the idea of a dwarf doing something like that for money either... sometimes dwarves are injured and occasionally killed by drunks randomly picking them up and throwing them, all given the idea by a few (idiots) who've chosen to do that for money.

But saying he cant complain because he sets himself up as funny is like saying a stripper cant complain if someone grabs them inappropriately, or a chick in revealing clothes is just asking for it. And things that may be considered ok to do to a close mate are not necessarily ok to do to hired strangers.

I wouldn't have thought that was difficult to understand.

the problem is though, the dwarf thing is why its getting a run, or certainly the angle the media love.
If he was set alight and there are criminal or civil charges to be dealt with then so be it, would be the same for any entertainer, bar tender, waiter or any other service person caught up.

It's difficult to call it ridicule or embarrassment when that is what they are putting across....

The comparison with revealing clothes is a little far fetched....

What's far fetched is claiming a dwarf who chooses to hire himself out as a lighthearted parody obviously has no shame and cannot be humiliated.

What if they'd spat or pissed on him.. or thrown him?

What if it was a stripper and they'd set her alight?

Of course the media are exploiting this for all it's worth... but why give them ammunition.

And as SainterK alludes, if it was a waitress it'd still be news, just not quite as sensational.

[SainterK]

If it was a waitress, would be sensational markp, probably more so.

Club is slow to act, things like this are poorly handled.

Fans are delusional if they think nettles hasn't been fielding calls from sponsors asking questions today.

[stevie]

Hope he's not too badly burnt...

Then he'd be a Red Dwarf

[spert]

Of course, none of this needed to happen- just shows some of our guys might be good at football, but dickheads otherwise