Religions > Atheism > Democracy under the gun as Australia flirts with trouble [Opinion -Emma Tom]
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23 Jan 2006 08:53:38 PM |
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Democracy under the gun as Australia flirts with trouble [Opinion -Emma Tom] |
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,17854858%255E12274,00.html
Democracy under the gun as Australia flirts with trouble
Opinion -Emma Tom
January 18, 2006
TRANSCRIPT of Family Court compulsory marriage counselling session
#2006. Relevant case: Democracy v Australia.
Family Court counsellor: Good morning, estranged couple, and welcome to
John Howard's compulsory counselling centre, where a marriage isn't
declared dead until it's stony cold and hasn't stirred in years. Why
don't you start by telling me where things went wrong?
Australia: Don't look at me. Democracy was the one who called it quits.
I thought everything was just fine. Sure, the whole "war on terror"
business was putting our relationship under a bit of strain but everyone
kept saying how well we were doing. Then one night I came home and
Democracy told me it was over, the unreasonable cow.
FCC: Let's try to stick to "I feel" phrases, shall we?
Australia: OK, I feel she's an unreasonable cow.
FCC: Much better. Democracy, what's your response?
Democracy: I guess I'm one of those old-fashioned liberal democracies. I
don't make a fuss. I just make sure the civil liberties, the rule of law
and the human rights are on the table every night when my loved one gets
home. Obviously I'm not as exciting as some of these younger, sexier
democracies who insist people rise up and fight for them on the streets.
But I like the quiet life, even if it means being taken for granted.
Unfortunately, ever since Australia got this terrorism fetish I've been
feeling terribly undermined. It's playing havoc with my beloved system
of checks and balances and making our marriage an absolute sham. Quite
frankly, I've only hung around for the sake of the children.
FCC: Ah yes, and how are little Parliament, little Judiciary and little
Free Press coping with all of this?
Democracy: They're looking decidedly wan.
Australia: For God's sake, give me a break. All I get from you lately
are hysterical accusations about flirting with totalitarianism and
police states. Talk about jealousy issues. What you need to realise is
that lofty principles and values are all well and good, but I'm in a
war-type situation here. Real, live bombs are being aimed at my squishy
bits. If I don't do what's necessary to survive, there won't be a
marriage left to try to save.
Democracy: Actually, if you put your enormous ego aside for a moment,
you'd realise I'm the real target here. Elected governments don't fall
as a result of terror. It's democracy that suffers -- at the hands of
panicked, populist politicians who forget that means can poison ends.
This is just how Osama bin Laden wants it, of course. That nihilistic
home-wrecker doesn't have the resources to do me in himself, so he
outsources the job to you. And look how well he's doing here. People who
aren't even suspected of a crime can be imprisoned without explanation.
Citizens who are supposed to be presumed innocent until proven guilty
are shipped to Guantanamo Bay via the human-rights mecca of Egypt. And
don't even get me started on sedition laws, control orders and
preventive detention.
Australia: Oh yes, yes. As usual you make such a fuss over the smallest
things. Most people won't even be affected by the new anti-terror laws.
Democracy: Oh, really? Remember that "when they came for the Jews..."
poem about the quiescence of German intellectuals during the rise of the
Nazis?
Australia: I never bothered reading through to the end because I'm not a
German intellectual. Look, where are you heading with all of this?
Democracy: I'm trying to get it through your thick head that this war
you're waging to protect yourself could be causing me irreparable
damage. Free speech, due process, government transparency ... these
aren't optional extras for me. They're fundamental to who I am. Sure, I
can compromise when times get really tough but only as a last resort and
only if you make sure these "just for now" measures don't become
permanent. After all, what's the point of fighting if you destroy the
very thing you're trying to protect in the process?
FCC: Interesting point. What's your view on this, Australia? Australia?
Australia: Sorry, there was some sport on telly and I completely tuned
out. Something about Germans, wasn't it? I'll get back to you after the
tennis.
info@emmatom.com.au
© The Australian
--
Fundies and trolls are cordially invited to
shove a wooden cross up their arses and rotate
at a high rate of speed. I trust you'll
be 'blessed' with a cornucopia of splinters.
.
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