Jordan Henderson isn’t the only player to accept a move to Saudi Arabia but being English he was always going to face questioning once we reached the international break.
I actually think the midfielder has only been selected for diplomatic reasons, Southgate not wanting to be accused of dropping the player for political reasons.
In reality the 33-year-old has long been picked due to his experience and popularity in the dressing room, and that would be his role at the Euros next summer even if he had remained at Liverpool.
So, for someone on the fringes, the fact he’s joined (for now) not the most competitive of Leagues in the world can be overlooked for a week given the opposition.
Yet given the questioning in the last few days the player might have been grateful for not being selected after all.
He’s not of course the only one to accept a lucrative move to the Saudi Pro League.
Ronaldo and Neymar are obviously more famous names to move to the country. Yet what they have never done is pretend their motives are anything other than lucrative.
Charities and organisations that Henderson has worked with have been vocal in their disappointment that someone who wore rainbow laces and armbands would have a price on his values.
So instead of talking about Ukraine or Scotland this week, Henderson has been trying to change the narrative.
His career choice doesn’t alter his views on gay rights and isn’t proof that his principles are not genuine. His moral compass was simply compromised by a contract that was too good to turn down.
When you consider he would have already earnt a fortune where he wouldn’t have to work another day, the fact that he could be offered a sum of money that is impossible to turn down is scary.
Essentially though that is Saudi’s government strategy. They will write you a cheque and how ever many times you refuse, they will increase their bid knowing that eventually there is a figure that would be neglectful towards your family to refuse.
That’s what they did to WWE, Boxing, Golf, Formula One, Spanish Super Cup, etc.
It’s called Sports Washing.
A nation takes popular brands from the West and uses that interest to improve a troubled reputation.
It’s a sad reflection on human society that the majority will be influenced by money, part of ourselves we might not want to admit exists.
Henderson would have been respected more for staying quiet, his silence an acknowledgment of what his trip abroad Is. Two years to turn the other cheek before returning to the UK, filthy rich.
To claim he can influence change by having someone with his beliefs living in part of the world whose laws contradict those very values, is insulting.
It’s disrespectful he believes anyone would think his fiction is reality, or that he even believes the words that are coming out of his own mouth.
Images to confirm his purchase had any pictures of his rainbow armband blurred out, that’s how serious Saudia Arabia take what Henderson thinks.
People have been sentenced to death row for posting opinions on social media in the Middle East, so this idea that Henderson would have a platform in his new home to give his point of view is naive.
It would actually be a very dangerous thing to do.
The state has been accused of being behind murders of journalists. That’s how little freedom of speech exists in Henderson’s new home.
The interview Henderson gave with the Athletic won’t be acknowledged back where he now resides.
Another lie is this notion that he wants to find the balance between what he believes while not offending a culture.
In reality, his life would be in serious jeopardy.
Henderson claims to have family and friends associated with the LGBTQ community. Those people would be in danger if they ever visited Henderson’s new address. They would go to jail the moment they displayed any public affection.
If I changed the word sexuality to race would that be different?
If it was unlawful to be a certain colour in a country, would Henderson still be able to be against racism yet making a living in the very location that treats his friends differently?
His peers who also made the same move don’t try to defend their motives, because you can’t defend the indefensible.
It’s why it was a dark day for the sport when Qatar hosted the World Cup.
FIFA, essentially in charge of football broke their own rules by allowing a global event to be held there.
Their own policy states that there should be zero discrimination, yet they showcase their biggest tournament in a place that discriminates so much that they have been accused of breaking human right laws.
There is zero justice I can offer.
Wrong on this occasion prevails over right.
Dark defeats light.
Evil conquers good.
Sportswashing is working in Saudia Arabia.
A generation will grow up associating them with heroic sporting occasions, legends of various genres become unwanted ambassadors for the country, less time spent speaking about what truly matters ……equality, freedom, love, etc.
It leaves a bad taste in your mouth.
Yet there is a price that will get individuals to accept that taste.
The least those who do that can do is admit it.
Dan
CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, please contact us through this link…
The complaints about the deaths of the Bangladeshi workers in Qatar made sense, because they died when building the football stadiums
Did similar things that are related to football happen in Saudi Arabia? If yes, Henderson and other footballers simply chose to turn a blind eye to wrongdoings
I wish he had moved from the EPL (which is located in a country that has never done anything bad) to MLS (which is located in another country that has never done anything bad).
