Australian Broadcasting Corporation
LATELINE TV PROGRAM TRANSCRIPT
Broadcast: 05/09/2005
Clarke denies denigrating Jews, homosexuals
Reporter: Tom Iggulden
TONY JONES: Tony Abbott's comments and subsequent apology are just the latest events in a row which has engulfed the NSW Liberal Party. John Brogden's political demise revealed divisions and disunity and claims that a far-right wing, religious faction was engaged in a bitter battle for control. The man said to be at the centre of that conservative push is David Clarke. Tom Iggulden reports.
TOM IGGULDEN: This was David Clarke, the suburban solicitor, in the late 1970s, posing at a function for the Liberal Party's ethnic council with this man, Ljenko Urbancic. And this is Mr Urbancic in 1986, admitting to the ABC's 'Four Corners' of his involvement with Leon Rupnik, the World War II Slovenian Nazi General.
LJENKO URBANCIC: I did follow Rupnik and I thought it was correct thing to do at that particular time.
TOM IGGULDEN: These pictures are from last year's inaugural meeting of the Bankstown branch of the Liberal Party, attended by David Clarke after his election to the NSW parliament. Police were called when the meeting decended into fisticuffs after conservative Liberal followers of Mr Clarke clashed with moderate party members, who had accused them of branch stacking. And when moderate Liberal John Brogden quit as leader, he made no secret that he held a senior staff member in David Clarke's office responsible.
JOHN BROGDEN, FORMER NSW LIBERAL PARTY LEADER: The federal president of the Young Liberal movement, Alex Hawke, has been named as pushing it. He needs to take a long, hard look at himself.
TOM IGGULDEN: Now there's new claims by a former Liberal Party colleague who's told Lateline that Mr Clarke proposed exploiting Muslim sentiments about Jewish people and homosexuals to recruit Labor-voting Muslims to the Liberal Party.
IRFAN YUSUF, FORMER LIBERAL PARTY MEMBER: I guess in my case, or in the cases that he could side with Islamics, he sort of presumed that, "Oh, well. If you want to get the Arabs in or the Muslims in, then you just tell them that the Howard Government -" or that he in particular, or the people that he is associated with, perhaps -
"weren't all that fond of people of Jewish background."
TOM IGGULDEN: Tonight, Mr Clarke released a statement to Lateline declaring: "I first met Mr Irfan Yusuf a number of years ago when he was a member of the Liberal Party. He has sinced parted company with the Liberal Party and for some years has been running an escalating campaign of denigration against the party and in particular against myself. I categorically deny making derogatory remarks to him about Jews and homosexuals, or encouraging him to sign up Labor Party members as member of the Liberal Party. His allegations are outrageous lies.
TOM IGGULDEN: Mr Clarke's activities have made enemies among current colleagues.
PATRICIA FORSYTH, NSW MLA: When I talk of extremism and I talk of zealots, I'm talking about a group of people who in my view seem to lack a focus on normal, human decency.
TOM IGGULDEN: But Mr Clarke, a member of the catholic sect Opus Dei, has some high-profile supporters.
TONY ABBOTT, HEALTH MINISTER: There is nothing wrong with the NSW Upper House member David Clarke simply because he goes to church on Sunday and simply because he shares some views not uncommon among some decent members of the political party sitting opposite me now.
TOM IGGULDEN: But former federal Liberal leader John Hewson says that claim by Tony Abbott has a dangerous precedent.
JOHN HEWSON, FORMER LIBERAL LEADER: No, they said the same thing about Pauline Hanson.
TOM IGGULDEN: And Dr Hewson says the religious right is a growing influence in the NSW Liberal party. Tom Iggulden, Lateline.
Connecting the dots
Be prepared for some serious digging around the NSW Liberal Party as further rumour and evidence comes to light. It seems the media have a whiff of something big and they are salivating at the smell.
In their sights are David Clarke MLC, headkicker in the religious right and member of the uber-conservative Opus Dei Catholic sect, and his staffer Alex Hawke, who is also President of the Federal Young Liberals as well as an insider among the rising power of the evangelical Hillsong Church enterprise.
The ABC revealed some details on Stateline last week and its Religion Report has repeated an interview with David Clarke from 2004. Another enlightened view comes from opponents in Western Sydney.
In their sights are David Clarke MLC, headkicker in the religious right and member of the uber-conservative Opus Dei Catholic sect, and his staffer Alex Hawke, who is also President of the Federal Young Liberals as well as an insider among the rising power of the evangelical Hillsong Church enterprise.
The ABC revealed some details on Stateline last week and its Religion Report has repeated an interview with David Clarke from 2004. Another enlightened view comes from opponents in Western Sydney.
caveat civis
Further to my recent focus on Fred Phelps, the NSW Liberal Party and other Christian terrorists, I now draw your attention to the formation of Australia's first Islamic political party, The Best Party of Allah in Australia.
According to The Australian the party founder, Kurt Kennedy, believes that "all Australians should be living under Islamic law dictated by the Koran" and that we have nothing to fear because "The positive part of sharia law is (about) treating everybody fairly".
