Australia: Are We Becoming An Increasingly Intolerant Society

Australia the country of tolerance and of a fair go, where people are respected for who they are, not what they are. Where diversity is embraced and where the richness of the culture of the people who make up this great nation blend together to form a uniqueness that is found nowhere else. Perhaps it's just the world of social media, but post after post that pops up in my timeline presents a very different face to the world. It speaks of intolerance and bullying. Of fear and over reaction. Of divisiveness and hatred. In fact, in many posts of late the most used words appears to be the words hate and hatred. 

I have a personal dislike of the word hate and I rarely use it. I think it is such a destructive word. Martin Luther King Jr. Once said, “Hate destroys the hater…” I believe that. 

However, if you go back in our history, we have usually found someone or something to turn against, sometimes with good reason but most often not. Just ask the first Italians, Greeks, English and Asians (as an example) how they were treated in the early years.  People were often abused in the streets, but mainly the hate discussion was restricted to the dinner table, the pub and around the water cooler and overt discrimination. The fear and suspicion stemmed from any number of biases, but as time moved on people were accepted into society and, many have made significant contributions in all walks of life. As a country we have benefited from that and as individuals, our lives have been greatly enriched. 

In more recent years, the attention has turned to Africans and Muslims. A couple of years back an African friend of mine and her two children were accosted in a shopping centre car park and spat on by a woman who should have known better. My friend just walked away comforting her two crying and frightened children. When I asked her why she didn’t retaliate, she said, “I have witnessed first hand what hatred of others does to a nation, that’s why I came here. To escape that and to live in peace. In retaliating, I would have only inflamed the situation.” My friend and her family are Australian citizens. Her husband is a university professor and she works as an accountant. Her two children are doing very well academically and will probably follow their father into a future career in science. Model citizens in every way, but that still didn’t prevent a hateful woman from making a snap judgement and showing that in the most graphic way to humiliate. 

The biggest game changer for the ‘hate industry’ is the Internet. The haters now have the ability to garner support from not just a few friends and working buddies, they can now rope in dozens of people. They gather on social media like the clans of old gathered at their favourite watering holes and they share their rage and they plan their attacks on the perceived enemy for the slightest indiscretions. Just voicing an opinion can result in a tirade of abuse. Others jump on board and RT and so it goes. Even blocking people doesn’t end it some continue to try and blacken the names of others. It’s bullying at it’s worst. 

This is a piece from — “Loving Your Enemies,” It was delivered by Martin Luther King Jr on the 17th November 1957. It reads: 

“There’s another reason why you should love your enemies, and that is because hate distorts the personality of the hater. We usually think of what hate does for the individual hated or the individuals hated or the groups hated. But it is even more tragic, it is even more ruinous and injurious to the individual who hates. You just begin hating somebody, and you will begin to do irrational things. You can’t see straight when you hate. You can’t walk straight when you hate. You can’t stand upright. Your vision is distorted. There is nothing more tragic than to see an individual whose heart is filled with hate. He comes to the point that he becomes a pathological case. […] Hate destroys the very structure of the personality of the hater. […] When you start hating anybody, it destroys the very center of your creative response to life and the universe; so love everybody. Hate at any point is a cancer that gnaws away at the very vital center of your life and your existence. It is like eroding acid that eats away the best and the objective center of your life.”

We only have to look at other parts of the world to see that demonstrated most graphically and on a much lesser scale we see that same illogical behaviour manifested on social media.  

Of course now we have multifaceted twitter hate. It’s hate based on supporting any cause the haters hate. It’s hate based on politics. It’s hate based on immigration. It’s hate based on religion. It’s hate based on the colour of your skin. It’s hate based on someone taking a dislike to you. Simply anything thing that takes their fancy. For exercising my right to remain a member of the Liberal Party (regardless of the change of leadership) I am now a target.

The following is a great example of how things are twisted to enable the attacker to turn the tables and to weave into their assault their current vendetta. I have whited out the names of the people involved in these exchanges with me yesterday, for obvious reasons. 

Yesterday our ex Minister of Defence, Kevin Andrews took to Twitter with multi-tweets following the announcement of a defence contract. Mr Andrews was extremely unhappy to have lost his portfolio following the recent leadership change. Many viewed Mr Andrews twitter blitz as a negative attack on the new minister who happens to be a woman. I sent this response to Mr Andrews. Which resulted in the following. 

The responses: 

This exchange ensued because I voiced my dismay that the Prime Minister was being attacked by exLiberals for the crime of taking public transport to the Grand Final. Now remember one of our biggest beefs during ex PM Abbott’s tenure, was the puerile attacks on him by the opposition. Conservatives were extremely critical of those attacks and now we have conservatives doing the same.

