A Pillar To Post
Getting Flack
Just over a week has passed since Saturday 15th February 2020, when the tragic news of Caroline Flack's passing broke out across both mainstream and social media platforms and a fresh debate surrounding the use of 'freedom of speech' was ignited.
In recent months, Caroline Flack was reported to have hit her partner over the head with a lamp whilst he was asleep. An act which saw her propel to front page news and become the subject of a lot of negative headlines. However, the validity of this story was called into question in the weeks that followed, after her partner later refused to continue proceedings and the subsequent prosecution.
By such time, it was too late, the media vultures had begun circling in the skies above as a fresh carcass of "celebrity" meat slipped and stumbled across the mostly baron wasteland below. Meanwhile, the flies of social media pestered and stripped the mental well-being from this battle-scarred being. (How about that for a negative analogy?!)
For me, we must continue to treat people in death as we would in life. For example, if someone was an arse hole whilst living, nothing changes because they're dead. Take Adolf Hitler as an exaggerated example. Furthermore, those with a vast reach to voice the alleged facts and their own opinions have a moral obligation to do so with a degree of validity and reliability. Both matters that have sparked my interest and, to some degree, sadness in this particular story.
To further explain the analogy above and apply this to Miss Flack's case, I am referring to the likes of The S** and various so-called "celebrities" who were quick to tarnish her with accusations of domestic violence. In my personal opinion, they could have been correct, and in addition to this, I suspect that had a male "celebrity" have done the alleged same, that there would have been an increased level of outrage from media outlets, feminists and wannabe town criers alike. However, to state so on such public platforms is not only lacking professional responsibility and integrity, it is down-right dangerous in the modern age. A story that makes headlines and probably shouldn't as it's void of showing balance in a case that should have been "innocent until proven guilty". Manipulation of the jury anyone?
Unfortunately, it's nothing new - controversy sparks curiosity and curiosity creates capitalism - the opportunity for a quick buck. So rather than provide validated and verified facts, many media outlets now create a stir and frenzy that gives damning opinions on their version of what the story could be. Readers pick their version of the story that they like, and that provide the most entertainment, or (I'd hope!) the most validity.
Now as a potential reader (maybe not of The S** like - it's an absolute shit show of a paper), it's up to me to make an opinion based on what I perceive to be the facts. It is also up to me, as an individual, to act responsibly when handling such facts, as it is with the author or publisher. When giving my opinions, and you the readers give yours, we must collectively address our own inaccuracies and misjudgements over time, just as we may continue to justify our stance when correct.
We all deal in degrees of selfishness and hypocrisy - all to varying levels and all for different reasons. Hell, there's a degree of it in this blog and will continue to be so in the coming weeks. That I can promise. Yet, it's important we have an understanding of what it is we're being hypocrites about, and why. Mainstream media personalities have flooded to pass public messages of condolence since her sad passing, as have twitter profiles and the general public alike. Many of whom, just a few weeks ago, thought she was an arse hole and clearly stated so. Therefore, their hypocrisy is that they're now showing compassion for something they helped destroy, not out of pain - out of guilt.
So here's my hypocrisy - calling out those on public platforms, on a potentially public platform! I am doing so, because, I'll be honest - I didn't really give a shit about Caroline Flack, she was just another modern day celebrity to me. She might have been a canny lass, she might have been an arse hole. If she did do what she did, then she probably had her reasons, that's not to say it's the correct action to take! If she was found guilty by the judicial system, that could have been fairly reported upon by media outlets with a more valid and reliable degree of content and more professional integrity. Then us flies could have all had our say. If she didn't do what she did, the actions that led to her headline news and the opinions of those that followed were the sword by which she was slain.
So, for some of us (the opinionated social media flies), or the circling media vultures, what are the repercussions of this avoidable and saddening act?
Keegan's Corner
Who Wins?
Racism in football appears to be on the rise and whilst this may seem to some like an issue for the game, it's not, it's an issue for wider society. As political opinion across both Europe and the planet widens, and gets increasingly nationalised once again, the subsequent misuse of nationalism replaces the positives in which healthy patriotism can bring. This, a topic which I'll save as a "Pillar to Post" for another day, as no doubt these blogs will wear thin and fast. Unless I can some how expand myself (and not around the waist this time) to round off some pretty narrow tastes. Football acting as my pizza - once or twice a week in a sizeable portion.
