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Observer EDITORIAL :What's REALLY wrong, Mr Walker?
Friday, December 21, 2007
Stress is not a nice thing. In fact, if improperly managed, it can escalate into a very dangerous phenomenon which can give rise to bizarre and inappropriate behaviour.
We are referring to yesterday's lead story featuring an angry Mr Danville Walker, the director of elections, engaging the People's National Party's (PNP's) Mr Abe Dabdoub in a vulgar, demeaning spectacle within the court precincts. According to our man in court, Mr Walker had to be pulled away by a female lawyer after abusing Mr Dabdoub with a sampling of his temper, complete with expletive.
We must condemn his behaviour of course, even as we acknowledge that it is human to err.
For, unless he is so stressed out that he can't manage himself - in which case he owes it to himself to seek some counselling and professional help in anger management - we expect better from an experienced, hardened civil servant like Mr Walker who, doubtless, is no stranger to provocation.
He must have felt the anger - triggered apparently by his exasperation at being cross-examined by Mr Dabdoub's attorney, Mr Gayle Nelson - mounting within his breast way in advance of the confrontation. And he must have been aware of his environment.
If he had respect for the court, and, by extension, the country at large, he would have checked himself.
He would have considered the implications that would have been attached to his public behaviour and chosen another venue to vent.
But no, he went on to make headlines, highlighting once again the unfortunate slide that this county has taken in terms of its values and attitudes to public life. Anything goes, it seems. Public figures are allowed to curse, slap diplomacy in the face, carry on with the most inappropriate forms of behaviour and move on as if nothing happened.
If we sound particularly passionate about this incident, it is only because we recognise that displays like Mr Walker's, particularly in such surroundings, are symptomatic of the lack of respect that plays out - often with fatal consequences - among those who really don't know any better.
And if we allow vulgarity to assume a cloak of normality in this country, then it will only be a matter of time before we find ourselves scoffing at and making a mockery of civilised behaviour.
We must invite the society to raise its voice against the type of behaviour that Mr Walker dared to display on Wednesday. We must properly classify such behaviour as abnormal, vulgar and unbecoming of anyone who is deserving of a post in which the public has reposed confidence and trust.
It would have been one thing if Mr Walker had been responding to a physical assault, as we all have the right to defend ourselves, within reason.
However, when mere words produce the type of violent anger that Mr Walker displayed, we really can't help but wonder.
Observer EDITORIAL :What's REALLY wrong, Mr Walker?
Friday, December 21, 2007
Stress is not a nice thing. In fact, if improperly managed, it can escalate into a very dangerous phenomenon which can give rise to bizarre and inappropriate behaviour.
We are referring to yesterday's lead story featuring an angry Mr Danville Walker, the director of elections, engaging the People's National Party's (PNP's) Mr Abe Dabdoub in a vulgar, demeaning spectacle within the court precincts. According to our man in court, Mr Walker had to be pulled away by a female lawyer after abusing Mr Dabdoub with a sampling of his temper, complete with expletive.
We must condemn his behaviour of course, even as we acknowledge that it is human to err.
For, unless he is so stressed out that he can't manage himself - in which case he owes it to himself to seek some counselling and professional help in anger management - we expect better from an experienced, hardened civil servant like Mr Walker who, doubtless, is no stranger to provocation.
He must have felt the anger - triggered apparently by his exasperation at being cross-examined by Mr Dabdoub's attorney, Mr Gayle Nelson - mounting within his breast way in advance of the confrontation. And he must have been aware of his environment.
If he had respect for the court, and, by extension, the country at large, he would have checked himself.
He would have considered the implications that would have been attached to his public behaviour and chosen another venue to vent.
But no, he went on to make headlines, highlighting once again the unfortunate slide that this county has taken in terms of its values and attitudes to public life. Anything goes, it seems. Public figures are allowed to curse, slap diplomacy in the face, carry on with the most inappropriate forms of behaviour and move on as if nothing happened.
If we sound particularly passionate about this incident, it is only because we recognise that displays like Mr Walker's, particularly in such surroundings, are symptomatic of the lack of respect that plays out - often with fatal consequences - among those who really don't know any better.
And if we allow vulgarity to assume a cloak of normality in this country, then it will only be a matter of time before we find ourselves scoffing at and making a mockery of civilised behaviour.
We must invite the society to raise its voice against the type of behaviour that Mr Walker dared to display on Wednesday. We must properly classify such behaviour as abnormal, vulgar and unbecoming of anyone who is deserving of a post in which the public has reposed confidence and trust.
It would have been one thing if Mr Walker had been responding to a physical assault, as we all have the right to defend ourselves, within reason.
However, when mere words produce the type of violent anger that Mr Walker displayed, we really can't help but wonder.
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