Ħsibijiet Feġġejja - 2

 

 

1. Il-ġuri: “Fejn hu l-laptop?’’ “Mhux għand Valletta’’

 

2. Kontradizzjoni li  taċċetta/tirrispetta l-verdett u tħabrek għall-ġuri ieħor? Le. Il-proċess sagrosant imma l-bnedmin jibqgħu fallibbli.

 

3. Il-ġurati la korrotti u lanqas fis-sakra. Id-difiża kapaċi u, forsi, ma toqgħodx lura minn ċerti prattiċi.

 

4. Il-ġurati  mhumiex għefieret; ix-xjaten jew demonji l-infern qegħdin. Imma jiżbaljaw- żball li jissarraf f’inġustizzja liema bħalha.

 

5.  Kont ħadtha kontra Eddie Fenech Adami meta indika li hemm bżonn tinbidel is-sistema tal-ġurati wara li Meinrad Calleja u Ian Farrugia ġew liberati. Illum ngħid li forsi kellu raġun.

 

6. L-istħarriġ ta’ Marmarà? Naħseb li se nisimgħu iktar fuqu. Jekk kellmu iktar minn ġurat potenzjali jew tnejn, jaf jitqanqal tsunami.

 

7. Il-Finanzjament tal-Partiti: Wara l-ġuri, barra l-punti strettament ġuridiċi u ta’ interess għall-pulizija, ma nistgħux naħarbu mill-problema ta’ minn fejn se jiġu l-fondi tal-partiti.

 

8. Il-biċċa l-kbira jidhru favur il-finanzjament pubbliku tal-partiti. L-Italja kellha din is-sistema u xi 14-il  sena ilu  neħħietha.

 

9. Kien hemm ħafna serq u ħaxi mill-partiti politiċi Taljani. Se nilludu ruħna li hawn mhux  se jiġri l-istess?

 

10. Is-soluzzjoni? Ma nafx.Li hemm bżonn żgur hija trasparenza skrupluża - u pieni ħorox għal min jinqabad ifotti.

 

11. Beppe Fenech Adami:  kien jittrennja u ħa sehem fi tlielaq/mixjiet għall-karità. Ifisser li huwa ‘fit’. Jew ‘fitt’? (xi dwejjaq dix-xjuħija; tibda titfixkel fil-kliem).

 

12. Joseph Muscat: Wara l-ġuri se jonqsu s-suspetti (jien ngħid li infondati) li kien imdaħħal personalment fil-korruzzjoni?

13. Mar jaħdem  ma’ Stivala (u ma nafx ma’ min iktar) li  kien gawda taħt il-PL.  Gonzi kien mar man-Nemea Bank. Austin Gatt ma’ Hili. Gonzi u Gatt korrotti wkoll?

 

14. Din il-prattika jgħidulha pantouflage. Komunissima. Kważi impossibbli li tinqered. Xi mkien iridu jaħdmu dawn. Imma jeħtieġ tkun regolata. It-trasparenza kollox.

 

15. Għad hawn anke boloh li jgħidu li Muscat kien imdaħħal fil-qtil ta’ Daphne. Il-mibegħda tibqa’ ssaltan fuq ir-raġuni.

 

16. Qabel l-2013  iwiegħed li l-ambjent se jkun kolonna ta’ politika ġdida. Astrid Vella kważi kull ġimgħa fuq Bla Aġenda.

 

17. 3 ġimgħat wara r-rebħa elettorali, il-paladin tal-politika favur l-ambjent iħabbar mewġa ta’ kostruzzjoni u jgħidilna li jispera li ma jkunx hawn min jipprotesta għax tinqatel xi gremxula.

 

18. U fuq l-ambjent infetħu bwieb l-infern.

 

19. Kien tana x’nifhmu li hu kontra l-addozzjoni mill-gays u ż-żwieġ gay. Wara l-elezzjoni qalilna li kkonvertieh Cyrus Engerer. U l-akkolta tmur barra tiftaħar kif tnejku bil-poplu.

 

20. Wara li warrab, qalilna li hu favur l-abort u li kien se jaħdem biex jidħol.

 

21. Meta sar PM, qalilna li d-differenza bejnu u bejn Gonzi kienet li Gonzi kellu social worker bħala Segretarju personali u hu kellu negozjant.  Kemm konna bħanan - u l-ikbar wieħed jien. Iddarrast, imma daqshekk biss.

 

22. U dak kien il-qofol: il-Gvern ttradixxa l-valuri soċjalisti u bidel ix-xewqa għall-flus u l-ġid materjali f’ferneżija.

 

23.  Il-pajjiż finazjarjament qiegħed tajjeb - m’hemmx dubju. Għandna servizzi li ftit hawn bħalhom fl-Ewropa. Taxxi nħallsu relattivament ftit. Imma minn fuq dar il-ħaddiema Ażjatiċi li nisfruttaw u nħallsu bis-soldi. Gvern Soċjalista.

