Margaret Court, eh? Nothing like a God-bothering old battle-axe to stir up the Twitters. Like Grampa Simpson yelling at a cloud, Margaret Court says she won’t fly Qantas ever again because the CEO, Alan Joyce, says Qantas is in favour of same-sex marriage.
The very idea. Does not the Bible say … something about it?
Yes, it does. It says many things, the Holy Bible, and people pluck all manner of malarkey out of it to suit themselves.
Koran’s the same. And whatever book Buddhists and Hindus and Scientologists read there’d be stuff in there people can pluck out to suit their own value system.
And so Margaret Court will no longer fly Qantas. And Jetstar, presumably. And Virgin, because Richard Branson.
Which leaves Tiger Air and Murray’s Coaches, and the train and the Manly Ferry. But it’s hard to see any passenger carrier going with Margaret on this one.
Indeed the very Twitter account of Margaret Court Arena distanced itself – herself? – from Margaret Court’s sentiments, telling the Twittersphere Margaret Court Arena remains a place committed to embracing equality, diversity and inclusion, and so on.
(Wikimedia Commons/DestinationAlan)
And here we are.
And I will bet you a donut against one hundred of your dollars that this stirs up people saying Margaret Court should be able to say what she wants, that People Like Me should be more tolerant of her views.
Now, Margaret can say whatever she likes. Such is the strength of our Democracy.
People can say pretty much whatever they like. And they’ll cop a heap of shit for it if people disagree. That girl on the ABC would tell you that.
So Margaret Court is welcome to her opinion, and as a high-profile Wimbledon champion her words carry weight.
But allow me to retort.
And say this: Margaret will be dead one day and gay people will get married on Margaret Court Arena.
Same-sex marriage will happen in Australia, we aren’t going to remain the only backward-arsed nation-state in the western world. It will happen. People want it. It’s right. It’s fair. We are a nation of the Fair Go.
And Margaret will be up in Heaven, presumably, looking down and tut-tutting, and wondering how God could let it be.
The big questions here on The Roar sports page, people.
Anyway, here we are, again, amid calls for Margaret Court Arena to be renamed. And… I dunno… for this?
Are we going to rename the Bradman Stand because The Don didn’t go much on Catholics?
Or the Lillee-Marsh Stand because the boys had a bet on England in a Test against Australia they were playing in?
Probably we are not. Be a slippery old slope.
Anyway – I’ve always thought they should rename Margaret Court Arena but not because Margaret Court’s a bigoted old bible-thumper.
No – I reckon call Margaret Court Arena should be called Margaret Court. “And now on Margaret Court, please welcome Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova…”.
And don’t stop at Margaret Court. Rename the whole joint. Call the footbridge over the Yarra the Todd Woodbridge.
Rename the Yarra itself the Mark Woodfjord.
Inside the greater arena and people could extract money from Pat Cash Machines.
I’m here all week. Try the veal.
And don’t stop at tennis. Rename the boundary up at the Gabba the Allan Border.
Win the Sheffield Shield and crack the Dougie Bollinger.
Play footy on Craig Field.
And so on.
Anyway. Margaret? Good luck to you. And go well. And hope you find everything you need in Heaven.
And while you’re an Earthling, and however you get around on your “extensive travelling” I hope the owners of said conveyance don’t believe in same-sex marriage.
Good luck with that one.
Maybe buy a boat.
matth
Guest
Yes I got modded on this page for mentioning this years winning FA Cup team.
matth
Guest
Matt, say what you mean mate, don't be so subtle :-)
matth
Guest
In Mobile, Alabama, it is against the law to throw confetti or spray silly string.
matth
Guest
At least it would be polite. Ref - penalty. Player - Please explain?
matth
Guest
Let the One King Rule, And where in the Bible or elsewhere does Paul state that he would be perfectly fine having a woman teach the Bible, if only they learn it a bit better? I'd love to read that bit. Sounds like trying to twist the untwistable to me. Let's face it, Paul, like any other human parachuted 2,000 into the future, would have views that would be woefully out of place in the hear and now. A bit like Margaret Court, really.
matth
Guest
I thought he would have been relieved about the Arsenal part
matth
Guest
From a distance, Casey Dellaqua has always come across as a pretty classy person.
matth
Guest
I find all weddings a bit boring, so wouldn't it be the Trevor Chappell?
Margaret Court
Guest
No topic should ever be left alone. Nor is any topic above comment and religion is right up there with politics; where there is so much that needs to be said and said loudly. If people had followed your advice and left this and many other topics alone, we would never have experienced the social and cultural progress of the past century. Anyway, the other, that silly old Margaret (not me), she is virtually at the end of her life and senility is probably setting in. Her priority is to butter up her god so that she can move on to wherever she thinks she deserves to be going, once she'll shuffle off this mortal coil. Anyway she will now do and say whatever she believes will give her a shot at eternal life and preferably a permanent lease of one of those golden mansions in paradise. Wouldn't it be tragic for her and all others of her ilk, if, after drawing her last breath, she finds out that her god is in a same sex relationship?
Margaret Court
Guest
I am awake Paul. Unlike you, I have been awake all along and I am a woman with many needs and appetites. Now if only you could bring yourself to put aside your vow of abstinence, we could make beautiful music together.
Margaret Court
Guest
I love it how these christers like to invoke their god and their religion to victimize those they see as a threat or simply as lesser than themselves. Though, when others point this victimization out to them they turn around and claim to be the real victims. What I find even more surprising is that the media is giving this so much coverage. Who is this person anyway. Until yesterday I wasn't even aware of her existence. In modern Australia,under our secular system of democracy, I would like to think that religious freedom in Australia is incumbent upon the religious behaving like good neighbors and respecting everybody's right to freedom from their various religious beliefs.
Slane
Guest
You only have to look at the rise of One Nation to see that we aren't smart enough, Jacko.
Slane
Guest
Garry Ablett snr is the one true God.
Jacko
Guest
You seem to be pointing out more and more of your insecurities Matt. It appears that you have some deep seated issues with religion. Was Dad a minister or something. Perhaps a minister in NZ who was also a tennis player.
Jacko
Guest
And yet ONE NATION didnt exist in the early 1900s when we managed to get the womans vote allowed or in the 70s when we finally started recognising Aboriginal rights. We are very capable of making intelegent decisions but in this case we arnt being given the chance
Jacko
Guest
Dexter thats the shame of it all. We will be looking back in 20 years saying this was silly and it should have already been sorted but our current opposition doesnt believe we are smart enough. No one would be debating it right now.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Particularly as she didn't actually criticize the ANZACs!
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Renaming an arena is intolerance?!? That's beyond ridiculous. Intolerance would be denying Court her ability to air her views. How does renaming the arena do that?
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Wake up Maggie
Dexter The Hamster
Guest
Matt, this response should have been your article. So well said!!!! A little more acid than your original article. Love it....