@joe
🎯😂😂😂😂
People complaining about Henderson, while they fill up their cars…
Priceless
Jus sayin…😁
If you can get a ton of cash out of people you openly don’t like then I say go for it!
What a load of tosh. You sit behind a computer to criticize others of accepting money while the very English FA accepted their money in the cases of City and Newcastle. They didn’t have human rights issues then right?
Where were these hippocratic statements when Russia hosted the world cup in 2018? Do you know the level of human rights abuse going on there? Do they accept LGBT? But because they are a European nation, all was swept under the carpet because of the world cup.
Our very own Arsenal of the biggest marketer of the Emirates. Even our stadium has carried their name since inception and we just accepted a larger renewal partnership bid from them some weeks ago. Isn’t the Emirates a Middle Eastern company?
How many people from Europe travel annually to the United Arab Emirates (Dubai)? They go there to enjoy themselves, yet return and begin to criticize. The next break they’ve got, they’re there again.
And all these talk of no discrimination stinks. It’s called pointing the finger when more fingers are going back at you. Why not accept them the way they are (not accepting gay rights)? You criticize them when all the while, all you’re doing is nothing but imposing your own beliefs on others. That is a dinosaur mentality. If you really believe in that statement, then let people be.
Moreover, if you were Henderson, would you not accept that crazy money? You better wake up and face reality cos the name on the front of our very club’s jersey says it all
@dgr8xt 🎯💯👏
@dgr8xt
RealTalk…
You are going to write an article like this if you are naive enough to think people especially in this day and age care about morality than personal benefit. Maybe one in a billion.
The population of the middle east is majority foreigners. That should give you another clue.
And last don’t punish citizens for the sins of their government. They deserve to have good players in their leagues too. Last I checked it’s the people not the government that fill the stadiums and sit in front of the TV.
Don’t be surprised if Leah Williamson gets offered lucrative deal to go there willingly too.
Oh no, not Leah! Katie McCabe, but not Leah.
You are going to find a lot if not all of these celebs, sport personalities, influencers and their ilk morality goes to the highest bidder. They change their morals according to where the money, sponsorship, followers, likes, ads, merchandise, views are coming from.
For once, we agree! 🙂
Let’s first settle the old score.
JenAugust 25, 2023 at 2:04 pm
Is Havertz not allowed any time to integrate into a new team, and to some degree, a new role (in comparison to how he was used at Chelsea)?
I like ESR, but he’s always injured, and that’s why he’s now down the pecking order. MA doesn’t hang about when it comes to replacing injury prone players, as we’ve seen with Tomi, and Tierney, who are now also just backup players.
It wouldn’t make sense to start Rice any further forward, because he gives so much defensively, and despite that, he has actually been getting into forward positions anyway.
Can you still deny you didn’t post that? Amuse me in trying to twist it.
We have agreed on many things before except when it comes to Wenger and Arteta we are never going to agree for obvious reasons.
Firstly I have no idea on your view on Wenger, so I’m not sure why you’ve even mentioned him. My view on Wenger was that he should have gone years before he did, and that is backed up with facts of our performances and results over a long period of time, so not opinion.
Secondly, you owe me an apology for lying, when saying I said I would put Arteta before the club. I’ve never said that, so I know you are lying, and you have not supplied any quote from me, as your evidence.
Thirdly, your above quote is correct, I did say that, and oh my god! You are one of those people who take one solidarity line from god knows how many comments I’ve left on here, and twisted it to fit your narrative. Anyone could do that same thing with anything one said. It’s ridiculous that you think that’s the smoking gun!
Just because one doesn’t explain every point they ever make in every comment, doesn’t mean you can use that to bash them with. This actually makes you look petty, stupid, and lacking of journalistic integrity.
Before with Arteta stuff I want an apology, because I know you’re lying. With the Partey injury issue, it’s just poor intelligence on your behalf. Instead of just asking my views on him, as you may not have seen my previous comments about his injuries, you have just assumed you know my thinking, and have attacked me.
