The tabloid newspapers’ breathless reporting of Therese Rein’s fashion choices during her visit to the US were fairly cringeworthy, but at least those journalists were basing their vacuous opinions on observable fact. In today’s Sydney Morning Herald Sun Herald, hard-hitting journalist Matthew Benns recycles a couple of press releases into a hard-hitting non-story speculating about the effect of Kevin Rudd’s low-meat diet on his temperament.
Could the Prime Ministerial tantrum that reduced a flight stewardess to tears indicate an iron deficiency?
You know you’re in trouble when the first line of your story is a question.
Yesterday, Karen Inge, head of nutrition at the Victorian Institute of Sport, said: “If you cut down on red meat it can reduce your iron levels. The major role of iron is to carry oxygen in the blood. If you have low oxygen it makes you tired. It’s not rocket science. You only have to look at a child who is tired to see how cranky they are. When you are tired you don’t often react in the best way possible.”
So Rudd could have been tired on the flight because he could be getting insufficient iron in his diet and this could have contributed to him losing his temper. Then again, Rudd could have been tired because he’d been working really hard and sleeping little at night and this could have contributed to his snappy temper. And of course, there could be a million other explanations for Rudd’s brainsnap, but taking those into consideration would make the article terribly boring and less sensationalist so we’ll leave those out.
But the most disgraceful part of Benns’ article is the thoughtless quoting of coalition MP John Cobb who must be stoked that his pathetic swipe at Rudd’s character and shameless boosting of rural graziers, disguised as concern for Rudd’s diet, got a run in a major broadsheet.
Opposition agriculture spokesman John Cobb said a lack of red meat explained the Prime Minister’s “toddler tantrum” and why he was “as weak as a limp lettuce”.
“Without iron in their diet a person will become pale, insipid, wishy-washy, anaemic and prone to outrageous outbursts,” Mr Cobb said.
“A lamb chop or steak would put colour in his cheeks and iron in his soul. If you denied me a chop, I’d have serious anger management issues.”
Matthew Benns’ story is no more than uninformed gossip and petulant vegetarian-bashing.
27 Comments
I just couldn’t believe that an article like that would be published under the SMH’s National news banner (or in the SMH for that matter). It’s like a a press release from the Meat & Livestock Corporation. Another reason why I’ve never regretted cancelling my sub to the SMH.
I’ve been a vegan for years and my wife and daughter are vegetarians. We have blood tests a couple of times a year to check on vitamin, iron etc. levels and not once have we deficient in anything.
It’s true, though. Without red meat we all get grumpy and stuff. Think of Gandhi. Or the Buddha.
I thought vegetarians were meant to be weak and anaemic. So wouldn’t that make them listless and apathetic rather than aggressive? (And I’m a bit nervous about posting this, in case I get savaged by a vicious vegetarian…)
I thought people only got cranky when they weren’t getting laid? perhaps for next week Benns can speculate on the PM’s sex life as well.
Not enough iron? Obviously a single mum with a dorda.
I’ve never met a bikie who didn’t enjoy a good steak, and they are never cranky!
I saw this article late last night (or early this morning, whichever). I couldn’t believe it — this is not journalism, this is… well, as Scott’s pointed out, pure speculation.
SMH is really turning to crap.
“Today’s” Sydney Morning Herald?
Isn’t this Sunday?
You got me, Shabadoo. I quit the internets.
By the way Scott, you seem awfully defensive about vegulonism; are there any personal preferences you need to declare here by way of conflict of interest?
In any case it is nice to see that you will occasionally go a Fairfax publication (even if, memo to provincial Melburnians, it is the Sun-Herald tabloid and not the broadsheet SMH) … still, Jezza’s ignoring Anne Davies’s latest bit of lazy, ideological smear journalism, but at least Tim Blair is not: http://blogs.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/timblair/index.php/dailytelegraph/comments/vegetable_alarm/
I thought cobb’s comments were hilarious – he was apparently channeling his inner kekovich. I didn’t think I was supposed to take it seriously.
No worries, Scott, we all make mistakes. It’s just that it seems like you’re complaining about a tabloid story … in a tabloid.
(Also not to go all red-pen on you but Sun-Herald is hyphenated, FYI).
I like vegetarian food, it goes nicely with a good steak.
Podrick,
You may joke about it but cattle are now believed to be a major contributor to global warming:
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/GlobalWarming/Story?id=2723201
And then there’s the cancer and health risks:
http://www.crikey.com.au/Politics/20080619-Dieticians-underplay-the-meat-risks.html
You don’t have to be a ‘bleeding-heart animal lover’ to at least open your eyes to these things.
I can’t let this go by without quoting AA Gill on vegetarians: “I have a theory as to why vegetarians never smile. Go and smile at yourself in the mirror, now count along your teeth. Two frm the middle are a pair that are sharper and pointier than the rest; they are your canine or dog teeth, God’s proof that you were born to eat meat. Vegetarians don’t smile because their mouths give away their true nature, and are a constant reproach and reminder of their unnatural proclivities. So pity the poor vegetarian, and give one a great big grin this Yuletide.”
Amen.
Shab,
A simple fact is that if slaughterhouses had glass walls and were located in shopping malls, meat-eaters would be a small minority.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y50PwcgW4NU
“I have nothing against vegetarians: some of my favourite foods are vegetarian”.
(And I say that as someone who has actually slaughtered a goat and ate it.)
The point, though, is not that vegetarianism is right, wrong, or a long-standing practical joke that no-one’s gotten yet.
The point is that the piece mentioned is simply ridiculous, and serves much better as meat producer propaganda than as political or medical reporting. And it’s bloody awful propaganda.
And I saw it in the Age this morning.
Err, Shab, vegetarians do smile. Have you ever met one? It seems you and I live nearby. Let’s have dinner. I’ll smile for ya.
“….God’s proof …”. Are you barking, hatstand-mad, or what?
“… they are your canine or dog teeth, God’s proof that you were born to eat meat.”
You’re using God in an argument against vegetarianism? Oh, I forgot. You don’t believe in evolution.
Shab – we (adults) have 32 teeth, over 20 of which are molars for grinding vegetable material. The two incisors wouldn’t qualify as canines in the mouth of any carnivore.
AAGill – now there’s an auhtority on .. errr ..umm
My friends are vegetarians because they love and care for animals.
I’m a vegetarian because I fucking hate vegetable!!
Cheers.
BTW Shabadoo, they’re talking about us back in this thread.
Perhaps sans, but I’d note that happily, in a transparent democracy, Greens are a small minority.
“I’m a vegetarian because I … hate vegetable!!”
That makes no sense whatsoever.
@ Silkworm
Thesis: Eating something is equal to cruelty to it.
Consequence 1: I do not want to be cruel to animals, so I do not eat them.
Consequence 2: (inverse of 1) I do eat vegetables because I do want to be cruel to them.
Makes perfect sense.
“…in a transparent democracy, Greens are a small minority.”
How would you know, Shabby? We don’t have one.