Tiger Woods. Muslim head coverings. Baby Beauty Pageants. Rise and shine.
While you were eating your Weet Bix or sitting on the train, I was getting four centimetres of make-up and a blow-dry. I was also trying to read the paper for my regular Today Show What’s Making News segment with one eye open while the magical make-up fairy applied liquid eyeliner to my other eye. Tough morning.
We discussed some ripper stories this morning (you can watch the video here – sorry, 9MSN doesn’t allow embedding, grrrr) and I wanted to open all three of them for discussion because three minutes wasn’t nearly enough time to workshop them. The rest of the segment was admittedly spent talking about my shoes which Karl is rather fond of. Next week I may need to take a cold spoon on set with me….
ANYWAY.
Here’s what we discussed on air this morning:
1. SHOULD TAX PAYERS FUND TIGER WOODS TRIP TO AUSTRALIA?
TAXPAYERS may have to stump up $1.5 million to tempt disgraced golfer Tiger Woods back to Melbourne. The Herald Sun reports as a sheepish Woods prepares to return to the fray in the US Masters, Melbourne organisers confirmed they would try to lure him back to defend his Australian Masters title in November.
The State Government and event owner IMG are working on a similar deal to last year’s. The cost to taxpayers last year was about half Woods’ $3 million appearance fee. Sports Minister James Merlino said it was still “early days”, but the Government would love to have him back. The Government would secure the best economic and sporting deal for Victorians, not judge morals, he said.
A prominent women’s group has slammed the decision to use taxpayer money to lure the philandering golfer back to Melbourne. Women’s Network Australia founder Lynette Palmen said it would be wrong to finance Tiger’s Aussie comeback. “Perhaps he should pay his own way or event organisers should put their hands in their pockets,” Ms Palmen said. “I certainly don’t think people would feel comfortable if taxpayer dollars were used to get him here.”
I don’t buy this one. It’s business not morality we’re talking about here. Last year’s visit cost the tax-payer (via the Vic state govt) $1.5m and brought $30m into the Victorian economy. You do the math. If Tiger had been found to be cheating at golf in some way then that’s another story. But I don’t believe his off-field (or whatever it’s called) life should factor into the financial decision of whether or not to bring him out again.
Top Comments
I don't like it that in the past few years particularly we as a society are adjusting to the Muslims living here rather than the other way around. However and in this case I agree with you, Mia. If you open up sport to all relgions, then surely you need to respect the cultural or relgious beliefs of that religion.
and what about the Aboriginals getting used to "white people"...
Thankyou MellyJ and nenebe for your supportive comments. Regarding my reply to Janine, I realise it comes off as angry and defensive, I probably sound like a bitch. But I just wanted to spin this "delusional, misguided Muslim woman" stereotype on its head and make commenters see how offensive and patronising Janine's comment can be when we apply it to the average Australian woman. If it's offensive to the average Australian woman, then it's offensive to use that line of thinking on the average Muslim woman.
Gosh, I hope I haven't made a mess of my explanation and haven't got off on the wrong foot so early in my commenting days on Mamamia! Thankyou for your replies.
Tula your spin was 'gold'. I am as guilty as the next person of making generalizations, and as one who hasn't experienced anything like,it was an eye-opener...
I thought what you said was great Tula, really authentic. Your message is tolerance, and we non-muslims need to realise that perhaps muslim women wearing hijabs are being their true authentic selves, without brainwashing. I think we need to respect them enough to know that they can make the choice for themselves. And others who choose not to wear it, that is their choice also. xx
Yes it did come off as angry and defensive and there is nothing small minded or intolerant in being concerned about womens rights which to me is the bigger issue (given the amount of women in Muslim countries who still suffer atrocities at the hands of men) than an individuals right to express herself. I would like to know how wearing a hijab makes a Muslim woman more devout? Its my understanding that a lot of Muslim women don't feel they need to wear a hijab, and I don't see Muslim men wearing similar garb. I really believe that this dress standard is a controlling tool to depress women's freedom and sexuality. If you're angy with my opinion then lets have a discussion that debates the salient points because your reference to boob tubes was lost on me I'm afraid.