James Hardie
Just read the write up on "James Hardie: Murder by another name" (GLW #598) and want to thank you for writing something on this as my father passed away in June 2002 from mesothelioma. This company, I feel, murdered my father. Thanks for caring.
Debi Swagart
Covington, USA
US elections
In a recent article on the Information Clearinghouse site, I read that John Pilger holds that John Kerry is likely to present a worse threat than Dubya, if he wins. In essence, as a mainstream Democrat, he will continue international policy as usual. It is fairly clear from his public speeches.
The correct case is made that neither a Republican nor a Democrat regime, as presently directed, would alter US foreign policy to any significant degree.
Pilger argues well that truth is no longer just a casualty of war; it is dead in the mainstream media, now being the pawn of a Pentagon-State Department-News Corp combine with immense resilience to criticism.
One is tempted to ask the undoubtedly clear-sighted Pilger what the answer is, long-run, to such perversions of influence and power in a media-saturated world; what positive scenario can he offer to offset his bleak projection of continued efforts at total military-economic dominance by the US plutocracy? As an example of the opposition's weakness, veteran green Ralph Nader has limped through this campaign, gaining little more attention than in 2000.
The basic issue seems to be about gigantism in human affairs, from government of the major powers, to media, to corporations — all of them heavily entwined. Now, to mangle a metaphor, individual activists and protest organisations, NGOs etc, eager for real change, are a tiny David before this three-headed Hydra that bestrides the planet, fangs dripping with the blood and flesh of human beings. David's pebbles never penetrate the steel visors that protect this Hydra from death, despite some body-hits.
Pilger dissects and deconstructs an ugly edifice of double-talk and distortion. But can he or anyone point out a route for peace-seekers from November on, when Bush may simply turn 180 degrees, to present Kerry's smiling, victory-flushed face surgically attached to the back of his head?
Russell Pink
Sent via email [Abridged]
Schools funding
I have just seen at <http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/09/16/1095221707485.html> a potential masterstroke from Mark Latham. Personally I think Mark Latham did a superb job in challenging the 67 schools earmarked for funding reductions to simply reduce their fees. High-fee schools will arrogantly assert their prerogative to set whatever fees they like — governments accordingly have a prerogative to give more to schools which make at least some effort towards inclusiveness etc.
I still think the Greens and Democrats and others have great merit in noting that schools like King's and Geelong Grammar are still going to end up receiving too much under Labor's plan, but I think we've seen clear evidence in the response over the past few days that, if Labor went any further than they have, the merits in their policy would be drowned out by the greedier among the heavyweight private school lobby and their mates in newspapers like the Australian.
At this juncture, I think the importance of tossing out the Coalition government needs to override just about all other priorities — for the sake of schools and our national integrity and indeed national security generally. I just hope Labor, the Greens and the Democrats alike recognise this imperative in the national interest and award preferences accordingly.
Mark Drummond
Kaleen, ACT [Abridged]
Riverwood
At the March 2004 local government elections, only the Australian Labor Party handed out election pamphlets at Riverwood Railway Station at peak hours. There was no sign of other political parties. In September 2004, for the coming federal election, the Liberals and the Greens are handing out election pamphlets at Riverwood Railway Station at peak hours.
For the first time ever, Labor has made aged pensioner kits and veterans affairs kits available for voters at Riverwood Legion Club. Labor hasn't assisted pensioners before!
Every Saturday morning, the Liberals are handing out election pamphlets at Riverwood Plaza. As Bill Lawry may say: "It's all happening here in Riverwood!"
Jane Wallace
Riverwood, NSW
Censorship
I enjoyed reading "Misogyny, pop music and censorship" in GLW #596. But why does nobody seem to make a stand about censorship happening right here, right now, in Australia?
I am a queer/feminist/socialist visual artist who is struggling in a big way because of the fact I am very, very open about these aspects of myself. I have been thrown out of local art exhibitions (or censored, or ignored) just because I'm a queer artist who is seen as a troublemaker because I am confrontational.
Many people find my paintings controversial but I am only depicting images of real issues which should be brought up. Issues such as — sexuality, gender, poverty, the Palestinians, war, sexism. Of course this is way too much for the middle class to digest. They don't want to be brought out of their comfort zones. So I don't get many opportunities to have my say, exhibit my work or express myself in my own country.
Australian censorship is extremely repressive. It's happening in a big way and we all need to fight for freedom of speech and expression.
D. Kelly
St Agnes, SA
From Green Left Weekly, September 22, 2004.
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