"It's unpleasantly like being drunk."
"What's so unpleasant about being drunk?"
"You ask a glass of water."
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
May is a charm
Many in the current government refuse to acknowledge the existence ofclimate change until it comes time to argue for uranium mining and nuclearpower plants. These same people then reverse energy saving targets on newhomes that had been designed to tackle climate change ("Cheaper, not so green homes" 2nd May). Surely it's time to move beyond merely 'convenient' environmental policy to a broader vision consistent with not just itself but the kind of future that we can survive in.
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Aprils pitiful little rejects...
Tony Abbott’s opinion piece in yesterdays SMH (Balance gets the wobbles in lofty stacks, 12th April) seems another indication of an already disturbing trend towards allowing politicians to use the pages of our national newspapers as spaces for Party Political advertising thinly veiled as comment. Surely the political mix of the Heralds’ own commentators should be enough to give us a broad range of political arguments and perspectives without having to replace journalists or columnists with Liberal or Labor party hacks. If the Herald is going to continue this trend, perhaps we could have a separate page on which State, National and International politicians can have their say away from the democratic spaces of the letters and comments pages?
It is argued that one of the signs of a robust democracy is the ability to tolerate and benefit from dissent. Indonesia’s treatment of the Papuans is a clear denial of their right to disagree with, and agitate for change of, their government. It is interesting to note that Australia granted the Papuans protection visas based on claims of persecution by their government for speaking out. Meanwhile our own government attempts to curtail dissent in Australia through sedition laws and criticism of those who speak out against the Pacific solution policy. It’s not just Jakarta who should be asking for an apology; the blatant double standards here mean that the Indonesians, Papuans and the Australian public all deserve a long and sincere apology (“Jakarta: say sorry or no ambassador”, April 19th). Preferably followed by a resignation.
Recognizing the evils that have been perpetrated by our forbears does not inherently demand that we think of Australia society as anything but “relatively benign and tolerant” (Truce, and truth, in history wars, April 20th). On the contrary, an understanding of the history of dispossession and disenfranchisement experienced by Australia’s indigenous population can help us to understand how we as a society have changed and how much action is still necessary to ensure that Indigenous Australians are never again treated like second class citizens. The view shared by Ms Devine and Mr Windschuttle that our society would be crippled by such admissions misrepresents the general public of Australia who on the whole recognize that it is possible and often productive to recognize a shameful history and it’s resonance with other historical events like the Holocaust to ensure that we can with some confidence say “never again”.
It is argued that one of the signs of a robust democracy is the ability to tolerate and benefit from dissent. Indonesia’s treatment of the Papuans is a clear denial of their right to disagree with, and agitate for change of, their government. It is interesting to note that Australia granted the Papuans protection visas based on claims of persecution by their government for speaking out. Meanwhile our own government attempts to curtail dissent in Australia through sedition laws and criticism of those who speak out against the Pacific solution policy. It’s not just Jakarta who should be asking for an apology; the blatant double standards here mean that the Indonesians, Papuans and the Australian public all deserve a long and sincere apology (“Jakarta: say sorry or no ambassador”, April 19th). Preferably followed by a resignation.
Recognizing the evils that have been perpetrated by our forbears does not inherently demand that we think of Australia society as anything but “relatively benign and tolerant” (Truce, and truth, in history wars, April 20th). On the contrary, an understanding of the history of dispossession and disenfranchisement experienced by Australia’s indigenous population can help us to understand how we as a society have changed and how much action is still necessary to ensure that Indigenous Australians are never again treated like second class citizens. The view shared by Ms Devine and Mr Windschuttle that our society would be crippled by such admissions misrepresents the general public of Australia who on the whole recognize that it is possible and often productive to recognize a shameful history and it’s resonance with other historical events like the Holocaust to ensure that we can with some confidence say “never again”.
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Winning them over...
It is tragic to read the stories of young Australians who have been the victims of work-place accidents (Young sacrificed at work, 24th April). One wonders how many more risks young people will face under the new Industrial Relations laws which make it even harder for workers to resist unsafe work practices without being exposed to potential redundancy. Calling these events accidents obscures the responsibility borne by both employers and the government to protect all workers.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
minor success (and small hullabaloo)
It appears our shiny new tourism campaign isn't going ahead in Japan, either ("Too bloody hard to teach Japan to swear", March 28). After all this hullabaloo could someone clarify exactly who, except for Australians, this ad is designed to target? It seems like a lot of money to be spending if its only effect is on some of our bloody expats.
Claudia Marckx Chippendale
Claudia Marckx Chippendale
Saturday, February 25, 2006
the fallen, the pitiful and the generally unsuccessful.
Rejected letters of this week:
21st February
If David Irving is finally being charged with Holocaust denial perhaps we could examine how these laws do not damage our rights to free speech (Irving to plead guilty to Holocaust denial charge, 21st Feb)? If sensitivity about the Holocaust is legally mandated in European law surely it is not that much of a stretch to extend these laws to other groups and thus engender a respect for their religious beliefs. Or are Muslims right when they assert that they are consistently treated differently?
