Kow-tows
Indonesia's interception of Australian aircraft and its contemptuous response to protest raises the question of why we continue to have Australian forces protecting such democrats as Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir.
It also demonstrates the failure of our politicians' brown-nosing foreign policy towards Indonesia for the last 25 years — but don't hold your breath waiting for our politicians to get real. Beazley, Howard and Burke are already practising their kow-tows.
Col Friel
Alawa NT
Late-term abortion
Abortion has been in the news recently. Some people accept early abortions but not late ones. However, what's the difference?
A late-term foetus may, theoretically, be able to survive outside the womb. But how can a being's personal moral status depend on where it can, theoretically or in practice, survive?
In Abortion and Infanticide, Professor Michael Tooley argues that it is psychological connectedness over time which is central to any (non-utilitarian) morality of killing. Without this mental continuity, the different experiences of one physical being might as well be happening to various different physical beings.
Tooley explains that foetuses, young and old, are incapable of thoughts which psychologically link one moment of their experience with other moments. Hence they lack an interest in ongoing life.
Given this argument, it can be maintained that a pregnant woman should be free to seek an abortion (with pain to both her and the foetus minimised) at any time.
Brent Howard
Rydalmere NSW
Be-suited one
The foul-mouthed, exquisitely suited one has recently published a book, followed by a media blitz and even blitzkrieg, apparently under the impression he will thus be able to define his place in history.
The question remains: to what extent did a succession of Labor Prime Ministers make shameful deals with mass murderer Suharto to advance their own grandiose notions of realpolitik?
And is it appropriate for former Labor Prime Ministers to obscenely enrich themselves by making smart deals with parasitical exploiters of the working class?
Pig Iron Bob might have seemed bad enough at the time. Retrospectively, he becomes a paragon of probity in comparison to Pig Meat Paul.
Inverloch Vic
Factory branches
I noted with interest, as an ex-metal worker, in a recent issue of GLW that one of the aims of Workers First candidates in forthcoming AMWU elections would be to restore members' branch meetings.
I would helpfully suggest that they consider basing such branches on factories, large factories or groups of factories, that is, on workers' base of interest, rather than on locality branches which I found were poorly attended in my past experience. Base branches, where workers' interests lie, may be a better proposition.
More power to you, comrades.
Tarragindi Qld
Omagh bombing
Ref. Kate Sheridan "Ireland" article GLW #401. The IRA has inflicted an extensive bombing attack in the North for thirty years. Innocent Irish citizens and property have been the main casualties.
Why did the article make no mention of the large numbers killed in this campaign? Their most ferocious attack was against the town of Omagh in the county of Armagh, where it is well known that the town festival held every summer is always packed with sightseers and women shopping with their children on the last day of their celebration. On Festival end Saturday 15th of August 1998, the Real Irish Republican Army exploded a bomb in the middle of the packed town. They claimed responsibility for the bomb.
With 29 Roman Catholics and Protestants killed, of 370 wounded, many people including children were critically injured, are now crippled for life. It was by far the worst multiple murder in modern Irish history but, as usual, those outside the circle of injured, soon used the Devil's housekeeper to sweep moral conscience beneath a convenient cover.
All murder is monstrous by British forces or anyone else, but the frequent murder of Irish people, by Republican and Loyalist paramilitary since 1969, must rank among the most premeditated and culpable of them all.
Mount Hawthorn WA
Easter
Easter is often derided by socialists as the Autumn version of Christmas; another consumerised version of an archaic religious festival. However, while the willingness of the bourgeoisie to tell us to buy, buy, buy is the same, the underlying message is quite different. Easter tells a story relevant to all who believe in a better world coming.
The sacrifice of the one for the many is a theme many socialists can relate to. How many have died for the cause, hoping that through their martyrdom humanity may be saved? Or on a less drastic level, how many have worked themselves into the ground, failed subjects, or lost jobs doing what they believed was right? The joy in beautiful sacrifice is one that all socialists know.
Even more basically, Easter is a reminder of something better yet to come. It is the story of new life rising from death, of the resurrection of hope.
As we enter the 21st century, this theme is more pertinent than ever. Out of the death of the Stalinist states and of the decay of capitalism comes the anticipation of a new dawn, of humanity reborn. Easter is a reminder that the sacrifice has not been in vain, that from the ashes of a self-annihilating system rises the hope of peace, freedom and democracy.
Emu Plains NSW
Thank You Day?
The West Australian recently reported a proposal from WA Liberal backbencher, Greg Smith MLC, to introduce an official Thank You Day for indigenous and non-indigenous Australians to "commemorate each other's efforts in forging the nation's identity".
"Why can't we ... have a national day of thanks where our indigenous people are thanked for the help they gave our early explorers and settlers and the indigenous Australian can offer thanks for the improved lifestyle and freedom they now have?", Smith asked.
This "improved lifestyle" is presumably despite poisoning, slavery, massacre, rape, being herded onto missions; and then in later years the forced removal of children, mass unemployment, poor health and life expectancy, disproportionate rates of incarceration and poverty.
A Thank You Day, Smith said, would celebrate the fact that Australia is the best place to live on earth. The best place, that is, if you're not unemployed, put in mandatory detention for a petty crime, living without sewerage or running water, or likely to die 20 years younger than your white peers.
Smith is one of many in the political establishment who have no wish to explore the real consequences of 210 years of oppression, and who seek to actively propagate a deliberately misleading fairy story of happy smiling people living in harmony.
An honest analysis of the racism and injustice of the past 210 years threatens to expose the ongoing injustices. That's why Howard, Downer and Greg Smith MLC are so intent on discouraging what they call a "black armband" view of Australia's history; that is, one which explores the full extent of atrocities committed against indigenous people since 1788.
Indigenous Australians have nothing to thank the British colonialists for, and neither should non-indigenous Australians feel compelled to defend the actions of those invaders. Let's stand united in demanding an apology for the past and justice for the present.
Perth
[Abridged.]
A16-G77 alliance
At the same time as the many thousands of wonderful dedicated young people in Washington powerfully convinced the IMF/World Bank and the world that Seattle had only been the beginning, the G77 comprising 133 poor countries "coincidentally" held a historic summit in Havana.
Its prominent leaders voiced full support of the protests in Washington on April 16-17 and its major concrete demands, debt cancellation and fair trade, are identical with those of the Mobilization for Global Justice. With regard to the concrete policies there should be reason to seek a historic formal alliance with G77.
For instance, after an analysis of the money involved, we could urge them all to collectively stop paying their "debts" to the bloodsuckers. The analysis beforehand must confirm that the consequent end of annual aid from the rich countries would amount to less than the total annual debt payments.
As the balance may be negative for some of the poor countries, all 133 countries should set up a solidarity fund comprising all the saved "debt" payments and redistribute them. Such a fund has the additional merit of benefiting most the countries that have bowed less to the imperialist "debt" payment demands.
Another concrete issue for a formal alliance with G77 could be financial support from the G77 countries to their citizens to participate in our actions. No G77 country now can doubt that such comparatively small money will pay a million times.
[Abridged.]