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Perhaps it's something to do with our rain forest climate. Or maybe it's proximity to the waters of the Pacific Ocean.
Whatever the cause, B.C.'s men seem to be trendsetters when it comes to being in touch with their emotions. These days, British Columbians can be assured that if a man in their public eye commits a crime or other nefarious deed and is put in front of television cameras and microphones, the tears will surely fall and too many of us will bring out our hankies in mawkish compassion for the downfallen.
Take the case of B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell who was caught driving drunk on a Hawaiian holiday. In the days immediately following the incident, there was speculation that the premier (who talked a good line about integrity in office) would step down. But instead Campbell appeared before the media with his wife in tow and blubbered - actually blubbered! By the time his conviction came around a month or so later, the news was drowned out by the populace exclaiming, "Aw, Gordie's actually human. He cried on TV. Let's give him another chance".
Tough guys cry
Then there was Todd Bertuzzi. He horrified most of the hockey world with what was euphemistically described as a sucker punch against an opponent. Anywhere else, the provocateur would be called a mindless thug and the action would be classed as assault with intent. But this being Canada, and hockey being hockey, we all took a collective deep gulp when our boy Todd appeared before the media (he too with wife in tow) and actually out-blubbered Campbell as he said that he didn't really mean to do what he did and was sorry and . . .
Well, the subsequent press reports were nothing short of Harlequin romance writing at its best as writers strove to describe a big guy hunching his shoulders and shedding real tears just because he broke another man's neck. A few nights later, Teary Todd won a standing ovation when he appeared before a Vancouver Canucks crowd. They must have known that although his season was finished, he would be suffering mightily until he strapped on those skates again.
All of this brings us to Svend Robinson. Our Svend topped them all. He confessed, before any of us even knew a crime had happened. And as we listened in slack-jawed amazement, he broke down before us . . . again with the apparently the de rigueur partner in tow. And once again hearts went out to our wayward MP as talk shows were filled with mostly careful and cautious speculation as to the nature of Svend's fall from grace.
Read 'em and weep
This all brings one to wonder about such public spectacles by these public figures, and all men one might add. Are emotional spin doctors employed by these people?
And if women in the public eye did the same sort of cavorting (which they have), wouldn't the general opinion be the standard and quick diagnosis of hysteria rather than good-ol'-boy hand-wringing and back-slapping?
And what about all the miscreants outside the public eye who commit unconscionable acts because they are under stress, duress or what have you. There certainly isn't a surfeit of sympathy and just about everyone hopes that the sooner they are put in the slammer the better.
Kind of makes one envious of public figures from Alberta, Ontario and Quebec who, when hands are caught in the cookie jar, don't get teary-eyed up, but forcefully claim that whatever they were caught doing was for the greater good. Now them's my kinda guys.
Mark Kiemele is a journalist in Chemainus who has spent the past seven years working for First Nations on Vancouver Island. ![[Tyee]](/design-article.thetyee.ca/ui/img/yellowblob.png){kind=small}
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