What The - Labelling for Outrage

There's been a rash of coverage about the poor gent who, in an attempt to make the Darwin Awards, decided to drag in his crab pots from the banks of a Crocodile infested river in FNQ.

Whilst his decision was a poor one, it irks me more that the media persists with their "labelling" of this, rather ill-informed, gent.

That this recent snap from the Courier Mail (now 2 weeks after the event):

THE remains of Vietnam veteran Arthur Booker, who disappeared in far north Queensland two weeks ago, have been found in a 4.5m crocodile.

Erm, what difference does it make that this guy was a Veteran? He's still an idiot for doing what he's done. If it was a silly European backpacker, we'd have all sorts of stories about how they shouldn't be so silly - but the respectability given to this guy has been over the top.

And that, I suspect, is the intention. This isn't about Mr Booker - this is about Croc Culling. By presenting Mr Booker as a decent, upstanding citizen - we turn the Croc into a criminal and, as a result (like all minorities), we need to fear and punish them.

No, this ISN'T a campaign to ensure Mr Booker is given the respect he deserves - this is about currying favour for a massive Croc Cull.