This continued despite blocking the poster. 

As a conservative Australian, the country and the people I know and love have in the main shown only love and acceptance. Whilst we may not have always agreed, we respected a broad spectrum of ideas and the rights of others to hold and express a different opinion. We try to sell our ideas and hopefully get others on side but if they choose not to, we don’t turn on them. But, if someone does turn on me, I will fight back but I will do my level best to do that in a constructive way. 

I am the wife of an immigrant and my husband holds a different opinion, having been on the receiving end of overt discrimination himself. That said he is the most loyal Aussie you will ever meet. Many friends from overseas who have visited here have expressed their opinion that we are just as intolerant as any other nation. I’ve always leapt to our defence. Whilst it saddens me to say it, I think our detractors might have a point and recent events have sheeted home to me just how intolerant we have become as a nation. Of course the champions of hatred will no doubt rip into me for saying this. I've been on the receiving end of an ample share of their vitriol over recent months. I expect it will continue because I will continue to express my opinion. I’m not telling anyone else how to live their life although a few of my detractors have levelled that accusation at me. I will however try to persuade conservative voters to give the leadership change a chance and to judge on the results. I will try to convince people that wrecking and splitting the conservative vote based on a vendetta isn’t in the best interests of the country. But, if they decide that is their path, fine but don’t attack others who have chosen a different path. 

So on reflection, perhaps we always were an intolerant nation and having not been on the receiving end of the intolerance and to my shame, I simply didn’t see it. 

The Dirty Game of Politics

I wonder how the thousands, who have died on the battlefields of war, fighting for the rights of others, would feel now when they see the rights of Australians being trampled in such a shameful way.

They would never have envisaged that the day would come, when the Prime Minister of this country in standing up and saying "Let's ask the people" would result in him being vilified and laughed at for doing so. And sneered at and criticised by some lily-livered weaklings in his own party. It's a shameful, shameful day.

I'm sorry my relatives sacrificed so much, only to have their legacy trashed by selfish, self-serving, self-interest groups and individuals. And by politicians who seek to play politics at the expense of our rights; our right to voice our opinion. And yes, I’m angry, very angry.

Those chanting ‘but the polls say the majority of Australians want same sex marriage legalised”, are doing so on the result of some newspaper poll. Or privately funded political poll. A few thousand people voicing their opinions!!!!  The only true measure of what the people want,  is to ask the majority. If you had listened to the media and snap polls on the recent Goodes events, claiming booing was racially motivated and that the majority vote agreed, then that was proven wrong yesterday by an Essential Poll highlighting the majority didn’t think that. You can’t trust polls as a reflection of a true pulse check.

Make no mistake,  there is a very dirty game plan being played out in this country. I for one am sick of it. I’m sick of the hypocrisy. I’m sick of my rights to hold an opinion being trampled. I’m sick of the bullying. And, most of all I’m sick of the lies.

Those who are reacting in such a vicious way to the LNP party room decision of yesterday, don’t want you to have your say. They merely want their way. Stuff you. So now,  opportunists who sit on the opposition benches, ably supported by their left-wing media buddies, will be actively spreading the leadership rumours. They will be pushing the ‘divide and conquer’ card as hard they can. Don’t fall for it.  It’s a cynical game using same sex marriage as the wedge. It’s not about championing minority rights it’s about politics, destabilisation and deflection.

A wise colleague said to me yesterday “unity is living, divide and you are dead”.. He is right.

Bronwyn Bishop: How Clean is YOUR Closet of Failures

Much has been said about Bronwyn Bishop over recent weeks. Most of it not flattering.

I personally think it's very sad that after a lifetime of service, her end will result from her error of judgement. Judgement, being a strong point of hers throughout her career, until recent times it appears. All of her good work forgotten and she herself cast to shame pile forever.

We have yet to see the results of the Finance Departments review into her expenses. I hope they find nothing untoward, but there are no guarantees. If she has been found to have broken the law, then she must face the consequences. But even if she has been found to have operated within the current rules, the damage has been done. She has been mortally wounded, the attackers have won.

It would be fair to say some of the vitriol stems from political point scoring. Labor have been after her from the day she stepped into The Speakers chair. Some stems from disappointment in our politicians. And, some simply because people join in the fray; the shark pack mentality that we see all too often today. "Go for the kill."

Mrs Bishop herself has conducted herself with dignity. She has apologised and paid back the money, plus a fine. Not once has she screamed bullying (although she has just grounds). Not once has screamed misogynist (although again, she has just grounds).

