Freedom of Speech 3 - High Roads, Low Rhodes and the Colossus of Rhodes
Our glorious Prime Minister has a way with words.
Curiously they're often somebody elses words. While he has a delivery that's often tongue in cheek, foot in mouth and amusing for the wrong reasons, he is our duly elected Fembot, er, Murdoch Minion Robot, no, that's not right, he's our man in the top office of Australia.
Tony Abbott was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship. He went to England in the early 1980s to study at The Queens College Oxford,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Queen%27s_College,_Oxford and his loyalty to the Queen is deep. Monarchy appeals to him. It provides a framework for his views that have been shaped by a conservative and religious character in a changing world.
When attending university in Sydney, Mr Abbott was in the thick of the student political melee. Allegations are still flying all these years later. I find it hard to believe that the Jesus School of Pugilism was lost to history only to be discovered at Sydney University.
The polarization of political sides means nobody is allowed a neutral stance on the battles of those times. You know how certain people are when history is imbued with a political belief. Mr Abbotts politics is inseparable from his faith, his understanding of life and people draws strongly from religion. In Catholicism it's possible that Mr Abbott sees a structure in the chaos of life. Humans are wonderfully full of contradictions, often wise, hopeful kind and loving, yet of course we're all prone to make mistakes. Catholicism preaches of a deity that reaches out forgiveness to a sinful world. Millions find this inspiring inspiring, and Australias Prime Minister should be counted among those who have found strength in faith.
After his time in England he returned to Australia to study to be a priest. The image I'm seeing is a man who is strongly interested in ideas of how the world works, and how people see the world. His conclusions might be a curates egg, as Catholics must have long and selective memories to feel part of any British "born to rule" ethos.
Prime Minister Abbott appears to have a strong need of British institutions. Mr Abbott brought back Knighthoods and Dames to Australia within six months of his election. http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/tony-abbott-reintroduces-knight-and-dame-honours-for-australians-20140325-35fzo.html
By setting the tone in leaping leotards and fair damsels in distress Mr Tony Abbott seems inspired by ye Olde England where a select few chosen by God rule and peasants know their place. PM Abbott aspires to a type of Monty Python and the Holy Grail nobility, "He must be a King, he's got no shit on him."- although many dispute he this assessment of his clothing and history.
In his devotion to the British realm he is at odds with Australias egalitarian culture and its history of contempt for those who are full of themselves. But perhaps the reintroduction of these honours is to give his mentor a thank you - ex-Prime Minister John Howard might get a knighthood before the next election.
Mr Abbott said in his 2015 New Years statement if you're born in Australia "you've won the lottery of life" - words that strangely echo one of Great Britain's famous exports, Cecil Rhodes . http://www.pm.gov.au/media/2014-12-31/prime-ministers-new-year-message The achievements of Cecil Rhodes are many and varied. His belief in his superiority to native Africans was absolute. Rhodes ignorance and indifference to the damage his racism did was also absolute. His political views can be understood in his first will that reads something like a megalomaniac mastermind from a James Bond film.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_Rhodes#Death_and_legacy
Those who believe in the superiority of male dominated white rule may take comfort in Australia's Prime Minister having his finger on the pulse of the late 19th century.
A time when the industrial revolution brought better lives for many and incredible riches to the powerful elites.
A time when riches made the wealthy greedy for more.
A time when wars that killed millions saw wealth and power flow into the hands of a mere few.
A time before women had the vote. A time when women were possessions of their husbands.
A time when the First Australians were being annihilated by diseases, by ignorance and greed.
A time when indigenous Australians were considered less than human.
The Colossus of Western Civilisation arrived in Australia brought by the British with an absolute belief in the righteousness of their rule.
Some say those times are dead and buried, and all that is needed is to get on and forget the past.
Some see history only as endless battles, or dusty Pyramids and Shakespeare.
Who can fathom the thousands of years indigenous Australians have been here?
The vastness of time and the outback of Australia confounds our senses.
How can I fight to stop those who are dying in remote domestic violence, dying in the smell of petrol or in the bottom of a bottle?
Some hit against the wall of racist intolerance that is killing indigenous here and black people and minorities in the USA.
Some hit against the wall of privilege that gives more to the wealthy and takes away from the poor.
Some see hope in a heartfelt "Sorry" for past wrongs.
Some always see the good in others, some are damaged cynics.
Some see life as a lottery, and maybe that's true.
Australians love to gamble.
I've taken a risk trying to write about Australia and our Prime Minister.
Not because opinions aren't allowed here but because my knowledge and understanding is limited.
Nobody is two dimensional, certainly not our Prime Minister or the First Australians.
I know my limitations.
