Comments on: Oh, give us a break: Anthony Zammit says he has "lots of gay friends"

By: Stephen borg Cardona

Stephen borg Cardona — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 22:01:10 +0000

I think that in a democracy it is essential that some sort of decent criticism of the party in government should occur. I remember reading words to that effect some years back in The Sunday Times (London), when the Conservative Party was in disarray and was considered ineffective.

I am not asking you to not criticize the PL. I am suggesting that you also criticize the PN when necessary.

[Daphne – I do. It’s our definition of ‘necessary’ which differs. You might have failed to notice this, but I don’t even criticise the Labour Party where ‘necessary’. If I were so inclined, I would be right in there taking them apart from top to bottom, because the mess and the ineptitude – and the danger they pose to Malta right up ahead – are phenomenal. But instead, I crack jokes about Joseph Muscat. Why? Because that’s my style.]

Let’s face it: one way or another whatever you say is not going to change the vote of staunch supporters of either side. It’s the floaters you have to convince and showing even handedness would increase your credibility with them, also possibly if someone in a position of influence criticized any PN mistakes the Minister concerned might think twice about implementing any dubious policies.

[Daphne – This bears repeating once more at least. I am not in the business of convincing anyone. I am in the business of ensuring that I am read. I do a job for the newspaper which pays me. The newspaper which pays me requires me to be read. It does not require me to attract votes for one party over another, to criticise in a ‘balanced’ way, or to convince floating voters.

I do not work for the Nationalist Party and I am not paid by the Nationalist Party to help ensure it re-election. I work for a newspaper. The newspaper pays me to keep its readers entertained. Saviour Balzan certainly understands this, because a couple of years ago he asked me to join Malta Today and I said no.

Now if your arguments were to be addressed to Marisa Micallef, then yes, they would be relevant, because she is actually paid by a political party – Labour – to convince people. Her undoing is that when the newspapers understood that she was receiving a salary from Labour for the express purpose of dishing out propaganda, they appear to have resisted the manipulation and are not publishing her articles. The few pieces she sent to The Times were carried as letters to the editor. If, as a result of reading my articles, some people think about things, then all well and good.

Thinking is important. The outcome of that thinking doesn’t really matter to me one way or another, but it’s good to know that thinking happens, because sometimes I worry that it doesn’t. You appear convinced that dedicated party voters are unthinking and that floating voters are the thinking ones, the superior beings who are above it all. That is so wrong. In my extensive experience of floating voters, I have found that they are the most unthinking of all. They tend to be motivated not by deep thought but by utter lack of insight (the young ones) or by petty navel-gazing (the middle-aged ones).

I can use myself as an example of a thinking voter: both my paternal and maternal families were staunch supporters of the Strickland party, and I mean staunch. The Nationalist Party was political anathema (but then I suppose you know your political history). So when it came time to make my political decisions, I actually had to sit down and think about them. I assessed not just the political philosophy and the policies, but also the ‘stoffa’-what kind of party is it, what sort of people has it got, what kind of attitudes, that sort of thing.

After that assessment, I realised that voting Labour would be impossible even if it developed policies which appealed to me, because I just didn’t have faith in the party ‘stoffa’, its people and its ability to deliver. On the other hand, I thought the Nationalist Party was pretty good, and I still do. This is, in fact, the Labour Party’s biggest problem with me: they know that I am an intelligent person who took a rational decision to vote against them and an equally rational decision to vote for the Nationalist Party. They know that I come from a completely non-Nationalist background. Faced with a thinking person from a non-traditional political background who has thought about it and come to the decision that they’re crap and that the ‘others’ are infinitely better, they’ve decided that the best way to counter this is to portray me as some rabid Nationalist die-hard.

I am a very decisive person and have very little patience for the indecisive. Calling yourself a floating voter is simply advertising your inability to analyse people and situations and take a firm decision. I wouldn’t trust the judgement of such a person in any given situation. Clarity of thought is a quality I admire.]