But in thinking about this and how we judge others, it begs the question. How many people critising Mrs Bishop have never cheated on their expenses? I'm sure if you checked mine might turn up the odd questionable item. It might have been legitimate under the rules, but applying the fairness test might result in a different response, dependent on whom you ask. Of course the cry will go up 'but in her case it's my money' - well it's always someones money be it tax payers, shareholders, business owners. It issue is about the application of standards not whose money it is.

Which brings me back to my point. What's hidden in my 'closet of failures'.

I'm thinking perhaps there is an element of truth in that.

We Have To Stop Labelling People Racist

"Racism motivates some Goodes booing:" Tim Wilson..

We are all racist in some form if we were honest. There are simply some individuals or groups of people we don’t like. However, most people keep it to themselves & they don't attack others; verbally or physically.

That is, until those they have an issue with 'shove their OWN racism back into the silent majorities face as Goodes has. Then they erupt. In this case and they boo Goodes. Big deal, if they beat him up that would be a different thing all together. But they BOO. It's called being human and we have to stop vilifying people for being human and look at the root cause of why people behave the way they do.

The more people in the media and sport attack the fans and label them racist,  the more people will turn on him. Many have not forgiven Goodes for his treatment of a child. Personally, I lost all respect for him after that. Many have not forgiven him for his comment  'remember whose land this is' when he was made Australian of the Year. That comment made me bristle. When he said that, he immediately signalled his views of the white majority in this country. He exposed his own racism. He also highlighted his own hypocrisy given he is mixed race. His stupid war dance was deliberately provocative. Of course people would react. But rather than reflect that perhaps he was ill advised to do it, he whined and once again called racism. In Goodes case, he just keeps 'picking at the sore'. People are simply fed up.

Thomas Sowell said. “The word 'racism' is like ketchup. It can be put on practically anything - and demanding evidence makes you a 'racist.'” Exactly right.

Where is the evidence that those booing Goodes are racist? No one has produced any they simply use the word to vilify, discredit and bully others. There are more important things to be focused on than this. Real racism for instance.

In closing, I think it is incredibly sad that a great player, will be remembered not for his contribution to sport, but his deliberate attempts to divide a nation. Perhaps this is his intent, who knows.

@patnjak “Racism is a word that is so badly used that when real racism is about you won't recognise it which is a great shame for all” Brilliantly said.

Our Reasoning Ability Is Rapidly Diminishing

I’m becoming increasingly fed up with people labelling me in their pathetic attempts to justify their own bias. We see this a lot on social media. It isn’t the domain of one group or another. People from all groups are doing it. Hence my lament that mankind’s ability to reason is rapidly diminishing.

Like many,  I was horrified by the number of attacks carried out in the preceding 24-hours by Islamist extremists. I posted a comment on twitter attaching a clip from the BBC website. Out of the 10 most recent updates 8 related to events, highlighting 5 different attacks.

Number two on the recent update list mentioned Gay Marriage to which someone replied “Gay marriage is more important than 165,000 Christians being murdered every year”. In the context of the BBC updates I replied it’s just detailing the most recent updates, nothing sinister in that. Well from there I was accused of being young (I’m not) and weak (I’m certainly not) and that Jones (assume he meant Alan Jones) and Paul Murray are wrecking a 1000 years of the conservative tradition. WT!!!

As it happens, I don’t listen to Jones or watch Paul Murray, but I digress. Now I did suggest the reply was the dumbest reply of the week. This was followed by an assault (using the latest weapon of choice of the social media crusaders)….. You are a Leftist!!!! Well, actually I’m not. In  fact, I’m a dedicated middle of the road conservative who thankfully was born with a brain and the ability to reason based on good old common sense.

You will recall the recent issues in Asia with thousands of asylum seekers stranded on boats. A number of us were discussing the problem there, as well as the problems in Europe. I had made a number of comments about the size and the potential scale of the problem given there are over 50million displaced persons. And the the fact that many  of those people are escaping on boats heading for Europe. Hundreds had drowned. I also mentioned countries like Italy & Greece can not be expected to keep absorbing thousands of asylum seekers. And voiced my frustration over the fact that groups like the UN are quick to condemn receiving countries, but do little to address the issues in the asylum seekers own countries.

One of our  ‘conservative brethren’ posted  a comment “give them life jackets that way they won’t drown  can just freeze to death”. Now any reasonable person would consider that a dreadful thing to say (unless of course you have an irrational hatred of Muslims). As a reasonable person, I said as much. What followed, once again was bizarre.  Judge for yourself.

