Speak for yourself
Posted by clubwah on April 9, 2008
I hate when a person or group says something that’s then taken as being the official word of an entire community. Like when we read ”parents are outrages at a new video game” only to find that some mother’s group with three members didn’t like the graphic nature of the violence.
Today Australia’s Greek community are apparently outraged that Kevin Rudd dared compare the Ashes Urn to the Parthenon (Elgin) Marbles. According to The Herald Sun Mr Rudd has caused a stir among Australia’s Greek community after he told a packed lecture theatre in London’s West End, “The loss of the Ashes is as unjust as the loss of the Elgin Marbles.
To paraphrase Margaret Thatcher – which Greeks? Name one. The Herald Sun did: Steve Petrou from the National Centre for Hellenic Studies said Mr Rudd’s joke about the sacred Marbles was insensitive.
“I’m sure he will apologise but the damage has been done,” Mr Petrou said.
“If he says something like that in such a light-hearted style obviously he does not appreciate what Australia is all about.”
Actually I don’t think you do Mr Petrou.
So how is one humourless Greek boffin, who obviously feels strongly about the marbles, representitive of the entire Greek community?
Unfortunately such claims end up being self-fulfilling, as it makes those supposedly being represented feel duty bound to agree.
Hopefully, the Greek community won’t take an ovine approach on this and pause to realise that Australia’s new PM has actually identified with their cause.