 

24. Min ipprinzipja l-mudell ekonomiku?

 

25. U min daħħal lil Keith Schembri fil-politika u ħatru bħala l-kunsillier ewlieni? Min ma ġagħlux jirriżenja kif Daphne bdiet tikxef u l-Panama Papers ikkonfermaw?

 

26. Ma jidhirx li ħa flus u ma kellux x’jaqsam mal-mewt ta’ Daphne, anzi għamel minn kollox biex jinqabdu l-qattiela, imma politikament nixtieq li jaqta’ biljett  għal Andromeda. One way.

 

27. Robert Abela: fuq il-kwistjoni ta’ Daphne mexa bejn wieħed u ieħor kif kellu jimxi għalkemm kien hemm mumenti meta kien marsus. Mhux tort tiegħu li kellna verdett traġi-ridikolu.

 

28. Wegħedna li jekk JM joħroġ favur l-abort “isib lili kontrih’’. Emminnieh u serraħna rasna, iċ-ċwieċ.

 

29. Sentejn wara, aċċetta li jipprova jdaħħal l-abort mit-tieqa. Kellhom joħorġu xi 23,000 ruħ fit-toroq biex daqq l-irtirata. It-theddida għadha hemm mistoħbija (mhux wisq) wara x-xinxilli u l-wegħdiet tal-€1,000 u t-tnaqqis tat-taxxa.

 

30. Issa ġejja l-ewtanażja. B’rispett ammirevoli lejn ir-rieda popolari, il-PM iddeċieda li se jsejjaħ referendum - meta l-istħarriġ juri li hemm maġġoranza favur il-qtil mieles tal-morda terminali. Għandu skuża eċċellenti.

 

31. Ftit ilu l-gvern eżalta l-qtil tiegħek innifsek fl-istess waqt li nieda kampanja qawwija kontra s-suwiċidju. Ma jridx lil min joqtol lilu nnifsu, u, fl-istess nifs, pinġa s-suwiċidju assistit qisu xi Sagrament sekulari.

 

32. Imma l-koerenza qatt mhu se tkun karatteritika ta’ min tilef is-sens ta’ moralità.

 

33.  Għaliex din ir-reżistenza kollha għal-liġijiet fuq il-ġid misterjuż (unexplained wealth)? Dik miżura xellugija. Forsi għax miżura xellugija?

 

34. Is-Soċjaliżmu: Għadni noħlom bis-Soċjaliżmu Nisrani. Mhux dan il-pragmatiżmu skwallidu li jidher li ddakkar bih il-PN ukoll.

35. Kont se ngħidlu pragmatiżmu insipidu - imma fil-fatt iħalli togħma morra.

 

36. Lanqas mhu s-Soċjaliżmu Mintoffjan li għamel ħafna ġid soċjali,  imma kkalpesta d-drittijiet fundamentali u qasam il-klassi tal-ħaddiema.

 

37. Forsi Soċjaliżmu ideali u idealista li jeżisti f’moħħi biss: solidarjetà li ma tagħrafx fruntieri, fejn il-vulnerabbli (inklużi l-bnedmin mhux imwielda) jitħarsu, u fejn is-soluzzjoni li noffru għall-mard terminali mhix il-mewt “ħelliesa’’ qabel żmienha.

 

38. U fejn kull individwu jista’ jserraħ rasu mill-ħobża ta’ kuljum, minn saqaf suq rasu, minn edukazzjoni li tgħinek tiżviluppa, minn kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol umani u minn ambjent b’saħħtu u f’saħħtu ,  u minn ħarsien skrupluż tad-drittijiet tal-bniedem.

 

39. Daphne: Kont mort l-ewwel protesta l-Ħadd ta’ wara li nqatlet. Qatt ma mort iktar - bdejt nara wisq mibegħda mħallta ma’ rabja ġustifikata u xenqa għall-ġustizzja.

 

40. Imma tal-Erbgħa 16 ta’ Settembru nixtieq li nkun hemm. Il-verdett kien daqqa ta’ sieq ġol-istonku bla ħniena lil kull min jemmen fil-ġustizzja naturali u skont ir-raġuni.

 

41. Jien: Xi snin ilu kont ktibt li qabel immut nixtieq li l-kuxjenza terġa’ tħallini nivvota lill-PL. Ma tridx taf.

Alessandro Bastoni: Culprit or Victim?

 

The incident which saw Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni fake being the victim of a foul during what is traditionally considered Italy’s most hotly-contested soccer match - in fact it’s known as “il Derby d’Italia” -reverberated around the football world. With good reason too; it was not just a normal “diving” incident. Bastoni’s deception meant that Pierre Kalulu of Juventus, who had simply brushed against the Inter defender, was booked for a second time in the game and sent off - leaving his team with 10 men. It should have been Bastoni himself who should have been yellow-carded for simulation and then dismissed, having already been booked previously in the game.

