In the last few days, both Dan and Kate have blogged, after seeing The Crucible, on how much easier it is to sell fear than reason.
Today, Amnesty International have come out and said what most of us already know - our Prime Minister, John Howard, is a "short-sighted fear monger" who "thrives on myopic and cowardly leadership."
Brilliant.
Amnesty International's report places John Howard alongside Robert Mugabe in terms of human rights abuses and fear-mongering - okay, so perhaps that's a little extreme for some but they're trying to make a point.
And this quote from the report is what clinched it for me - "The Howard government portrayed desperate asylum-seekers in leaky boats as a threat to Australia's national security and raised a false alarm of a refugee invasion." (winning an election on the back of it)
So, I know in the grand old scheme of things this report won't change much, and the Liberal Government will rubbish it like they usually do, but I'd just like to join with Amnesty International in saying a nice big fuck you to Mr Howard.
2 months ago
2 comments:
The sad thing is that because, weird rellies aside, most of our friends are probably all little L liberals we are already preaching to the converted when we talk about the politics of fear or just what a wanker our PM is. Talking to other people who perfectly agree with you means you can convince yourself that everyone in the country agrees with you and it’s just a matter of time before things change. Then you remember that half the country are either ignorant, bigots or a combination of a and b - they’re just not the people sitting next to you at dinner parties. Damnit.
You're right. I'm chipping away at my mum, and I'm always happy to enter into political debate with any capital L Liberals who come across my path. I often find they don't like being challenged too much though :)
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