The word of the week is sledging – it has been described as everything from banter to bullying to workplace abuse – but what we do know is that the sportsman think it is part of the game and that outsiders think the behavior is unacceptable.
I wonder where they could have learnt this appalling behavior? After all, there is nowhere else that constant abuse and denigration is permitted in a workplace in this country. There is nowhere else that cat calling and threats are issued with venom. There is nowhere else that one side supports the other sides right to sledge.
Except for one place…our Federal Parliament. The behavior exhibited in Parliament very much reflects the behavior exhibited on the cricket field, the sledging, the venom, the disrespect – except that in parliament it is all done is eyesight and hearing of those who watch it.
But we think it’s ok in parliament, we must, as it is not on the front pages, the talkback and the general media commentary.
So why do we expect better of our cricketers than we do of our politicians? Perhaps if our politicians behaved better then it would filter to other parts of our community.
Dave Isles
cricket, rugby, football etc are games, and gamesmanship has its place.. the afl has dealt well with racial slurs, and the net effect has been a positive for indigenous and non-’wasp’ players.
politics is not a game.. it is about running a nation in the best possible manner.. there is, as you point out Lisa, no place for gamesmanship in politics.. despite attempts, notably the Hawke-Peacock ‘pact’ in the 80s to work respectfully and ‘positively’ in the parliament, the black v white, left v right, govt vs ‘opposition’ ethos has won the day.. a cabinet that included abbot, gillard, turnbull, roxon, perhaps rudd and definitely mcpharlin.. would see sparks fly, but would maybe push our nation forward, instead of rocking to and fro between extreme ideololgies..
get rid of the word ‘opposition’.. and facilitate the blending of talent from both sides of the idealogical spectrum.. and simply ‘ban’ sledging from the houses of parliament..
a rant maybe, but if rugby players can call their refs ‘sir’ it is ‘do-able’!!
cheers