All well and good ... IF equality is the foundation stone. Unfortunately it may not be that simple - nor is it right and just!
Despite the spin, Islamic values are NOT exactly the same as those of any other religion, though they are more similar to Jewish or Christian beliefs than either of those religions would care to admit. As such, it is incomprehensible that a nation, especially Australia, should have to base its laws upon any one religion, even Christianity.
Islam, like any other religion (including Christianity) or political ideology, is subject to interpretation as well as the external forces that are invoked when trying to apply theory to a practical world. Communism is a great theory (true equality), but in practice it is unworkable and unjust. Capitalism is equally problematic.
Orwell's masterpiece, Animal Farm, suitably depicts how the forces of power, greed, discrimination and social politicisation of a community evolves from a genuine intent to provide equality, be it from a progressive or conservative perspective.
Evolutionary theory (the survival of the fittest) dictates that it is against our nature to believe anything other than that "some are more equal than others". If we add to these murky waters the widespread indoctrination that must naturally follow any implementation of a state-endorsed religion, then we will encounter a firestorm of fear and bigotry not unlike that seen in Nazi Germany, Apartheid South Africa, and the Crusades era in the Middle East.
Religion and politics are a chaotic mix, just as the suppression of religion in particular nations also breeds unnecessary suffering and malcontent. The separation of state and church is not only a cornerstone of democracy, it is the most fundamental of all human rights - the right to exist as an individual, with thoughts, actions and values of one's own choosing.
I don't deny the right of Kennedy and his supporters to establish an Islamic-based political party, and I have said as much previously on this blog here and here, but I cannot support the intent to establish any form of theocracy, whether it be Christian, Moslem or otherwise. I will also be the first one to stand up to oppose the possible election of any representative from such a group.
The Theocracy Alert - Early warning System is suitably on Orange status, the second highest rating.
[+/-] show/hide this post
According to The Australian the party founder, Kurt Kennedy, believes that "all Australians should be living under Islamic law dictated by the Koran" and that we have nothing to fear because "The positive part of sharia law is (about) treating everybody fairly".
All well and good ... IF equality is the foundation stone. Unfortunately it may not be that simple - nor is it right and just!
Despite the spin, Islamic values are NOT exactly the same as those of any other religion, though they are more similar to Jewish or Christian beliefs than either of those religions would care to admit. As such, it is incomprehensible that a nation, especially Australia, should have to base its laws upon any one religion, even Christianity.
Islam, like any other religion (including Christianity) or political ideology, is subject to interpretation as well as the external forces that are invoked when trying to apply theory to a practical world. Communism is a great theory (true equality), but in practice it is unworkable and unjust. Capitalism is equally problematic.
Orwell's masterpiece, Animal Farm, suitably depicts how the forces of power, greed, discrimination and social politicisation of a community evolves from a genuine intent to provide equality, be it from a progressive or conservative perspective.
Evolutionary theory (the survival of the fittest) dictates that it is against our nature to believe anything other than that "some are more equal than others". If we add to these murky waters the widespread indoctrination that must naturally follow any implementation of a state-endorsed religion, then we will encounter a firestorm of fear and bigotry not unlike that seen in Nazi Germany, Apartheid South Africa, and the Crusades era in the Middle East.
Religion and politics are a chaotic mix, just as the suppression of religion in particular nations also breeds unnecessary suffering and malcontent. The separation of state and church is not only a cornerstone of democracy, it is the most fundamental of all human rights - the right to exist as an individual, with thoughts, actions and values of one's own choosing.
I don't deny the right of Kennedy and his supporters to establish an Islamic-based political party, and I have said as much previously on this blog here and here, but I cannot support the intent to establish any form of theocracy, whether it be Christian, Moslem or otherwise. I will also be the first one to stand up to oppose the possible election of any representative from such a group.
The Theocracy Alert - Early warning System is suitably on Orange status, the second highest rating.
[+/-] show/hide this post
The Fred Phelps Conspiracy
I shouldn't have let last week go by without some reference to the antics of Fred Phelps.
If you missed it in the news the "loving" pastor who launched literary creations like www.godhatesfags.com and www.godhatesamerica.com has protested at the funerals of US servicemen killed in Iraq, claiming that it is God's punishment for the nation's hedonistic support of homosexuality.
And if that wasn't enough, Phelps is off to Sweden (his land of birth) to track down the monarch, King Carl Gustaf, and give him a piece of his mind over that country's servitude to the homosexual lifestyle, even claiming that the King is gay! And .. yes! There is now a www.godhatessweden.com website too.
Spot the recurring theme? I sure wish he'd take a one way ticket to Baghdad!
Well, not to be outdone by Phelps, a slightly less certifiable Christian antagonist is now claiming that Pope Fred may actually be a gay plant whose aim is to unfairly stereotype opponents of gay rights as hateful people.
O.K. ... ummm ... right!!! ... and the Ku Klux Klan is headed by Rev Jesse Jackson in order to highlight the issues of racism in the USA. haha.