I have said on here that when the Saudi’s were interested, I would have sold him, and part of that reason was down to his injuries.
I have also explained the trade off in keeping him despite his injuries. Unlike Tierney and Tomi, Partey is a genuine world class player and strongly in Arteta’s plans. The upside to him being fit is that we have one of the best midfielders in the league, whereas Tierney doesn’t feature in MA’s plan, and Tomi is just a squad player.
It’s plain and simple greed Dan although like you relatively surprised that Henderson signed for a Saudi club. Messi and Busquets on, the other hand, turned them down. Newcastle however jumped on the bandwagon because they were fed up with decades of mediocrity. Success? At what cost!!! I always had a soft spot for them but no longer.
It’s not only sports people that turn a blind eye to this awful Saudi regime,
even the US turned a blind eye after 9/11 even though most of the terrorists involved were Saudi nationals. I wonder why?
i think henderson made a choice that favours him n his family and this your rainbow nonsense is it accepted every where in world or are all the support part of the gay community, keep ur morals to urself and stop imposing it on others. eg in nigeria we dont support anything like that and most of our culture finds it ackward
Johnson we have to bear in mind that large parts of our world and in Africa in particular, are still, intellectually unevolved.
I dont like having to write that, but it is undoubtedly true, as a whole, in those backward thinking parts of our globe.
Wow
That’s all I’m going to say to those two posts above .
Why only WOW? Have you nothing of your own to add? SEEMS NOT.
NOTHING SURPRISING THERE THEN!
When daft folk like you write, it’s plain for all to see who you are
Agreed
@Jon Fox: your lack of self awareness will never cease to surprise me.
Can’t you see the irony in accusing others of backwards thinking/being “intellectually unevolved ” and you posting such a comment??🤦(i added the emoji just for you)
Firstly Siamois, I have no idea what your silly emoji means- I never use those childish symbols and far prefer words, as I am an adult, and I certainly will not bother looking it up- so that was waste of an intended insult that fell flat
. As you dont, or perhaps cant , explain what you mean, I have no idrea what you are referring to. The debate though was about Henderson going to Saudi, so, I presume you are not a liberal as I am and possibly- as I CANNOT BE SURE, AS YOU DID NOT SAY – took offence at my views that all humans are born to be equal and that NO prejudice ought to be shown to any human no matter who he/ she be.
Unless you care to spell it out in words, as an adult does, and convey your thoughts clearly
Africa is full of countries that have great prejudice towards those they see as gay ,or in any way different.
That is certainly true and if you knew a greater deal about life than you do, you would already know that is profoundly true.
NOT ALL FOLK FROM AFRICA OF COURSE , as very many are civilised and humane but many others are prejudiced against gay folk, which is unevolved and cruel.
Mr wriggler at it again .
Fair play jon you could put a glass eye to sleep 💤 💤.
(I have also added the emojis just for you jonny boy )
Six small blue childsplay bricks. What on EARTH do you imagine I think they mean. Nothing , is the answer.
Why not grow up, write properly, actually SAY SOMETHING of your own thoughts and perhaps, just perhaps ,if you were to act as the middle aged man you actually are,instead of as a child when posting, we could even sensibly debate .
I OFFER YOU THIS ADULT OFFER DK, though if you refuse to act as an adult, I will not try again with you.Your choice!
That made me chuckle fair play jonny boy 👏
Keep your adult offers buddy (whatever that means )😂
Lols
It made you chuckle than, it seems.
What a great pity it did not even encourage you to TRY writing something meaningful OF YOUR OWN.
I presume, perhaps mistakenly, that you DO, AT LEAST OCCASIONALLY, have something meaningful of your own to add?
Hold on a second. Didn’t you recently complain about the title “would Arsenal fans be happy if Raya replaced Ramsdale?” because it was too general and could imply that all fans would be happy? Yet you are making glib comments such as that there are “large parts of our world and in Africa in particular that are intellectually unevolved.” By your own logic, because you didn’t state that this is only some of the people that live there, then you believe everyone there is “intellectually unevolved”?
