FULL CIRCLE

You know what I’m finding astonishing lately?

The public’s obsession with the stupid comments of some insignificant television personalities.

Case in point: Yumi Stynes and George Negus.

Stynes co-hosts Channel 10’s The Circle, and Negus was a guest host on the show of the morning of the 28^th of February, 2012.

These two fools decided that making fun of Australia’s most highly decorated serviceman was an appropriate thing to do on national television.

Not that many people watch The Circle on Channel 10, but it was national television just the same.

And although The Circle struggles in the ratings with an incredibly small audience, this incident was enough for not only their rival networks to get their hooks into, but also the general public.

So what was all the fuss about?  Let me set the scene for you.

Corporate Ben Roberts-Smith, our most recent recipient of the Victoria Cross Medal, did an interview with Channel 9’s Sunday Night program, where he disclosed that he and his wife have had considerable trouble having children, and have had to participate in the IVF program to do so. 

This is an incredibly personal thing to talk about, and although I didn’t see the actual interview myself, I understand that it was quite heart wrenching.

Clearly, Stynes and Negus didn’t see the interview either, for if they had, they possibly would’ve chosen their words more wisely.

On The Circle that morning, a picture of a bare-chested Roberts-Smith in a swimming pool was shown, looking every part of what an Australian soldier should look like: big, strapping, muscular and strong. 

At this point, Stynes said ‘he’s going to dive down to the bottom of the pool and look for his brain’, and Negus quipped about him possibly being ‘a dud in the sack’.

What the fuck?

What on earth possessed them to say these things?  Where the hell did that come from?  At what point in time did they feel that this was an appropriate course of action?  Forget about Roberts-Smith being a fucken war hero; it’s not an appropriate thing to say about anyone. 

Particularly on national television.

However, their collective rush-of-shit-to-the-brain resulted in comments that will haunt them for the rest of their careers, however short-lived they may be now, just like Gillard’s ‘there will be no carbon tax…’ comments of a couple of years ago will haunt her.

I thought it was just common sense that you really need to think twice before speaking, because once the words are out of your mouth, there’s no gettin’ ‘em back.  Clearly, these two were lacking in that department.

However, pushing the verbal fuck ups aside, let’s look at something else that’s borne of this disaster.  Something that’s far, far more concerning to me.

The aggressive online hate campaign being waged against Stynes.

I’ve been watching The Circle’s Facebook page very closely since this incident, and I can tell you now; I’m astonished at the level of hate people are displaying for this woman.

Thousands and thousands of complaints have been logged on this page, all expressing their disgust and disappointment in Stynes and Negus; particularly Stynes.  They’re calling for everything from Stynes to be sacked to The Circle being pulled off the air. 

However, what I find most concerning is the viciousness of it all.  These people hate Stynes.  Absolutely hate her, yet none of them know her.

I find it almost hypocritical, really.  You see, the language that these people are using in their posts is far worse than anything that Stynes actually said on television. Their language is foul, offensive, discriminatory, racist, sexist and abusive. 

It’s clear that society feels it can wage such a foul war against someone in the name of defending another.  They can behave in whatever way they see fit, because they can protect themselves behind the issue they’re fighting for.   They hold up Stynes behaviour like a shield, deflecting the criticism they too deserve.

Now, I’m not justifying Stynes and Negus’s behaviour in any way; don’t get me wrong.  What I’m trying to understand here, is the socially acceptable retaliations of the general public on behalf of a man who has clearly moved on.

Roberts-Smith accepted the apologies offered by Stynes and Negus.  He refused any interviews about the incident, as he didn’t want to fuel the fire of something so insignificant.  Yet, the public are still, two weeks later, in a massive uproar about the whole thing.

The vitriol continues on Facebook, with ‘hate’ pages for Stynes being created and followed by fucken idiots.  Some of the posts on these pages and that of The Circle are including threats against Stynes’ innocent children.

How on earth is that appropriate?

At what point in time did it become acceptable to treat people like this?  Here we are; condemning Stynes for her stupid choice of words, yet society’s treatment of her is far worse.

It’s almost shameful.

No; it is shameful.

I wonder what Corporal Roberts-Smith thinks about all of this?  Considering the things he would have seen and dealt with during his career, I bet this whole load of crap isn’t even a blip on his radar.

And he would be dead right.

Like the good corporal, I think it’s time for the haters to get a fucken life, stop being hypocritical bullies, and move on.

Peace out.