If you missed it in the news the "loving" pastor who launched literary creations like www.godhatesfags.com and www.godhatesamerica.com has protested at the funerals of US servicemen killed in Iraq, claiming that it is God's punishment for the nation's hedonistic support of homosexuality.
And if that wasn't enough, Phelps is off to Sweden (his land of birth) to track down the monarch, King Carl Gustaf, and give him a piece of his mind over that country's servitude to the homosexual lifestyle, even claiming that the King is gay! And .. yes! There is now a www.godhatessweden.com website too.
Spot the recurring theme? I sure wish he'd take a one way ticket to Baghdad!
Well, not to be outdone by Phelps, a slightly less certifiable Christian antagonist is now claiming that Pope Fred may actually be a gay plant whose aim is to unfairly stereotype opponents of gay rights as hateful people.
O.K. ... ummm ... right!!! ... and the Ku Klux Klan is headed by Rev Jesse Jackson in order to highlight the issues of racism in the USA. haha.
The Brogden Code
The deeper one digs, the more it seems that the Brogden affair is a carefully planned strategic manouvre by the lowest life-forms in Australian politics. The story is slowly unravelling as a bizarre tale of sex, religion and power worthy of a Dan Brown novel.
The secretive Catholic sect Opus Dei, a favourite scapegoat of Brown's, is now part of the twisted plot leading up to the resignation and self-harm of former NSW Liberal leader, John Brogden. According to Alex Mitchell in the Sun-Herald:
And while it seemed that O'Farrell was counting his chickens before they hatched, it was the religious right that swooped in to make a meal of the deal.
Peter Debnam's succession will, no doubt, come at a cost to the NSW Liberal Party, whose members must now be in a state of fervent back-watching. Add to this climate a growing desire to ruthlessly gather intel on colleagues and opponents and it could fuel a messy backlash against the religious fundy-cons.
The NSW Liberals could be headed for nuclear meltdown if Debnam's leadership is not allowed to cool party divisions and temper the fundy-cons bolemic-like hunger for power.
Not that I'm supporting anyone in the Liberal Party, but there's no sense in hiding the fact that I would enjoy seeing the religious right be the cause of their own downfall. And Victoria seems to be heading in a similar direction.
The champagne is on ice ... the popcorn is on the shopping list ... and the Theocracy Alert is raised to orange once again :-)
[+/-] show/hide this post
The secretive Catholic sect Opus Dei, a favourite scapegoat of Brown's, is now part of the twisted plot leading up to the resignation and self-harm of former NSW Liberal leader, John Brogden. According to Alex Mitchell in the Sun-Herald:
"[Brogden's] public execution was conducted by a coalition of powerful interests from the hard right of the Liberal Party and Catholic right-wingers aligned to the Opus Dei network to sections of the media."
And while it seemed that O'Farrell was counting his chickens before they hatched, it was the religious right that swooped in to make a meal of the deal.
Peter Debnam's succession will, no doubt, come at a cost to the NSW Liberal Party, whose members must now be in a state of fervent back-watching. Add to this climate a growing desire to ruthlessly gather intel on colleagues and opponents and it could fuel a messy backlash against the religious fundy-cons.
The NSW Liberals could be headed for nuclear meltdown if Debnam's leadership is not allowed to cool party divisions and temper the fundy-cons bolemic-like hunger for power.
Not that I'm supporting anyone in the Liberal Party, but there's no sense in hiding the fact that I would enjoy seeing the religious right be the cause of their own downfall. And Victoria seems to be heading in a similar direction.
The champagne is on ice ... the popcorn is on the shopping list ... and the Theocracy Alert is raised to orange once again :-)
[+/-] show/hide this post
Humour
Time for some humour. My apologies in advance as I do not intend to offend horses :-)
Three plastic surgeons were playing golf together and discussing surgeries they had performed.
One of them said, "I'm the best plastic surgeon in Texas. A concert pianist lost seven fingers in an accident. I reattached them, and eight months later she performed a private concert for the Queen of England."
One of the others said, "That's nothing. A young man lost both arms and legs in an accident. I reattached them and two years later he won a gold medal in five field events in the Olympics".
The third surgeon said, "You guys are amateurs. Several years ago a cowboy who was high on cocaine and alcohol rode a horse head-on into a train traveling 80 miles an hour. All I had to work with was the horse's ass
and a cowboy hat, and now he is the President!
Three plastic surgeons were playing golf together and discussing surgeries they had performed.
One of them said, "I'm the best plastic surgeon in Texas. A concert pianist lost seven fingers in an accident. I reattached them, and eight months later she performed a private concert for the Queen of England."
One of the others said, "That's nothing. A young man lost both arms and legs in an accident. I reattached them and two years later he won a gold medal in five field events in the Olympics".
The third surgeon said, "You guys are amateurs. Several years ago a cowboy who was high on cocaine and alcohol rode a horse head-on into a train traveling 80 miles an hour. All I had to work with was the horse's ass
and a cowboy hat, and now he is the President!
Less news, more movies
I've just posted my response to a Lightspeed mini-poll and found the current results (as of this morning) fascinating.
The question being asked is:
Which one of the following would you like to see more of on free-to-air television?
