Plunkett Turning the Page?

Monday 2 March: Plunkett Turning the Page?

Over 500 signatories have signed the declaration on our “We Are Eleanor” Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WeareEleanor, supporting author Eleanor Catton’s criticisms of neoliberal politics and our politicians’ dismissive views of the arts.

On Sunday morning, March 1, Oliver Sean Plunkett, the broadcaster who called Catton a “hua” and a “traitor”, sprung a surprise by asking to join us – or at least to meet halfway.

In one of his Facebook comments [link] Sean wrote: “Well if I peel off the childish and tribal political rhetoric of the letter I quite like the underlying message about art's importance. So … I thought I'd engage and commend the good stuff in it.

“Because all the artists who have signed obviously believe in freedom of speech and the right to dissent I'm sure my presence here is acceptable.”

The question we have to ask is, if he only agreed with 40 maybe 50 percent of the letter then what is his real purpose in attempting to air-kiss and make up?

If it’s to decouple politics from art, we’d simply point out we’ve been there before - with sport. It is also the job of art to examine and interpret any and all of life’s issues

So excuse us if we appear a little cynical, but we just want to know: Where, Oliver Sean Plunkett, are you really coming from?

ENDS

© Scoop Media