There was a column in the Australian today covering last nights Q&A program on ABC. The column addressed among other points Brendan O'Neill's and Mitch Fifield's debate on free speech and offshore detention. As usual, the comments varied. I posted a comment along similar lines to this blog.
In the same Australian, Nick Cater had an even more direct column where he talked of HRC's Tim Southphommasane's grievance industry' seeing bigots everywhere. It's worth a read.
This piece tells you a lot about Tim Southphommasane. He said, "If someone says to me they’re not even going to try to pronounce my name, that doesn’t necessarily send a good signal,” the race relations commissioner told The Australian Financial Review in a revealing interview this month
“It says that they’re not even bothered to treat me with respect. How would they feel if they were told that every day — that people weren’t going to even try to pronounce their name?”
Well, guess what Mr Southphommasane, I can’t pronounce your name and I wouldn’t try. Nothing to do with lack of respect, simply, I would prefer not to make and ass of myself trying. To mispronounce your name can be viewed by some people as an insult. So stop being a drama queen in trying to make a case of something as banal as people not attempting to pronounce your name. Time to grow up.
Within our society today we have entire groups of people who have decided they exist to take offence at things. For some, I suspect it gives their life meaning. I am a victim, therefore I am. They hold the view, they have an inherent right never to be touched by anything as shocking as being offended. If they are, their response is, the offender is going to have to pay. As if any “show me the money” payment would ever take away genuine hurt.
Feeding off this new cultural industry, we have the “victim industry” profiteers and exploiters. Hence the new Insult Business is flourishing. There are more and more people making a lot of money out of it. Just look at what we pay the Human Rights Commissioners.
This culture of offence is made up of all sorts of people who are hypersensitive to life. Where the slightest comments can result in you being reported to the "thought police." For heaven's sake just look at the ludicrous QUT case. Where, in anyone's language reasonably sensible (if someone sarcastic) questions and comments (given the circumstances) resulted in students paying up to avoid prosecution and in one case being pursued by the HRC. What an abuse of power that is.
In this new "Victim Culture" a wrong turn of phrase, a simple word, can result in someone taking issue with it and us. When they do, all hell can break loose. Well, guess what folks we will never go through life and not be offended. It just isn't going to happen. If we were honest with ourselves we are all racists and bigots to a degree. It’s when it goes too far, we have a problem.
There are groups of people I don't like or trust. Perhaps this will change in the future, but for now, it’s how I feel. I will continue to voice my opinion, hopefully in a constructive way. I hold the belief, it's OK to criticise or constructively comment but it’s not OK to physically attack, abuse or hound people. But that's just my approach.
We must NEVER cave into industries, groups or individuals who seek to control how we think, what we say and or how we act. When in reality we are simply being human and exercising our right to free thought and free speech. Groups and individuals who condemn and vilify us for holding and presenting a different opinion must not win. That is not to say I condone bullying. I most certainly don't.
The new “Victim Industry and Culture” has gone way too far. They are a form of extremists. It has to be defeated before it's too late.
