Tennis player, Bernard Tomic, 19, driving his orange BMW last week was pulled over by police and issued traffic infringement notices for driving contrary to the conditions of his licence.

P-platers normally aren’t allowed to drive a high-performance vehicle — but Tomic has apparently been granted an exemption because of his career as a tennis player.

Tomic has hired defence lawyer, Chris Nyst, who wants a meeting with Queensland Police Commissioner, Bob Atkinson – claiming there has been a misunderstanding regarding the terms of Tomic’s exemption.

* * *

Professional athletes usually don’t work for a living.

They have all day to get wherever they want to go.

If anything, it would make sense to license them for lower-than-usual performance vehicles.

Road rules should be designed for the safety of the public.

19-year olds with P-plates are typically bigger safety risks than older drivers.

If being a celebrity gives one the right to flout the laws governing other people, it’s a serious matter.

The rule of law is important if our nation is to avoid being a rabble.

By definition, the rule of law must apply to all equally.

It seems as though Bernard Tomic cheated in his match against Alexandr Dolgopolov the other night.

When interviewed, he showed no remorse.

He is a young man. There should be somebody guiding him.

Perhaps with his great talent etc., winning has become too much of a priority with him.

* * *

We can all understand to some extent how tempting it was for him to do what he did.

We all have temptations.

What should BT do now?

First, he should go to confession.

Then do whatever the priest prescribes for him as penance.

If he is told to withdraw from the tournament, he should do so without complaint or comment.

* * *

Professional sport is responsible for so much bad human behaviour.

For example: gambling, drug use, self-absorption by the players.

Obsession with passive and trivial pursuits by spectators and TV watchers, plus more gambling.

Can we weed professional sport out of our society?

Not easy.

One at a time we can, as individuals, stop taking any interest in it.

That will be a start.

The Australian media are currently over-full of tennis and cricket results.

Why?

Because that’s what attracts the most readers/viewers, who, on seeing the advertisements, will obediently buy the products advertised– thus making the owners of the media and sporting teams richer.

Sport is, of course, good in its way.

The Pope (speaking to soccer players in Spain) said as much:

“Sport should promote the virtues of loyalty, fairness, sobriety and mutual respect.”

* * *

It is important that sport does not promote assaulting other people, either physically or verbally.

And does not promote passively sitting in front of a screen and consuming junk food and alcohol.

And it should not promote turning Sunday, the traditional day for worshipping God, into a day of celebrity-idolising and self-worship.

* * *

If we get our attitude to sport wrong, we are on the way to cultural and spiritual suicide.

On Judgment day, God will not be asking you how much sport you played or whether your country’s team won the Ashes.

December 26 is listed as a “Christmas Day Holiday” in Hong Kong, Singapore and Indonesia.

Nations which have 4%, 10% and 2% Catholic populations.

What is the point of them having such a rash of Christian observances . . . ?

It’s good to see, anyway.

* * *

What about Australia, with its nominally majority Christian population?

Here December 26 is famous for:

(1) Boxing Day Sales.

Shops selling off failed Christmas present-style goodies at “bargain” prices.

Already-fleeced punters all turn up yet again to be re-fleeced.

(2) The Boxing Day Test.

Australia’s cricket team plays a visiting team at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Cricket enthusiasts drink diluted ethanol either from eskies at the MCG or in front of the TV until comatose.

Or have eskies been banned? I can’t remember.

* * *

Traditionally December 26 is/was the Feast day of Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr.

A few weeks after Jesus was crucified and resurrected, Stephen preaching in Jerusalem challenging the people to become Christians . . . .

Hauled before a kangaroo court, he delivered a sermon to his accusers and judges about how they, too, should become believers.

They were peeved.

As recorded in the Bible, in the Book of Acts:

“He said, ‘Behold I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’

But they stopped their ears and rushed at him.

They cast him out of the city and stoned him . . . and as they were stoning him, he prayed, ‘LORD, DO NOT LAY THIS SIN TO THEIR CHARGE.’”

Iranian actress, Marzieh Vafamehr, has been sentenced to 90 lashes and a year in prison for acting in an Australia-produced film.

One of her “crimes” was to appear on screen without traditional head-covering.

Surely 90 lashes is too many – but does that mean she should go entirely unpunished?

Marzieh was using the media to undermine an aspect of her nation’s culture.

Letting her off entirely would, it might be argued, be turning a blind eye to the destruction of something precious.

We Anglo-Celts etc., who comprise the bulk of Australia’s population, don’t see female head-covering as something of critical importance . . . .

* * *

Let’s consider a different example.

Some months ago, a photographer, Bill Henson, displayed an exhibition of pictures of pubescent girls and boys naked and near naked.

He was condemned for using the notion of “art” as a cover for child porn.

I think he was never punished.

A few lashes — not 90 – might have been very appropriate to deter him and potential imitators from a repeat effort.

Is not the modesty of children and adolescents something to revere and vigorously protect?

* * *

Culture is what guides community members regarding what behaviour is acceptable.

A culture can be cruel or unjust and need change.

It can be right to challenge aspects of a culture — but it must be done with respect.

Those seeking change must constantly examine their own motives.

Ultimately our culture should be the practical means of  keeping ourselves focussed on God and his will.

Meatloaf is a rich man.

Tens of millions of records sold.

Now 60-odd he can still charge $600,000 for singing(?) a few songs at the MCG before the AFL Grand Final.

He (and also the footballers who came on next) are first, foremost (and only) overpaid entertainers.

They were doing a job – keeping the Australian consumer-public from thinking.

* * *

Angry Anderson is another entertainer.

But at 60-odd, he is not just acquiring money by making loud noises.

He is trying to make people think. He has opinions and expresses them.

For example, “We have strict quarantine laws and it should be the same when it comes to cultures that do not want to integrate. We should be very careful about where certain Muslims come from and what they believe . . . If people come and live in any country and their way of life is so different they need their own special laws, then possibly they have to pick somewhere else to live.”

Mr Anderson also says the Carbon Tax will harm Australia’s workers and do little for the climate.

He wants to stand for Parliament representing the National Party.

Should they take him on? That is up to them.

* * *

On the subject of sport and thought . . . .

Did you notice how Novak Djokovic, on match point in the recent US Open Tennis grand final, after making a sign of the cross, bounced the ball 10 times, hit a serve and then a tremendous forehand which Nadal hardly saw – and it was all over.

I’ve seen Jelena Dokic cross herself at appropriate moments.

Likewise Matthew Hayden used to — in his younger days — I think somebody talked him out of it in later years.