Mum, whilst unknotting my hair (old habits don’t die at all in my family), confided: ‘Handsome is very ugly on the inside.’
‘No mum, in English, handsome means beautiful, not ugly.’ I corrected.
‘No, not the word, you camel!’ She gave my noggin a smack before clarifying: ‘I meant that racist woman on TV, Pauline Handsome…’
I reckon mum was being kind.
How a racist xenophobe is given free reign to parade her dinosaur–era anti–human sentiment on national television is beyond me. Maybe it’s my thick, woolly hair. Maybe Islamophobia has become so mainstream, that I should just suck it up.
And maybe it’s our unfathomable complacency of late.
The Age editorial recently stated that ‘One Nation should be heard…’
Soft. No fizz. No steel.
Justin Li also commented on SBS online that ‘arguments happen online in our world today between people who have never met.’ I wholeheartedly agree that people are not one dimensional. I’m certain Pauline Hanson possess wonderful human qualities. Even Saddam Hussein was a great father to his children – his daughter frequently praising the late Iraqi dictator and shining a light on his sense of humour and nurturing qualities.
Pauline Hanson is not a dictator. She does not want to gas Asians. I’m pointing out that I do understand even the people we think are evil, are still human. And we are all flawed, that is sure as sunset.
But dividing Australia and Australians is not merely a flaw. At a time where our world is thirsty for love and tolerance, One Nation is not a party this country needs.
I’m convinced Ms Hanson has a genuine desire to better the lives of Australians. As long as they are white, of course. So no matter how strong some of her ‘good’ policies might sound to the average punter, the foundation they’ve being laid on will always be corrupt.
I think some people are starting to confuse free speech with outright racism.
It’s one thing to have our leaders put their foot in their mouths out of ignorance, it’s completely another when a representative of the flag flagrantly discriminates against people based on the colour of their skin, race and religion.
This is not free speech.
Born into a war ravaged patch of earth through no crime other than circumstance? Witnessed horrific atrocities? Stress no more, for we have the solution! We will ban you from ever entering our country. Because, you are, well, not white, therefore, not right. Hi, I’m Bigot McRacist. You may remember me from historical episodes such as Almost Slaves – an Aboriginal Story, White Child Snatchers Were Us and We’ve Stopped the Boats.
Can you imagine the outcry if I started a party, say, Halal Australia, and part of its integral fabric was an attack on the Jewish community? Can you picture the headlines if Halal Australia vehemently lobbied for a Royal Commission into Judaism; outlawed Kosher certification; and called for a total ban on Jewish immigrants? I doubt I would be so ‘politely’ responded to.
Nor should I expect a polite response.
I understand the terrorism climate has clouded the views of many, otherwise well-meaning citizens. ISIS, for example, a bunch of non-God fearing warmongers, slaughter the innocent under the banner of Islam, not Judaism. It is ironic and tragic that most of their victims are Muslims.
Baghdad, anyone?
Giving Ms Hanson an access pass into the Senate doesn’t reflect a free democracy. It only amplifies the government’s lack of courage in ousting oppressive bullies.
Every One Nation policy surrounding immigration, multiculturalism and Muslims is entombed in tyranny. Every single one.
How can we accept this?
Human beings are members of a whole
In creation of one essence and soul – Saadi
Pauline Hanson has such a narrow view of the world, her mind long erased by a dense, self-produced white-out.
And she claims to advocate for the ‘Aussie way of life.’
What is that exactly?
Is it our disgusting treatment of asylum seekers and breach of international human rights laws?
Is it perhaps spineless Federal MPs walking out of a Stolen Generation apology?
Is it by any chance our blind eye to the perpetual affliction inflicted on the Indigenous owners of the land?
Is it, crikey, our right to be bigots?
The Australian way of life is, sadly, not represented by our government. It should be. But it’s not.
So what is this mysterious Aussie way of life?
No mystery. It is before our eyes, on the streets, every day.
It’s the smile the Chinese-born girl gives the local Sikh GP as he hands her a lollypop.
It’s the Greek boys having Italian coffee down Lygon Street.
It’s the Anglo footballers tweeting in support of Adam Goodes.
It’s the thumbs up I get at a BBQ when I say: ‘Can you not chuck a pork sausage on my plate?’
True Blue ethos.
We cannot continue to apologise for captains determined to steer us into the iceberg.
When I played cricket, for a period, we’d go overboard sledging the opposition. Our captain began telling us off. Eventually, we stopped.
Until, that is, our skipper moved up a division and was replaced by an incumbent fond of the cheap punch. Eventually, sledging returned. I thought if my role model was free to bark at a struggling opposition batsman: ‘fast bowler coming, might wanna put on an extra groin guard champ,’ I could season it with extra salt: ‘nah skip, he got nothin’ there anyway.’
Please allow me one more analogy. Cricket isn’t everyone’s version of the Aussie way of life, after all.
Your doctor prescribes you medicine proven to damage vital organs. She insists they are beneficial to other parts of your body. How comfortable would you be, not only accepting her venom, but also knowing she will be roaming your local hospital scot-free?
We cannot be expected to be fed One Nation’s toxic policies.
They divide us.
They already have.
Pauline Hanson must be held accountable for her words and actions. She must resign or be expelled.
Before we blinked an eye, we found our governments defiantly violate international human rights laws. Don’t let the fools wink us into moral oblivion.
