Pixelated Semantics

A schizotypical inventory

Cultural Hansonites meet the daiquiri diplomats

The Australian media in the last few days has been very busy crafting and reporting obtuse characterisations for "contrarians": it seems to be an editorial rule that when facing a lack of evidential ground to argue a position from, one must evolve catchy phrases to insult opponents with. To wit, Paul Kelly in Friday's Australian denigrates those who highlight the lack of support in the FTA for Australia's creative industries as "a procession of celebrity cultural Hansonites demanding Australian content be saved" - as if it is somehow progressive to allow a larger, more economically powerful culture to replace one's own without comment - while totally missing the point that these are people trying to save their livelihood as much as other concerns. Not to be outdone by a journalist, National Party MP De-Anne Kelly labelled a group of former senior military and diplomatic figures as "doddering daiquiri diplomats" for their unprecedented public statements over the questionable basis for invading Irak, the commensurate increased risk of domestic terrorist attack, and their call for the Government to cease "rubber stamping" US policy decisions. However, as Labour points out, these individuals have "extensive" military and diplomatic experience which cannot be easily dismissed by characterising them as out-of-touch "disgruntled old men". Indeed, for concern over the accelerating sell-out to American interests to have reached some of the most conservative corners of Australian society demonstrates the very serious impact this issue is having. Responding by defaming one's critics in this manner carries connotations of the old "Red libel" of the Cold War, where anyone opposed to conservative governmental policy became a "pinko" communist supporter; however it also demonstrates the sheer lack of acceptible reasons to become even more Americanised. And what did the "disgruntled" have to say? Common sense statements like this:

"It is wrong and dangerous for our elected representatives to mislead the Australian people [...] If we cannot trust the word of our government, Australia cannot expect it to be trusted by others. Without that trust, the democratic structure of our society will be undermined and with it our standing and influence in the world."

The defamatory responses of Coalition politicians and their journalistic lap-dogs alike indicate that concern for "democratic structures" does not rate highly at all. As Latham responded, "it reflects the reality where the prime minister can barely lie straight in bed".

Item posted by AutoEditor at 11:45 am ::