I'm A Conservative

Two of the hottest topics currently are asylum seekers; in particular Muslim asylum seekers and the Paris Climate meeting. I guess for us conservatives, this debate is heightened because of the change in government leader. 

In the past, we appeared to have a clear divide between Labor, Greens and conservatives on both of those issues. But I wonder if it really was that clear cut. If you are pro you must be on the left. If you are against, you must be on the right. 

I’m a conservative. I support the Liberal Party, have done for years, but that doesn’t mean I’m devoid of compassion for other people or the environment. I can see the merits of controlling pollution. You only have to look at countries like China to see the disastrous impact of millions of cars on the road and their air quality problems. Companies pumping chemicals into waterways wreck havoc on wildlife. I am deeply concerned about deforestation and the impact on the environment; land degradation, plants and animals and air quality.  

I believe as a society we should do all we can to protect the collective environment. Doesn’t mean, however, I buy the myth of global warming or support the exploitation of developed countries as a cash cow to prop up failed governments, the UN or IMF.  I certainly don’t support closing coal fired power stations, but I do think developing technology to deliver cleaner fossil fuel production is a good idea. I detest blights on the landscape and seascape in the form of wind turbines; costly, ugly, killing fields and depending on where they are they can be grossly inefficient. Large scale solar farms are equally reviled. I do like the idea of solar panels with battery power storage, thus taking homes off grid; brilliant idea. I’m also a huge fan of hydropower. 

The question of asylum seekers is a vexing one. I am pleased the LNP had the fortitude to stop the boats and to deal effectively with the odd one or two who have attempted to land here since early 2014. But I also don’t support closing the front doors to some who are in desperate need of a safe haven. Hence, I supported ex Prime Minister Abbott when he announced we would be taking an additional 12,000 persecuted minority Syrians from refugee camps. Prime Minister Turnbull has supported that decision as expected. 

I find it fascinating that people on social media cheer on Kurds fighting ISIS and rebels in Iraq and Syria, but scream NO to relocating some of the Kurdish men, women and children here. I trust our intelligence and immigration people will do their jobs selecting who comes here. Let's face it, we don’t have to import terrorist. We only have to give lunatics access to the Internet to learn all they need to know to cause a problem here. We aren’t Europe. We are an island we control who comes here. I simply can’t support closing everything up and erecting the No Room At The Inn sign. 

So yes, I’m a conservative. It doesn’t mean I should have to say no to every initiative to improve the environment. It doesn’t mean I should have to support a closed door asylum policy. Because I do support some of those initiatives and share those opinions doesn’t mean I’m a closet Leftie. It simply means I’m a middle of the road conservative and proud of it. 

Could We Give It A Rest, Please?

Don't know about you, but I'm a bit tired of hearing about ISIS & maybe terror attacks. Page after page of media reports. Social media saturation with every armchair expert in the universe voicing an opinion, which is their right, I know but seriously can’t we give it a rest? 

Reminds me of a few months back when we were all going to die from an Ebola pandemic.  Remember that? It was going to wipe out millions of people. Days and days of  scare mongering and knee jerk. Thousands and thousands of dollars spent on screening and tightened security. Guess what, it didn't happen. We are still here. 

I’m not saying we should be blasé about what is happening in the Middle East. I'm not saying we should be completely fooled into thinking we are immune. Only an idiot would think that. But seriously, on the probability scale of what will kill me, I’m figuring being bumped off by a terrorist wouldn’t be number one on the list right now. 

I feel very comfortable that our security forces and our police are on top of this. They can never guarantee everyone will be safe, no one can. The same as a driving test assessor in granting someone a license can never guarantee that person will not kill you whilst they are behind the wheel of a car. That’s life. 

I don’t know about you, but I had safety rules drummed into me from the time I was a child. We should be cautious. Nothing new in that. But to turn on the news, switch to any media service and be faced with as I said page after page of drama, hypothesis and questioning our security only frightens people or increases their anger. 

I caught the replay of an Alan Jones interview with the odious Mr Bernard Gaynor on 2GB873 last night. My God. Talk about whipping up paranoia and hatred. I’ve mentioned Mr Gaynor previously. He is the ex Army Major who was booted out for his extreme homophobic, Islamophobic, misogynistic  and bullying tactics. Mr Gaynor is running for a senate seat next election for the Australian Liberty Alliance. Mr Gaynor also now appears to have found a champion in Mr Jones, who is also well known for possessing the same set of corrupted values as Mr Gaynor. They were having a great old time slurring our ADF and our security capability. The main thrust of their discussion was Muslims in the services and the fact that our security is compromised as a result. Disgraceful stuff in my opinion and my very low opinion of Gaynor and Alan Jones has now reached the level of utter contempt. 

Whilst ever we put up with this stuff and support people like Jones and Gaynor the more they’ll play to an already frightened electorate in their cynical campaign to garner listeners and supporters. 

But hey, I’m merely one voice, but I suspect I’m not the only one thinking they have had enough. There are more things going on in the world and in the country that we need to know about and talk about. 

I Am Angry For Allowing Myself To Be Conned

At first I was angry and now, as it appears I’ve been conned and manipulated I’m really angry? Angry with myself and angry with stupid irresponsible media. 

It’s no secret, that I have made my position on the Muslim issue perfectly clear. So when I read, that the badge worn by our Army Chaplains was to be changed after 102 years and two World Wars because it was offensive to Muslims I simply threw my hands into the air in desperation. My initial thought was why do I bother. Why do I bother saying but hey let's give them chance when they do things like this. Typical knee-jerk reaction. 

So when I actually took the time to confirm exactly what was happening, I became really angry over media and opportunistic manipulation. 

