Cricket Pitch Scapegoat

(By John McMurray recently persecuted by police, pressmen and the public, hunting a scape-goa for the cricket pitch damage).

"The law courts are the fundamental punitive authority. Except for special cases such professional asociations administering a code of ethies they are the only power with community approval and sanction to do something about the breach of a norm.

"Outside the Courts, however the transgressor is open game to the righteous. Although illegitimate, the powers of the righteous are terrible. Scorn, contempt, denouncement and ostracism are wielded against the sinner.

"Sometimes the sin is defined, or created, in an unusual manner. As a 'self-confessed anti-apartheid supporter' I feel the weight of such a sin. I believe the Evening Post tried to make opposition to apartheid a shameful thing in this city. It did this by deliberately ignoring the protestations of a sincere group of apartheid opponents and by concentrating on one act that was repugnant to many in the city. I fear they may have succeeded.

Nordy and mends at Vietnamese Christmas celebrations in the Student Union Common Room.