Have we got our priorities right?

Paul Dobson asks if we have our priorities right when we complain about a flag but play in a stadium named for a man who advocated killing.

Recently, there was a hue and cry when a tiny group of people arrived at Twickenham waving an old South African flag – the orange, white and blue flag with the little flags of Britain and the Boer republics.

The South African Rugby Union was quick to condemn this use of the "old flag", seen by many as a symbol of the harsh days of apartheid.

Now, within a week, there have been two shootings.

In Johannesburg, Gerrie Germishuys was shot three times by intruders onto his property as he rushed to help his wife.

In Pretoria, Dr Cornelius de Beer was shot and killed as he went to help his brother who was being hijacked.

Germishuys played rugby for South Africa, a great Springbok wing. De Beer played rugby for South West Africa, captaining them on one occasion.

The South African Rugby Union has not uttered a word of condemnation.

The shootings were not rugby-related? That is a cop-out. Both men shot were part of the rugby family. They lived in South Africa.

The same is true of Jan Ellis who was shot by robbers.

The same is true of Willie Strydom who was shot by robbers.

The same is true of Bull Edwards who was murdered by robbers.

The same is true of Cronjé Maneli who was murdered by robbers.

Each man's death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.

Is it proper for SARU to be silent in these cases? Have they even expressed sympathy – or do Germishuys and De Beer not count because they played before 1992?

If we shout outrage about a flag, shouldn't we be shouting our outrage at the violent, mindless shooting of Gerrie Germishuys and Cornelius de Beer?

If we are going to condemn the use of a flag perhaps we should also condemn those who condone and encourage violence.

But, no. On Wednesday, the Blue Bulls will play the Samoans in Polokwane at a stadium named after Peter Mokaba, who first shouted the slogan Kill the Boer – Kill the Farmer.

Do we accept and reward exhortations to kill? And this will become more and more universally known as the Peter Mokaba Stadium becomes a part of the 2010 Football World Cup.

Should rugby, which has condemned the use of the flag, play along with the exhortation to kill?

It depends on your priorities.

There are worse activities than waving an offensive flag.

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