Australia divided. By Chris Kenny in The Australian.
In my lifetime I have not seen more division, or a greater lack of social cohesion. Many of us wonder what national values or symbols our country can unite around. …
The “Invasion Day” rallies were infused with pro-Palestinian and anti-Israeli aspects, a bizarre concoction of grievances that saw chants about “always was, always is Aboriginal land” interspersed with chants for “intifada” and the elimination of Israel. …
Authorities seem to have no trouble arresting alleged extreme right antisemites (and nor should they) but they seem very timid when it comes to arresting Islamist hate preachers or those demanding intifada.
This is particularly disturbing given we have seen the human cost of a globalised intifada at Bondi. There is a sense of a two-tiered justice system, which undermines public faith and further threatens cohesion. …
One and free??
Just five years ago, in response to claims that referring to our country as “young and free” insulted Indigenous Australians, then prime minister Scott Morrison officially changed the second line of our national anthem to “for we are one and free”. …
One and free? Ask the parents who send their children to Jewish schools to spend their days behind razor wire and armed guards.
One and free? Ask the families who gathered in Hyde Park last Monday to celebrate Australia Day only to be abused by a man in a T-shirt showing an Indigenous flag modified to include the clenched fist of a black power salute. “I hope the white genocide does happen,” he said, “because you guys are c. ts, f. k your flag, f. k this genocidal country.”
On the same day in Melbourne a young woman with a small Australian flag responded to taunts by saying, “I can be proud of my country.” A man wearing a keffiyeh shouted that this country is “funding a genocide” in Palestine.
“What about all the Indigenous people that are still dying in custody?” he shouted. “What about the fact that this country is built on stolen land? You don’t give a f. k? What does that mean? You’re a f. king piece of shit racist, good thing you’re standing in the shade because I know that you’re so white you don’t belong here, you’re European, this is Indigenous land, you’ll f. king burn.” ..
The left’s identity politics and cancel culture, their refusal to debate or face facts, are mostly responsible.
When grievance and identity trump all, even the facts seldom matter, as the abusive protester in Melbourne articulated — if you do not see the systemic injustice that he does, then you are less than human, you are ripe for hatred.
We see this absolutism in so many debates. Protesters still yell for Indigenous land rights decades after the Mabo decision and resultant legislation have delivered rights so powerful that 45 per cent of the continent is under native title administration.
So what is it that the protesters want, all of Australia ceded? …
The incompetence crisis due to DEI, discrimination against “oppressors”, promotion and hiring based on ideology, and declining IQs generally has hollowed out our governments:
Many voters have become highly sceptical of government following the Covid pandemic overreach, the refusal to call a royal commission, and the clear double standards where authorities were heavy-handed in enforcing intrusive laws and shutting down vaccine mandate protests in ways they never countenance for an anti-Israel or anti-Australia Day protests.
When voters are told repeatedly by both sides of politics for many years that renewable energy is the cheapest form of energy while electricity prices rise to record levels and the renewables rollout creates enormous pain for regional communities, it does not build trust.
I noticed a Sydney public transport bus this week sporting the signage, “This is a zero emissions bus” — a blatant lie given this machine is about 20 tonnes of metal and plastics fuelled by electricity that often comes from coal-fired generation. …
Now, when bushfires or floods destroy homes and lives, we regularly endure the grotesque and inane spectacle of climate alarmists pretending Australian policies have worsened the impact, even as volunteers risk their lives in the aftermath. Such heartless nonsense should be argued out of the conversation but too many unthinkingly amplify it. …
The lies and arrogance:
Howard sees climate change as a dividing line. “There is a lot of extravagant language being used about climate change,” he said, “but I think more and more people, and I’m one of them, are starting to wonder why we are giving away natural advantages that providence gave us, for diminishing returns? …
The hard left maintains its climate catastrophism, but [former PM John] Howard is right — increasingly mainstream and regional Australians see only lies and the infliction of pain for no discernible gain. Yet protest groups such as Extinction Rebellion feel sufficiently emboldened to blockade train lines and disrupt coal ports, preventing companies and workers from going about their lawful business. They also feel no compunction about blocking traffic across the Sydney Harbour Bridge and elsewhere, creating enormous inconvenience for tens of thousands of fellow citizens. …
And over the past five years the Brittany Higgins case and the #MeToo campaign stretched credulity, eroded faith in authorities, and ended careers long before the truth began to come out. …
This week, when Morrison made a timely and thoughtful contribution to the debate about tackling Islamist extremism, he was denigrated by the National Imams Council as reckless and Islamophobic. And Labor’s Anne Aly [who happens to be a Muslim] accused him of using the Bondi massacre to sow discourse (she meant discord).
Following America:
This is the Americanisation of our political debate, the descent into personal attacks. It is amplified by a postmodern disdain for objective fact – “your truth” being all that matters; and as with most detrimental aspects of public debate, it is worsened and coarsened through social media.
It is daunting to contemplate where all this is heading.
National unity is gone:
The entire country got behind Australia II in 1983, when every landlubber professed some knowledge of winged keels and spinnakers. And perhaps the high point of national cohesion and self-regard came in 2000 when the Sydney Olympics were spectacularly efficient, entertaining and friendly.
There’s been so much immigration since 1983 or even 2000. We are literally a different country now. Albo brings in half a million every year from the third world — good for Albanese and his mates, bad for us.
Imagine if Australia followed America, by electing Pauline Hanson as Prime Minister. Not as smart an effective as Donald Trump, but she represents the views and interests of most Australians much better than our current New Class rulers.
Prime Minister Pauline Hanson? The New Class would go berserk. Claim she was a Chinese agent! Rig the next election! Make up legal cases to get her thrown in jail! Try to assassinate her! Twice! Hitler! Fascist! Etc. etc, we all know the playbook now.