The killing of David Hookes - what does it mean?

Few people who witnessed it would ever forget David Hookes's batting during the Centenary Test of 1977. Such a display of skilled swashbuckling batting one rarely sees. Indeed, Hookes's five fours in a row off the bowling of Tony Greig, something which brought tears to the eyes of many cricketing veterans at the time, is now part of cricket lore.

In the following years, David Hookes fulfilled his promise as a cricketer and sportsman. The stories of his success are now being retold. Off the field, despite being outspoken on occasions, he behaved in a dignified gentlemanly manner. His conduct as a cricket coach and commentator earned him the respect and affection of all who had anything to do with him.

When 48-year-old David Hookes joined his Victorian team for a victory celebration over South Australia last night at the Beaconsfield Hotel in St Kilda, would he have had any idea of what was ahead of him? Well, what normal 48-year-old who led an ordinary non-violent life would possibly have got it into his head that a 21-year-old amateur boxer, employed by the hotel as 'security', would in the most cowardly way deliver a vicious unrestrained punch that would kill him? Well, none.

There is much to be said about this incident and its implications - too much for this short comment. But there is one thing worthy of mention that the politically correct class won't let us say. The first person who spoke to me about the incident said, 'Did you see the bouncer's name?' Later news report said the police had arrested the bouncer for assault, 'confiscated his passport', and forbade him to leave Australia.

There is cultural belt of violence running from Pakistan through the Arab/Moslem countries to the Balkans. In that cultural belt the inclination is to solve problems by violence, unrestrained violence. The television and newspapers are full of it on a daily basis.

Australia is in shock at this most senseless of killings. The Netherlands at the moment is also in shock for similar reasons. Late last week, a 17-year-old male student, after a clash with a teacher in a school canteen, pulled out a gun and shot that teacher in the head - dead. The country is left dismayed and grasping for explanations after yet another violent incident involving a person from a Turkish/Islamic background. The politically correct class will no longer be able to invoke The Netherlands to exemplify their twisted thinking. That country is presently debating the strongest measures to deal with the problems of migrant integration, or lack of it.

Let us wait and see how the law and those who have the media podium deal with the killing of David Hookes. Will we be surprised?