Tuesday, July 12, 2011

An ethical dilemma

No, not whether Rupert Murdoch is a 'fit and proper' person to have control of BSkyB; I've already signed a petition saying I don't think so. And a petition to ask Mattel to stop destroying rain forests to make packaging for Barbie. And a petition asking various Caribbean countries to agree to a South Atlantic whale sanctuary.

Ooh, I've had an ethical day all right but here's my dilemma, which is much more serious: should we buy new GrandSon an England rugby shirt for this autumn's world cup?

He was, after all, born in England to an English mother. His father is resigned to the fact that he will grow up supporting the team that plays a few miles up the road at Twickers. But does that mean we too should capitulate?

I say 'we' meaning me obviously. Husband is a true blue Englishman who continues to insist that all of his children are English when they prefer to be Welsh.

I suppose I must consider how much teasing GrandSon could cope with should he choose to support Wales. But until he's in school and can make his own choice, I think a red jumper would be so much nicer. Plus the heart price I'd have to pay for an England jumper would be far too high.

14 comments:

Tom Paine said...

Ethics are about distinguishing between right and wrong. Your dilemma is therefore not ethical but tribal.

Furtheron said...

English... why is there need for a debate? ;-)

Furtheron said...

"And did those feet..."

Sorry getting carried away now...

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

I don't get it .. but then I am not a Rugby fan ... I wouldn't buy English or Welsh .. Are you children English or Welsh .? Or could they be both .. ?

CherryPie said...

You could steer clear of either and therefore solve the dilemma ;-)

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Oh, dear. I wouldn't like to have to make this choice!

Dragonstar said...

Granddaughter happily wears Welsh or Irish shirts depending on who's playing. Can be tricky at times! She speaks English, naturally, but she has quite a bit of Irish and Welsh. Not bad for a three-year-old.

Liz Hinds said...

Thank you for pointing out my error, Tom. It doesn't help resolve it though.

Pah, Furtheron!

I suppose they could be both, anne.

Oh no, cherrypie, there's a world cup in the offing. And we're all rugby fans.

One of each I guess it will be, welshcakes.

Rose said...

Definitely go for the Welsh! I buy Chicago Cubs' clothing (our favorite baseball team) for the little grandchildren no matter what their parents think. I say expose children to a variety of beliefs when they are young and let them choose for themselves when they get older:)

(Actually, no, that's not how we raised our kids when it came to religion:) But I'm pretty open-minded.)

Leslie: said...

Buy both and whichever team gets into the World Cup, support them! Did that help?

NitWit1 said...

Actually I am more with Tom.

Your Rugby is roughly equivalent to our football and I am a fanatic fan of football in general, watch every game I can find on TV, BUT I am past 10 fanatic scale when it is the Dallas Cowboys, to the point my funeral instructions include a shirt be placed in my casket, if not wearing it.

However, I don't make my husband or my nieces or nephews wear D/Cowboys attire. I have a brother who is as fanatical as I. We both have Dallas Cowboy Flags we often fly during NFL football season.

I probably would give the gift that at this point in time would please the parents. Then when the child chooses his own favorite I'd buy whatever his team wears. I did this for a niece's son who was just as rabid about a different team that usually beat my team. I squeezed the bucks as I paid for the shirt as I felt like a traitor.

Even tribal decisions are often conflicting.

Katney said...

The kids took us to a Mariners game for Fathers' Day/my birthday.

Andy wore his Diamondbacks hat.

It's loyalty. Probably moreso when it is more than just a team/city loyalty.

Mauigirl said...

Definitely Wales. Go for it!

Liz Hinds said...

I'm sure that will be the case her too, dragonstar.

Good advice, rose!

Sensible too, leslie.

I could get Husband to buy the English shirt and I can buy the welsh that way it won't hurt me so much, nitwit!

Yes, loyalty to our team - or whatever - is a good principle to learn, katney.

I think so, mauigirl.