Write On: Letters to the editor
Ireland
In response to those rebuttals of my letter (GLW #392) from Keara Courtney (GLW #393) and Tom McEvoy (GLW #394), their letters make not one mention of hope or peace for the people.
They both deny or ignore the democratically expressed wish of the large majority of the Catholic-Protestant mixed electorate in all Ireland. This large majority endorsed the Good Friday Agreement.
Ignore/deny it or not, one day for sure a similar majority of people will achieve a united government for all Ireland, whether the British still blunder on with a suspended Stormont and despite any bloodthirsty butchery by the paramilitaries.
The hope should be to educate, so that the paramilitaries will understand they should not assassinate fellow Irish citizens or indeed anyone else but instead swap pistols for pens to pursue peace and justice.
Yes indeed there should only be one Ireland. Yes indeed, the answer for Ireland and all the world's political ills will not be answered until the establishment of democratic socialist government.
But in Ireland on Good Friday, 10 April 1998, the large majority made the determined declaration that they are sick of the massacres and the rhetorical vitriol of spokesmen who only speak of shame on the other side, whilst their victims lie dead and those still alive have their blood wiped away.
Today, among the small population of the north, there cannot be a single person who has not had a friend or relative butchered by either Loyalist or Republican paramilitary forces.
Yes indeed, Tom McEvoy, the Devil's housekeeper of Erin continues on paid overtime.
Mount Hawthorn WA
[Abridged.]
Pius XII
Pius XII was Cardinal Pacelli. Cardinal Pacelli was fluent in German. In the early twenties Cardinal Pacelli, or Monsignor Pacelli, went to Bavaria, as papal nuncio.
Rome's first policy was the destruction of "godless communism", whose theories liberated the workers, and women, and encouraged free thinking. The right and extreme right emerged, post World War I, in Germany and in Bavaria to fight and defeat communist strikes, marches and mini-revolutions. The core of these "old fighters" became the core of the Nazi thugs, murderers and torturers.
In Bavaria, Monsignor Pacelli arranged a "concordat" with the right-wing government. This arrangement became the formula for Rome's accommodation of the Nazi Party.
Linked with this formula of toleration, as long as the Nazis had anti-communism on the top of their list, was the directive given by Rome to the German Catholic centre party, the Centrum, to vote in support of Hitler and Hitler's Nazi Party in Berlin in the early thirties.
These hundred or so Catholic deputies cemented the Nazis in power.
During the period Rome accommodated Salazar (Portugal), encouraged Franco (Spain) and signed a "concordat" with Mussolini (Italy).
It was Cardinal Pacelli himself who signed the "concordat" with the Nazi Government, despite all the "news" from Germany. The co-signatory was Von Ribbentrop.
To even suggest that Rome was not complicit in the rise of Nazism and everything that followed is a total fantasy.
Wentworth Falls NSW
[Abridged.]
Almost predictable
Barely 24 hours after the by-election for Port Darwin (NT) was announced, it was almost clockwork predictable to read a "drunks and itinerants menace shoppers — public in fear" issue flare up in Stuart Park, with the usual "steel heel must come down" declarations of various party hopefuls.
From the statements reported in the NT News (Feb 23), one would believe that not only is the St Vincent de Paul night shelter (one of two Christian social services there) to blame for providing shelter, food and help to the needy (a growing multitude), but that the majority of those who seek shelter and food are also!
Yes, it can be annoying to be "humbugged" for money but a tactfully polite refusal has rarely caused me further hassle. The "problem" waxes and wanes.
Most Australians wouldn't know the true experience of "menace". Like the word "genocide" it is applied with gay abandon, mostly for the sake of politically expedient sensationalism!
It would be interesting to know what the combined yearly sales of beer and casks of cheap and nasty "chateau de cardboard" wine is for both Stuart Park outlets and by how much the "humbug" problem would decrease if these sales were stopped. But you can't have your cake and eat it too, can you?
Please excuse my cynicism if I offer my observation that the law and order drum seems to get a severe beating at every election and the dispossessed, homeless and down-and-out seem to be the most convenient to beat it with!
Darwin NT
[Abridged.]
Mandatory sentencing
Mandatory sentencing is specifically aimed at the Aboriginal population which suffers poor health, lacks primary education, has a high unemployment rate even as labourers, and sees no future in a world dominated by white law enforcers.
