Irwin defends croc feeding stunt (says it was important to teach kids about danger)

The Age ^ | Jan 3, 2004

[aruanan]

And you know, each year millions of adults risk their infants' health by carrying them high enough above the ground under icy/snowy/rainy/muddy conditions that a simple slip could easily kill or disable them. And tens of millions more risk their children's lives by putting them into machines that move at high velocity along manmade stone paths with nothing but the judgment of the parent to keep it within painted marks on the pathways. The difference between what Irwin did and the two examples above is that most people are familiar with the two and have unconsciously discounted their danger due to their familiarity and are unfamiliar with the other and are overreacting based on their lack of familiarity and their imagined fear over being close to something that could kill them, even though they stand a greater chance of death driving down the freeway.

[gcruse]

But this must be happening for a reason.

The implication being that God favors feeding kids to alligators?
Paging Abraham.

[avg_freeper]

Some have implied that the media had ulterior motives for their recent Steve Irwin feeding frenzy. Namely his overwhelming support for John Howard.

Steve had this to say during a visit by the prime minister:

"In front of us right now is the greatest leader Australia has ever had and the greatest leader in the world,"

This would be analogous to an American entertainer claiming that Bush was the greatest president that America has ever had. That entertainer would be blackballed immediately. The media would lay in wait for the first opportunity to bring out the sharp knives and cut this entertainer down to size.

Steve Irwin just seems like a very straight forward guy to me that says and does what he knows is right. Regardless of how it may look to others.

[GeronL]

On Friday, Mr Irwin shocked the world by dangling baby Bob inches from the jaws of a 4m crocodile

It was more like a coupla feet actually. It was stupid. He should promise not to do that again and get on with his career, sheesh.

[Tall_Texan]

Bindi was then left alone in the water as three fully-grown elephants entered, and stamped and trumpeted a metre away. A zoo official said a gate connecting the pool to the croc pen was shut during the show, but patrons were less than impressed.

Frankly, this sounds crazier than what Steve did to Bob.

I'm not really shocked over holding a baby in one arm while feeding a crocodile. I'm sure Steve has the situation under control. I do wonder how the crocodile can distinguish between one form of white meat when dangled by his trainer and another though. Steve might unintentionally be teaching more to the croc than he is to his kid.

[hotpotato]

The difference between what Irwin did and the two examples above is that most people are familiar with the two and have unconsciously discounted their danger due to their familiarity and are unfamiliar with the other and are overreacting based on their lack of familiarity and their imagined fear over being close to something that could kill them, even though they stand a greater chance of death driving down the freeway.

This is a lame argument because there aren't millions of parents each year dangling infants within striking distance of hungry aligators and we don't have figures for comparison. As someone said, Irwin was showboating. What he did was stupid. Trying to make it sound ok by comparing this act with placing an infant in an automobile is disingenuous at best.

[Zipporah]

Oh I agree.. Irwin should've just apologized and moved on instead of trying to 'prove' something..

[hotpotato]

Frankly, this sounds crazier than what Steve did to Bob.

Hard to believe, huh? An act of defiance my a$$. sheesh

[hotpotato]

In an act of defiance, Mr Irwin and wife Terri sparked fresh controversy by sending their daughter into a crocodile enclosure with elephants and calling her "white meat", in a live show yesterday.

Amazing. Thanks for posting. I was willing to give the guy some room but this is just... well... I dunno.

[hotpotato]

Oh I agree.. Irwin should've just apologized and moved on instead of trying to 'prove' something..

Well, he certainly proved something.

[GeronL]

Frankly, this sounds crazier than what Steve did to Bob

the gator?? what did he do to the gator??

[hotpotato]

the gator?? what did he do to the gator??

See post #40. Bob is the baby.

On Friday, Mr Irwin shocked the world by dangling baby Bob

[KangarooJacqui]

Way to go, Steve. Just the publicity Australia needs. NOT.

I'm in Auckland, New Zealand right now, and this is all over the TV and radio news here (I haven't dared look at the papers.)

Truly an embarrassing time to be an Australian. Shame, Steve, shame...

[hotpotato]

I don't think you should be embarassed as this reflects on *Irwin* and not on Australians. His wife is American and she was just as stupid yet I'm not embarassed as an American because of her stupidity. There are stupid people all around the world and where humans go, you will find someone doing something stupid. :-) Lucky for most of them there is usually someone to help them find their way.

[hotpotato]

Oh, and if some kiwi is giving you grief about this because you are Australian (I know about the kiwi/aussie competition thing), then I can promise you they have their own brainless among them as I have been there and seen it myself. If you are there long enough, you'll see it too. :-)

[Johnny_Cipher]

Truly an embarrassing time to be an Australian.

Why? Al Gore, Tiny Tommy Daschle, Hillary Clinton, Teddy Kennedy, and Michael Moore are (supposedly) Americans, and I don't and won't take responsibility or feel shame for their actions. No one nation-state has the sole claim to the trait of idiocy in its citizenry.

[CaliGirlGodHelpMe]

It's comparing apples and oranges, potato.