As aussie schools are commanded to fly the flag of rascism (its
British Union Jack still mocking from on high), the maudlin story of
australian soldiers dying pointlessly for an imperial master at
Gallipoli is elevated, along with barely veiled colonialism and
racism.
Self-promoted as a bastion of so-called 'human rights', australia has
become a sideshow of their denial and degradation. Many australians
are aware of this, not least those who filled a small Sydney theatre
on January 26, "australia Day", which celebrates the dispossession of
the Aboriginal people by the British in 1770.
National myths are usually partly true. In australia, the myth of an
egalitarian society, or ?fair go?, has an extraordinary history. Long
before most of the world, australia had a minimum wage, a 30-hour
working week, child benefits and the vote for women. The secret ballot
was invented in australia. By the 1960s, australians could boast the
most equitable spread of personal income in the world.
Today, these are long forgotten, subversive truths. As schools are
forced to fly the flag (its British Union Jack still mocking from on
high), the maudlin story of australian soldiers dying pointlessly for
an imperial master at Gallipoli is elevated, along with barely veiled
colonialism and racism.
Six years ago, I interviewed Ruddock when he was the federal minister
responsible for ensuring that uppity black Australians did not
embarrass the government in the run-up to the Sydney Olympics. I asked
him: ?How do you feel receiving Amnesty reports on human rights
violations with ?Australia? written across the top, such as
?Aborigines are still dying in prison and police custody at levels
that may amount to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment??? Smiling,
he replied: ?Why do they use the word ?may???
The land of a fair go deserves better than supercilious cruelty, an
intellectually devoid and a narrow-minded population.
[ John Pilger?s latest book is Tell Me No Lies: Investigative
Journalism and its Triumphs (Jonathan Cape, 2004). Visit his website:
http://www.JohnPilger.com/ ]
--
Peter Lucas
Brisbane
Australia
sticking it to ''Politcal Correctness'' since 2008
British Union Jack still mocking from on high), the maudlin story of
australian soldiers dying pointlessly for an imperial master at
Gallipoli is elevated, along with barely veiled colonialism and
racism.
Self-promoted as a bastion of so-called 'human rights', australia has
become a sideshow of their denial and degradation. Many australians
are aware of this, not least those who filled a small Sydney theatre
on January 26, "australia Day", which celebrates the dispossession of
the Aboriginal people by the British in 1770.
National myths are usually partly true. In australia, the myth of an
egalitarian society, or ?fair go?, has an extraordinary history. Long
before most of the world, australia had a minimum wage, a 30-hour
working week, child benefits and the vote for women. The secret ballot
was invented in australia. By the 1960s, australians could boast the
most equitable spread of personal income in the world.
Today, these are long forgotten, subversive truths. As schools are
forced to fly the flag (its British Union Jack still mocking from on
high), the maudlin story of australian soldiers dying pointlessly for
an imperial master at Gallipoli is elevated, along with barely veiled
colonialism and racism.
Six years ago, I interviewed Ruddock when he was the federal minister
responsible for ensuring that uppity black Australians did not
embarrass the government in the run-up to the Sydney Olympics. I asked
him: ?How do you feel receiving Amnesty reports on human rights
violations with ?Australia? written across the top, such as
?Aborigines are still dying in prison and police custody at levels
that may amount to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment??? Smiling,
he replied: ?Why do they use the word ?may???
The land of a fair go deserves better than supercilious cruelty, an
intellectually devoid and a narrow-minded population.
[ John Pilger?s latest book is Tell Me No Lies: Investigative
Journalism and its Triumphs (Jonathan Cape, 2004). Visit his website:
http://www.JohnPilger.com/ ]
--
Peter Lucas
Brisbane
Australia
sticking it to ''Politcal Correctness'' since 2008