This is not really for publication, its just a short note from me to you voicing my possibly naive opinion. Thanks and good evening.

[Daphne – I am happy to publish it, and more than happy to discuss the matter.]

By: Stephen Borg Cardona

Stephen Borg Cardona — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 18:42:01 +0000

I have always up to now voted PN. I blame a certain Zero for my father’s death of coronary heart disease. My father was the judge who decided the court cases re church property and private schools.

[Daphne – Yes, I know. I was reluctant to upload your comments at first, because I thought you had appropriated the name. It’s not easy to check and it’s so easy to use a false name or somebody else’s name on the internet.]

I do respect your opinions some of the time. However I also think that once you are in a position of influence (as you are) and once there is no decent opposition party in this country, I think that if, as I do, you love Malta and want it to improve further (slowing the brain drain?) you should call a spade a spade and stop wearing blinkers.

[Daphne – That’s exactly what I do. Also, I find it extraordinary that in the absence of a proper Opposition in parliament, you expect a newspaper columnist/blogger to do the work of the opposition. Instead of going at the Opposition for being total crap, you have a go at me for not making up for the Opposition’s shortcomings.]

Constructive criticism never hurt anyone.

p.s. I did not insult my host. I just pointed out that in my modest opinion, she was being rude and interrupting. I do not aspire to your job so comments as to whether I would be as good as you at it are besides the point. (I seem to have touched a sore point). Cheers have a good weekend.

By: Stephen borg Cardona

Stephen borg Cardona — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 21:18:32 +0000

Once you know Edward personally perhaps to him you could extend the courtesy of letting him finish his arguments without interrupting.

[Daphne – One can’t interrupt in print. One can only interrupt in speech. I am doing you the courtesy of allowing you space here to voice your thoughts. You do me the courtesy of not abusing that courtesy to insult your host and tell her how to do her job. She clearly knows how to do her job better than you do, otherwise you would be doing the job yourself.]

By: Stephen borg Cardona

Stephen borg Cardona — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 21:13:49 +0000

I never specified that you sounded like a Maltese “woman” I did not specify the sex. Let me elaborate further, you sound like a PL groupie of the sort that thinks their party is always right and the PN is always wrong. Its just reversed in your case.

[Daphne – Funny you should say that, Stephen, because the hallmark of PL groupies is irrational thought and incoherent argumentation. You can’t exactly level those accusations at me. The inherent irony and contradiction in your ‘reasoning’ – one you share with other anti-PN and pro-Labour individuals (hallmark: bitterness and resentment) is that you would dearly love me to choose the Labour Party precisely because you respect my views. If you thought I was just another stupid prat mouthing off without thinking, you wouldn’t be so damned keen for me to criticise the government and praise the opposition, because that opinion would be worth nothing. Clearly, my opinion is worth quite a lot to you, which is why you want it to accord with yours. Now examine the contradiction.]

By: Robbie

Robbie — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 15:38:42 +0000

In reply to Antoine Vella. Nice one, Antoine!

By: H.P. Baxxter

H.P. Baxxter — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 13:20:15 +0000

In reply to Lino Cert. EPIC

By: El Nino

El Nino — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 08:58:04 +0000

I have a Nordic mentality. I am not ashamed of being seen with people with a Mediterranean one.

By: Lino Cert

Lino Cert — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 10:30:06 +0000

I have no friends and I am not ashamed to be seen around without them.

By: kev

kev — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 16:47:22 +0000

In reply to Stephen borg Cardona. Indeed, she does have to be right all of the time, even if it takes tedious extrapolation.

By: Andy

Andy — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 12:27:22 +0000

In reply to Stephen borg Cardona. I think what you said is unfair Stephen. Anyone can post his point of view on this blog. The undecided readers will ultimately go away with a better understanding of the subject and form their own view, or remain none the wiser.