Before I continue, a disclaimer - or clarification, if you will. I have no pretence to objectivity; I have been a Juve supporter for the past 65 years: staunch, die-hard, rabid even. I try to plan my week around televised Juve matches, which I like to watch entirely on my own for many reasons, mainly to feel free to give vent to my emotions without disturbing anyone - and to minimise the chances of compulsory psychiatric admission. End of digression.

Inter went on to win 3-2 with a goal in the dying minutes of regular time, thus ending Juventus’ (already very slim) hopes of winning the Italian championship and jeopardising their chances of an eventual top 4 finish in the league, a placing which would ensure participation in the European Champions League next season.

What riled - and indeed shocked - football fans around the world was not the deception itself (a tragically common occurrence in modern-day football), but that, on seeing the referee brandish the red card at the hapless and blameless Kalulu, Bastoni most insensitively rejoiced almost as if he had scored a winning goal. While Kalulu was desperately trying to point out to Signor La Penna that he had not violated any football rule in any way, Bastoni was ostentatiously celebrating the successful outcome of a dirty trick.

Bastoni’s behaviour can be seen as a criminal act: the possibility that Juve will lose out on Champions League participation cannot be completely ruled out. In financial terms, that could entail the loss of more than 60 million euros next year, with a ripple effect of repercussions in the near future. Worse than that, for both Kalulu and Juventus, misfortune will pile upon injustice: the rules state he will have to be suspended for at least one match due to the expulsion, unjust though it undoubtedly was. This season he has not missed one single minute of play and contributed two goals.

So there are multiple victims to sympathise with: Pierre Kalulu, Juventus, their fans - and, I submit, Alessandro Bastoni himself. Watch your language; I’ll explain myself.

Technically speaking, Bastoni is undoubtedly an excellent footballer. At 26 he is a regular not only with Inter but also with the national team and is widely regarded as one of the best central defenders in the world. He is highly experienced, having played a grand total of 321 games with Serie A teams and 41 with Italy as a senior.

What prompts a successful player like Bastoni to behave the way he did against Juventus? His personality most certainly has a great deal to do with this, and he has to bear responsibility for his despicable behaviour. Any mature, thinking person would, at the very least, have felt a degree of remorse when it became clear his/her devious actions would result in serious, unjust repercussions on another person. He celebrated as if he had just scored a winning goal.

Does personality on its own suffice to explain behaviour? Almost certainly not. Behaviour patterns are shaped and moulded within a social environment which creates priorities, models and a system of reward and punishment (through social approval/disapproval, among other things). This holds for football as much as it does for any other human activity.

Needless to say, football culture, in turn, relates to the wider society and absorbs and reflects, but also modifies, amplifies or contracts its norms and attitudes. When we shake our heads and purse our lips in disapproval, or disdain, or even shock at the behaviour on the football pitch or on the terraces are we not, in fact, simply zeroing in on just one aspect of the society we have created and form part of?

The drunken, foul-mouthed hooligan in the stands, the butcher on the field who stretchers off a more technically-gifted opponent, the cunningly devious player who crafts the expulsion of an innocent opponent and cheats the opposition of the possibility of victory (with all its attendant perks) are probably not essentially different from many of us. In a different context, could we not also behave atrociously and damage political or business opponents and but shrug it off as inevitable in a dog-eat-dog world?  That’s politics, that’s business, that’s life.

 

Seen in this light, Bastoni’s behaviour becomes more understandable, though never acceptable. He’s part of a world which exalts, nay, deifies, victory and places all else at its disposal. Morality becomes an unnecessary hindrance, often paid lip-service to for the sake of appearances,  but in reality disregarded, if not derided. In football, as much is in other aspects of life.

As a Juve fan, when witnessing Bastoni’s cynical deception, I was shocked, angered, dismayed - and a whole thesaurus entry of similar adjectives. For a brief moment, I could have strangled him. A week later, despite the probable ripple-effect on my favourite team’s fortunes of that piece of trickery, I think I understand that Bastoni’s behaviour is also the effect of stronger forces which, moulded in the forge of personality factors and mediated by his free decision, produced that abominable behaviour which will not be forgotten for a long time.

The fact that strong social forces were at play does not diminish the Inter defender’s responsibility. Nor does it excuse his club’s failure to forcefully condemn their player’s behaviour rather than making half-baked statements that focus more on past incidents in which Inter were the presumed victims.

That, tragically, the rules do not allow for punishment in these instances only compounds the negativitity of the situation . Whatever the degree of impingement of social forces on footballers’ behaviour, responsibility has to be shouldered and consequences borne. It is also through visible individual initiatives that cultural changes can start to take place.

Bastoni is a most unlikely victim in the situation, although it has to be borne in mind that he operates within a strong culture of victory-at-all-costs, just like the rest of society, which often values technical success above all other considerations. However, unless we somehow manage to bring about change at the core, similar incidenst will continue to occur. The ultimate loser will be sporting ideal itself.