We all hate political correctness, don’t we?
You know what I’m talking about. Every time anyone makes a joke about anything at all, the good old Politically Correct Police are up in arms.
You can’t say that, it’s offensive.
What has become of our world?
One of the biggest targets is good old boy, Eddie McGuire.
Back in 2013, Adam Goodes was the victim of racial vilification by a Collingwood supporter, who called him an ape.
Eddie did his best to defuse the situation by suggesting that Goodes could go down to Melbourne and help promote King Kong The Musical.
Apparently, that was inappropriate . . .
Eddie did try to apologise to Adam.
Then in 2016, after being involved in a fundraiser that involved celebrities sliding into an ice bath, Eddie said he would pay good money to see journalist Caroline Wilson held underwater.
Eddie did apologise, if anyone took offence.
Then last week, he suggested that anyone doing the coin toss at AFL games should be fined $5000 if they can’t do it properly.
This was right after Sydney Swans No 1 Ticket holder, Cynthia Banham, struggled to do a decent coin toss as she leaned on her crutches — the result of being a double amputee.
Eddie apologised, but the PC Police are baying for his blood.
What has the world come to?
I mean, if you can’t make a joke about aboriginal people being animals, make fun of violence against women, or laugh at how disabled people can’t do things normal people take for granted — who can we make fun off?
What’s wrong with a white middle-aged men of privilege poking fun at everyone else in the world who is not the same as me?
Hopefully by now, most of my readers will realise that I am being sarcastic.
The sad thing is that people like Eddie McGuire honestly believe that he has not done anything wrong, and even if he did something wrong, a simple: “I’m sorry if any one took offence. I never intended it to be offensive” should be sufficient.
And yet time and again, Eddie and other serial offenders in the sports media, such as Sam Newman, cross the line of decency and cause offence.
The argument they always rehash is freedom of speech, but the reality is that they belong to another time — in the deep past.
A time when men were men, and women did what they were told.
A time when men were the breadwinners and the little lady better behave herself if she wants money to buy groceries this week.
A time when society turned a blind eye to husbands beating their wives.
A time when children huddled in their bedrooms, trying to block out the sounds of their fathers using their mothers as a punching bag.
A time when their mothers would blame themselves for the bruises, with comments like, “It was my fault, I shouldn’t have nagged him”.
A time when women were second class citizens.
A time when Aboriginals were second class citizens.
A time when people with a disability were second class citizens.
But thankful, we don’t live in that time anymore, and people who cling to those beliefs need to be called out.
I have said before that sport can play a huge role in social change.
Every time Eddie makes another gaffe, he says sorry and moves on.
It is only a matter of time before he insults another minority group in the name of having a bit of fun at the expense of someone else.
And once again, Eddie will apologise and move on.
It’s time for Collingwood to reconsider whether it wants Eddie McGuire as President.
It’s time for Channel 9 and Fox to reconsider whether they want Eddie McGuire on their commentary teams.
They need to consider whether they want a man such as Eddie McGuire and his views to represent them.
The response to all of these gaffes is not being politically correct, it is called progress.
And remember, there’s no such thing as too much sport!
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