[+/-] show/hide the results
Respondents had clearly indicated their desire for more documentaries and movies, but of most interest to me was that the lowest response rate was for news. Apparently the last thing we want is more news!
Are we all newsed out? Are we overloaded with news? Are the majority of Australians just sick and tired of listening to all the politics, crimes, war and the rest of the bad stuff that happens in our world? Have we turned off and tuned out of the big picture and refocussed on the simpler and sweeter things in life, like watching a cleverly orchestrated and frenzied feeding upon a shoal of sardines by dolphins, sharks and birds?
Perhaps the medium of television is experiencing a shift back to pure entertainment and that people are gaining their information (like news and current affairs) from other sources such as the Internet. With the advent of Newsfeeds (RSS, atom etc) and Podcasts, news and information (as well as entertainment) is no longer limited to your tv screen or PC monitor.
But not all is at a loss. At least history programs rated higher than reality tv :-)
The question being asked is:
Which one of the following would you like to see more of on free-to-air television?
Movies 24%
Documentaries 15%
Drama series 8%
Local programming 7%
Sports events 6%
History programmes 5%
Sitcoms 5%
Entertainment shows 4%
International programmes, movies, etc. 4%
Do-it-yourself shows 3%
Reality shows 3%
Travel shows 3%
Current affairs 2%
Game shows 2%
Home decorating shows 2%
Talk shows 2%
News 1%
Other 3%
[+/-] show/hide the results
Respondents had clearly indicated their desire for more documentaries and movies, but of most interest to me was that the lowest response rate was for news. Apparently the last thing we want is more news!
Are we all newsed out? Are we overloaded with news? Are the majority of Australians just sick and tired of listening to all the politics, crimes, war and the rest of the bad stuff that happens in our world? Have we turned off and tuned out of the big picture and refocussed on the simpler and sweeter things in life, like watching a cleverly orchestrated and frenzied feeding upon a shoal of sardines by dolphins, sharks and birds?
Perhaps the medium of television is experiencing a shift back to pure entertainment and that people are gaining their information (like news and current affairs) from other sources such as the Internet. With the advent of Newsfeeds (RSS, atom etc) and Podcasts, news and information (as well as entertainment) is no longer limited to your tv screen or PC monitor.
But not all is at a loss. At least history programs rated higher than reality tv :-)
More questions over murder by UK police
If something smells rotten in Denmark, then something is toxic in London.
Conflicting reports are coming to light about the fatal shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, a Brazillian national falsely identified as a terorist suspect, at Stockwell Tube station on 22 July.
On the one hand, if there was a conspiracy to cover up a monumental bungle, I'd expect the police to be capable of a better job than this. Then again, the probability that all eight CCTV cameras failed or were inoperable beggars belief.
Quite simply, the odds are favouring a cover-up and I wouldn't want to be one of the officers whose head is on the chopping block.
It is imperative that the truth of this matter be flushed out and presented to the british public as soon as possible. Any attempt at a whitewash will not only be a public relations disaster, but is also likely to send the wrong message to police and allow them to get away with poor judgement in the future.
This is a potential tipping point for civil rights and police accountability in the same vein as the brutality of Rodney King in 1991 became a point of reference for the world.
[+/-] show/hide this post
Conflicting reports are coming to light about the fatal shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, a Brazillian national falsely identified as a terorist suspect, at Stockwell Tube station on 22 July.
On the one hand, if there was a conspiracy to cover up a monumental bungle, I'd expect the police to be capable of a better job than this. Then again, the probability that all eight CCTV cameras failed or were inoperable beggars belief.
Quite simply, the odds are favouring a cover-up and I wouldn't want to be one of the officers whose head is on the chopping block.
It is imperative that the truth of this matter be flushed out and presented to the british public as soon as possible. Any attempt at a whitewash will not only be a public relations disaster, but is also likely to send the wrong message to police and allow them to get away with poor judgement in the future.
This is a potential tipping point for civil rights and police accountability in the same vein as the brutality of Rodney King in 1991 became a point of reference for the world.
[+/-] show/hide this post
White Christian terrorists
I have been arguing for years that religion is one of the biggest problems in our world. Of particular note to me is the continued hypocrisy of Christianity which, on the hand preaches 'love', while at the same time breeds hate.
Do we need any more proof than this report to highlight the new depths that some Christian leaders will go to force their lunacy on the world?
Apparently USA evangelist Pat Robertson has forgotten that the ten commandments are pretty clear on the "you shall not murder"!!
I raise this as an example of how Christianity, particularly white Christianity, is heading for a direct uber-conflict with Islam. It is not only ironic that both religions believe in the same single deity as their Judaic roots, but it is completely moronic that fringe elements from these three major religions are caught up in battle within themselves as well as against each other.
If Pat Robertson is any guide, and millions of Americans would attest to his piety and leadership, then Christianity is no better than Islam (generally speaking). Of course, that is where the debate siphons off into a series of useless arguments about "fundamentalists", Q'uran v Bible, Jihads and Crusades, inevitably ending with a comparison between Hitler and Osama bin Laden, thereby invoking Godwin's Law and enforcing the futility of the exercise.
