Welcome to the column where you provide the content. After Mark Latham’s jab at Qantas boss Alan Joyce this week saying rugby’s chief sponsor had ordered the sacking of Israel Folau, Alan Jones waded in, filling the air with uppercuts. Michael threw a hook:
“Joyce has done a good job running Qantas but he has over reached into areas of life where no corporation should venture. I love rugby, prefer to form my own views, don’t like lectures, no longer fly Qantas and for me Gillette is no longer the best a man can get.”
Duncan didn’t want a beer with Alan:
“I would rather hitch hike than fly Qantas, the new thought police airline.”
Nor did Clive:
“I will not fly Qantas even if walking home is the alternative!”
Respect, said Denis:
“For me, religion and religious beliefs don’t rate particularly high on my scale of importance. But, I respect the beliefs of those that do consider their religion a very important part of their life.
“What I do rate very highly is my right to have a view on anything and everything and my right to express those views, provided I do so without threatening anyone and without being personally abusive or insulting to anyone.
“I ask myself, how can I insist on having these rights if I object to anyone else having these same rights?
“I respectfully suggest that the board of Rugby Australia, Raelene Castle and Alan Joyce could all benefit from asking themselves this same question and responding honestly.”
Orwellian, said Max:
“Many people with a fully developed pre-frontal cortex understood that the SSM debate was the thin edge of the wedge.
“George Orwell, in his prescient masterpiece, Animal Farm wrote that ‘All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.’
“In the current RA/QANTAS fiasco, and I’m sure in many more instances yet to come, we will see further examples of Orwell’s truth.”
Russ resisted:
“You mean the way some and I mean, very few religious zealots think it’s OK to shrill on social media that sections of the Australian community are going to hell. I concur, it is the absolute height of arrogance by the zealots and their acolytes to think they are so much more equal than others.”
Scorched earth from Colin:
“I despise Joyce and Qantas for the way he and they use the corporation to purse a social agenda. It should be illegal. I, too, hope RA is destroyed. Then we can rebuild the great game.”
Fry, said Frank:
“Brisbane ex-Wallaby fan. I hope Israel sues the arse off Australian rugby and that its deplorable CEO goes down in history of the one person who single-handedly brought the organisation crashing to the ground in financial flames.”
Branch out, said John:
“Twiggy Forrest should take it over, he’s a real rugby enthusiast.”
Ian schemed:
“I propose a sneaky little campaign. Every time you fly on a Qantas flight, carry a pad of Post-It notes and leave one on the back of a random seat. ‘I support Izzy, and I’m a Shareholder’. Something like that. No need to be rude.”
Craig was complimentary:
“Thanks for persisting in calling out this ridiculous (and disturbing) situation Alan. Our society will be the better for it once it is shown to be completely unacceptable on the part of an employer to wield this sort of power over a persons life and freedoms. Sounds to me that Cheika has a lot to answer for as well.”
Larry laughed:
“Funny how Alan Joyce has not come out and said that Folau is entitled to his religious views and to express them. Would have been a simple thing to do and would have made all this avoidable. Shame on Qantas and Joyce.”
Grant summed up:
“The crime was overstated, the influence inappropriate, the process flawed, the punishment ridiculous, and natural justice was absent.”
billmiller0412 was brimming with common sense and gets comment of the week:
“Once the inept handling of this affair is sorted there is an underlying problem that will remain. RA and probably many other sporting codes have not worked out how to manage social media.
“They are happy to reap the benefits of players with a large following posting ‘good news posts’ but are unwilling to share in the fallout of any unfavourable posts. Unfortunately you can’t pick the cherries. Either set players up with a professional profile and manage posts and let their personal profiles lay dormant while under contract or get the message out that the views of players do not necessarily reflect the views of management.
“This is not the first and will not be the last social media controversy. Management can mo longer sit on their hands and hope it all works out.”
Angus was agnostic:
“I’m no fan of fundamental Christian’s but the behaviour of RA and Qantas is appalling.”
Stephen said:
“You don’t need to be fundamentalist Christian to believe what Izzy tweeted — it is core teaching and in the Bible.”
John responded:
“How come so few leaders of churches in Australia back Folau publicly then? Because they know that if they do and this hate speech becomes the norm, then the mere 8pc of the population who still go to church will fall to well below 5pc.”
Another John hit back:
“Classic leftist argument. You don’t agree with it (you hate it) so it’s hate speech.”
JibJab hit out:
“RA is a business and I concur, Qantas is greenmailing RA to punish Folau. Latham and Jones are on the money with this one. I now no longer use Qantas if there is an alternative. Qantas is too expensive and I do not like its forays into national politics to suit the CEO.”
Andrew appreciated the irony:
“Ironic that Thomas Arnold, the headmaster of Rugby School, the birthplace of the sport of rugby, encouraged his students to play the game in order to help develop them in their understanding and practise of the Christian faith.
“Arnold was ‘one of the founders of athletic chivalry’ who believed in the character-reforming influence of sport. The culture out of which rugby was born was the evangelical Christian faith. The same faith and same game carried by missionaries to Israel Folau’s ancestors.
“Today the guardians of that rugby culture has just sacked the player who, more than any other, represents the virtues of Rugby School’s ‘muscular Christianity’; a practical Christian faith that Arnold believed would equip young men to stand firmly for Christ and do good in the face of a tough and sometimes brutal world.
“Can rugby seize this moment to reflect on its past strength as a character-building game, and reconsider its surrender to a culture that has surrendered to commercialism and the fashions of the day? Izzy should be viewed as a treasure for the game, not someone to be shunned and cast out.”