Death in custody for Aborigines increase annually. They are often convicted on their own confession with no legal representation or translation of the hearing into the Aboriginal language.
15-year-old Johnno, who hung himself after 25 days in custody, was jailed in an adult prison 800 kilometres away from his community. His imprisonment violated social justice and his rights as a child.
The criminalisation of children for offenses that are no more than misdemeanours, like the thefts of soft drinks or biscuits, gives them an adult life blighted by a ongoing sense of racist injustice and a reluctance to join in any sort of society, black or white, even if they were allowed.
Twelve months imprisonment for the theft of articles worth less than $30 is no joke, especially when the court proceedings are conducted in a language you do not understand.
Prime Minister Howard has ignored the problem and positioned himself to get the support of a possible racist vote by taking a "common sense" (i.e. negative) attitude when dealing with Aboriginal issues.
Decent Australians must join the Greens, Democrats and Labor in demanding justice for Aboriginal youth. Write to poseur Howard to protest against mandatory sentencing.
Elizabeth Bay, NSW
[Abridged.]
History and hypocrisy
On March 7, South Australian arts minister Diana Laidlaw announced another $8000 to fund the recording of women's stories by the State Library. The project, which began in 1998, will record the life stories of South Australian women who have received Australia Day or Queen's Birthday honours.
In announcing the extra funding, Laidlaw stated "It's important that the achievements of older women are remembered and are an inspiration". Laidlaw continued that "it's much easier for younger women today".
The implication of this is that young women should simply be grateful that women have it so much 'easier' today.
All women today can certainly draw a great deal of inspiration from the past. We needn't look too far though to realise that we still have a lot to fight for.
The hypocrisy of Laidlaw's gesture is striking, given the record of the state Coalition government and their anti-woman policies, from their active support of the building of the Kumarangk bridge despite the opposition of the Ngarrindjeri people to their recent de-funding of the Women's Studies Resource Centre.
Women will continue to draw inspiration from past struggles and take their message and demands to the streets. The thousands of women marching on the streets to mark International Women's Day is a testament to this.
The inspiration that we draw will be from the thousands of women who probably never made it to the Queen's Birthday honours list. Those who wage struggles against the government and against this sexist system rarely get such accolades or government funding.
Adelaide
[Abridged.]
Debit tax
There has not been one single comment said about any tax alternatives other than "GST rollback".
Even if the "GST rollback" was done where does that leave the average Australian wage earner — we would still be faced with a tax system that puts the majority of the tax burden on us.
It really is amazing to think that ever since 1996, when there was a tax summit, there was only one tax system that complied with all the criteria for "a good tax system".
This was of course the "Debit Tax" system. At 0.33% tax rate one has to ask why was it never promoted. Maybe big juicy political donations by the multinational companies hold the answer to that one.
Here is a truly fair system that can give all these. Income tax and all other federal taxes become invalid. No tax on profits, savings, investments, assets or pay cheques. No taxes on income, payroll, provisional, property, inheritance or goods and services. No income tax means an instant tangible wage rise for everyone.
Small businesses will not be hindered by our present time-consuming system and will consequently be encouraged to grow and employ more people. Big multinational companies will be required to pay their fair share. No tax cheating or tax avoidance necessary or possible.
Many others and I hope that this system can be openly discussed as a serious tax alternative as we are sick and tired of getting taxed to death.
Kallangur Qld
[Abridged.]
Stand up and be counted!
If you are fed up with the way the law allows environmental damage, the elderly and the honest worker to be ripped off day after day, if you are fed up with the GST, the price hikes we have to have, the poor old farmers' plight, bank charges, the lies and more lies as well as the rest of the mess we are in, then stop saying there is nothing I can do about it any longer!
Form a group or organise the group you are in to take advantage of a perfect opportunity to throw egg back in the government's face. The government will listen to you if you stand up and be counted as a majority during the Olympics.
The Olympics is a perfect opportunity to hurt the government. If we can get a majority of people to show our hurt and anger in front of the rest of the world, our governments will take notice.
So stop being so negative and complaining, but doing nothing, form your groups, book your tickets and unite. Remember with pride that you tried to make a difference. As the old saying goes: Never let a golden opportunity slip by.
Mandurah WA
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