On October 6, fast to show your condemnation of the Government-sanctioned genocide that is happening in the Sudan. Link

Just a couple of unpublished letters to the editor from the past couple of weeks: The Australian published an article about Aboriginal assimilation last week: Link Gary Johns: Integration must take over from separatism September 22, 2005 HERBERT C. Coombs's vision of self-managing communities on Aboriginal communal land is dead. The Bennelong Society - formed by former Aboriginal affairs minister Peter Howson and others in 2000 - gives space to those who were convinced of t...

Minister tells Muslims: accept Aussie values or 'clear off' Federal Education Minister Dr Brendan Nelson says he will be meeting the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC) to develop ways to teach so-called Australian values to Muslim school children. But Dr Nelson says those who do not accept and teach Australian values should "clear off". The Education Minister Brendan Nelson believes the best way teach the Australian way is in all schools including the 30 Islamic schoo...

Is Sheikh Mohammed Omran really as extremist as is suggested or is he just a scapegoat for the media and the Government? He is often quoted as saying that Osama bin Laden is a great man. Yet listen to the full context of what he is saying. This is the advice he gives to those involved in the WTC attacks: “"This is not the right way to handle your unjust matter if you feel you are dealt with unjust", but to bring it out to the community and solve it in a proper manner.” This is how he...

BALLARAT MHR Catherine King calls staff "mate" when she visits Parliament House, and is happy for them to address her in the same way. She said a memo sent to security staff and attendants at Parliament House banning them from using the term when addressing visitors and parliamentarians was political correctness at its worst. "I think it is absolutely ridiculous that it went as far as a memo being sent out," Ms King said. "I call security staff 'mate' all the time, and they say the same...

Imagine this scenario: You arrive in a new country. You are feeling sad, bewildered, scared, homesick, worried about how you will fit in in the new place. You are greeted by the following messages: “We are in danger of being swamped by Asians.” “Immigrants: ASSIMILATE or go the HELL HOME!!!” “The Koran is a violent book. Muslims are encouraged to do terrorist acts by their religion”. “Go Home slanty-eyes” “Lebanese hang out in enclaves and gangs”. “Muslim New Year: Is that w...

I've decided to try my hand at political cartooning. I've been inspired by Bruce Petty, who pointed out that he can't draw, and I thought, well then I can be a political cartoonist. Unfortunately I can't find a way of uploading the images onto this blog, so I've created a LiveJournal, on which I'll place the images. If anyone knows how to get my images up onto JU, I'd really appreciate a step by step guide (I don't really know much about computers). Link

There are a lot of harsh things said on JU about people with little money or no job. People often say it’s because they’re lazy or stupid or other such ideas. The poor are poor because they’re stupid and lazy, is the conservatives’ cry. There are probably some cases where this is the case, but as far as I can see it’s far more complicated than this. There are plenty of fat, rich bastards and lazy members of the middle class. And that is why I believe that Bourdieu’s theory about ‘cultural cap...

I’ve always been obsessed by politics. My blog has long been testament to that. But upon returning from my holiday in Kanaky, I changed the title of my blog and started being all “nice” as FishHead said. I learned something about life when I was in New Caledonia. Before I went I had never been able to understand people who don’t inform themselves about politics. Politics can change your way of life and I think that is so important. I still believe that. But I was shown something more impor...

When Johnny Howard abolished ATSIC and replaced it with a board of coconuts, I expressed scepticism. The Labor Party still maintains the Aboriginal board should be democratically elected. I argued at the time that ATSIC should have been reformed rather than abolished. Let’s have a look at how “practical reconciliation” is going, as it is the issue most dear to my heart. The new board got off to a bad start with the petrol bowser initiative Link . It was quite clearly a case of the coconut...

I don't really have time for a full article at the moment, but something astonishing has happened that I have to comment on: In the past 2 weeks I have agreed with 3 of the most Right wing people in the country on politics. Yes this includes my sworn enemies, John Howard, Andrew Bolt (columnist) and Channel Nine's Sunday programme. So inspired was I by their comments I have written to each of them to tell them what a spelndid job they did. Andrew Bolt's criticisms of Australia's xenophobia...

I grew up a very proud Australian. I learned Aussie slang terms that are becoming obsolete, I deliberately developed a broad Aussie accent and I became one of the very few who knows the 2nd verse to the national anthem. I grew up under the Hawke-Keating Government. Although I’m old enough now to recognise the emptiness of some of their words, it was largely their example that made me proud. They spoke of reconciling our differences, of breaking down the barriers and tensions that exist bet...

I just attended a forum on student unionism. I asked the people there to respond to some criticism I had of compulsory student unionism and I felt they responded rather well. Here, I have tried to summarise some of their points. Why should I pay fees for political protests I don’t agree with? 3% of student union fees are put towards political campaigns. For instance, one recent demonstration outside a minister’s office cost the guild a grand total of $5. It is important that stude...

The other night I spent several hours chatting with 4 refugees. 3 are Afghanistani, 1 is from Eritrea (sort of part of Sudan but not). I would like to tell you about some of the interesting things I remember that these 4 very nice, gentle men told me about their life experiences. Chaman had spent 3 years in a refugee detention centre, enduring 45 degree Celsius days, awaiting the approval of his refugee status. He fled Afghanistan because of the Taliban, who were enforcing a very strict f...