@Jon Fox,I thought that I made it pretty clear what my problem was/is.you thinking that “most or many “people from a certain area,skin colour, ethnicity…were intellectually unevolved and backwards thinking.there is a term for it “race science” or scientific racism” which has been used by the alt-right for decades despite having been debunked in the 40’s.lastly Jon,i don’t think i need any life lessons from you.i’m 49 years old,I have lived and worked in several parts of the world(not including holidays abroad),I spent my 19th/20th birthdays in Bosnia(Sarajevo/Mostar)as a UNHCR soldier amongst others things.i think I have a pretty decent life experience, don’t you?
Intellectually unevolved? Oh please! What an ignorant statement. If I was a sensationalist I’d call you a racist but I think it’s just ignorance and a superiority complex on your part. As a young Kenyan,I don’t believe we are intellectually inferior to Europeans-there’s no credible study that supports your bizarre supposition. Sure the levels of poverty are higher in Africa but that is to be expected to an extent. Most of our countries have been developing for just over half a century whereas most western countries have been around for a lot longer.
Intolerant people exist everywhere,European or African. People who commit hideous crimes exist everywhere. I suppose the prisons in your country aren’t empty,no ? Would you believe me if I told a majority of paedophiles who target our country,particularly the coastal city of Mombasa are of Western descent? Would you believe if I told you the people who come to our country to kill animals like elephants for sport are predominantly from your part of the world? Would you believe me if I told you Western governments have sponsored coups,created instabilities and installed puppets in various countries in Africa to exploit our natural resources? Does that imply that people in the Western world are backward?But then you can’t possibly know the answers to these questions because you probably rely on western media that paints a certain picture of Africa and Africans.I’ll stop the rant at that because I’m only in this forum for Arsenal related content. I just couldn’t help but comment when I read that condescending remark.
Firstly Jon is an idiot
Secondly African is not a race so it can’t be racist, as an African you should know there are multiple races on the continent.
Thirdly the majority of people that target people of all ages in Eastern Africa are from the Middle East, huge slave trade still operating on the old Persian routes. Look it up if you don’t believe me
Fourthly, it’s African governments that give out the licenses to go and hunt big game like Elephants. If they made it illegal it wouldn’t happen nearly as much. Also quite often it’s part of culling so instead of killing an elephant themselves they’d rather get in a large amount of cash to fund the rest of the conservation projects.
Lastly, African leaders create the majority of the instability in Africa! Corruption and greed result in them selling out their own people and resources to line their own pockets which yes the West 100% takes advantage of. The list of African dictators is long and distinguished so don’t blame the West!
You have a lot to learn!
Signed,
An African
No PJ- SA, it is you who have a great deal to learn. But mainly that is about NOT misunderstanding perfectly easy to understand posts from other folk, in this case, me!
And certainly NOT attributing false words which I DID NOT SAY, NOR EVEN HINT AT, ABOUT AFRICA BEING ONE RACE.
That is so obviously NOT the case ,that you massively insult my intelligence by pretending to yourself that I said such an obvious falsehood.
I did not say that Africa is a race, and those are YOUR words and NOT mine.
I agree with your paragraph about the MiDDLE EAST , as a percentage of that population , having a greater percentage of racists even than does Africa. That is obviously and profoundly true.
On killing elephants, though I agree with you , I have nothing I wish to add, as I was not discussing conservation of animals at all.
You will recall that I CALLED OUT THE EVIL OF SAUDI, A MIDDLE EASTERN COUNTRY. Correctly too.
PJ-SA, you are again correct in saying that the majority of the instability in Africa, including greed and corruption, is caused DIRECTLY by the many corrupt government leaders in many of the corruptly led African countries.
There are of course many fine and well run African countries too, for context!
I agree that there is a long list of African dictators too and also historically. But to call them “distinguished”, as you did, is to use incorrect language.
There is nothing distinguished about corrupt people, of any country ,age or generation.
I am disappointed that you describe yourself as an African, rather than an an evolved human being. That is how I DESCRIBE MYSELF.
FINALLY, please do try to read accurately precisely what what I WRITE and what I do NOT write, BEFORE FALSELY ACCUSING ME, ANOTHER TIME
PJ you misconstrued what I said.None of the points you make refute anything I’ve said. You basically have created straw man arguments and replied to them. For instance, I said, “if I was a sensationalist I’d call you a racist…” . What that means is that I’m not a sensationalist but I’m making the point that some other people who are sensationalists would consider his remarks racist-particularly in the current zeitgeist where people are easily offended. I don’t think jon is racist at all. He comes off as a nice person who can be quite pedantic(something most people don’t like) unfortunately.Of cource I know Africa is not a race,and that it has people of various races.I learnt that in second grade over two decades ago.