Suffice to say that at the root of all this inexplicable evil and wrongdoing is a very clear link to religion itself - my beliefs (atheists and agnostics included) versus your beliefs. I am right, you are wrong. I am good, you are bad.
Pat Robertson and his ilk are no better than an Al Qaeda terrorist or Jack the Ripper. It doesn't matter how you go about killing someone, nor how many people's lives you take, murder is murder. Call it an assasination if you like, even call it justice (via lethal injection, hanging, electric chair or firing squad) if you prefer, but it is plain and simple murder that is being advocated.
If the USA has a crime of inciting to cause murder, then Robertson is guilty.
[+/-] show/hide this post
Do we need any more proof than this report to highlight the new depths that some Christian leaders will go to force their lunacy on the world?
Apparently USA evangelist Pat Robertson has forgotten that the ten commandments are pretty clear on the "you shall not murder"!!
I raise this as an example of how Christianity, particularly white Christianity, is heading for a direct uber-conflict with Islam. It is not only ironic that both religions believe in the same single deity as their Judaic roots, but it is completely moronic that fringe elements from these three major religions are caught up in battle within themselves as well as against each other.
If Pat Robertson is any guide, and millions of Americans would attest to his piety and leadership, then Christianity is no better than Islam (generally speaking). Of course, that is where the debate siphons off into a series of useless arguments about "fundamentalists", Q'uran v Bible, Jihads and Crusades, inevitably ending with a comparison between Hitler and Osama bin Laden, thereby invoking Godwin's Law and enforcing the futility of the exercise.
Suffice to say that at the root of all this inexplicable evil and wrongdoing is a very clear link to religion itself - my beliefs (atheists and agnostics included) versus your beliefs. I am right, you are wrong. I am good, you are bad.
Pat Robertson and his ilk are no better than an Al Qaeda terrorist or Jack the Ripper. It doesn't matter how you go about killing someone, nor how many people's lives you take, murder is murder. Call it an assasination if you like, even call it justice (via lethal injection, hanging, electric chair or firing squad) if you prefer, but it is plain and simple murder that is being advocated.
If the USA has a crime of inciting to cause murder, then Robertson is guilty.
[+/-] show/hide this post
Gmail Invites
Would anyone like an invitation for a free Gmail account?
If you don't know what Gmail is, it is the very best web based email service (much better than yahoo or hotmail) but it is not yet publicly available as it is still under development by Google. I've been using it for more than a year now and I'm hooked.
Thanks to Andrew Leigh at Imagining Australia for inviting me to set up an account last year.
If you would like to swap over to Gmail (you won't regret it) let me know and I'll get back to you. I can't give one to everyone, so plead your case for one and I'll consider the best grovel, story or bribe (a joke, an ebook, a cartoon, a great weblink, add me to your blogroll, EU$1,000 ... whatever)!
*grin*
Send your request to 'gmailrequest(AT)2910.cjb.net' or leave your case for public scrutiny with a comment below.
If you don't know what Gmail is, it is the very best web based email service (much better than yahoo or hotmail) but it is not yet publicly available as it is still under development by Google. I've been using it for more than a year now and I'm hooked.
Thanks to Andrew Leigh at Imagining Australia for inviting me to set up an account last year.
If you would like to swap over to Gmail (you won't regret it) let me know and I'll get back to you. I can't give one to everyone, so plead your case for one and I'll consider the best grovel, story or bribe (a joke, an ebook, a cartoon, a great weblink, add me to your blogroll, EU$1,000 ... whatever)!
*grin*
Send your request to 'gmailrequest(AT)2910.cjb.net' or leave your case for public scrutiny with a comment below.
Blogshares
I'm still working on my rebuttal to the tripe I exposed last week. All in good time.
Meanwhile, a bit of lightheartedness and a trip into capitalism, blog-style!
If you haven't heard about Blogshares, perhaps you should get acquainted. It is an interesting virtual marketplace designed to experience trading on weblogs instead of companies. It works using similar principles to a share market with share prices moving according to links between blogs. I.e. the more linkages, the more potential traffic, the more valuable a blog becomes.
In order to move the share price of your own blog upwards, there must be an increase in the number of blogs linking to your blog. It is all about networking with other bloggers and utilising systems like trackback, blog rolls, and even rss feeds to improve visibility. Yopu can also drive prices up or down through buying and selling, but that is boring.
Claim your blog (or get it listed) and have a go!
Meanwhile, here are a couple of interesting bloggers:
Meanwhile, a bit of lightheartedness and a trip into capitalism, blog-style!
If you haven't heard about Blogshares, perhaps you should get acquainted. It is an interesting virtual marketplace designed to experience trading on weblogs instead of companies. It works using similar principles to a share market with share prices moving according to links between blogs. I.e. the more linkages, the more potential traffic, the more valuable a blog becomes.
In order to move the share price of your own blog upwards, there must be an increase in the number of blogs linking to your blog. It is all about networking with other bloggers and utilising systems like trackback, blog rolls, and even rss feeds to improve visibility. Yopu can also drive prices up or down through buying and selling, but that is boring.