J saw no grey:
“Everywhere (Jones) turns there is a conspiracy and it’s all about religious freedom. What nonsense, it’s a contract breach pure and simple, and so can’t wait for the FWC to rule on the basis of contract employment law rather than the deluded world according to Alan.
“It’s quite simple: if you sign a contract saying you will be bound by a certain code of behaviour and conduct, then preaching homophobic slurs under the guise of religious freedom doesn't give you a free pass. You cant have it both ways!”
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Greg Sheridan was gobsmacked at Donald Trump transformed into a statesman during his trip to London, while the two most foolish Londoners were mayor Sadiq Khan and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Louise had a laugh:
“Had to giggle when Trump followed up his loser insult of Khan with the observation he was also short. Tame in contrast to Khan’s insults though, which really were low, ugly and stupid.
Khan deliberately started that spat and it gave him the chance to grab some media attention. “According to Brendan O’Neill, who writes a withering article on Spiked, Khan is lining himself up politically with the far left who get unhinged at the mere mention of Trump’s name.
“Still, it’s all getting predictable and boring. Meanwhile, Trump is presiding over his booming economy and kicking goals he promised. He’s succeeding in trade renegotiations, unlike May who’s made a botch of Brexit.
“Trump obviously has a soft spot for the UK and sympathy for the self-determination cause of Brexit. Contrast his generous offer of trade support post EU with Obama’s open threat to put UK last in the trade queue should their people dare vote to take back sovereignty from Brussels. They did anyway, but how’s that for interference?
“Posturing overreach, double standards, and short memories, but that’s what we’ve come to expect from the noisy, elite political class who are looking more desperate by the day.”
Warren wondered:
“When/where/how did the extreme, elitist left anoint themselves with the term ‘progressive’. Regressive would be a better descriptive. Whilst they live the high life, they drag all humanity back to the cave age.”
Gregory said:
“Corbin boycotts the Queen’s reception. Well I bet she and all others were just completely cut up over that. As for the London mayor, he should learn to temper his speeches with a moderate degree of fact. What an embarrassment to one of the world’s greatest cities to have that man as its mayor.”
Neil’s wife noted:
“Once again Trump is five steps ahead. He uses opposition like a fire uses oxygen. Nothing this man does or says is not carefully calculated and his slapdown of the protesters was pure comedy.
Clever, Trevor:
“In 2010, Christopher Pearson posited the existence of ‘Club Sensible’, a ‘discreet freemasonry’ that crossed party political borders in Australia to embrace politicians with the national interest at heart (read here: pragmatic patriots). CP died before the age of President Trump, but I’m sure he would have approved of the way the whacko left have been getting it in the neck around the globe these past few weeks.”
Chris backed BoJo:
“Boris Johnson is, by a very wide margin, the candidate for PM with simultaneously the highest profile, the highest chance of winning and coming to the job with the highest expectations of success. Expectations will be so high, I wonder if he can possibly deliver everything everybody wants.
“I can’t help seeing in him another Churchill — a colossus who will drag Britain back from the brink — but are my expectations realistic? Whoever takes over from May will have a herculean task ahead of them. Failure in anyone but Johnson will almost be excusable but Boris’ enemies are powerful and numerous.
“Even should he carry Britain back from the Gates of Hell on his shoulders there will still be those who hate him. Just as Churchill’s public life was heroic and tragic simultaneously I fear a similar fate awaits Johnson and I hope to God he can handle the enormous pressure the people, the press and his enemies put on him.”
Thomas noted:
“President Trump’s mother, Anne McLeod, born on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland, was a passionate admirer of the Queen, as is the President himself. I am sure the Queen and the President would have enjoyed their conversations. As for the President’s comments on the Mayor of London, in the circumstances these were very constrained.”
Meg mused:
“Isn’t the Queen the most brilliant diplomat? I don’t think we could have a better Head of State. She tip toes through the mine fields of international diplomacy that would had destroyed many lesser men/women and comes up a winner every time. Donald had the most marvellous time, America will be happy and it’s allies relieved.”
By George:
“From Churchill’s history of WWII on having a discussion with the then queen when suggesting it might be wise to send the princesses, Elizabeth and Margaret, to Canada. The Queen responded: ‘The princesses with not leave without me. I will not leave without the King. The King will never leave.’”
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ScoMo also went to London to visit the Queen, and gave her a book on recently-retired wonderhorse Winx. Joan approved:
“You can just tell Jenny Morrison never thought in a million years she would ever be doing this kind of thing but she is enjoying every minute.”
Unpretentious, said Pat’s wife:
“Love the fact Scomo just shoved the book into a gift bag, perfect. Jenny looks beautiful.
visiting the Queen. He would have taken a selfie with the Queen. Could you bear it!
Ginny gushed:
“How good is Her Majesty! How classy is Jenny Morrison! Deftly handled, Scomo!”
More, said Michael:
“The Prime Minister is going very well but Jenny Morris is really hitting it out of the park. Very natural, very humble and very Australian. I think we are lucky to have these 2 people representing the country.”
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The natural order was restored in State of Origin I, with Queensland running amok in the second half to beat the Blues. Monumental, said Robert:
“Poor Fittler will have to hold off having his statue build, with no predicted clean sweep happening this year, he might have to borrow one of Gus’s 5 year plans.”
Incredible, said Ian:
“Queensland saved us from Shorten, now they have done it again and saved us from Gould and the Sydney RL journos!”
Bad call, said Terry:
“Pty we had to listen the biased NSW commentary from Channel 9. I did not think any other team was playing the way they carry on. Its time to retire Ray and Phil.”
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