The third point you make is about SLAVE TRADE and not once did I make reference to slave trade. That is a classic example of a straw man argument. Basically you created it in your mind and ascribed it to me. And yes,I’m aware of the menace of inhumane treatment our people get in the middle east. It is a problem that is more nuanced than you are putting it. For instance,most of those ‘slaves’ go to the middle east of their own accord,out of desperation.They are promised heaven only to find hell when they get to their ‘masters’.I could go deeper on the topic but this isn’t the forum for it.
The fourth point you make is also more complicated than you make it sound. The governments are complicit yes but there’s more to it. The foreigners are not innocent either. You could read “The Big Conservation Lie” by Mordecai Ogada to get a fresh perspective; A Kenyan perspective. I don’t know where you’re from;I assume South African going by the name you use.The situation in South Africa could well be different from the situation in East Africa-so it doesn’t make sense to make generalised statements. For instance,it’s very much illegal in Kenya. We have different laws/constitutions/regulations all across Africa-speak for your country.
Yes we have had some terrible leaders and we are mostly responsible but that doesn’t negate the fact that external interference have had a hand in it. The assassination of Patrice Lumumba of DRC and subsequent installation of dictator Mobutu Sese Seko is a good example-the involvement of France and the USA in all this is well documented.
Finally,it was not my point to blame anyone for African problems – you simply missed my point by a long shot. In fact, I merely used the examples of people from the west commiting atrocities in Africa to reinforce the point that there are intolerant people and people who commit all manner of evil things everywhere on earth,irrespective of race or geographical location and that intellectual capabilities(or lack thereof) have nothing whatsoever to do with it.It is why I alluded to the fact that the prisons in Africa are just as occupied as those in the West. Essentially you took the examples I made to be the gist of my comment.
I feel uncomfortable discussing some of these political issues on this forum. I’ll stick to Arsenal/football stuff so allow me not to engage further. And yes I have a lot to learn;just not from you it seems.
Onyango, How cathartic to read such a highly intelligent and knowledgeable post!
Quite irrespective of anyones nationality,race,or any other mere “package”that ALL we humans show to the outside world, (which does not know how we ARE PERSONALLY) thr difference between a highly intelligent human and a far lesser intelligent human, is extremely obvious.
@PJ-SA Nations with the highest number of people living in modern slavery include India, China, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Indonesia, Nigeria, Turkey, Bangladesh, and the United States. Six of those countries are in the G20.25 May 2023.
The Middle East despite still having modern slavery, doesn’t the most, fact!!
Well said!
Also,did they use IQ test?
Because Alfred Binet, the modest Frenchman who invented IQ testing in 1904, knew that intelligence was too complex to be expressed in a single number. “Intellectual qualities … cannot be measured as linear surfaces are measured,” he insisted, adding that giving IQ too much significance “may give place to illusions.”.
Onyango, You admit to being young. I only wish I were too. But I have lived very much longer in this world than you have and have seen, on my extensive travels, a great deal of racism in Africa against white people and other races
Equally, I have seen and lived through the most disgusting unthinking , prejudiced racism in Britain and its practised widely in predominantly white countries .
It is extremly rife throughout the Middle East, probably far worse than in Africaor elsewhere( when taken per head of population).
I grew up in a Britatin in the fifties sixties, until adulthood and well into my adulthood too, in a dismally general racist society, where not only people of darker skin shade but many other perceived but totaly irrelevant” “differences” were looked down upon and treated with scorn, derision,cruelty and contempt .
LARGELY, nowadays, in Britain, thanks to the general multiculturalism AND the increasing societal influence of women, esp in cities, that racism , though still present to some in varying degrees, is far less obvious and less appalling.
Our common human race, at least in the more civilised countries is SLOWLY but surely , finally learning a degree at least ,of humanity and decency. At least in public.
We have a long way to go, globally of course, but much of our race are FINALLY at least on the right path.