Claim your blog (or get it listed) and have a go!
Meanwhile, here are a couple of interesting bloggers:
XXX domain on hold
According to several reports in my inbox today, a proposal to establish a xxx domain (e.g. debbiedoesdallas.xxx or even howardsuckslikeahoover.xxx) has been delayed due to "an unprecedented level of protests".
One would expect that any measure designed to protect Internet users from unwanted access to pornography would be a welcome initiative! By establishing a specific doamin for such material it would be very easy to block that area of the Internet - especially from children in the home, at schools or public institutions like libraries.
Despite the fact that the services would still be available to those who seek them, you would also expect that anti-porn campaigners, churches and "pro-family" advocates would support this move to protect families. Alas, No!
The god-botherers are at it again, and apparently they would prefer for pornography to be available around any corner than localised to a "red-light district" of the superhighway.
Apparently the organisation responsible for the management of domains, Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), "has received almost 6000 letters and emails from individuals expressing concern about the impact of pornography on families and children".
Does it not occur to them that without this measure, and appropriate pressure to ensure that companies comply by migrating to the .xxx domain, families will have a greater risk of exposure?
Face the facts, people; just like alcohol, drugs and gambling, pornography is here to stay! We either learn to live with it as it is, or we take measures to minimise the harm it does to the vulnerable people in our society.
[+/-] show/hide this post
One would expect that any measure designed to protect Internet users from unwanted access to pornography would be a welcome initiative! By establishing a specific doamin for such material it would be very easy to block that area of the Internet - especially from children in the home, at schools or public institutions like libraries.
Despite the fact that the services would still be available to those who seek them, you would also expect that anti-porn campaigners, churches and "pro-family" advocates would support this move to protect families. Alas, No!
The god-botherers are at it again, and apparently they would prefer for pornography to be available around any corner than localised to a "red-light district" of the superhighway.
Apparently the organisation responsible for the management of domains, Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), "has received almost 6000 letters and emails from individuals expressing concern about the impact of pornography on families and children".
Does it not occur to them that without this measure, and appropriate pressure to ensure that companies comply by migrating to the .xxx domain, families will have a greater risk of exposure?
Face the facts, people; just like alcohol, drugs and gambling, pornography is here to stay! We either learn to live with it as it is, or we take measures to minimise the harm it does to the vulnerable people in our society.
[+/-] show/hide this post
Gays can be bigots too!
It is always interesting to see bigotry alive and active within minority communities. Depending on your view it can also be ditressing if it is relevant enough to damage a good cause.
I'll admit that I wouldn't blink much at some examples. but I continue to be alarmed at the blatant vilification that exists between particular groups within the gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans* & intersex community (or communities, as some people prefer).
It is not uncommon to see great division and unrest between different interest groups, often to the point of all out war. This often leads to the breakdown of important community infrastructure, culture and resources. it happened with the old Mardi Gras and it continues to be a source of rivalry and division between the numerous state and national lobby groups.
What has got my blood boiling this week is an article in the monthly "gay/lesbian" paper in Western Australia, OutinPerth. Click below to view a scanned copy of the article.
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Without debating the dubious research to which this article refers (I'll do that in another post very soon), it is fair to say that the author, Ralph Morrow, is guilty of vilification and bigotry to the extreme. Who needs the religious right when you have brothers-in-arms like this guy?
It is completely repugnant to any decent person, especially anyone who campaigns for human rights, equality and equity for diverse sexualities.
I'll admit that I wouldn't blink much at some examples. but I continue to be alarmed at the blatant vilification that exists between particular groups within the gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans* & intersex community (or communities, as some people prefer).
It is not uncommon to see great division and unrest between different interest groups, often to the point of all out war. This often leads to the breakdown of important community infrastructure, culture and resources. it happened with the old Mardi Gras and it continues to be a source of rivalry and division between the numerous state and national lobby groups.
What has got my blood boiling this week is an article in the monthly "gay/lesbian" paper in Western Australia, OutinPerth. Click below to view a scanned copy of the article.
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Without debating the dubious research to which this article refers (I'll do that in another post very soon), it is fair to say that the author, Ralph Morrow, is guilty of vilification and bigotry to the extreme. Who needs the religious right when you have brothers-in-arms like this guy?
It is completely repugnant to any decent person, especially anyone who campaigns for human rights, equality and equity for diverse sexualities.
AusDemocrats enjoy "Lite" humour
It seems that there's discussion on the AusDemocrats YahooGroup about my creative work with one of the old Democrat web banners.
Anyone who happens to be a member of the list can check their archive for message # 22514 for full details.
In a small egotistical way it is nice to still be making an impression on the poor sods :-)
Anyone who happens to be a member of the list can check their archive for message # 22514 for full details.
In a small egotistical way it is nice to still be making an impression on the poor sods :-)
The War Against an Idea
Does the 'War Against Terror' have a known enemy? Is the treatment we are providing worse than the disease?
It certainly seems that the more the USA and its allies fight the terrorists the greater their number and more widespread their attacks become. It is like trying to fight Golden Staph with simple penicillin.
