[A news item from a parallel universe]
Prominent media outlets are denying today that their recent reporting of comments by NSW Greens MP Sylvia Hale contributed significantly to her tragic strangulation at the hands of an outraged reader.
A spokesman for NineMSN said that the media’s job was simply to report facts and commentary in the public interest, and that if this ended up enraging people to the point where they wanted to throttle someone, this was hardly the media’s fault.
The death of Ms Hale, at the hands of Tony Payne (an Anglican minister and father of five), came after her comments regarding the death of Perth teenager Gemma Thoms from an ecstasy overdose. Ms Hale claimed that she had been “warning governments for years” that police sniffer dog operations at youth festivals were dangerous, and could drive young people to quickly swallow their drugs to avoid detection. Despite the fact that there were no sniffer dogs anywhere near Miss Thoms at the time she swallowed her remaining three ecstasy pills (having already taken one before arriving at the festival), the Greens MP laid the blame squarely on the police.
Big Day Out concerts were not venues “where you catch the Mr Bigs of drug dealing”, Ms Hale said. “Predominantly you get people carrying small quantities for personal use … It’s always young people being targeted. You think cocaine is just confined to young people? I don’t think so.”
However, Bob Umbrage, a spokesmen for the lobby group Angry Middle-Aged Men, said that he had been warning for years that a tragedy like the strangling of Ms Hale was bound to happen if the media continued to broadcast the looney left-wing comments of Greens MPs. “I suppose Ms Hale was only doing her job. Comments like this are what Greens MPs are paid for. And of course I do not condone the actions of Rev Payne. But as I’ve repeatedly warned, if the media keeps giving air-time to these comments, an Angry Middle-Aged Man is going to snap and a tragedy could occur.”
A spokesman for Rev Payne said that he was resting quietly.
I was looking at the recent issue of The Briefing last night and noted that you, a long time ago, considered entering full time ministry.
Given this story, perhaps it is just as well that you didn’t.
It would be a little more funny if two people weren’t dead! Haha
In all seriousness, though, current drug-fighting strategies are not enjoying a whole lot of success. Illicit substances are still generating massive profits for their distributors, who are rarely caught and punished. More people than ever are using and/or addicted to them, and the social implications of drug abuse are increasingly significant. So, un-looney right-wing policies aren’t exactly working.
The Greens have long believed there is a different way to fight drugs, and while the proof is only ever in the pudding, it’s worth hearing them out. Sylvia Hale’s comments here, although perhaps poorly expressed, are consistent with the Green’s policy platform on drugs.
Of course it’s ridiculous to blame police for this girl’s stupidity, but Ms Hale’s point is that current strategies punish the little people (victims) more often than they dismantle trafficking.
I’m not a Green, and there are many Green policies I could never support. But I think they’re a lot less stupid than they are made to sound. Unfortunately sound-bites do little to convey the thinking behind their crazy ideas.
Oh, and since when did this blog become a right-wing political platform?
Quite a disappointing post on the solapanel today. Yes, Sylvia Hale’s attempt to skew the issue in hope of political gains is at best shameful.
It seems a little odd that attempts at humour are made on a christian blog site by depicting the murder of those whom we may disagree with or find frustrating.
Maybe politics could be left to the politicians and the focus could return to theological edification rather than bashing a certain political stance.
Missed the first line of the post and thought for a second you’d applied the thoughts from your previous post (Actually do it) in a whole new direction.
I guess this post points us to Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:21-22)
Interesting from the British perspective… We too have loony Green MPs, but a lack of support/credibility ensures they’d never get much of a hearing. Added to which our dominant news outlets are pretty much right wing and pretty keen to outdo one another on moralistic head-shaking when it comes to drugs (eg today one of Murdoch’s rags has ‘exposed’ the unremarkable daughter of unremarkable TV presenters as smoking marijuana on the front page!). It’s pure hypocrisy from a perspective of godliness – the same publications will usually have bared breasts on the same page and will celebrate other forms of intoxication (ie drinking); drugs however carry huge public stigma (the Kate Moss cocaine pictures spring to mind).
So is it your press that are more liberal, your politics that are more liberal or is drug use just not such a social no-no in Oz as over here?
Hi All,
Just thought I might chip in here for a moment on Tony’s behalf. He’s one of the godliest guys I know and he isn’t about to go out and kill anyone. Furthermore, he’s as saddened as anyone by the death of Gemma Thoms.