Yes,I think it will take a lot more time for people to be more accomodating and compassionate. One thing in various parts of Africa is that most of people’s time is invested in basic survival trying to afford basic needs. This makes it hard for people to have public discourse on some of these issues. People are basically not thinking of some of these issues on the scale that they are happening in the west. A hungry man would rather talk about lowering the cost of living than anything else. When Africa is finally able to feed herself,I’m sure she’ll join various global conversations.
@jon fox
I wouldn’t say they’re “intellectually unevolved”, but more like intellectually stymied by religious dogma…Jus sayin
Of course Henderson’s a hypocrite, and most likely never considered this particular situation when jumping on the Rainbow bandwagon, and will have to live with that, but the millions he’ll make over these next few years will be ample compensation for articles like Dan’s and the many accusations in the print & broadcast media.
“Crying all the way to the bank”
I do not think it is fair or particularly helpful to go after individual footballers.
The Premier League is always launching social justice campaigns but allowed the Saudi takeover of Newcastle. They even accepted the absurd lie that the Saudi public investment fund Charlie’s by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman is somehow separate from the state.
Any criticism can be aimed in their direction.
The most insane thing about this is that Henderson is getting in the neck for contradicting himself, and rightly so, yet there’s never any public condemnation of the crazy ideology that he once inspired too.
What they are doing to children, most of which are already very vulnerable from difficult upbringings, is absolutely horrific! Hence places like Tavistock in the UK being closed down after the scandals.
I would argue footballers are stupid to play politics through the game of football, but to be fair to them a lot of this is from the top down.
I DO AGREE WITH THE MAJOR PART OF Dans article, in particular that SAUDI is an unevolved country and has a harmful view of all humans who they see as being different from them.
My view is that I do not wish to ever meet, personally, any unevolved person, as I find dinosaur “thinking” both disgusting and anti human.
On Henderson I have nothing to say, simply because I HAVE NO TRUE IDEA WHAT HIS REASONS WERE FOR GOING TO PLAY THERE.
I would only add that he has many times come out in support of the gay community and I praise his character for doing that. I believe his view is a genuine one too.
Maybe he went for money? No of course not! Maybe his support for the guy community is because he is actually gay? It’s also a platform to increase popularity, is it not? After all, we all want to be seen as someone who is doing something positive. Especially the image..
What a dumb and utterly hypocritical article Dan. This is the most shallow article I’ve read from you TBH. Henderson made a personal decision to move. He’s also stated that it’s not in his place to Lord over Saudis with his pro LGBT values. Same way we wouldn’t want a wahabist trying to impose his beliefs on non-Muslims. I’m a liberal, probably your age Dan, but the level of entitlement by the woke crowd that you shamelessly represent is appalling. Henderson made a PERSONAL decision to support LGBTQ causes, he’s also made a personal decision to not push the LGBT agenda in Saudi Arabia by choosing to be respectful of his host’s beliefs. I honestly have had enough of this senseless shaming of a man who just made his personal decision that some entitled creeps cant just stomach. The insulting tweets and posts aimed at Henderson by your ilk are just shocking even to us liberals. Can you imagine if a Wahabist pro footballer came to the EPL and started pushing his ideology in the UK and Europe? You would be calling for his deportation. Time to let Henderson live his life.
***END of RANT***
What “crazy ideology” is this Jen?
Jax, I think it goes along the lines that President Biden is doing immense harm, along with CNN – meanwhile Faux “news” have to pay out nearly 800 million dollars for, apart from anything else, claiming Dominion lost trump the election.
The crazy gender ideology born out of psychologist and John Money, who’s gender experiment on David Reimer with his twin brother was an absolute failure, along with publicity advocating the sexualisation of children as well. This is where gender ideology was largely born from, certainly for the mainstream.
Personally I think telling children as young as 3 you have born into the wrong body, is catastrophic! Not just for that poor child who clearly will not have the brain capacity to even understand what it means and the implications of gender affirming care, but to the family unit as well.
I don’t there’s a net benefit of the sterilization of children, pubity blockers, breast removal, etc.
I have no issue with people identifying in whatever makes you happy, but this shouldn’t be pushed on other people, and especially not children.
