星期四 [ 2010-7-15 11:10:44 | suedeep ]   Speaking too frankly Byline: Emma Cowing tiffany heart tag bracelet An MSP's career is toppled by ill-chosen words about an attractive young woman. Was this really so bad, asks Emma Cowing THE atmosphere in Committee Room One of the Scottish Parliament last Wednesday afternoon was sticky. With temperatures outside soaring, by Scottish standards at least, Frank McAveety, shadow minister for sports, petitions committee convener and all-round Holyrood good guy, was feeling the heat. Adjusting the papers in front of him during a break and clearly unaware that his microphone was still switched on, he opened his mouth and with a few badly chosen words, toppled his political career. "There's a very attractive girl in the second row. Dark and dusky," he began, his eyes riveted to the spot in the second row where, presumably, the very attractive girl sat. "We'll maybe put a wee word out for her. She's very attractive, very nice, very slim. The heat's getting to me. She's got that Filipino look - the kind you'd see in a Gauguin painting. There's a wee bit of culture." Across the country, the sound of teeth clenching in embarrassment could be heard. The media had a field day replaying McAveety's remarks, complete with subtitles for the hard of hearing, while female opposition MSPs such as the SNP's Sandra White were wheeled out to lambaste his comments as "at best sexist and sleazy - and at worst, sexist, sleazy and racist". Members of his own party were conspicuously quiet and within 24 hours McAveety had resigned as chair, tendered a groveling apology to Labour leader Iain Gray, and become the poster boy for unreconstructed Scottish lad culture. Privately, there is said to be much dismay within the party ranks that McAveety, a well-liked senior member of the Scottish Labour Party, has fallen on his sword over a matter that many consider so trivial. Although some female members of the party are said to be displeased at his comments, most believe that it was far from a resigning matter - although the revelation later in the week that the young lady in question was an intern of 15, has, to a certain extent, muddied the waters. McAveety does, it must be said, possess many of the characteristics that embody the traditional Scottish male. A passionate Celtic fan, he is 'fitba mad', and still plays regularly on a parliamentary team. He loves his music, and owns two discount tiffany silver jewelry iPods packed full of classic American guitar rock. His diet is of the pie, beans and chips variety - so famously exposed by 'piegate' when, as Culture Minister in 2004, he claimed to have been 'unavoidably detained' from answering questions in the chamber when he had, in fact, been scoffing his carb-laden lunch in the Parliamentary canteen. He knows who Paul Gauguin is, a fact that should be applauded even if geographically, his assessment was off by several thousand miles (Gauguin produced most of his paintings in Tahiti). Gaffes aside, he is also a man of the people, a Glasgow boy made good with a word and a wink for everyone. The only box he doesn't tick is on alcohol - he's tee-total. "He's a bit of a lad from the west of Scotland who has an eye for the ladies," says Brian McNair, professor of communication at Strathclyde university. "His comments are a bit crass, a bit naff, they represent an element of Scottish culture and he shouldn't have done it on a public platform, but I don't think they're a matter for resignation. I don't think for one moment he's a sexist sleazebag." Simon Fanshawe, author of The Done Thing, A Guide To Modern Manners, doesn't s Other articles: http://www.jycn.com/plus/view.php?aid=4509 http://www.elerankings.com/The-day-for-China-at-UCI-track.html 浏览(186) | 回复(6)
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
jwbsgpkydm [来访 I P：*.*.*.*] 认为：