I.M. Jack – Beat It

Il picchiatore fascista. Il libero picchiatore. Plategate. Dawramejt. Jonathan Zebina.

1. Picchiatore fascista

That the phenomenon of journalistic “aggression” was a result of Camillo and Peppone politics was already a known fact. Last week it was the turn of the nationalist leaning side of the spectrum to fall victim of the theatrics of “aggression” in the by now notorious “handbag” incident. It is not the first time that the PLPN media farce produces such pearls of mediatic wisdom and Gouder’s film troupe deserve a Malta TV Award for their ludicrous efforts. Last week’s J’accuse column on the Indy referred to how the political chaos across the Maltese Channel is a remarkable reflection of what happens here. As if to prove our point we got the press conference event where an irritated Minister LaRussa personally intervened to invite a journalist/heckler to leave the building. The freelance journalist, Mr Carlomagno had attended the conference about the failed PdL electoral lists but chose to instead heckle Berlusconi about Abruzzo problems and the Bertolaso inquiry.

In a clear example of how bad journalistic manners and crass rudeness will undermine any valid political or investigative questions, Carlomagno attempted to outshout his colleagues with a series of questions directed at Italy’s premier who obviously responded with the usual charm and aplomb (including a “I understand why you are angry, it’s because you look at yourself in the mirror every morning” – my transcription, not verbatim). When Carlomagno showed no sign of stopping the great Minister La Russa did what PdL candidates best do: a “discesa in campo” (entry into the field) and proceeded to firmly and phsysically remove Carlomagno from the hall. You can see the video yourself – it is not exactly an aggression by a GRTU official of a GRTU official – and you can see the (in our not so humble opinion) exaggerated response of the freelance journalist. The last words we hear are: “Ti querelo per aggressione nei miei confronti… ti dovresti vergognare… non ti ho alzato le mani… picchiatore fascista“. There we go. Sound familiar? You may be tempted to take sides in the heat of the moment – but step back a second – and think of the valid contribution both sides are making to improving social discourse and intelligent political analysis.

2. Il Libero Picchiatore

Early afternoon yesterday I received a copy of the GRTU press release regarding the horrible beating of Vince Farrugia at the hands of businessman Sandro Chetcuti. My second reaction after the initial horror of witnessing these facts in 2010 was to make a quick wager – I called a friend and bet him that before the evening there would be a title on the Runs linking this beating to Magistrate Herrera. I did not win anything – not because I was not right but because nothing was wagered in this sporting bet. As I said later to the same friend, it was as predictable as the sun rising, still there was much to be said about the whole business.

If you go by the Runs it would seem that the fight began when Farrugia told off Chetcuti for acting as a middle-man for Joseph Muscat. Now let us remember that it is an undeniable fact that Mr Chetcuti has just been witnessed committing a heinous crime on the person of Mr Farrugia. What happens next in Run-land is the usual guilt by association trick. You read about Mr Chetcuti’s middle-man business for labour in the context of thuggery and assault (which are of course and without any trickle of doubt highly condemnable). The problem here is that the logical leap for the average reader is not that it is wrong – very wrong – for a party to consort and confabulate with people of such temperament but (and I’d love to see anyone deny that this is the intended spin) that being a middle man for Labour makes you a bad person. In case you had any doubts the next paragraphs in the Runs throw Marisa Micallef’s role into the discussion (“Labour Party employee Marisa Micallef is paid to do the same thing, but with members of Malta’s ’smart set’ (the inverted commas are essential)” – the Runs). There you have it. The aggression would have been a gift on a plate (sorry) for any political writing but it is not enough for this particular mindset – the spin has to be milked and milked till all you drink is sour cream.

What we write here is once again an appreciation of the news as it gets to you. The Times were cautiously reporting the salient facts. The Labour media were scrambling to “neutralise” the highly damaging news item as much as possible (it is after all a potential Labour candidate and also Business Forum personality [J’accuse Note: PL have since denied Mr Chetcuti’s links with the Business forum] who is on the delivering end of the beating). It was inevitable and to some extent necessary (even in the context of duty to the public) that some political mileage be drawn out of the issue. The Runs likes to think that it goes where others fear to tread – hence the guilt by association extended play. There are many questions one can ask from this early summary of the facts occurring at GRTU HQ – and they are not all nice and victim friendly. One burning question is this: In a world where union dealings with parties is already highly sensitive as it is why should Chetcuti’s acting as a middle man for Muscat stand out more than Farrugia’s candidature for the nationalist party?

Stating that none of these questions should lead to anyone beating anyone up is obvious in a post-neanderthal world. Stating that the beating is not only deplorable but incomprehensible is also obvious. What is less obvious is the not so subtle way in which these hopeless cases are transformed into the twisted sort of political message. In our book Labour has still too far to go to even begin to be considered as a candidate for viable alternation. In the same book PN’s hypocrisy on issues is growing by the minute. That does not change anything from what is happening on the daily basis. Violence is resurfacing once again. Playing the blame game might serve the short term points system on which the sorry methodology of our political assessment is based but in the long term it lacks one basic, essential factor: ideas for the future change the country is thirsty for.

(J’accuse wishes Mr Vince Farrugia a speedy recovery).

3. Plategate

Plategate continued to enthuse and entertain and be generally unproductive toward the improvement of society. The charges in the genesis of the whole issue have been dropped. The Caruana Galizia family is, we are glad to see, at peace (no sarcasm there). The country is left with much more than broken crockery to clean up thanks to the reactions of a blogger who felt threatened. The spinoff of the original reaction is now beyond the control of the originator. The battlefields are multiple. There is of course the media circus with such jesters as a One TV crew and WE analysis teams. There is the court case which currently seems to provide a victory on points to the accused. There is the open jury online which continues to suffer from selective amnesia. One lies in court and the other recants (or reorders the claims) online – the truth remains the main sufferer.

What one would have hoped to see (and is still hoping to see) is a clear, categorical and unqualified list of substantiated (or that could be substantiated) allegations directed at the Magistrate in question. One clear list is all it would take. Remove the cobwebs. Remove the gripes and side-jibes at the entourage. It would be a list which can be taken far from the comedic parameters of libel and slander. If the Runs really wants to be the great service to society that speaks where others fear to speak then all it needs to do is write this list once. Clearly. And be prepared to substantiate whatever allegations are made in the appropriate forum – the courts of law where justice is equal for all.  Instead of bitchfighting about buses and parties and wheels within wheels, this person who seems to be so deserving of an automatic law degree simply needs to gather the evidence and use it -otherwise what we have on our hands is nothing better than a blogging version of Alfred Sant’s “moral convictions”. That would be an immense service and one would hope that the same service could be provided EVERY TIME a similar violation of the ethics and laws regulating public persons is brought to her (considerably wide) attention.

Such action (should the allegations if any be proven) would allow the machinery of the judicial system to get moving – and hopefully if our political masters are released from the mesmerising thrall of their monotonous bickering they might even consider a Constitutional Debate or Committee of Wise Men (my commie style caps) to suggest improvements in the system to avoid future glitches. It’s not a dare. It’s an appeal to common sense. If it is still so common of course.

4. Dawramejt

Blogger Arcibald is back after a prolonged absence. I urge you to patronise his blog (as patrons) and interact justly with his insights. We’ve always been great fans and boy are we glad he’s back. You can find Arcibald at Dawramejt – he blogs in the vernacular. If you leave him a message tell him I sent you.

5. Jonathan Zebina

Is it Pele? Is it Wayne Rooney? Is it Ronaldinho?

I never thought I’d say this but… hell no…. it’s Jonathan Zebina.