Politicians should never mock other people’s religious beliefs

Published: January 9, 2013 at 6:01pm

I was a little taken aback at Joseph Muscat’s stupidity in making a sarcastic remark about the Madonna when speaking to the press this morning.

When asked where he plans to locate his gas storage tanks, given that Konrad Mizzi failed to answer the question put to him by Tonio Fenech last night, Muscat replied: “Maybe Tonio Fenech has had a vision of the Madonna.”

Once more, he demonstrates how easy it is to become a victim of your own relentless propaganda. In mocking Fenech, completely out of context and long after the event, for that Madonna remark he made a couple of years ago, Muscat forgot that he wasn’t just speaking to admiring journalists or to chattering ‘switchers’ who think he’s cool.

That remark will be beamed across the media and cause offence to the many tens of thousands of Maltese people who are actually quite keen on the Madonna and have a particular devotion to her.

A politician may not be a believer, but in no circumstances should he mock those who are. The separation of church and state does not mean the mockery of religion by the representatives of the state. It means keeping things separate, and showing respect. If this is yet another aspect of Mintoff’s reprehensible personality that Muscat admires, he should understand that Mintoff was one of the most squalid and uncivilised people around, and there is nothing to admire in poor manners.

Besides, Malta and the world have moved on.

Voting Labour is so cool.




43 Comments Comment

  1. La Redoute says:

    At least Tonio Fenech can claim to believe in a Madonna. What explains Joseph Muscat’s delusions?

  2. silvio says:

    I’m sure that Muscat was not mocking our religion, all he was dioing was mocking our ex minister for being so stupid for thinking that his apparation would impress us.
    Since we are talking of apparation, could Tonio try to remember to ask for some tips on how to reduce our country’s debts, when he next meets Her/

    • Harry Purdie says:

      You continue to exemplify a total asshole. Keep up the good work.

      • silvio says:

        Always happy to oblige.

        Meet you at the next apparition, hoping it won’t be on some private plane on its way to watch a football match.

        [Daphne – Madonna, Silvio, kemm int antipatiku.]

    • Mercury Rising says:

      Regardless of who or what he was trying to mock, the fact remains that he has once again evaded the question and given us no reply. Ignoring the electorate’s queries during an election campaign is not particularly smart; and by the way, it was also rude.

  3. Lomax says:

    Faux pas number 1. (or is it 11?)

  4. Christian says:

    These inept cabbages were taught that tolerance and respect are not COOL.

    The Madonna does not wear Double Gs or LVs bħal-queen of proles and Malta’s first lady in just 9 weeks.

    Tmorrux iktar il-Girgenti, Borg in-Nadur, Fatima jew Lourdes. Disa’ ġimgħat oħra ser ikollkom il-‘lady of sorrows’ Michelle.

    • ciccio says:

      Forsi naraw lil Lil Din tielgha t-tarag ta’ Kastilja izzebbeg wahda minn dawk il-kuruni tar-Ruzarju li hadet maghha meta kien hemm il-quddiesa tal-Papa fil-Floriana.
      U dik mhix Lady of Sorrows, imma Lady of the Dollars.

  5. canon says:

    Tghid nergaw naraw lil Michelle bil- kuruna tal-rusajru f’ideja jew diga qalet il-grazzja.

  6. Ronnie says:

    It’s very ironic that you invoke the separation of religion and state in defence of Tonio when he himself amply showed he does not know what such separation entails.

    I agree with you that it was unwise of him because it might have offended some people, but on the other hand totally legitimate to make fun of Tonio’s ridiculous assertions.

    Those ridiculous claims will haunt him for the rest of his career. Tonio Fenech is probably the main reason why so many people find today’s PN so unattractive.

    [Daphne – Oh, you are wrong. I am more suspicious of people who determinedly mock religion (when they have long since left their teens and 20s) than I am of those who are religious. Fenech has done an excellent job and he’s a good talker. One remark about his religious beliefs is not going to wipe that out. And why would one remark about the Madonna haunt a politician for the rest of his career, when you have people like that bag of crap, Il-Guy, writing the Labour Party’s electoral programme for the 2013 general election, after doing all that in Mintoff’s and KMB’s cabinets? You’ve lost your sense of proportion.]

    • Wilson says:

      If you really think Tonio Fenech is the reason why so many people find today’s PN unattractive you must be super deluded.

      He is the only minister who has performed extremely well. Although you might not see it or understand it, under no circumstance does it mean it has not happened.

