SA threatens 'war' over Semenya

[w1z4rd]

South African officials have stepped up their defence of Caster Semenya, warning of a "third world war" if the row over her sex stops her competing.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/athletics/8249948.stm

Just when you thought our government could not get MORE stupid.. they just have. Omw.. its so embarrassing to be a South African with these morons in control. I dont think anyone takes anything a South African official takes seriously. They have 0 credibility and couldnt fight their way out of a wet paper packet.

 

[bawrak]

While Stofile should not have said it, it is obvious that the quote was blown out of proportion to the rest of the article.

The media makes me sick with this... anything for sensation... I guess that's what sells.

This whole debacle has been handled very poorly by all involved (the media, politicians, the IAAF and ASA) and the only victim is Caster Semenya...

 

[LancelotSA]

While Stofile should not have said it, it is obvious that the quote was blown out of proportion to the rest of the article.

The media makes me sick with this... anything for sensation... I guess that's what sells.

This whole debacle has been handled very poorly by all involved (the media, politicians, the IAAF and ASA) and the only victim is Caster Semenya...

Great to see someone sensible on here... it is obvious, as is usually the case with another of our "leaders" in PdV, that the media often blows things out of proportion as regards things that are said.

We need to recall that for the majority of the people we are referring to, English is not their first language. They make a flippant comment in passing and then the media jump on the bandwagon and make a big deal out of it.

Then of course you get those who perpetuate the stupidity of these sort of reports by perpetuating the myth that our leaders are "stupid". Of course they would though as this suits their agenda.

If you read the rest of the report, I as a South African, am quite proud of the fact that the sports minister, or anyone in government, is willing to stick by a fellow citizen and not just throw them out to the wolves :

"We (would) go to the highest levels in contesting such a decision. I think it would be totally unfair and totally unjust.

"Neither Caster nor her family deserves this humiliation. None of them have done anything wrong. And we appeal that they be left alone.

Some people on here need to seriously think about what they are achieving by bashing our government, and the majority of the country's people, at every possible opportunity...

 

[HapticSimian]

This isn't the place for tree-hugging hippie crap. I didn't read an article on it - I heard Dipstick Stofile on the radio. He was angry enough that he almost couldn't enunciate the words he was trying to utter, not that he can normally, but you get what I'm saying.

He is another chop deluded by a sense of entitlement and superiority, wanting to turn the entire issue into a Malema-brand of 'it's because she's BLACK'. It's annoying, thick and unnecessary. Best for ASA and the government to count their words at present.

And yes, I understand the whole personal angle on Sememya - sucks to be her at the moment. But to flippantly 'threaten' WWIII if she gets excluded from future competition, which she rightly should be, is incredibly short-sighted and stupid.

 

[davemc]

I wonder what on earth gives him the right to decide on her behalf?

Perhaps our esteemed sensationalist "leaders" should shut up and let the process continue. Every freaking time they open their mouth's they exacerbate the situation.

I have to wonder: If they are too blind to see the effect of their actions, what else are they not seeing?

 

[HapticSimian]

The path this saga is going down, anyone with the biologic knowledge of a wet noodle should rather just STFU. Stofile would need to redo his primary school career for him to understand what's going on. To comment from a position of idiocy is... yep, idiotic.

 

[LancelotSA]

This isn't the place for tree-hugging hippie crap.

First of all, not really sure of the relevance of this comment in this thread?!?! But I assume it was meant as a thinly veiled insult. You'd do well to rather keep those sort of comments to yourself. Although, I always fail to see why some people see being a tree-hugger as insulting. You may do well to thank those "tree-hugging hippies", that you apparently seem to despise, for actually fighting the fights that the likes of yourself in your comfortable little life are too lazy to fight.

He is another chop deluded by a sense of entitlement and superiority

Back on topic....

...of course, you with your apparent first language use of English, has never flippantly threatened to kill someone, when angry with them, with absolutely no intention of doing so?

Or listened to someone arguing and stated that it sounded like the "third world war" had broken out?

