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An Interview with Andy Haden

Andy Haden spoke his mind, and lost his job. I wonder what he feels about that? There were mixed reactions to what he said, and how he said it. Right or wrong, blamed or blameless, he suffered the consequences. It's completely up to you if you see that punishment as just or excessive. I decided to interview Andy to get his perspective. So here it is: [satire]


ZT: Good morning Andy, thank you for being here

AH: Thank you Zen, it’s a pleasure

ZT: So, in the aftermath of the events over the past couple of weeks, how do you feel?

AH: Well, I feel f**ked, to put it bluntly. I’ve been well and truly rogered, and no-one deserves that.

ZT: Surely, though you consented to this?

AH: No I bloody well did not. Do you think people ask for this sort of treatment?

ZT: Well, you certainly invited it, didn’t you? I mean, the way you dressed your words....if that’s not begging for it, I don’t know what is.

AH: Listen Zen, I think it is a fundamental freedom in this country to dress words how I damn well please. That doesn’t give others the right to come in an mind-f**k me, just because they see my words as some kind of open invitation to jump on me.

ZT: But isn’t it implied consent? You started the dialogue. After all, you are an ambassador. You are going to attract a lot more attention and scrutiny than, say, a farm hand.

AH: What’s that got to do with it? Are you saying ambassadors have to watch what they say merely because they are ambassadors? Why should a farm hand be able to dress their words in the same way, and not be brutalised? Discrimination, pure and simple. When I wanted things to stop, they didn’t. It just got out of hand.

ZT: But if you dress your words so provocatively, and bring them out into the public, surely you realise the impression that creates?

AH: If you check the reports, many people understood my true meaning behind my words, and yet others interpreted them completely differently, and called for me to be rogered out of my job. Is that my fault?

ZT: What did you say, exactly that caused this uproar?

AH: Well, I just said that if women dress themselves provocatively, they shouldn’t be surprised if they get jumped on.

ZT: But what was the comment about the cheque book then?

AH: Well, that may have been a bit below the belt, but I could have been drunk at the time. I don’t remember.

ZT: And you think for some reason people should back off if you are a bit drunk?

AH: Damn right they should. You think I asked for that? Why aren’t there gentlemen anymore?

ZT: And ladies?

AH: Too right.

ZT: So, off to a new job then?

AH: Little chance of that mate, one doesn’t recover from this sort of thing easily. This is going to haunt me the rest of my life. Another victim screwed over by the politically correct.

ZT: Perhaps Andy, one day we will all be free to do as we please without having to bear the consequences of a betrayal in trust?

AH: Yes exactly. A betrayal in trust. I thought I knew these people. I thought they respected and admired me. I’m an ex All Black. I had fans. I didn’t think they would ever...and then, this! (sob)

ZT: There’s a lesson in there somewhere for all of us. Thanks for coming, Andy.




If you are looking for my opinion on this, it is to be found in the comments section of Lucia's post on the topic: On Protectors, Predators and Prey. (Although, judging by the comments on other blogs it's more fun to guess what my opinion is and then draw little horns on it and bite the head off a bat with rabies, before rolling around on the ground to the music of Tubular Bells.)

For example, the point of my post above is not to equate Andy asking for it, and getting it, with assigning blame to a women being raped. It is never the women's fault - see my comments in the links for explanation. I'm just pointing out that if Andy thinks that you are going to put yourself in a particular situation that turns bad, he shouldn't be particularly amazed at the outcome himself.

I also think Semper Vita expands on Lucia's post in a thoughtful manner, and is well worth a read: It's not a rugby problem, it's a problem of manhood, womenhood and morality.

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