I have a child, so this cuts close to the bone, and I know of a family who’ve been torn apart by this, leaving them with a physical and mentally damaged child (issues with the surgeries), who’s whole life from 9 years old onwards was charged forever. Absolutely heartbreaking!
Fair enough, but what’s that got to with Jordan Henderson, and the subject of this article.
What it has to do with the subject is that Henderson supported the evils done to children and yet all people see as evil in him is that he’s no longer as vocal in his support of LGBT because of money when he should be criticised for supporting child destruction instead
This is the first I’ve heard of this particular issue. What was Henderson’s actual involvement?
Part of the Pride Community advocates gender affirming care and sexualisation of children. Not everyone within that community of course, but some do, and it’s growing all the time. How that doesn’t get criticism yet Henderson does, literally makes zero sense! That’s my point.
I think he’s quickly learning that it would have been easier to just stick with football and not play politics.
OK Jen, I see where you’re coming from now, and take your point.
There’s nothing people will not say to justify whatever rubbish they believe. How is this evil allowed to happen? To children? Yet someone above says some parts of the world are backward thinkers because that don’t support LGBT.
I’m shocked that such a crime is going on openly and all some people have to criticize is another nation’s refusal to enshrine gay rights in their constitution when even the ordinary people in the streets of said nations completely and absolutely frown at it. Talk of hippocrisy
i DID NOT SAY THAT AT ALL . You have misinterpreted what I SAID. And Ineve reven mentioned “LGBT” or child sex changes.
I ignored that suject as it was not relevant to what I WISHED to say.
So that you understand me and wil lnot again wantonly lie about my post, I make it clear now what I said.
I said ONLY that Saudi is a backward country and has not evolved I MAINLY refer to its disgraceful treatmentof women as mens proprty and the refusal to fully recognise woman as equal .
I also said that large parts of Africa have problems with accepting folk being gay and also those in any way obvously different from what such backward countries consider as “normal”, whatever “normal”is supposed to mean!
Evolved humans see only people. They do not see skin shade as anything important. They care nothing about anyones sexual orientation. They ignore creed, colour religion, age etc etc and treat ALL HUMANS with kindness,compassion and care. THAT is what evolveD people do, wherever they live.
That is also ALL I said, please note.
In your so-called backward countries, children are not taken to medical labs for the purpose of mutilation. Instead, children gather in the evenings under the moonlight to tell stories and laugh together.
And who has the right to say what thinking is backward or forward? You? I hope you’re aware that in certain places, Europeans and Americans are seen as animals because of their beliefs (gay rights and all). So who has the authority to say who is backward or forward?
If you want to criticize anything, criticize the telling of 3yr old boys that they can become girls and vice versa. This woke nonsense is getting too much in this world
I agree on woke being wicked and wrong and have no time for it . I greatly disagreeand abhor the increasing manner in which young children and even older chidren are being encouraged change sex. I think it is wicked and an evil act, to encourage such a thing.
I have NOTHING at all against people who DO change sex, but only against those who try to encourage it in young people.
ENTIRELY DIFFERENT CONCEPTS, WHICH I HOPE YOU CAN PROPERLY UNDERSTAND
As for the rest of your post, you are making a huge generalisation.. That you admit that in certain places citizens of Europe and USA are seen as animals,simply because many of us are cool about gay folk being regarded as perfectly normal and decent , though simply having a different sexual orientation from the majority, shows how correct my post was.
To think such things as “gays should be ostracised”, is wicked and anti humane.
THAT SORT OF “THINKING” is UNEVOLVED and BACKWARD.
In these backward countries (your words) they have child marriages, genital mutilation, women are stoned to death (in Saudi) for ‘offending’ the local officials view of their religion. Women are third class citizens, and political dissenters are routinely tortured and put to death. The LGBT community is illegal, and often face the death penalty. All of this is fact, and should you wish I can link to reliable (official) sources. But why worry about any of that eh?
To back up your attack on the woke, a term about which you clearly understand nothing, and your nonsense about gender reassignment, all we have by contrast are the favourite tools of the political right. Inflammatory talking heads peddling opinions, fact free youtube shlockumentarys, and fundamentalist fanatics drip feeding hate.
Its pointless discussing important issues with those who accept unproven nonsense that tie in with their bigoted views, as you so obviously have, so let’s end this here.
