Don’t frighten the horses
April 6, 2008 by Ruthie
Ruthie is both amused and saddened by the unfolding media saga of Max Mosely, president of the FIA, but with a colourful private life involving sado-masochistic sex with prostitutes, allegedly with Nazi overtones. Ruthie can understand how being the son of the British fascist leader Oswald Mosely, might leave one with a few issues. But if one needs to exorcise those issues where better to do it than (seemingly) in private with other consenting adults? There is no evidence that Mosley has perpetuated any fascist or racist views in his job. Whilst some may regard his activities as distasteful, this is precisely why private sexual activity, if not criminal, should remain private, and this is supported in law by article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights. None of us has the privilege of choosing our parents; most people would horrified by the thought of being judged by their parents standards of morality.
Ruthie thinks that Mosely’s action against the News of the World for breach of privacy has a good chance of succeeding, but alas, the damage to his career has already been done. Ruthie can’t help thinking that a activity more abhorrent than pretending to be a concentration camp guard for sexual thrills, is the practise of hypocrisy. Naturally none of the eminent members of the world of motorsport, or the board members of luxury car manufacturers currently heaping condemnation on Max have ever done anything more interesting in bed than sleep with their wives in the Missionary Position. Of course. But if I were Mosely’s lawyers I would be making some discreet enquiries just to be sure.
So what is the moral of the story? Be good, especially if you are in a high profile position, or if you can’t be good be careful…and if you are inclined to engage in exotic sexual practices, ensure you only ever do it with friends.. 
Couldn’t agree more. I was amused he wrote back to Mercedes and reminded them that they had a certain role in the Nazi war machine so having a go at him was a tad hypocritical at best.
Well said. Hypocrisy indeed.
If killing Jews was part of Max’s fantasy then he should be hounded out of his job. However, this seems surpassingly unlikely. In which case, what is the problem? Had he performed his secret fantasy in public people would be rightly dismayed. To say he cannot play it out in private is tantamount to forbidding him any fantasy life.
It is not so much the hypocrisy as the revolting sight of Max’s friends leaving the sinking ship. How much money does it take not to stand by your man? Apparently, not much.
The purpose of any legal action will be to find which of Max’s friends in F1 stitched him up.
Who is worse: someone of the ilk of Max Mosley or our British gutter press, its editors and reporters? I know who I’d put in front of the firing squad, and they would need lots of bullets, not just one. The trouble is that one newspaper (or other media organistion) will NEVER criticise another; that is a serious failing in our society.