Across Australia today there is outrage because a group of overpaid sportsmen were caught cheating in what is regarded as the national sport, cricket. As is often the case with vacuous virtual signallers, the outrage has been over the top from Australian commentators who really have no interest in the sport at all.
There is no doubt that Steve Smith, Dave Warner and others conspired to commit the criminal sin of tampering with the ball and they should be dealt with accordingly within the rules of the game of cricket. They aren’t the first to be caught and they won’t be the last. If you listen to any Mainstream Media in Australia today you would think these guys had been convicted of child trafficking or worse. They are sportsmen who are held to a higher account than any other public figure.
That’s because Smith, Warner and the rest of the team are seen as having tarnished Australia’s image of itself. These guys haven’t tarnished anything, they’ve merely reflected what Australia values and models on the world stage. Australian values have been warped incredibly out of shape since Bill Woodfull uttered the immortal retort to Pelham Warner “there are two teams out there and one is playing cricket” during the bodyline era. Woodfull reflected Australian values and is rightly regarded as a hero. Smith and Warner similarly reflect what Australia values as a society and Australia doesn’t like what it sees.
Maybe it’s time that we owned up to what we actually value – which isn’t much actually.
Consider some of the things that Australian’s aren’t outraged about, besides the obvious so neatly summarized by former independent MP Tony Windsor.
Australia has been practising the art of doublethink for many years. On one level it portrays itself as a young independent vibrant nation committed to noble values like fair play and mateship tinged with a dash of larrikinism. Yet on another level, it is a meek subservient duplicitous vassal state that encourages obedience. It sees itself as one of the good guys while it hides behind the skirts of the USA. It has averted its eyes and looked the other way too many times to pretend that it doesn’t know who and what it really is.
Australia was one of the few nations that supported the first Iraq war. Our Prime Minister of the time, John Howard was praised as a “man of steel” by George Bush and enthusiastically advocated and prosecuted the case for war. He was portrayed by Australian media as a strong man in our hour of need. His political opportunism and shameless sycophancy were never questioned. Even when concrete evidence emerged that Tony Blair knowingly lied about the reasons for the Iraq war, Australian journalists remained staunchly on Howard’s side.
No one dared to call Howard out on his sycophantic role, lest Australia be forced to look closely at its own criminal behaviour.
This is not an isolated case. Consider Australia’s bullying and intimidation of its close neighbour, East Timor. There are vast reserves of oil natural gas to be had off the coast of East Timor and Australia wanted them. Never mind International Law, never mind East Timorese sovereignty, there was money to be made and Australia aimed to have it. Australian government officials spied upon the East Timorese government, bullied witnesses that would testify against it and behaved like the entitled predators that we believe we have the right to be.
Just like the Australian cricket team, our politicians are flat track bullies, capable of intimidating and crushing weaker opponents, but ready to fold like a pack of cards when conditions demand some real spine.
There is no greater example than Australia’s meek acquiescence to shadowy elements within the United States intelligence service when it comes to the affairs of Julian Assange. For the Australian government, Assange is an expandable pawn – a bargaining chip that gains it credence with the US deep state. It is willing to stand idly by while Assange rots away in an Ecuadorian embassy fearful of extradition to the USA for undetermined charges. Assange’s only crime is that he has revealed the darkness and secrecy within all governments – he is a threat to nothing but corruption itself.
Australia refuses to stand up for his rights and would rather embrace the lies and smear about Assange as cover for their own inadequacy.
Then there are our ever present lies about successive Australian government’s contributions to the infamous Clinton Foundation. We dare not ask the question why, because the answer may amount to much worse than using a piece of tape to affect the condition of a ball in a game of cricket.
Smith and his team are guilty. They have brought their team into disrepute. They have brought the Australian cricket team into line with the broader values of Australian society.
If the cap fits - wear it. Own it Australia, it has your name on it.
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My name is Mark Hodgetts. I’m a freelance writer, eking out a crust writing
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