Twenty lashes

Many (all?) of us have experienced a national crisis where the government mouths the words about how unfortunate it all is but you just know behind it all they don't give a damn. You just wish you could go up to them and ask them to at least look like it bothers them. Twenty Major does just that (well, on his blog rather than in person). The current situation may be specific to Ireland (the voiding of the statute which allows no defence to statutory rape) but it's easy to think of others for international readers.

While Fine Gael's Enda Kenny and Pat Rabbite of the Labour Party rightly tore strips off you and your government you sat there looking down at the desk, maybe even scribbling on a piece of paper. You could, for all intents and purposes, have been playing noughts and crosses with yourself.

Their tirades over it was your turn to speak. This is where I have the biggest problem. You stood there, again not making any eye-contact with the people you were addressing, looking down and with one hand in your pocket told us not to worry.

[...]

You might as well have been chewing on a piece of gum while you said it. It really did appear that couldn't care less that a 38 year old who raped a 12 year old was released.

It might as well have been just another one of your party colleagues involved in tax evasion or corruption or dodgy planning applications. You know, the day to day stuff your government has been involved in for years. You were more upset when the Bertiebowl didn't happen.

[...]

Take your hands out of your pockets, look people in the eye and pretend to care. We'd all appreciate it.

I'd quote some more but Twenty's invective might set off corporate profanity web scanners so it's best read at home with no young children reading over your shoulder.

Fiona de Londras is back in the Blog O'Sphere (though not on Mental Meanderings) and weighs in on the A case.