Durhamfootman wrote:I believe Paine became aware of somebody unearthing said pictures/texts, perhaps to publish for maximum embarrassment to him (or maybe something worse than that) ahead of the ashes series. If his resignation deflects the attention away from, and prevents it becoming a distraction for the cricket team, then resigning is exactly the right thing to do, imo
Why should Paine even be made to acknowledge this apparent scandal? Honestly, I am really struggling to understand what he has supposed to have done wrong. The press describe his actions as lewd or offensive, but on the plain face of it, he merely engaged in sexual contact with another person. Are we now saying that wanting to have sex or sexual fun with another person who is consenting and willing, is in someway wrong? Are people not even allowed to have any sexual expression anymore, because fulfilling certain nature desires is sick and perverse?
I'd guess every single person writing negatively about this has, and you'd think habitually through their lives, engaged in the same behaviour. Its perfectly natural and human to do so - so why are we even pretending that being sexually active is morally wrong? I wonder how many of these reporters send their wife a cheeky, frisky text on a regular basis to their significant other? God forbid there would be nothing wrong with that, are we all to live like trappist monks and not enjoy the fruits of our relationships?
If Cricket Australia think this is wrong, then good luck finding the next captain. I wonder how you limit your choices to those with asexual tendencies without being sexually discriminatory.
Societal norms in the modern day are really confusing at the best of times. Next week the same hacks and internet warriors calling Paine's behaviour lewd, will be at war with someone else for not showing understanding or sensitivity on the grounds of some other form of expression.... be it gender, sexual or god knows what else. So we are constantly told to be understanding of others, while routinely attacking the private beahviour of others. Modern day society is really a mess.... the only questionable behaviour here is those people wanting to bring down a man by shaming his private interactions in public.