Power Punches

May 16th, 2008

It’s not a pretty thing when politicians fight. Not because, as role models and guardians of the public good, we hold them to a higher standard of behavior. (The opposite is true.) Rather, we don’t like to watch them get physical because they rarely know how—less Fight Club and too much grade-school playground bust-up, with lots of shouting and pushing followed by “punching” like a girl for 10 seconds (or until the bell signaling the end of the 15-minute recess sounds—whichever comes first).

But those embarrassing spectacles don’t even come close to the ugliness that comes after the little spurts of aggression. Properly bandaged, the guilty parties then turn on the spin, telling lies and making promises they have no intention of keeping.

Take People Power Party MP Karun Hosakul, who did his best impression of Tony Jaa at the expense of Somkiat Pongpaibul last month in Parliament. After the melee, a House ommittee was set up to determine who was at fault, and Karun, who has been accused of domestic violence in the past, pledged to resign if found guilty. In a unanimous decision, that’s exactly what the committee did (find him guilty); predictably, Karun went back on his word. Then he played the “mother” card.

Throughout history, where you find references to mothers, you find conflict—or sport. For example, only a few weeks ago, during the Rome Masters event, British youngster Andy Murray accused his first-round opponent of insulting his mother. More famously, there was Zinedine Zidane’s bone-crunching head-butt of Marco Materazzi, retaliation for the Italian’s nasty words about Zidane’s mere et soeur.

Unfortunately for Karun, if you’re looking for sympathy from the masses, you can’t just mention your mother in any context. Had his story been that his nemesis, Democrat Somkiat, provoked him by calling his mae a buffalo or a monitor lizard, we’d all be lining up behind Karun, believing that Somkiat deserved to get his ass kicked. Instead we’re left wondering what kind of heartless psychopath would risk his mother’s life for the sake of his reputation and career.

Forget that bit earlier about stepping down, Karun now insists that the he’ll pay a fine, but nothing more. We hope we’re mistaken, but it also sounded like he said he’s willing to swear on his mother’s life that he is innocent. “If I committed the offence, my mother will die,” the Nation quoted him as saying.

Hasn’t poor Mrs. Hosakul suffered enough? Save her! Save Sven!

Comment on our story and you could win our weekly letter prize!