The All Blacks and freedom of expression

The controversy over some All Blacks displaying the Tino Rangatiratanga flag after Sunday’s test against Italy, and TJ Perenara’s modification of the haka, has spawned a passionate national conversation.

Those players have an absolute right to express themselves, but there are certain situations where saying or acting how you want is counterproductive.

While the law should never limit freedom of speech and expression, common sense and respect for the occasion or location, and point of view of others, should. As an All Black, representing all New Zealanders, guidance on choosing the right occasion or location can be found in the wise old saying that sport and politics should never mix. There are no exceptions to this rule. Until Sunday the All Blacks had been very disciplined in keeping to this rule, at least since the advent of professional rugby.

I can enter a synagogue, and I have an absolute right under freedom of expression to unfurl a Palestinian flag therein, but it would be incredibly stupid and disrespectful of me to do so. Likewise, if I visited a mosque and started handing out recipes for sweet and sour pork.

So, while I will defend the player’s rights to express themselves freely, they should have known this was not the right place or time to do so. First, because it was a sports game, and people pay to attend and watch, and come together, precisely to get away from the divisive political and social issues of the day. Secondly, the All Blacks mana has been built by the 1,223 men who have played for the team since 1905. TJ Perenara and others had no right to appropriate the privileged platform afforded by that legacy to posture their private political views. No All Black does.

It is difficult to predict the extent of the fall out for the All Blacks and rugby – a sport already on the ropes with a marked decline in interest in New Zealand in recent years. But the fact remains, the actions present a risk (whether small or large remains to be seen) to the All Blacks brand, and did not advance the interests of the cause the players sought to promote one inch.