The Guardian 1 February, 2006
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Letters to the Editor
A terrifying Act
The Federal Government is running a scare campaign on a trumped up "terrorist threat" in order to pass undemocratic and even fascistic legislation through Parliament.
"Military set to gain police powers" ran the headline of last week’s Guardian.
Doesn’t that terrify you? It sure scares the crap out of me — this is one of the most horrendous pieces of legislation passed in any Australian Parliament since the British invasion began 118 years ago!
Are there likely to be masses of terrorists raging down George or Collins Streets? No. Are there likely to be mass demonstrations of workers, the poor and oppressed against the corporations which are raping and pillaging the earth. Yes.
We know at whom this legislation is targeted — because we read The Guardian weekly.
So then of what use is this article to us personally?
How many other people did you show this article to? How many times did you initiate a discussion on the topic with friends and family members?
In order to tackle and overturn this legislation we must run our own scare campaign on this very real threat.
To paraphrase a famous quote: "The Guardian only interprets the world, the point, however, is to change it".
Andrew Jackson
Townsville, Qld
Howard’s history
A new school year is about to start. Confused five-year olds and their tearful parents will be starring in newspaper pictures and TV screens for a couple of minutes. Then it will be teachers, parents and children trying to make sense of the new directives from Mr Howard on how to teach history, salute the flag, etc.
Poor teachers seem to be responsible for everything nowadays — race riots in Cronulla — blame the teachers for not instilling "proper" values in their students.
Not knowing historic dates by heart becomes the latest stick with which to hit the teachers. Evidently Mr Howard does not know that the simplest way of doing dates nowadays is just to Google for the necessary information.
Thinking and connecting events in history and analysing them seems be an anathema to Mr Howard. Is it because unthinking generations are easier to manipulate? Just when Brendan Nelson was shifted upwards into Defence and you could hear a collective sign of relief that the hyperactive Minister for Education is out of the education portfolio, Mr Howard decides to take up the job.
Leave it alone, Mr Howard. We know the kind of history you want the rest of us to remember — nothing as unpleasant as stealing the land from the original inhabitants, exploitation and hardship of the majority of the population. Talking of recent history — nothing as unpleasant as dogs at the waterfront or participation in an illegal military aggression.
History is being written every day, Mr Howard. People’s History of Australia. It has its ups and downs, things to be ashamed of and things to be proud of. We as a nation can be trusted to actually learn about all aspects of our history both pleasant and unpleasant and draw lessons for the future. We don’t have to gloss over our past as Mr Howard seems to suggest, but neither should we ignore it.
Somebody had suggested that Mr Howard is concerned with his own place in history. Frankly, history is cruel and when it comes to the judgement day you will be lucky to have a footnote the size of a fridge magnet.
Jason R
Sydney NSW