This is about money and money only. Lets not be hypocrites here, most people would do the same. Everyone on JA, doesn’t know what it is like to be offered money like Henderson is being offered. Its easy to be moral and high almighty, when you aren’t getting that chance.
Agree 100 % Reggie.
Perhaps Henderson will earn his millions, then come back home and plough some of it into LGBTQ causes.
I wonder if said organisations would refuse his money?!
I bet they’ll bite his hands off for the money
Exactly dgr8xt exactly!!
@Reggie
Realness…Thanks
All I have to say is that United Kingdom Imports from Saudi Arabia was US$3.51 Billion during 2022, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade.
So if I were you, I would look closer to home before questioning a football players morals who was asked by his best mate to join him in the Saudi Pro League. Let’s face it, he wasn’t having his door kicked down with offers in Europe.
Personally, this has nothing to do with the Saudi human rights issues but a media driven victimisation of a player.
Unfortunately, it is easier to turn a blind eye to his reasoning but follow along with the propaganda that is fed to us on a daily basis.
I actually feel sorry for the boy as his international career will be over because the media have no other bull shit to scare us with.
Can we now start talking about football…ffs
Hmmmm!! I’m short of words. I reserve my comments.
🙄
“Two years to turn the other cheek before returning to the UK, filthy rich.”
Unless he’s been unbelievably careless, he’s already filthy rich – this is what I just don’t understand. Do these people not get to a point where they think “I’ve got enough, I don’t need to do that”, when it’s clearly something they have personal misgivings about. I’m not against people making a lot of money – footballers are paid a lot of money because their business is popular and makes a lot of money, but this is clearly different. I don’t imagine Saudi football brings in a lot of money right now…
I could understand your average person thinking “who could turn down that money?”, but not someone who’s already so wealthy, and would have so many opportunities to make more after retiring from football.
It doesn’t matter who you are or how well off you are. You never have enough money. Until you are in that position, you dont know. Its got nothing to do with Hendersons beliefs but all about money. Like i sais, we will never be tested like that, to make that choice.
We can all put ourselves in that position if we wish. Maybe we’re all hypocrites, maybe we’d all take the money in the same situation – I really don’t think so though. I’m quite sure there have been plenty of examples of very rich people turning down opportunities for more money due to their personal beliefs.
Spot on. If you are a poster bearer for a cause, then you stick two fingers up at that cause then people are entirely justified in being angry. Henderson played the ‘I support the LGBT community’ card then wonders why people in that community are upset he’s gone to Saudi where the LGBT community is outlawed and can even face the death penalty? Just for being who they are.
All the poxy excuses for his actions only exposes the bigotry of the posters defending him. He did not go to Saudi for his family. He’s already a multi millionaire for Gods sake. He could have gone to various different well paid jobs, (in countries without shocking human rights records) but chose Saudi. As for his family, it’s unlikely they’ll even visit him out there, so they won’t see him for months. Ooh the concern!
Lastly some of comments here are a total disgrace. Jens I’ll informed TERF rubbish, the accusations of child abuse, the drivel about ‘respecting peoples cultures’ and the straw man bs about what the EPL, FIFA etc are downright nauseating. If I want to see ill informed, evidence free, Daily Mail style drivel I’ll grab some popcorn and head over there.
It makes you ashamed to be a fellow Arsenal fan reading posts like these…
There has been child abuse. Jen is right about that. I think most people fully support lgb rights and reasonable transgender rights, but are slowly waking up to what’s been going on wrt children. Gender affirming care is the problem.
When you’re right, you’re right. 👍
What a can of worms that has been opened on this site with this post, keep the politics away, this a football site and foremost an Arsenal site, who cares what Henderson has done. I am more alarmed that Saka has had three poor games in a row, that Gabriel may be injured, Jesus took a blow to the chest, Tierney is playing well in Spain
Same here mate.
I get it that maybe Jordan Henderson is an England player so he will feature here. Personally I thought we were covering only Arsenal related content but fair enough.
Regarding the issue at hand, I think at the end of the day its an individuals choice to follow whatever career path they chose to. And as pointed out by the debate among posters, its not a black and white issue as such and needs to be looked at with the lens of consideration of all angles.