’Twas only a slip of the lip

The sporting world has been thrown into disarray. News was dominated by this startling, degrading event, with twitters falling off their cyber branches to air their disgust, bloggers going bossies and columnists crying foul over the calamity.

And sanctimonious broadcasters, listeners and viewers debating the despicable episode, 24/7.

It was gloom and doom all round.

Had the sports administrators been fired for skewing the numbers, or referees caught filling their pockets with corrupt practices and pulling matches?

Had the minister of sport been castigated for hijacking the sporting world with self-indulgent rhetoric? Had our rugby coach insisted on using only white players for the World Cup, causing the political honchos having apoplectic attacks? Had Bafana Bafana bought more white players to help them up their game?

No way. Nothing so mundane.

A pop singer stumbled over the words of the national anthem during a local rugby derby, that’s what! What a disgrace!

What absolute twaddle, I say.

Since when is a song (anthem or not) likened to some sacrosanct spiritual symbol that if blemished by the slip of the tongue or freezed up brain before huge audiences, brings down the wrath of an entire country?

And that’s exactly what happened. A lonesome singer, surrounded by 30 lumps of lard, overpaid sports administrators and an audience of media people, had to beat out what is, let’s face it, not the easiest of lyrics.

I recall a television advertisement a few years ago of a little girl who sings the anthem before a big audience. Not unlike our hapless singer, she gets stuck on the words midway. But, unlike our poor muso, she faces a sympathetic audience who prompt her to get over the embarrassing hurdle. A poignant moment that speaks of empathy and tolerance. Sadly, only in an advertisement.

And what hypocrisy. Next time, carefully watch players and administrators during the singing of the anthem and notice how many of them stumble over the words. Others don’t even try to sing. But no outcry.

Our anthem has indeed been tarnished. Not by a lonely singer, but by a judgmental citizenry who only pay lip service to it.

Cliff Buchler.

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