22nd February
University level science students who believe in the rather un-scientific doctrine of creationism? (Bible-quoting science students on the rise, 22nd Feb) What’s next; Communist economics students? Anarchist Law students? Modernist architecture students? Or heaven forbid, Liberal voting humanities students? These faculties all operate around certain fundamental, necessary assumptions about how to view the world. It is certainly important that disciplines are open to questioning but the dogmatism which characterizes many of the so-called “scientific creationists” is anything but scientific or critical.
24th February
Mr Costello certainly is onto something with the idea of stripping violent Muslims of Australian citizenship (“Costello to violent Muslims: get out” February 24). Why stop there though, we should be able to extend this even further and repatriate any unsavoury, Un-Australian characters to their country of origin. This plan would also have the added advantage of freeing up our prisons, cleaning up our streets and opening a lot of space in Federal parliament.
21st February
If David Irving is finally being charged with Holocaust denial perhaps we could examine how these laws do not damage our rights to free speech (Irving to plead guilty to Holocaust denial charge, 21st Feb)? If sensitivity about the Holocaust is legally mandated in European law surely it is not that much of a stretch to extend these laws to other groups and thus engender a respect for their religious beliefs. Or are Muslims right when they assert that they are consistently treated differently?
22nd February
University level science students who believe in the rather un-scientific doctrine of creationism? (Bible-quoting science students on the rise, 22nd Feb) What’s next; Communist economics students? Anarchist Law students? Modernist architecture students? Or heaven forbid, Liberal voting humanities students? These faculties all operate around certain fundamental, necessary assumptions about how to view the world. It is certainly important that disciplines are open to questioning but the dogmatism which characterizes many of the so-called “scientific creationists” is anything but scientific or critical.
24th February
Mr Costello certainly is onto something with the idea of stripping violent Muslims of Australian citizenship (“Costello to violent Muslims: get out” February 24). Why stop there though, we should be able to extend this even further and repatriate any unsavoury, Un-Australian characters to their country of origin. This plan would also have the added advantage of freeing up our prisons, cleaning up our streets and opening a lot of space in Federal parliament.
Monday, February 20, 2006
coffee and cogent political commentary? i think not.
Kim 17/02/2006 1:03 PM
on futile mission to get letter in, today's contribution to smh currently looks like this, am attempting to write about something other than abortion. No really: One wonders if Mr Abbott has considered the possibility of funding counseling and education programs before unwanted pregnancies. It mightnot fit as well with the knee-jerk Catholicism he has thus far espoused but treating the cause rather than the symptom would surely spare muchunnecessary heartbreak. Condoms and other forms of contraception arealso cheaper (and much less of a drain on Medicare and Centrelink) than both abortion and unwanted children. Or are we that desperate to increase our (White) population that we’ll convince women to keep children that they may not want or be capable of supporting? I would like to propose Harriet Veitch as next candidate for Health Minister, I’m sure that I’m not alone on this.
Cam 17/02/2006 1:09 PM
fabulous.
Kim 17/02/2006 1:10 PM
did you read the "elephant rage" article? i think that calls for aresponse also.
Cam 17/02/2006 1:15 PM
I think appropriate response to elephant rage article is to obtain one and set it up as door bitch at next house party.
Kim 17/02/2006 1:17 PM
i wish i could share with you the mental picture i just had. Elephants in clothes are so funny.
Cam 17/02/2006 1:21 PM
it would be the most hilarious party accessory since Rich Uncle Skeleton and his smoking jacket & pipe. Possibly not fitting on balcony without significant home renovation but good excuse to get jamie durie in and lock him in josh's boudoir.
on futile mission to get letter in, today's contribution to smh currently looks like this, am attempting to write about something other than abortion. No really: One wonders if Mr Abbott has considered the possibility of funding counseling and education programs before unwanted pregnancies. It mightnot fit as well with the knee-jerk Catholicism he has thus far espoused but treating the cause rather than the symptom would surely spare muchunnecessary heartbreak. Condoms and other forms of contraception arealso cheaper (and much less of a drain on Medicare and Centrelink) than both abortion and unwanted children. Or are we that desperate to increase our (White) population that we’ll convince women to keep children that they may not want or be capable of supporting? I would like to propose Harriet Veitch as next candidate for Health Minister, I’m sure that I’m not alone on this.
Cam 17/02/2006 1:09 PM
fabulous.
Kim 17/02/2006 1:10 PM
did you read the "elephant rage" article? i think that calls for aresponse also.
Cam 17/02/2006 1:15 PM
I think appropriate response to elephant rage article is to obtain one and set it up as door bitch at next house party.
Kim 17/02/2006 1:17 PM
i wish i could share with you the mental picture i just had. Elephants in clothes are so funny.
Cam 17/02/2006 1:21 PM
it would be the most hilarious party accessory since Rich Uncle Skeleton and his smoking jacket & pipe. Possibly not fitting on balcony without significant home renovation but good excuse to get jamie durie in and lock him in josh's boudoir.
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