We all have... yet of course we feel, perhaps rightly so, that people in government are not allowed to make these flippant statements. We forget they too are human. Damn, I would rather have Stofile "threatening" world war three than have someone like George Bush in control...

I love the fact that people in South Africa say what they want and don't just spew out the clichéd, sterile comments that we are used to hearing from the Americans, Brits and the like.

 

[smokey]

...of course, you with your apparent first language use of English, has never flippantly threatened to kill someone, when angry with them, with absolutely no intention of doing so?

Saying something like that in the comfort of your own home and on radio are two wholly different things. The fact that they were said by someone in power is doubly concerning. It is very stupid. Get over it. There is nothing you can say that will make it less stupid. It makes it harder to defend Semenya rationally. My verdict... +1 for Stofile being a giant prat

 

[HapticSimian]

As we've previously established, my view of SA and yours is unlikely to align in the near-future.

The issue isn't making a statement in anger. It's making an idiotic statement, under world-wide scrutiny, in anger. Anger is no excuse. This scenario calls for diplomacy, especially because some Aussie journo seemingly doesn't understand the word. If Stofile can't manage it, he should STFU. Our country already looks like a bunch of slow-minded folk with the likes of Huntley, Malema and any other Saffer chop you might want to mention.

Damage control is a valuable tactic - our government needs to learn that.

 

[smokey]

As we've previously established, my view of SA and yours is unlikely to align in the near-future.

The issue isn't making a statement in anger. It's making an idiotic statement, under world-wide scrutiny, in anger. Anger is no excuse. This scenario calls for diplomacy, especially because some Aussie journo seemingly doesn't understand the word. If Stofile can't manage it, he should STFU. Our country already looks like a bunch of slow-minded folk with the likes of Huntley, Malema and any other Saffer chop you might want to mention.

Damage control is a valuable tactic - our government needs to learn that.

I'd give you a +1, but it would only diminish what you have said there dude. Some people will never understand...

 

[LancelotSA]

Our country already looks like a bunch of slow-minded folk with the likes of Huntley, Malema and any other Saffer chop you might want to mention..

In your bitter eyes yes.... in my travels I am yet to hear anyone say that South Africans are "slow minded folk".

 

[HapticSimian]

Most 'civilised' folk would just show the decency to not make the comment to your face. :erm:

 

[LancelotSA]

Yip, bitter about something.....

 

[HapticSimian]

Hey, don't dilute the issue by doing what I do so well - I'm only as bitter as the next Saffer, not more so.

But I'll take your deflection as a sign that you agree to the merit of damage control in this situation. Don't worry, you don't have to say it.

 

[LancelotSA]

Hey, don't dilute the issue by doing what I do so well - I'm only as bitter as the next Saffer, not more so.

Nope, an incorrect assumption is being made there... not all South Africans are bitter.

 

[HapticSimian]

Nope, an incorrect assumption is being made there... not all South Africans are bitter.

You also erroneously make the assumption that all of us are moping, pathetic, head-hung-in-constant-shame types when THAT is patently untrue. Some of us actually recognise the potential the dark continent holds. We also recognise the strides to greatness and viability in a world-economy that have been made. Which makes it all the more infuriating when idiot chops like Stofile go running off their mouths.

Again, I'll take your selective quoting as a sign of agreement, if that's OK with you?

 

[Rosaudio]

ROFL

 

[LancelotSA]

Some of us actually recognise the potential the dark continent holds. We also recognise the strides to greatness and viability in a world-economy that have been made.

Good!

And I'll take the lack of any debate about my comments that this is all about the press blowing things out of proportion, as agreement with that too... as that was my original point. As well as the fact that I appreciate the way the ministers stick by fellow South Africans and don't just go and hide in the corner and let them face the music themselves, whether we like they way they go about doing that or not. Thanks for agreeing

 

[HapticSimian]

*ARRRGGGHHHH!!!!!*

/bangs head against wall, until the bleed becomes...

The action of support is noble, but the motivation for doing it and manner it was done, is idiotic.

:erm:

 

[Milano]

It is so tiresome the way the current regime puts a racial spin on every single thing. I am convinced they are just as obsessed with race as the old Nats.