Poster: “Maybe we should give them Lifejackets, won’t drown just freeze to death ”

Me: “That’s a dreadful thing to say. Something has to be done to fix problems on their home soil so they don’t leave”

Poster: “Start with smugglers, but living in corrupt countries will never happen. Can’t solve the worlds problems”

Me: “Never say never, never say can’t. There are 50million plus wanting to escape doing nothing isn’t an option”

At this point someone else joined the discussion & asked what I thought needed to happen. My reply.

Me: “Apart from removing despotic leaders, educating people and stop funding terrorists, I have no idea”

My poster chimed in:

Poster:  “What are you doing for them apart from twitter”

Me: “Apart from sponsoring children nothing. What are you doing?”

Poster: Ignored question, but came back with “What leader would you have, you seem to have all the answers”

Me: I don’t have all the answers and I will admit my patience was waning. Hence reply “Don’t be so stupid” By this time I could almost sense where we were heading. I know the poster form.  

Poster: “You’re the one performing either do something or go away. I’m blinking you. I don’t tolerate idiots. I’m blocking you”

How is that for intolerance and a lack of reasoning ability? The person in question hates Muslims and thinks the answer is let asylum seekers freeze in the ocean and she labels me an idiot.

Conservatives, rightly or wrongly have considered themselves to be above liberal progressives. That was always a bit smug in my opinion, even though I’m a conservative and I do consider myself above the rabble. Conservatives are just as capable of being as intolerant and abusive as anyone else. They prove that over and over again and often over the most mundane issues as per my recent exchanges. If you dare to question, regardless of what you have stood up for, condemned and defended previously, you are automatically labelled; you are not one of us, you are one of them. One of the evil lot. Of course, that is merely a bullying  tactic to attack based on the attackers own bias. “If you don’t agree with me, you are a traitor”.

Equally idiotic are statements such as “All Leftist Are Scum”.. Well, they aren’t. “All Conservatives Are Nut Jobs”.. Wrong again. Granted, some people on both sides are indeed scum. We certainly have our fair share of nut jobs of all persuasions but to brand whole groups highlights once again the inability to reason. It saddens me, but all I can do is continue to call out the behaviour for what it is.

Bullying by people based on their prejudices toward opposing or differing views and their inability to reason based on sound judgement.  In its place we have the  “If you don’t agree with me, you are a traitor” mentality and the world is a less tolerant and intelligent place as a result.

Smart Leaders Don't Play The Misogynist Card

I know very few strong female leaders who haven’t faced some level of bullying in their career. I’ve certainly received my fair share. It often took the form of undermining, attempts to belittle, spreading untruths, and even being accused of bullying for simply standing my ground.  Most, find ways to overcome and often earn the respect of the ‘bully’ in doing so. In my case, two men who bullied me at one point ended up becoming two of my strongest allies and supporters. Few, use bullying as a tool to gain sympathy or gain. Whilst we have shared our experiences among ourselves and even used experiences and our solutions when teaching other woman how to deal with bullying, few make a big ‘song and dance’ about it.

With the above mind, it disappoints me (and to some degree surprises me) that Julia Gillard has once again chosen to accuse another man of bullying. This time, she has used the opportunity in a documentary airing on ABC. Julia has a history of accusing men of bullying her; Tony Abbott and now Kevin Rudd to name two. Julia always struck me as a strong and forthright woman. Strong and forthright women do not devalue themselves in admitting men bully them. You would never hear Margaret Thatcher or Angela Merkel do that.

Ms Gillard achieved the highest position in the land, that of Prime Minster. Whilst her ascension to the position was clouded with controversy, the fact that she was in a position to be considered and that she was eventually appointed by the Labor party speaks volumes.  It indicates she is as they say ‘no wilting flower’. So why is she constantly pushing the misogynist bullying line. To me, it indicates she only got the position playing the weak female. That may be unfair but I suspect I’m not the only one who thinks that.  Particularly those of us who have reached senior positions within big business and who have faced all sorts of barriers (including misogyny and bullying) but who have dealt with it quietly and not used it as a crutch.

I do not support Julia Gillard’s political party being an avowed middle of the road conservative. I also think she was a very poor Prime Minister which is a huge disappointment for many. Those two things aside, she had a superb opportunity to be a great role model for young women endeavouring to build their careers. I am always looking for inspirational women to use as examples to help motivate young women to be the very best they can. Unfortunately, those women who seek to play the misogyny card demotivate rather than motivate. Certainly, those women who play that card to excuse their failures are automatically dismissed. Sadly Julia is in that group. What an opportunity we have lost as a result.