However, I 'm keen to take slice of football once again and into a specific instance of racism from last weekend's round of football. The incident in question occurred in an important Primeira Liga fixture in Portugal, between two teams in the top half - Vitoria Guimaraes and FC Porto. An important game with the latter hunting down yet another top flight title, which would see them finish above fellow and regular title contenders Benfica. In Portugal, this rivalry is much the same as Liverpool and Manchester United's, as far as domestic success goes.
Throughout the warm up and the match, audible racist chants and abuse were thrown at Moussa Marega, the Malian Centre Forward for away outfit, Porto. Disgustingly, an increasingly regular scenario that continues to occur across European football, and with Porto 2-1 up thanks to one of his goals, it took only a further 8 minutes for tensions to heighten and arrive at the games main talking point; his substitution, which took 4 whole minutes to complete.
As televised coverage shows, following his goal Marega points to the colour of his skin, quite rightly so, and subsequently further backlash persists from those at pitch side. In the 68th minute, enough becomes enough and Marega subsequently requests his substitution from the game. At which point he continues to gesticulate towards the opposition support, and a fracas ensues with his own players, as well those of Guimaraes. This to my mind, posed the question of "who wins"?
You might say that as the game ended 2-1. Porto wins?
No.
You may also say that as the said player resulted in not finishing the game. Vitoria's support win?
No...
Racism wins.
Why? You might ask.
Well, the reason racism wins is because, whilst this is primarily a societal issue, football's governing bodies such as FIFA, UEFA and in this instance the Portuguese FA, continue to be negligent in their efforts to "kick it out".
The buck doesn't stop here though, it also falls at the hands of the culprits and whilst it isn't representative of their whole fan base, Vitoria must be sanctioned and sanction those found guilty of such gestures with lifetime bans.
The above goes without saying. However, equally narrow-minded and short-sighted was that of Marega's team mates. I, for one, sometimes find it difficult to look past football - it is somewhat my religion, and with that comes the hypocrisy that follows with any religion, but what was more important in this fixture for these young men? To stand by a friend in his time of need, or to gain 3 points, that would ultimately keep them in a title race?
My solution in this instance, would have been for the all 21 of the players to remove themselves from the pitch and for the game to be abandoned at 2-1. Fans lose, they get less for their money, the league and governing bodies lose as they're brought into disrepute. The TV loses and will subsequently place further pressure on the relevant people. Yet most importantly, racism loses.
Now there is an argument that suggests that, by his removal, he has allowed these bigoted idiots to succeed in their attempts. Some might argue it shows a lack of strength of mind or even character. I guess, that in itself comes down to how you perceive racism in terms of it's offensiveness. I believe in this instance, that this would be the point being made by his colleagues. This - something I will touch on in a later edition of The ROAM and here you may also find some of my own hypocrisy.
However, what was required here, was a bit of empathy and camaraderie. Stand with your team mate. Prove colour is nothing but a characteristic or attribute of something more important and that's a human being. If faith could have been placed upon the governing bodies here, then maybe this conflict between the Porto squad could have been avoided. Furthermore, if the correct sanctions were in place then individuals would be deterred to voice such offensive opinions on such an open platform.
This brings my nicely to my closure for this weeks piece and so...
Finally...
Whilst the children's poem about 'sticks and stones' now appears to have varied content (after a quick look on the Internet), the alleged original which featured in Alexander Kingslake's 'Eothen' proposed that "words will never break me". A notion I'd attempt to stress to any individual regardless of age, race, gender or sexual orientation. However, this is thought to have been an old African adage, as reported by The Christian Recorder in 1862, and thus it is poignant following the above topic (and instance) of racism.
Yet, it would be naive to overlook the fact that language and how it's used is not mankind's most dangerous weapon and with that, we must re-educate ourselves to use our freedom of speech more wisely...
Ciao for now ;)
