Tuesday, June 15, 2010

THE VUVUZELA

The BBC has received 545 complaints about the vuvuzela, that soul destroying 'musical instrument' invented by the Afrikaana to torture Nelson Mandela on Robben Island, and now being deployed by the South African people at the World Cup as a device for world conquest. The bagpipes, I am told, have been labelled a weapon of war by the Geneva Convention. If this is indeed true, then the vuvuzela should go into partnership with the bagpipes: with such a combination, who knows what conquests South Africa and Scotland could achieve?

In the coming weeks following the end of this tournament, it is my guess that, one way or another, the vuvuzela will wash up on our shores BP-like, and neighborhoods will be plagued by children deliberately setting out to annoy, especially the old and retired, on numerous housing estates. The police will be called out to deal with many complaints, while burglars will be free to go about their business unmolested due to the vuvuzela's popularity.

As an English supporter (God help me) as well as a football supporter (the two do not necessarily go together), I have had to sit through the continuous drone that is the backdrop to every game televised. Those 545 people who have complained to the BBC are a tiny minority of those like-minded viewers who have had to put up with the cacophony. How can these users of the vuvuzela possibly be interested in the game they are supposed to be watching? These instruments require such an effort on behalf of their users to make their presence felt. All concentration must, during the course of 90 minuets, be sacrificed to the wretched vuvuzela instead of the game.

The Western broadcasters are sensitive to the 'South African (rainbow) experience', and the BBC in particular, have so far managed to make light of the vuvuzela despite the 545 complaints which, in the scheme of things, they can readily ignore.

Such is the fear of racist accusations, that the the whole of the Western Media is in hock to political correctness. Thus the torturous vuvuzela is being treated so lightly; as would the bagpipes if Scotland ever managed to host the World Cup without finances from England.

FIFA has refused to countenance a ban on the vuvuzela for reasons given above. This footballing body is well attuned to the sensitivities of those other countries, in what was once known as the the third world, but is now known as the developing world. Every member of every media institution within the West has political correctness tattooed upon their arms in place of mother.

The host country, South Africa, never sought or wished for any favors from the politically correct Western media. But the vuvuzela is one hindrance to far. The British people were not only glad, but were looking forward to South Africans hosting of the World Cup. If ever there were a nation that, in the point of view of the UK's people, deserved to host the World Cup, then it was indeed South Africa. But this instrument of torture is spoiling many an Englishmen's enjoyment of this tournament, having never been expected to be made familiar with the vuvuzela.

The vuvuzela is a diabolical invention by.... who? It does not matter who the wretched entrepreneur was who came up with such a monotonous drone; it is sufficient that he or she seeks profit from the World Cup. In so doing it may be that the main beneficiary of the vuvuzela will be Great Britain itself. For I can see next seasons Premier League being drowned out by this childish instrument.

A noise is a noise, but because it emanated from the Rainbow Nation, I can imagine a modern classical composer taking it seriously and being praised to the rafters by critics for his composition based upon the subtleties of the instrument that has passed the rest of us by.

The vuvuzela is a fairground toy which all Western commentators on the World Cup, from whichever nation they represent, are afraid to disparage outright. So they attempt to humor its existence. I would sooner hear (and I cannot believe I am writing this) the usual foul mouthed obscenities that usually accompany matches in the Premier League on a Saturday afternoon, than this continuous and seemingly endless drone we are being presented with in South Africa. At least our Saturday obscenities contained humor.






















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