on 9/10/01 1:50 AM, Douglas Barbour at [log in to unmask] wrote:
> Yeah
>
> there was a little note in our paper the other day, Jill, about yr
> election, & I thought, Aha. How sad.
Too, too sad, when there are no alternatives and both parties are really
saying the same thing. Though Howard and the Libs are worse by a distinct
edge. And, of course, it is pointless in a way to vote for minor parties. So
much for 'choice in a democracy'. it's times like this that some of the old
rhetoric runs round my head - like 'repressive tolerance', etc.
> And how sad, that what is happening now was inevitable, & perhaps all we
> can hope for is that various, different, voices will continue to speak &
> be(allowed to be) heard.
>
> It's no excuse, but i think 'the people' are leading the politicians as
> much as the opposite, in their reaction & support in the US. In Canada too.
> And I guess I feel we can't just dismiss out of hand the powerful feelings
> leading the people to feel so, & to demand a war. I want to keep the
> options of oppostiion open, but I don't see stopping it when so many want
> it started.
I don't know who is 'leading'. I spoke with a friend of mine the other day
who works as a lawyer for refugees wanting to stay in Australia. She has
made many trips to Port Headland and other places where these people are
incarcerated (you didn't know we had 'concentration camps' in Australia, did
you, but, effectively we do). She says, however, if Labor had come out and
challenged a lot of the lies and evasions and thuggish rhetoric of the Govt
they may have opened the eyes and ears of those who rely on the radio talk
back shock jocks for their sense of political debate. She said before Labor
had caved in and gone along with the Govt's repressive anti-refugee
legislation that they had been speaking with the Labor rep who was on-side
with their concerns. They were rather surprised at the about-turn.
And I must be the most naive person on the planet but I can't understand why
the US (and her allies, which some newspaper headlines here characterise as
'the world' - as in 'The world strikes back') can get away with attacking a
sovereign nation as they are doing.
I just shakes me head.
Peace,
Jill
_________________________________
Jill Jones
50 Ruby Street
Marrickville NSW 2204
AUSTRALIA
[log in to unmask]
http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~jpjones
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