In 2001 the world stood in the wake of 911 and vowed to bring justice to those who lost their lives. Soon we will witness the passing of four years, with two wars fought (and still underway) and two 'evil' regimes overthrown (despite being unconnected to the attack on the USA).
In the time since that fateful day the horror has continued with Bali, Madrid and London as well as numerous smaller attacks, all of which have left tens of thousands of people dead or mourning and millions more living in fear or with their rights under threat.
Jason Burke writes in The Guardian today to suggest that what we are seeing is the work of an idea sweeping the world, rather than a carefully crafted plot by some underworld organisation.
He is right. And what is more, the governments and the media are the unwitting fuel for this pandemic. What we are seeing now is the start of a long list of copycat terrorist attacks from all manner of people, not just trained terrorists or crazed fundamentalists but real people with a real grudge.
The new war is beginning to be fought in our own streets, near our homes and places of work. It no longer requires a large network of terrorist cells financed by middle eastern billionaires or a magic word to awaken the sleepers that lie dormant in our suburbs.
Today's terrorists are people we went to school with, the guy we chat to in the lunch bar or on the bus. They are regular citizens who, for whatever reason, get hooked into the idea that is now being played out on their TV's, radios, newspapers, magazines and the internet.
Just as the green movement, and the anti-nuclear movement before it, swooped across the world in a wave of acceptance with powerful consequences, so too can the ideals of peace in the Middle-East or faith in Islam be turned to less positive consequences and have such disastrous effects upon the world.
Burke is right - and it goes far deeper than he cared to admit.
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It certainly seems that the more the USA and its allies fight the terrorists the greater their number and more widespread their attacks become. It is like trying to fight Golden Staph with simple penicillin.
In 2001 the world stood in the wake of 911 and vowed to bring justice to those who lost their lives. Soon we will witness the passing of four years, with two wars fought (and still underway) and two 'evil' regimes overthrown (despite being unconnected to the attack on the USA).
In the time since that fateful day the horror has continued with Bali, Madrid and London as well as numerous smaller attacks, all of which have left tens of thousands of people dead or mourning and millions more living in fear or with their rights under threat.
Jason Burke writes in The Guardian today to suggest that what we are seeing is the work of an idea sweeping the world, rather than a carefully crafted plot by some underworld organisation.
... we need to face up to the simple truth that Bin Laden, al-Zawahiri et al do not need to organise attacks directly. They merely need to wait for the message they have spread around the world to inspire others. Al-Qaida is now an idea, not an organisation.
He is right. And what is more, the governments and the media are the unwitting fuel for this pandemic. What we are seeing now is the start of a long list of copycat terrorist attacks from all manner of people, not just trained terrorists or crazed fundamentalists but real people with a real grudge.
The new war is beginning to be fought in our own streets, near our homes and places of work. It no longer requires a large network of terrorist cells financed by middle eastern billionaires or a magic word to awaken the sleepers that lie dormant in our suburbs.
Today's terrorists are people we went to school with, the guy we chat to in the lunch bar or on the bus. They are regular citizens who, for whatever reason, get hooked into the idea that is now being played out on their TV's, radios, newspapers, magazines and the internet.
Just as the green movement, and the anti-nuclear movement before it, swooped across the world in a wave of acceptance with powerful consequences, so too can the ideals of peace in the Middle-East or faith in Islam be turned to less positive consequences and have such disastrous effects upon the world.
Burke is right - and it goes far deeper than he cared to admit.
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Red Cross responds
More on the action against the Red Cross, in my reading I discovered an article stating that the Swedish Prime Minister has become the first world leader to advocate for the worldwide ban against gay/bi men to be lifted.
Meanwhile the Australian Red Cross Blood Service national manager of donor and product safety, Dr Tony Keller, has responded:
And another quote from the ABC:
Clearly Dr Keller is unable to recognise that the same risk also applies to male-to-female sex!
All sex is risky, but what should be of concern is whether condoms and other precautions are used, regardless of the gender of the people involved in the sexual act. Similarly, intravenous drug use carries the same risk as getting an immunisation ... the risk lies in whether the needle and syringe are clean or not!
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Note: The same testing procedures are used for organ donation, yet due to time constraints organs are not subjected to being held in storage for two weeks and retested to ensure their safety. Hypocritically, sexually active gay and bisexual men are welcome to be organ donors! Go figure!
Meanwhile the Australian Red Cross Blood Service national manager of donor and product safety, Dr Tony Keller, has responded:
"Gay people can give blood: this policy is not directed against sexual preference but sexual activity," Dr Keller said.
"There is a risk in male-to-male sex that transmission of blood-borne diseases can occur."
And another quote from the ABC:
"For instance, if people are using condoms, there is a certain breakage rate," he said.
Clearly Dr Keller is unable to recognise that the same risk also applies to male-to-female sex!
All sex is risky, but what should be of concern is whether condoms and other precautions are used, regardless of the gender of the people involved in the sexual act. Similarly, intravenous drug use carries the same risk as getting an immunisation ... the risk lies in whether the needle and syringe are clean or not!
