Tag: confusion

An end to war or the end of humanity

“War itself is, of course, a form of madness. It’s hardly a civilised pursuit. It’s amazing how we spend so much time inventing devices to kill each other and so little time working on how to achieve peace.” ~ Walter Cronkite

What’s odd about this photo it is not a photo of Goliath the world’s 4th greatest military power but one of David with a slingshot. Today there is no equivalence between a picture of these dead men walking prepared to fight in the name of freedom from tyranny of millions. It’s hardly a photo supporting the argument that our “species” will be wiped out as it doesn’t show the face of real evil. However it shows who along with thousands of children will be killed. These men have an iceblock’s chance in hell of defeating the billions of dollars of firepower aimed at them by men showing no mercy only intent on their death, no negotiation as they stand in the way of power and money.

If humanity doesn’t find a way to end wars, the very existence of our species is at risk of being wiped out, writes Gerry Georgatos.

Source: An end to war or the end of humanity

Racism in Australia is about the structures that ensure non-white people don’t get a fair go | Antoinette Lattouf | The Guardian

Scott Morrison and Danny Abdallah

Racism is Institutionally patterned behaviors generationally evolved historically and regarded as the norm. Some individuals were and are raised and socialized to internalize the cultural beliefs that support those behaviors as the norm. Others see them as unjustifiable systems, and merely socially constructed realities that can be altered and needn’t be maintained. Others see the need for them to be maintained and not altered to avoid disruption to the ” the natural order”. The ongoing though unequal  natural order in evolutions  struggle for power. Change has always been seen as a struggle forced not celebrated but resisted not encouraged by those whose social positon has benefited but not merited by what exists as opposed to what could and should have been. The distinction between Racism and  any Individual is far more complicated by the dichotomy of these macro v micro perspectives.

However, racism is far less about individual acts of kindness toward a grieving family (or, on the flip side, calling an Arab a “terrorist”) and far more about social systems and power structures that ensure non-white people don’t get a fair go. The Abdallahs had trauma and loss – not political power or economic influence. Towke was a young politician with a promising career that he alleges was taken from him, accusing Morrison of using his racial background against him. “I would have been the first Australian of Lebanese heritage to be a federal member of parliament on the Liberal party side and that’s a bit of history there which they stole from me,” he told The Project. Morrison has categorically denied what he describes as “malicious” claims. But it doesn’t matter whether you’re “team Abdallah” or “team Towke” when it comes to the truth about the prime minister. It’s almost inconsequential. Australia’s racism is bigger than one man – even if he is the leader of the country.

Source: Racism in Australia is about the structures that ensure non-white people don’t get a fair go | Antoinette Lattouf | The Guardian

What Scott Morrison’s latest political debacles have in common

Scott Morrison

Scott Morrison’s two political debacles this past week, the vaccine rollout and the carpark grants program, have more in common than first appears. They are two sides of the same coin that is Morrison’s approach to leadership.

Source: What Scott Morrison’s latest political debacles have in common

Tamed Estate: Christian Porter ‘zero for three’ but News Corp claimed Porter victory – Michael West

Tamed Estate

Legal experts were in no doubt whatsoever that Christian Porter had given up but News Corp madly spun the line that it was a humiliating backdown by the ABC. Michael Tanner dissects the coverage of what had been billed ‘the defamation trial of the century’.

Source: Tamed Estate: Christian Porter ‘zero for three’ but News Corp claimed Porter victory – Michael West

Forget about a GOP crack-up: Republicans rally around a defeated Trump because they understand power | Salon.com

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THIS GOP REPORT DOESN’T NOTE TENS OF THOUSANDS ARE LEAVING

Republicans don’t demobilize. They aren’t stupid just because they’re crazy. They know that they win by sticking together. They know that their differences matter less than their shared goal of maintaining power. No matter how baroque the conspiracy theories get or overt the fascist sentiment, Republicans aren’t going to see much attrition. Beating them will continue requiring mass mobilization on the left, as hard as that can be. The GOP is here to stay, and the sooner Democratic voters accept that, the more disciplined they’ll be at defeating them.

Forget about a GOP crack-up: Republicans rally around a defeated Trump because they understand power | Salon.com

Grattan on Friday: What does “reopening” Christmas Island actually mean and why do it?

The Liberals think anything to do with “boats” is lethal for Labor; the ALP believe community attitudes have changed but is very apprehensive about how the debate would go if boats showed up.

No question, this is rocky for Bill Shorten. The government attack is ferocious, full of exaggeration and scaremongering.

Indeed. So which un-nuanced Morrison message will the smugglers hear? That the policy has been trashed – or that the borders are being fortified?

There is also the danger, which some critics have highlighted, that in its rhetoric about numerous alleged criminals on Nauru and Manus, the government could make the US more reluctant to take people (it has only accepted 456 so far – the deal was up to 1,250).

Grattan on Friday: What does “reopening” Christmas Island actually mean and why do it?

Grievance Politics for Insecure Majorities: Trumpism Worldwide | Informed Comment

Grievance Politics for Insecure Majorities: Trumpism Worldwide

It’s about propping up “besieged majorities” in multiethnic countries.

Washington and New Delhi are having a mutual lovefest these days.

Donald Trump is popular in India — where only 17 percent of the population considers the president “intolerant,” compared to a global average of 65 percent — and he has warmly welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the White House. Both leaders are eager to bump up bilateral security cooperation to the next level.

Even Donald Trump, Jr. is getting in on the act. He’s visiting India this week as part of the Trump organization’s myriad economic connections to the subcontinent. Indians, treating the president’s son as a representative of the White House, are paying a lot of rupees to gain access to his ear.

Who can blame them? It’s virtually impossible to disaggregate the different components of the Trump megaplex.

via Grievance Politics for Insecure Majorities: Trumpism Worldwide | Informed Comment

Privilege and its discontents | The Monthly

“These are vexing times for conservatives,” declared Tony Abbott in his dinner address to the Samuel Griffith Society in Adelaide on Friday night.

Source: Privilege and its discontents | The Monthly

Global Warming: Is the Weather Bureau misleading us? | Climate change

DARK clouds loomed over the Bureau of Meteorology at the height of Tony Abbott’s short-lived reign as Prime Minister.

Source: Global Warming: Is the Weather Bureau misleading us? | Climate change

Open Your Eyes: Read the Polls with Clarity – » The Australian Independent Media Network

polls

Open Your Eyes: Read the Polls with Clarity – » The Australian Independent Media Network.