      In fact all the labour hullabaloo about the power station he has done already. I’ll give you a simple example: Delimara BWSC…..gas firing of engines….everything is there….all it takes is the change on the engine heads ……..inter connector cable…..the tunnel is being finished as I write…… they are only small blips on the local news but not everyone can understand what a change they bring about to the everyday life of the nation.

      If you want to accuse the PN government…you can accuse them of many things but you should also accuse them of not really explaining what they have done. Joe Bloggs in the street cannot really comprehend what has been happening because running a country seriously is not only about electricity bills.

      There is nothing untruthful about the electricity bills, although we might not like it, we simply started paying the real price for it.

      Now the PN knows that the real price is a bit on the high end for the local populace and they did something about it way (but really way) before Muscat even dreamt of it.

    • Matthew Micallef says:

      You have no idea what you are saying, Ronnie. The area where your expert Konrad indicated as the appropriate site to place the gas tanks, used to be sea water.

      Dr Tonio Fenech is 100% right on this one. There needs to be a huge investment in order for the gas tanks to be placed there.

  7. Belzebu says:

    Ara ma kollox trid tiprova taqbad issa. Ma nahsibx li kien hemm min tfantas minhabba li semma l Madonna. U billi qal li seta kien hemm apparition of our lady? It is not the first time such things are reported, even locally! and only lately the church has distanced itself from him.
    Is that mockery??? To interpret such a statement as mockery of religious beliefs is a sign of xi hadd clinging to whatever comes in the way in an attempt to vilify our great leader.

  8. Tumas-Muscat says:

    Irrespective of religious beliefs, it was just pure crass vulgarity on Muscat’s part.

    • Redneck Rabti says:

      That’s what I thought when I read about Muscat’s remark. I also thought that it would have been something Mintoff would have said.

      Sadly, for a large number of people, being crass is considered as being strong.

      • Min Jaf says:

        No surprises there. Joseph Muscat spent all of his early years being carted around to all of Mintoff’s MLP meetings by his Mintoffian Nanna. He was immersed in and saturated by Mintoffian ideology and vulgarisms from day one.

    • Joanne says:

      excellent Tumas

  9. Riya says:

    How do we expect Joseph Muscat to answer certain questions about this project, when he himself has no idea how it will work.

    Not even the inventor of this genius project was able to answer simple questions let alone Joseph Muscat.

    Maybe, it is the time for Silvio Parnis or Joe Debono Grech to be invited on TVM to explain and answer in detail all the questions about this invention of Konrad Mizzi.

    He must be as clever as his father who during his time with Airmalta together with Louis Grech managed to solve all the problems for our airline.

  10. K says:

    More flowery language directed at Tonio Fenech. Unity indeed

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=D3MlqwcmvJQ

  11. Makjavel says:

    Insulting Our Lady only puts you in the ranks of those who have no respect for anybody. Time will tell.

  12. Pocrad says:

    I was taught this general rule: never discuss religion, women and politics when at work. Joseph failed miserably with his comment on the Madonna.

  13. xmun gatt says:

    The relevant point is not the mockery of someone’s supernatural beliefs (each to his own illusion) but rather that Muscat’s insensitive comment was just another exercise in misdirection.

    A pertinent question about his grand plan put to him by a member of the press at a press conference. He could not answer satisfactorily and so like a cheap street magician, a puff of smoke; a sudden tack off the rails of reason into the comfort of ridicule and voila he’s off the hook. HE thinks.

  14. michael camilleri says:

    Ir-religjon u t-twemmin ma ghandhomx jidhlu fill-politika.

    Bir-rispett kollu, Dr Muscat, zlaqt wahda ghall-patata u goffa siehbi.

    Nissuggerilek taghmel kjarifika u anke apologija ghax wara din iz-zelqa min hu bhali jahsibha darbtejn.

  15. philosopher says:

    But seriously do you consider that quote as an offence to Christians? What if it’s true that Tonio Fenech had a vision from the Madonna? Would that quote still be an offence?

  16. Some days ago the electoral campaign started and everyone began giving his opinion. But do remember that who-so-ever is successful may they keep in mind that we just want to get on with our lives, in a truly democratic society which offers stability, peace, and a fair chance to make a decent living with no preferences.

    It has been said that people might try to go for a change in the government that we deserve. But for God’s sake let’s make first sure that we choose well. We do have enough time to make the correct assessment of what is on offer.

    We must all remember that a bad choice in the polling booth will affect our lives for five years afterwards and even beyond.

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