Diamonds are hard, but understanding people is harder.
Thanks for reading something longer than a tweet.
Curiously they're often somebody elses words. While he has a delivery that's often tongue in cheek, foot in mouth and amusing for the wrong reasons, he is our duly elected Fembot, er, Murdoch Minion Robot, no, that's not right, he's our man in the top office of Australia.
Tony Abbott was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship. He went to England in the early 1980s to study at The Queens College Oxford,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Queen%27s_College,_Oxford and his loyalty to the Queen is deep. Monarchy appeals to him. It provides a framework for his views that have been shaped by a conservative and religious character in a changing world.
When attending university in Sydney, Mr Abbott was in the thick of the student political melee. Allegations are still flying all these years later. I find it hard to believe that the Jesus School of Pugilism was lost to history only to be discovered at Sydney University.
The polarization of political sides means nobody is allowed a neutral stance on the battles of those times. You know how certain people are when history is imbued with a political belief. Mr Abbotts politics is inseparable from his faith, his understanding of life and people draws strongly from religion. In Catholicism it's possible that Mr Abbott sees a structure in the chaos of life. Humans are wonderfully full of contradictions, often wise, hopeful kind and loving, yet of course we're all prone to make mistakes. Catholicism preaches of a deity that reaches out forgiveness to a sinful world. Millions find this inspiring inspiring, and Australias Prime Minister should be counted among those who have found strength in faith.
After his time in England he returned to Australia to study to be a priest. The image I'm seeing is a man who is strongly interested in ideas of how the world works, and how people see the world. His conclusions might be a curates egg, as Catholics must have long and selective memories to feel part of any British "born to rule" ethos.
Prime Minister Abbott appears to have a strong need of British institutions. Mr Abbott brought back Knighthoods and Dames to Australia within six months of his election. http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/tony-abbott-reintroduces-knight-and-dame-honours-for-australians-20140325-35fzo.html
By setting the tone in leaping leotards and fair damsels in distress Mr Tony Abbott seems inspired by ye Olde England where a select few chosen by God rule and peasants know their place. PM Abbott aspires to a type of Monty Python and the Holy Grail nobility, "He must be a King, he's got no shit on him."- although many dispute he this assessment of his clothing and history.
In his devotion to the British realm he is at odds with Australias egalitarian culture and its history of contempt for those who are full of themselves. But perhaps the reintroduction of these honours is to give his mentor a thank you - ex-Prime Minister John Howard might get a knighthood before the next election.
Mr Abbott said in his 2015 New Years statement if you're born in Australia "you've won the lottery of life" - words that strangely echo one of Great Britain's famous exports, Cecil Rhodes . http://www.pm.gov.au/media/2014-12-31/prime-ministers-new-year-message The achievements of Cecil Rhodes are many and varied. His belief in his superiority to native Africans was absolute. Rhodes ignorance and indifference to the damage his racism did was also absolute. His political views can be understood in his first will that reads something like a megalomaniac mastermind from a James Bond film.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_Rhodes#Death_and_legacy
Those who believe in the superiority of male dominated white rule may take comfort in Australia's Prime Minister having his finger on the pulse of the late 19th century.
A time when the industrial revolution brought better lives for many and incredible riches to the powerful elites.
A time when riches made the wealthy greedy for more.
A time when wars that killed millions saw wealth and power flow into the hands of a mere few.
A time before women had the vote. A time when women were possessions of their husbands.
A time when the First Australians were being annihilated by diseases, by ignorance and greed.
A time when indigenous Australians were considered less than human.
The Colossus of Western Civilisation arrived in Australia brought by the British with an absolute belief in the righteousness of their rule.
Some say those times are dead and buried, and all that is needed is to get on and forget the past.
Some see history only as endless battles, or dusty Pyramids and Shakespeare.
Who can fathom the thousands of years indigenous Australians have been here?
The vastness of time and the outback of Australia confounds our senses.
How can I fight to stop those who are dying in remote domestic violence, dying in the smell of petrol or in the bottom of a bottle?
Some hit against the wall of racist intolerance that is killing indigenous here and black people and minorities in the USA.
Some hit against the wall of privilege that gives more to the wealthy and takes away from the poor.
Some see hope in a heartfelt "Sorry" for past wrongs.
Some always see the good in others, some are damaged cynics.
Some see life as a lottery, and maybe that's true.
Australians love to gamble.
I've taken a risk trying to write about Australia and our Prime Minister.
Not because opinions aren't allowed here but because my knowledge and understanding is limited.
Nobody is two dimensional, certainly not our Prime Minister or the First Australians.
I know my limitations.
Diamonds are hard, but understanding people is harder.
Thanks for reading something longer than a tweet.