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Note: The same testing procedures are used for organ donation, yet due to time constraints organs are not subjected to being held in storage for two weeks and retested to ensure their safety. Hypocritically, sexually active gay and bisexual men are welcome to be organ donors! Go figure!
Red Cross Discriminates
Finally someone has taken the courage to stand up for one of my own deepest peeves ... the blatant discrimination employed by the nation's blood banks against sexually active (that's active, not promiscuous) gay men!
In an article titled Challenge on gay blood-donor ban The Australian reveals that a Tasmanian man is taking legal action against the Red Cross. While the article is short on detail it is heartening for me that someone is finally making a stand.
During my time with Gay and Lesbian Equality WA (GALE) I raised this issue a handful of times but failed to rally any support for a political campaign. I even encountered several gay men daring to defend the policy!
If you want more detail on this issue check out the media release by the Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group. There are additional links on that site with further reading about the blood ban and today's development.
Here is an unpublished letter I wrote to The West Australian in August 2003 after a report about a shortage at the local blood bank:
All the best of luck to Michael Cain and the Tasmanian community. At the very least I hope you can rasie awareness of this important issue.
In an article titled Challenge on gay blood-donor ban The Australian reveals that a Tasmanian man is taking legal action against the Red Cross. While the article is short on detail it is heartening for me that someone is finally making a stand.
During my time with Gay and Lesbian Equality WA (GALE) I raised this issue a handful of times but failed to rally any support for a political campaign. I even encountered several gay men daring to defend the policy!
If you want more detail on this issue check out the media release by the Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group. There are additional links on that site with further reading about the blood ban and today's development.
Here is an unpublished letter I wrote to The West Australian in August 2003 after a report about a shortage at the local blood bank:
The shortage of blood comes as no surprise when archaic legislation and regulations prevent healthy potential donors from making such a gift.
Sexually active gay or bisexual men are barred from making a blood donation. It is irrelevant whether the man has been in a monogamous relationship for the last 20 years, has always practiced safer sex and is otherwise not in a high risk category.
On the other hand, a heterosexual man that frequently has several different sexual partners each week, partakes in orgies and never uses condoms is welcomed by the Red Cross with open arms. Outrageous!
I know which one is the greater risk to clean blood supply! I don't even have to emphasise the rigorous testing procedures that are used to detect and remove unsuitable blood product before it even gets approved for use.
This blatant discrimination against gay and bisexual men is based upon the unfounded fear that such people automatically carry HIV. It should be remembered that unsafe practices such as sharing needles and unprotected sex are the major cause of the spread of HIV, not the sexuality of a particular person.
Fortunately there are many caring, community-minded, healthy gay and bisexual men that choose to lie on the Red Cross forms when they regularly donate blood. Not that I am condoning this illegal act, but if they didn't care so much as to risk being charged, our national blood stocks would be at disastrous levels.
Some rules just don't follow logic. It is time for Government to pick up its act and start discriminating against the virus instead of the people!
All the best of luck to Michael Cain and the Tasmanian community. At the very least I hope you can rasie awareness of this important issue.
Theocracy Alert
The threat of theocracy seems to be dwindling a bit in recent weeks. The new Rottweiller Pontiff seems to be more bark than bite, and in Australia we are still waiting to hear any major peeps out of Family First and their supporters.
On that basis I have reduced the level of the Early Warning System down to code YELLOW. If the situation remains status quo for the next couple of months I'll consider a further drop to sleepy GREEN.
More pertinent these days than the threat of theocracy is the rising threat of an Orwellian police state. While Australia is not yet going to be dragged down to the level of the UK's "shoot first" xenophobia, the fact that we are debating a national ID card with fingerprint, DNA or facial feature security systems is one that raises far more questions about rights versus security.
On that basis I have reduced the level of the Early Warning System down to code YELLOW. If the situation remains status quo for the next couple of months I'll consider a further drop to sleepy GREEN.
More pertinent these days than the threat of theocracy is the rising threat of an Orwellian police state. While Australia is not yet going to be dragged down to the level of the UK's "shoot first" xenophobia, the fact that we are debating a national ID card with fingerprint, DNA or facial feature security systems is one that raises far more questions about rights versus security.
Globalisation
The following came to me by email today. Take from it what you will.
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:-)
Question: What is the truest definition of Globalisation?
Answer: Princess Diana's death.
Question: How come? ...
Answer: An English princess with an Egyptian boyfriend crashes in a French tunnel, driving a German car with a Dutch engine, driven by a Belgian who was drunk on Scottish whisky, (check the bottle before you change the spelling) followed closely by Italian Paparazzi, on Japanese motorcycles; treated by an American doctor, using Brazilian medicines.
This is sent to you by an African, using Bill Gates's - (an American) technology, and you're probably reading this on your computer, that use Taiwanese chips, and a Korean monitor, assembled by Bangladeshi workers in a Singapore plant, transported by Indian lorry-drivers, hijacked by Indonesians, unloaded by Sicilian longshoremen, and trucked to you by Mexicans ...and now being read by a Kiwi who should be working instead!
That, my friend, is Globalisation!
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:-)
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