But that doesn’t mean that there’s only one way to make an argument. Sometimes the best way to deal with folly is to laugh at it (Prov 26:5). The point is that no-one would take Bob Umbrage (and the name should give it away) seriously. His argument doesn’t work. But it’s exactly the same argument that Sylvia Hale is making.
I don’t think (although I haven’t spoken to him in any detail) that Tony was trying to get into a detailed argument about the difficulties of dealing with drugs. He is just making the point that every now and then, someone needs to point out when the emperor has no clothes.
Here’s to a barrage of further comments.
Grimmo.
Andy,
I suspect that OZ culture on the whole is more laid back about such things. There is probably not quite the same social stigma (I have a number of friends from the UK who have commented on how much more in your face the Australian scene is in general about sex, drugs etc.) However, there is a genuine sadness expressed by many at what addiction does to people. I am happy for others to share their observations.
Grimmo.
I am unsure if Pauls first comment was directed at my comment or not (the paranoid part of me thinks it was)
The first part of my original comment was my attempt at “humour” in reply to his article (proving that I am no Cleese/Seinfeld/Gervais). I gathered his post was a humourous blog and that he didn’t intend to do anybody any harm (at least in this universe (attempt at humour, sorry)).
The reason I replied is that the posts on the Sola panel are very good and thought provoking. I realise that every panellist on the sola panel has more knowledge and insight into the Bible, ministry, God, Godliness, than I ever will. This is why I regularly read the blogs (in an attempt to learn more, plus attend church, read the bible, pray etc). Usually I don’t understand all the words, or the arguments but realise they are biblically based.
With regards the “Media to blame says angry middle aged man”, my second sentence was trying to see how the post fitted with “Bible-driven passion for theology, holiness and gospel ministry” and the other descriptions in the “About us” part of the site, because I have been able to see it/them in every other post. I figured that the point of the article wasn’t about drugs/drug control etc. I thought it may have been about anger/murder as mentioned in my comment. Maybe it was meant to point out that we shouldn’t allow other peoples actions to lead us into sin, or that we are responsible for our own actions. I dearly want the point of the article made clearer, because I have missed the point I am sure.
I certainly never meant to slur Tonys character, suggest he was capable of murder or was ungodly. If I have I apologise
“Sometimes the best way to deal with folly is to laugh at it (Prov 26:5)”
unfortunately Paul, i missed the humour, and as David Grundy suggests – any tone of grace for those we disagree with.
I can understand the frustration with media and politicians – but I am not sure Prov 26:5 means we should even in jest entertain what the character in this parallel universe suggests.
the means has got in the way of the message in other words.
ironically it is these stupid statements by politicians, and prickly posts on blogs, that often get more attention than they deserve – including mine!
Friends, my first thought was that maybe the situation would be helped by an even stronger warning upfront rather than the parallel universe thing (although I thought it was a giveaway). E.g. Warning: if you do not like satire, read no further!
However the wider issue than whether or not Tony’s attempt was any good – and I didn’t mind it and I thought it was obviously satire – is whether satire is ever an appropriate medium for Christians.
I think it hard to insist that one could never use satire and the related form of sarcasm, as we see examples in the Bible, although we may not want to claim status as prophet or apostle!
One place this was discussed extensively was around Doug Wilson’s book on the topic. Justin Taylor’s link here links to John Frame’s review of Doug Wilson’s book on satire and to Doug’s reply.
For those who think satire is acceptable, read Doug’s response to find a long list of checks and balances if you engage.
Hi all
I’ve been fascinated at the reaction to my little satire. Not offended, not in the least—so Ian, please set your mind at rest. Just surprised at the literalness and seriousness with which some have read what was clearly a hyperbolic parable.
Anyway, it’s prompted me to write another post, which should come up in the next day or two.
TP
The funniest thing about Tony’s post is how pathetic he is when it comes to actually ever being angry. I’ve been here for nearly 6 years, and I’ve seen Tony get a bit annoyed a couple of times. With all due respect to my boss, when it comes to getting genuinely angry, Tony’s hopeless.
I’m just disappointed that no one has brought up Steve Taylor’s [in]famous song from the 80s “I blew up the clinic real good”.
While much more OTT than Tony’s missive, it had (and still has, if you google it) polarised Christians in their response—and nearly every response missed the point.
Keep the satire going Tony. And that’s my literal meaning.
To be honest, I had compassion for that child and her family.
I too have hidden my sins from others.