Comments on: Once a racist, always a racist?

By: Andrew Norton

Andrew Norton — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 21:57:25 +0000

I think I will close comments on this one.

By: Frances

Frances — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 18:25:44 +0000

Better an inexcusable past than an inexcusable present, Flashman.

By: flashman

flashman — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 14:49:55 +0000

In vino veritas, Frances.

Yep, but no doubt more aggressive and smart arse in tone than I would have liked. And so ‘pologies to Steve for the lack of civility.

But your contributions to this blog, Frances, have been nothing more than shifty attempts at excusing Anderton’s inexcusable past.

By: Frances Levin

Frances Levin — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 06:00:03 +0000

Your last contribution, Flashman, shows why no one should take the least bit of notice of anything you say.

By: flashman

flashman — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 13:36:03 +0000

Steve - ease up my son.

Who mentioned Jews and Muslims? It wasn’t me, that’s for sure.

And religious fundamentalism has no place in politics? Oh mate, we can certainly agree on this issue. You give the perfect example of the KKK. I concur, and would love to add Tony Abbott as a fundamentalist figure who deserves to be given the arse from our political landscape. And Costello. Have you seen him sucking the giant poisoned cock of Hillsong Church? Is this the future of our proud country?

Regarding al-Hilaly - I will need to research this issue further because I have no idea who he is (although a mercy dash to Iraq to save whats-his-name springs to mind). Apologies for the ignorance; will remedy it straight away.

Seriously though Steve, keep reading the Herald Sun. You’ll learn something one day, my boy.

Yours faithfully (ableit a bit drunker than usual),

flashman

By: Steve Edwards

Steve Edwards — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 05:16:05 +0000

I almost forgot! Anti-semitism. Sheikh al-Hilaly, a notorious anti-semite who believes that the Jews “control the world” by promoting sexual deviancy, was stove-piped into Australian citizenship thanks to the lobbying efforts of the ALP (primarily Paul Keating).

I haven’t heard much about THAT one from the sanctimonious Age. What gives?

By: Steve Edwards

Steve Edwards — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 05:13:30 +0000

Another thing we should “all agree on” in a “liberal democracy” is that religious fundamentalism has no place in politics, and that pandering to religious fundamentalists is morally equal to pandering to the KKK. Naturally, this doesn’t stop the ALP preselecting people like Khalil Eideh; nor does it mean The Age and other moral worthies feel any need to speak up in such circumstances. How come?

PS - Gough Whitlam, “f—— Vietnamese Balts”, etc. Just in case anyone forgot.

By: Andrew Norton

Andrew Norton — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 03:18:25 +0000

It was a journalism degree from Victoria University, which is easy to get into. But whether or not schools are run by Maoists, they are doing a very bad job teaching English, so the problem is in the school rather than the unviersity.

By: flashman

flashman — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 02:45:03 +0000

Whoops - accidently hit “submit comment”

Just one more thing, though. My feeling (again, I have no evidence) is that most ethnic communities would have recognised Anderton as a ignorant fool; an idiot with aspirations beyond his capacities. Christ, for someone with a journalism degree (I think) his grammar is appalling.

And to my knowledge, The Age published the one article, an editorial plus a scattering of letters over the next few days. Hardly blanket coverage of the issue. Nonetheless, the Age is obligated to report on incidents such as this and provide us with the information we need to act as responsible citizens, so kudos to them. The Herald Sun didn’t see the need to print a story on this (or at least I haven’t been able to find one), which is a bit disappointing.

By: flashman

flashman — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 02:36:24 +0000

I understand your point, Andrew, but still think this situation reflects a fundamental lack of effort from the libs in vetting their candidate. And the defence of this character from some of the posters (including yourself) is more than a bit worrying.

Ted’s reaction to the Anderton Incident - where he simply shrugged off the issue - smacked of weak leadership, too. In an unwinnable seat, surely his party would have benefitted from denoucing Gaz and giving him the flick as candidate. Drag a small positive out of negative situation, in a sense, and showcase a bit of leadership.

Martin Flanagan wrote a great piece in the Saturday Age, where he said that in our liberal democracy we don’t have to agree on everything, but we do have to agree on the main points. Racial equality is one of those main points. And where racism pops up in a major party, the leader has an obligation to the Australian people to shout it down.