“A disgrace to the Olympic Swimming team.” This is how Australian Gun control spokesman John Crook described the behavior of Nick D’Arcy and Kenrick Monk.
The two photographed themselves posing in a US gun store holding shotguns and handguns and uploaded the photo to Facebook. Of course Crook’s opinion is not far off the stance of the rest of Australias mainstream media, some even calling for the dismissal of the two from the London Olympics altogether.
The pair will be sent home in shame after their sporting commitments, and denied the chance to enjoy the Olympics to the extent they otherwise would.
Their past behavioral problems have since come into the media spotlight, and these “foolish and clearly inappropriate photos” as Australian Olympic team chef de mission Nick Green has wisely stated, have put the pair on thin ice.
Of course Nick Green failed to mention the entire Olympic swim team’s excursion to a gun range a few years ago as a team bonding exercise.
D’Arcy and Monk have since apologised for any offence caused. But why should they?
Was it their friends on Facebook where the photos were uploaded who were offended? Was it was the citizens of the country they represent who were offended? Or was it the young children aspiring to be Olympians themselves who have been offended?
Most will argue the latter, though I challenge anyone to show the photo to their child and see if they even recognise the pair.
No it must be the rest of us, adults, and citizens of the country that are offended by the pair’s lack of respect of our country’s proud Olympic traditions. In that case I wonder what would be said if D’Arcy and Monk were instead members of the shooting team.
Green went on to add “We say again to our athletes, do not put anything up on social media that you would not share with your mother or your grandmother.” Of course, it must be D’Arcy’s grandmother who was offended.
The pair have trained their whole life to become Olympians, and had the experience cut short because some people have decided that holding guns in a legal gun shop is immoral. The ones who should be offended are our American neighbours, who would hardly approve of the swimmers being reprimanded for engaging in part of the US’s proud culture and tradition.
The people who are condemning the pair should be ashamed. The photo was uploaded for the viewing of their friends, it was the media who stole the image and then told the rest of Australia how offensive it is.
If you are offended by this photo take a step back, and go and find something worth complaining about.
Bandofotters
Guest
I keep staring at that photo. I give up. Where's Waldo?
tjwhalan
Roar Rookie
It is a bit of a hate of mine, perhaps a little ironic, that sports writers focus on these 'celebrity gossip' stories. It amazes me that the vast majority of the public expect athletes to be saints despite the pressures on them, then jump on the first story critical of their behavior no matter how small. The main reason behind the decision is undoubtedlly their histories which I will not even try to defend, but if Mr Green did'nt want them on the team for those reasons then he should have never put them on the team list. Now the pair are on the team it is not fair to use their histories to exaggerate a story such as this.
Yank. . .just sayin' is all.
Guest
I live near Seattle, Washington, which is one of the MOST poltically correct areas in the USA, a nation full of such blights. But the photo would not have drawn such a vituperative response even here. I feel sorry for athletes subjected to such outrageous social pressure to because they've failed to conform to some bluenose's concept of propriety. My uncle, who fought in the Pacific Theater in World War II had the fondest memories and warmest feelings for the Aussies, whose hospitality when he was there recuperating from serious battle wounds was never forgotten. He thought you the nation most like us in the world. I know he'd feel differently about John Crook, who evidently had his sense of humor surgically removed some time ago.
Paul
Guest
You echo the sentiments of many, perhaps most Americans. It is simply sad that mindless political correctness has run rampant in Australia and that the mere image of firearms is considered unacceptable, if not immoral. From our point of view, there is simply nothing wrong with law abiding citizens owning firearms -- including handguns, which you Australians seem to particularly abhor. To the contrary, the individual right to own a firearm -- whether for sporting purposes or for self defense (which is at the core of our Second Amendment right) -- is a cherished individual freedom. While much is made over the supposed elevated level of violence in the US, the fact remains that the violent crime rate -- homicides, assaults, rapes, robberies -- is higher in the UK than it is here. Australians -- if you can, take back your country from the leftists and "progressives" and protect whatever freedoms you have left.