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A wedge we must not tolerate
A wedge we must not tolerate
by Keith Warren
Tony Abbott must remove WA Liberal MP Don Randall. Mr. Abbott has stated that, “I just want to make it very clear that attacks on people based on their religion have no place in this election campaign and will not be made by me''.
Taking a firm stand on one's position with regards to their religious beliefs has, for the past generation or so, been an area where political attacks are generally considered to be a no go zone. This is a good thing. Australia has developed into a tolerant society, where people’s beliefs are respected.
Why then should atheism be any different? With the vast majority of Australians being very passive towards whichever faith they were by default, at birth, indoctrinated into - the weddings, christenings and funerals set - it is only a small step to accept the fact that they are not true devotees of any faith and if pressed to reflect on their true position, they would most likely have to accept that their beliefs are more closely linked to atheism than to any monotheistic doctrine. Julia Gillard has obviously at some point in her life considered her position on this matter and has come up with an honest and frank assessment of her true position.
Julia Gillard’s position on this should be applauded and protected from ridicule at all costs. If we are all expected to show tolerance for people of firm religious conviction, we must extend the same degree of tolerance for people honest enough to declare that whilst respecting the beliefs and faiths of others, they do not share those beliefs.
Don Randall’s recent attempts to drive a religious wedge into the political debate by publically reiterating anti atheistic views and concerns about Julia Gillard being a “godless Prime Minister” must not be allowed to be swept under the carpet. This is an attack on freedom of thought and expression. If Tony Abbott is to hold true to these values, values which he dare not speak against, he must remove Don Randall from this campaign
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Defending free speech
Surely, Keith, you're not saying that Don Randall doesn't have the right to have an opinion, and to persuade others to share that opinion?
Surely in deciding how to vote, I have the right to decide what values I think are important in a candidate? Doesn't one's belief system influence one's values?
Human trading
Morrison and Bishop met with Nauru this morning to discuss another round of human trading and all our frigging useless media can do is whine about policy.
Never mind the law hey?
You know, that little thing called the Refugee Convention that we helped to write that guarantees every person the right to seek asylum from persecution in other countries, allows "illegal" entry so long as they present to the authorities and forbids punishment.
Other side of the tracks
Re Marilyn Shepherd's comment about Nauru, one wonders why opposition politicians must constantly interfere and grandstand, regardless of the realities involved. They are really quite delinquent in their manner of dealing with serious issues.
And I do, deeply, agree with Marilyn's last couple of sentences.
We have indeed lost our sense of the "fair go" and that sense of the lot of the battler.
An unattractive candidate
Watching the candidate you speak of last night, Fiona Reynolds, I thought what an uninspiring individual on a couple of different levels.
Take it or leave it.
This is what the major parties dish up these days, people not chosen on merit but for their body and soul allegience to a faction or clique, along with an unquestioning accedence to whatever half baked ideology is de rigeur for it.
Keith's comment reminds us that Gillard seems such a tempting target for sexist comments as well.
Fiona Reynolds offered a little forbearance for Abbott, but when the one thing a party has to connect with the electorate is race hate, you have to gasp that a closet could be so bare, ideas wise.
Unattractiveness
Paul Walter (how formal we are these days), I sincerely hope that you were referring to Mr Barker's ideas (?) or perhaps more appropriately ideology and ideation rather than to his physical appearance.
Speaking as someone who is more than a trifle too broad in the beam myself, you understand.
As for Mr Abbott, please read this.
"the rain in Spain falls mainly on the..."
Fiona, "we" are not "formal", merely polite. I can't call you "Mary Reynolds" or "Fiona Smith", so did the best I could with,
"Fiona Reynolds".
Now, this Barker coot. You jog my memory, not your David Cassidy or Paul McCartney, this fellow, was he?
But what broke the straw for me was the full-frontal attitude - "take it or leave it".
Elsewhere it has been noted that the Murray-Darling authority postponed its scientific report on the basin 'til after the election.
Is this "ugly", too, or just a personal aesthetic?
Fiona: "Full frontal - urkkkkk.... As for the "delay", ugly, in my book, Paul. There are a few other conveniently - if not postponed - then not yet quite due reports as well. BTW, in a former life I was Fiona Smith.
gloombus teev
"Btw, in a former life I was Fiona Smith".
Yes, but that was in a former life...
Now back to 4 Corners' Congo.
Lovely place, the Congo...
Where do they find them?
I couldn’t agree with you more, Keith. Meanwhile, what about this from today’s SMH?
At least Tony Abbott – gods [sic] mouth piece – had the sense to distance himself:
Shades of Ms Hanson…
PS, this will, with luck, be the only time I'm kind to Mr Abbott this election.