My posting yesterday caused some heated comments and I have also read this mornings press in which the right wing (and lets be blunt) racists have manned the bastions that is talk-back radio to denounce the apology.
I just cannot believe some of the bigotry that is going on in this country. There are essentially four factions spinning around at the moment; those for & against apologising and those for and against compensation. The compensation element is out there and there will always be those who will want to see it and then the counter argument is that there is plenty (albeit misused) money being directed to Aboriginal interests. Lets put all this to one side and look at the bigger picture.
The Australian government has wronged a section of our community on the basis of race and Kevin Rudd has simply acknowledged and apologised.
The big picture of this though is that this is what we wanted when we elected Rudd. We voted in a landslide to dump the hardline economic management driven Liberal party who have done so many divisive things in regards to our standing in the world’s view for a party that was prepared to put the people first and deal with the humanitarian issues. Don’t let Nelson & Turnbull fool you, this inflation driven interest rate rises were coming no matter who was in power. Labor knows this. They know that they have inherited power at a bad economic time, but they will be dipping into the budget surplus to address issues like health, education and other humanitarian issues. These are what would have been called “soft” issues by the Liberals, but the reality is that a big surplus is rubbish when the average Australian cannot access appropriate health care or gain access to a university.
The apology was one of the soft issue promises that Labor campaigned on and he has a mandate to deliver which he has done and I think that’s a small but positive step for this country.
PS – the absence of John Howard amongst the gallery of ex-Prime Ministers has been noted. Bigoted little turd that he is!
10 comments:
And if Howard did turn up he'd have been labelled a hypocrite instead.
Lose/Lose.
But at least he stuck to his guns and his own beliefs.
You can't have it both ways Clay. You can't have a government that promotes equality for all and then segregates society with it's own bias and racist policy.
It's not a simple open and shut case based on a higher ideal either. It's over simplifying a complex scenario to simply slag off all opposition as 'racist'.
You can't label someone racist because they take issue with a racist policy. It makes no sense.
QUOTE - The big picture of this though is that this is what we wanted when we elected Rudd. We voted in a landslide to dump the hardline economic management driven Liberal party who have done so many divisive things in regards to our standing in the world’s view for a party that was prepared to put the people first and deal with the humanitarian issues.
Clay, by that reconning 3 yrs ago we voted in a landslide to do the opposite?
"And if Howard did turn up he'd have been labelled a hypocrite instead.
Lose/Lose."
Perhaps... but at least it would have been seen as a decent attempt to reconcile the perception that he is a bigot. I may be wrong about that, but I am correct in that is the perception of Howard.
"You can't have it both ways Clay. You can't have a government that promotes equality for all and then segregates society with it's own bias and racist policy."
What segragation is that? Don't follow your logic here. Rudd said sorry. Short and sweet 300 odd words in 3mins. What is the Labor "Racist Policy" you refer to?
"It's not a simple open and shut case based on a higher ideal either. It's over simplifying a complex scenario to simply slag off all opposition as 'racist'. "
It is not simple. I have said this today and yesterday its the first step to reconciliation and a feel good story. Read Ben's final comment yesterday for a good summary.
"You can't label someone racist because they take issue with a racist policy. It makes no sense."
Again, you've lost me. What is the racist policy? Howard has a perception as a right wing bigot and has refused to enter into any form of debate on the matter for 10 years. In the last days of his power, he sent in the military.
What a crock. At least Rudd has met the first hurdle and has apologised and now has the momentum and moral high ground to make real change.
I think people like yourself and Wilson Tuckey need to realise that the journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.
Also, haven't we heard all this before? 'No child will live in poverty....' from a former PM?
"QUOTE - The big picture of this though is that this is what we wanted when we elected Rudd. We voted in a landslide to dump the hardline economic management driven Liberal party who have done so many divisive things in regards to our standing in the world’s view for a party that was prepared to put the people first and deal with the humanitarian issues.
Clay, by that reconning 3 yrs ago we voted in a landslide to do the opposite?"
Yes we did. We were scared into thinking more of our interest rates and the majority of people voted along those lines. I personally didn't, but that was the fact.
Coupled with what was a weak performance by Beazley at the time, the Liberal party were allowed to continue.
Yes we did. We were scared into thinking more of our interest rates and the majority of people voted along those lines. I personally didn't, but that was the fact.
Could it be now we have been scared by PC and Rudd(tm) to think that an apology was necessary?
I'm actually a bit shitty in the way the media has dealt with it. Rudd continually told us it was a apology on behalf of the parliament, however now you open the paper and read about the apology from the nation.
Personally I find it a bit hard to beleive that it can just be a apology from the parliament and not from the people when the parliament represents and acts on behalf of the people.
I agree with OB there.
I never said sorry. I am not sorry and I take offence that anyone would presume to speak on my behalf.
I found it hypocritcal that it was Rudd who stood up and did this while the room was lined with former PMs (both labour and liberal) who didn't do it during their time. What does that say about them?
This was a political stunt, nothing more. Rudd's jump to power was on the back of public opinion and pressure from outspoken segments of society, combined with a decent dose of people sick of Howard.
Make no mistake, Howard was a swine and a mongrel who nearly ruined this nation (actually, the political/social and economic fallout still might see us wiped out) but if you're so naive as to think that Rudd is the great white hope, then I honestly think you're kidding yourself.
Yeah, he might have some principles and know how to play to a crowd in order to gain a few popularity polls in his favour, but from what I've seen of other social policies from him, he's weak as piss.
We have far more pressing issues in this country on a social scale to be concerned with and all Rudd wants to do is say sorry to a minor segment of society already awash with public money and support, while other parts of our society are falling to pieces.
It's not about being racist, it's about being pissed off with misplaced priorities.
I find it amusing that a guy who campaigned to do certain things and is now engaged in doing those certain things is now seen as "weak as piss".
He said he would apologise. He said he would reverse Work Choices and he said he would address our Health & Education systems.
He is doing ALL these things and seems to me to be more pro-active than Howard ever was.
Howard ruled by fear mongering and deceit.
I cant understand how you can be so quick to dismiss a person who is doing the things he promised to do and is doing them in quick time.
I actually think its the opposite of Weak as Piss and he's made a solid start.
Its pessimists like you your "metooism" (to borrow from Howards campaign) that make any attempts at progress to be stymied.
I am sure you can look up the number of 2GB talkback on the intehwebz.
So because I'm critical of your great new hope my view is nothing more than right wing propaganda? Get real Clay, you sound like a labour zealot.
I've been around long enough to know that all bloody politicians are full of crap and liars and sooner or later, they'll all screw you for their own agenda. Don't be so damn naive.
Rudd said he'd introduce schemes to help housing affordability. Oh yeah, we've seen his 'policy' alright and it's a laughable joke. It's been laughed down by industry representatives everywhere already.
He doesn't earn my loyalty or respect based on a few flowery speeches or token gestures thanks. I'm not that naive.
Howard was a criminal, I hated the bastard. But that doesn't automatically mean I think Rudd is our great saviour either.
So far, I'm not impressed in the slightest. He'll have to do more than stop payrises for pollies for a year (oh how will they EVER live on those 200 grand wages without another rise?) or say 'Sorry' to a minority group to earn my respect mate and that doesn't make me right wing.
That makes me a realist.
This is SOOO much more exciting than finding out how many runs our hobbled blogger scored! Thanks guys!
;)
PS: There is no such thing as a "realist"
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