I was struck by an article by Father Peter Maher writing in Online Catholics. Peter makes the case that "political leaders say they have to act in the national interest. It is high time we all got the message that “the national interest” only thinly hides the interests of those who keep them in power...In Australia the most frightening reality is the ability of our government and its co-opted media to manipulate the masses into consent for the worst possible option for the global community - war."
A co-opted media indeed. I am constantly appalled (making me a paid up member of Leunig's home of the permanently appalled) by mainstream media sprouting the apologist line with all the integrity of paid up commercials for the Howard Government.
We have a government that propagandises relentlessly to stay in power, bullys our melanesian neighbours (amongst all the hypocrisy sprouted in the name of 'foreign policy' the platform that Australia stands for good governance in the Pacific is right up there - How Downer can keep a straight face whilst trumpeting how impressive Australia is on this front whilst lambasting the newly elected Solomon's Government for its ministerial appointments beggars belief - just don't mention Iraq!!!), and toadys up to regimes that have something we want.
Anyone within bureacratic, journalistic, academic or activist circles who challenges the accepted 'neo-con' orthodoxy is lambasted by the apologist class as a 'bleeding heart' or a range of more florid derogations. If we stand up for the rights of Muslim citizens or asylum seekers we are characterised as un-Australian or worse. The epithet 'un-Australian' has taken on connotations that fill with me shame and anger over the tragic direction we have taken. Referring to our collaboration in illegal wars, Peter Maher continues:
"Progressives are far too often dismissed as naive and negative and without constructive ideas. The solution needs fast and direct action. There seems to be a blindness to strategies that have been successful which do not include war with conventional or nuclear weapons. Progressives must continue to offer alternatives such as negotiation; diplomacy; trading ideas and strategies; stalling for time by involving third parties in talks; initiating aid programs; proposing and funding spaces for regions and countries to participate in conferences and workshops using self activation and liberation methodologies; using creative symbolic non-violent resistance such as street demonstrations and theatre; supporting grassroots community groups to resolve conflicts within and across borders; maintaining alternative think tanks and policy development institutes in Australia and at the international level; supporting United Nations and global NGO initiatives; funding and hosting peace talks which take seriously the views of both parties; engaging people with non-violence expertise in brainstorming solutions to difficult global situations; finding ways to talk to government no matter what persuasion; stop minimising and ridiculing the ideas and aspirations of countries involved in conflict and poverty; and remembering that the heavy handed approach of arrogant economic, military and political colonialism is always a recipe for disaster."
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