Saturday, August 30, 2008

A father too far

There is a very good letter in today’s New Zealand Herald
from Don McGlashan, responding to the paper’s front-page
report on Brian Lochore’s speech to a Fathers’ Breakfast, in
which the former All Black captain criticized what he sees as
an excess of “political correctness.” McGlashan, who was at
the breakfast, says that he respects Lochore but that unlike
him, "I am not nostalgic for a time when it was okay to have
a few jugs and leave the kids outside in the car, or when
smacking was considered good parenting.” McGlashan also
points out that the breakfast featured some thoughtful,
anti-authoritarian contributions on fathering from men like
John Campbell and Andrew Grant, “all of which were
received every bit as enthusiastically as that of Sir Brian, if
not more so”—but which weren’t mentioned in the Herald.
Speaking as one who was left out in the car while Dad had a
few jugs, and who got thrashed regularly by him in the name
of good parenting, I'm with Don on this one.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

This response to bad Sir Brian

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sundaystartimes/4675200a6444.html

is even better.

Steve Withers said...

I saw the Lochore story. Once again I was left thinking more about what wasn't reported than what was reported.

That happens a lot with the Herald these days. Maybe it's time for another newspaper in Auckland.