Australian Olympic swimmers ordered to take down gun photo.

[Quad4_72]

http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/08/world/asia/australia-swimmer-gun-photos/index.html?hpt=wo_c2

Two Australian Olympic swimmers who posted pictures on Facebook of themselves brandishing weapons have been ordered to take them down by the country's swimming authorities.

The image, taken in a gun shop in Santa Clara, California, showed Nick D'Arcy with two pistols standing next to Kenrick Monk who is holding two shotguns across his chest, according to a Friday report in Australia's Herald Sun. The swimmers were training in the U.S. ahead of the Olympic Games in London later this year.
Swimming Australia said in a statement that it does not condone "the posting of inappropriate content on Facebook, Twitter or any social media platform."

Is Australia really that ridiculous about guns? Any Australians care to shed some light on the stupidity of the outrage?

 

[TragicMonkey]

Isn't shooting an Olympic sport?

 

[Quad4_72]

Isn't shooting an Olympic sport?

Yup. But those are rifles will only destroy targets. If you tried to shoot a human with them the bullet would simply bounce off their skin

 

[TragicMonkey]

Unless a country is entirely pacifistic and has no military, I think a horror of guns and weaponry is cultural hypocrisy.

 

[mikedenk]

My favorite line from the article:

D'Arcy was pictured holding semi-automatic pistols, similar to those used by Virginia Tech gunman Cho Seung-Hui.

No agenda here

 

[TragicMonkey]

Lol. Also similar to those used by Lara Croft when raiding tombs. I suppose there's a potential that he may go around doing unlicensed archaeology now!

 

[Quad4_72]

My favorite line from the article:




No agenda here

I didn't even think to click on that link to the Herald sun. How about this line

Herald Sun
Olympic chiefs slammed the swimmers for their stupidity less than two months out from the London Games.

For their stupidity? I never knew that Australia had such an irrational fear of guns.

 

[MG1962]

I didn't even think to click on that link to the Herald sun. How about this line :For their stupidity? I never knew that Australia had such an irrational fear of guns.

It has nothing to do with Australians or irrational fear of guns.

Blame these clowns

http://www.swimming.org.au/

It is all about stage managing public perception of swimmers selected for the Australian team. As an Australian I found the photo funny - the Rambo pose really doesn't work lol.

So far I have not heard any Australian being outraged by a couple of lads having fun in California

 

[Quad4_72]

It has nothing to do with Australians or irrational fear of guns.

Blame these clowns

http://www.swimming.org.au/

It is all about stage managing public perception of swimmers selected for the Australian team. As an Australian I found the photo funny - the Rambo pose really doesn't work lol.

So far I have not heard any Australian being outraged by a couple of lads having fun in California

But the swimming organization had to get their perceived notion of public outrage over the picture from somewhere. Why else would they be acting so nutty?

 

[Damien Evans]

It has nothing to do with Australians or irrational fear of guns.

Blame these clowns

http://www.swimming.org.au/

It is all about stage managing public perception of swimmers selected for the Australian team. As an Australian I found the photo funny - the Rambo pose really doesn't work lol.

So far I have not heard any Australian being outraged by a couple of lads having fun in California

The worst condemnation I've heard of them is that it was pretty stupid to upload the pictures given both have prior marks on their record. D'Arcy has been convicted of assault and declared bankruptcy to get out of paying compensation to his victim, and has a positive drug test. Monk was fined for wasting police time after he claimed to be the victim of a hit-run collision when it turned out he fell of his skateboard.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenrick_Monk#Accident_and_police_investigation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_D'Arcy#Assault_Charges

 

[Damien Evans]

But the swimming organization had to get their perceived notion of public outrage over the picture from somewhere. Why else would the be acting so nutty?

Because they're wannabe petty tyrants who demand their athletes have the cleanest image ever.

ETA: As for the Herald Scum article, all I need say is they're our version of the Daily Mail, only without the Boobs.

 

[MG1962]

But the swimming organization had to get their perceived notion of public outrage over the picture from somewhere. Why else would the be acting so nutty?

Because they can - they love the power. The story in Australia has so little legs its already been dropped by the main news agencies after 24 hours. See this is your first encounter with these people. In Australia we are used to this kind of behavior. Happens in one form or another every Olympics.

 

[Quad4_72]

Because they're wannabe petty tyrants who demand their athletes have the cleanest image ever.

ETA: As for the Herald Scum article, all I need say is they're our version of the Daily Mail, only without the Boobs.

That makes a bit more sense. I kind of figured that as well about the Herald sun.

 

[Quad4_72]

Because they can - they love the power. The story in Australia has so little legs its already been dropped by the main news agencies after 24 hours. See this is your first encounter with these people. In Australia we are used to this kind of behavior. Happens in one form or another every Olympics.

I mean obviously it was a silly story to begin with, I am just trying to figure out why the swimming org thinks it is inappropriate behavior. Perhaps it is just inappropriate for the two swimmers, given their history as Damien suggested, and not inappropriate for someone who is not a petty criminal.

 

[Noztradamus]

http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/08/world/asia/australia-swimmer-gun-photos/index.html?hpt=wo_c2




Is Australia really that ridiculous about guns? Any Australians care to shed some light on the stupidity of the outrage?

Swimming Australia may be in PC fauxrage about "these swimmers are supposed to be representing Australia", the media sees an opportunity to beat up a outraged quote from Gun Control Australia aka John Crook (twenty years ago he was just a crank with a fax machine, today he has a website).

Most of the comminuty long recognises D'Arcy and Monk as a pair of yobbo knobs, and any time they are not getting into drunken brawls and urinating in the streets is probably a win for the image of Australia they represent.

 

[geni]

I mean obviously it was a silly story to begin with, I am just trying to figure out why the swimming org thinks it is inappropriate behavior. Perhaps it is just inappropriate for the two swimmers, given their history as Damien suggested, and not inappropriate for someone who is not a petty criminal.

You also need to factor in the mess that is the celebrity endorsement. Companies using such methods tend to want sportsmen who are politically a blank slate and utterly inoffensive. Sure there are exceptions there will always be room for a few Vinnie Joneses but for the most part thats what companies want. As a result Swimming Australia not unreasonably somwhat somewhat upset that their property is being damaged.

Don't like it? You know the way to cuba.

 

[Quad4_72]

Swimming Australia may be in PC fauxrage about "these swimmers are supposed to be representing Australia", the media sees an opportunity to beat up a outraged quote from Gun Control Australia aka John Crook (twenty years ago he was just a crank with a fax machine, today he has a website).

Most of the comminuty long recognises D'Arcy and Monk as a pair of yobbo knobs, and any time they are not getting into drunken brawls and urinating in the streets is probably a win for the image of Australia they represent.

What the hell is a yobbo knob? Lol.

 

[MG1962]

What the hell is a yobbo knob? Lol.

Probably the closest Americanism would be red neck

 

[Damien Evans]

What the hell is a yobbo knob? Lol.

Redneck/White Trash, I think you'd call them over there.

 

[Quad4_72]

You also need to factor in the mess that is the celebrity endorsement. Companies using such methods tend to want sportsmen who are politically a blank slate and utterly inoffensive. Sure there are exceptions there will always be room for a few Vinnie Joneses but for the most part thats what companies want. As a result Swimming Australia not unreasonably somwhat somewhat upset that their property is being damaged.

Don't like it? You know the way to cuba.

True. I still think it is silly that the media ran with it. But then again, I suppose the media has ran with much stupider things (See any story about the Kardashians).