Malcolm Turnbull has come in for a heap of flack over the story that was published by  the Daily Telegraph. There was already a heap of accusing fingers pointing at him over the addition of an Imam to the Religious Advisory Committee to the Services, which in fact happened back in June. This appointment had nothing to do with Turnbull. In fact, it happened under Tony Abbott’s Prime Ministership. Not that it had anything to do with Mr Abbott either. 

It would be fair to say the appointee Sheikh Mohamadu Nawas Saleem has copped a lot of flack on social media & in MSM. Some warranted, as usual, some not. So the environment was right to pour petrol on already smoking embers. People are angry about Paris, they are angry about refugees coming here, they are angry about the Sheikh, they are angry about Turnbull, who many think has gone soft on all of this (I’m not in that camp but that is another story) so....cue stage right…

Out comes the Telegraph story of November 21. With the headline. 

Now to my shame I hadn’t actually read the Telegraph column until today. I had picked up snippets in the Oz on social media, etc. Yes, I know I whine about others doing that. I’ve learnt my lesson. 

When I actually read the story I realised I had, as they say ‘been played’. You see NO decision has been made on this despite the affirmative headline. It’s merely being considered. 

I suspect 99.9% of the population had no idea what was on the Chaplains badge anyway, until it was circulated as part of this story. I suspect even less are aware there are two badges. Jewish Chaplains have their own. So we have two cap badges. The ADF comprises people of all religions and I dare say a swag of atheists.  From where I sit, it makes sense to consider having one badge that represents all as I assume what we come out of this. 

Now, a decision would probably have just been made, implemented and no one would have been any the wiser. But the Telegraph mentioned the magic word, MUSLIM, and like a moth to a flame up pops Bernard Gaynor. You know Mr Gaynor the disgraced ex Army Major who was kicked out because of his extreme views. Mr Gaynor is entitled to his opinions, but the ADF didn’t have to tolerate them so they separated. 

Mr Gaynor came to public attention in the 2013 election campaign, when he fearlessly asserted his opposition to having his children taught by gay teachers. At the time he was found to breach even the loopy standards of his party, the Katter Party and he was subsequently dumped. That tells you a lot. He was too hot for Katter. 

But it is now 2015 and Mr Gaynor has found his Political, Spiritual Home at last. He will be running for a senate seat for, wait for it, the Australian Liberty Alliance. Let’s spend a few minutes interrogating Mr Gaynor’s beliefs.  

We have established he is vehemently anti gay and hence against same sex marriage. Fine, many people are but it probably touches on insanity when someone takes it to the level he does into wanting gays prosecuted. We can be thankful he isn’t advocating beheading them, a favourite pass time in Saudi Arabia. 

One of his tweets on same sex marriage back in 2014. 

He was relentless in his bullying of transgender Lieutenant Colonel Cate McGregor. A woman who has earned the respect of many, many Australians, including ex Prime Minister Abbott. 

He is anti-abortion. Fine, he is a Catholic.  

He is anti women in the military. Heaven help us, it is 2015 we got out of the kitchen a long time ago.

His ongoing vilification of Muslims is legendary so he must have been salivating over the opportunity to get in front of the media and beat up the Chaplain badge story. Disavowed ex Army, Muslim hater, want to be politician, the perfect mouthpiece. 

If it quacks like a religious far right extremist, it’s a fair bet that is exactly what they are. 

Back to the badge. A Defence spokeswoman has denied the motto was being changed because it was associated with the Crusades, when Christian armies fought Muslims in the Holy Land during the Middle Ages. Seriously, you would have to have a very colourful imagination to even think that was the reason. 

“The motto of the Australian Army Chaplains is being changed to better reflect the diversity of religion throughout the Australian Army,” she said. To me, that makes sense. 

“The new wording on the Australian Army Chaplaincy badge is under consideration and no decision has been made at this time.” End of. So why didn’t  the Telegraph phrase their headline to reflect that,  instead of the inflammatory mischief making headline they opted for. 

I  don’t particularly like the wording of, “In this sign we conquer”with a stylised cross in the middle, either. Chaplains do not go into battle. They are there to provide support and guidance to those who do. I simply don’t think the wording represents that, so if they can come up with something better, which is more inclusive great in my book. 

As for the Telegraph. Shame on you for stirring up division and hatred and particularly shame on you for doing it at time when volatility within the community is high. 

An Inspector Calls - J. B. Priestley - A Message for 2015?

I watched a TV adaption of J. B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls last night. I had forgotten what powerful messages it contained and given what we are facing currently it was a timely reminder. In the last scenes with the Inspector, shortly before his exit addresses the family and delivers these words; 

"We don't live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other. And I tell you that the time will come soon when, if man will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish." 

This of course was a blistering commentary of Priestley's socialist message. The promise of "fire, blood and anguish" references to the First and Second World Wars, which for Priestley's audience in 1946 must have been a chilling reminder. Given what we could possibly be facing, for me it was just as chilling today. 

It might be time for us all to wake before it is too late. 

Another memorable was line was; 

"It's not where you start, it's where you finish in this life." From where I sit, the 'finish' bit isn't looking that crash hot, but at least we have an opportunity to do something about it, before it is too late. It's up to us. 

I Don't Condemn All Muslims

So much been said and written about the attacks in Paris. Less so on the attacks in Beirut just 24 hours prior to Paris. Now we have what appears to be confirmation that the Russian aircraft that crashed in Egypt was as a result of a bomb. Just a few days ago, people were murdered in Afghanistan and dumped by the side of the road. One of these people was just nine years of age, a little girl decapitated and thrown away like discarded rubbish. Over 450 plus people slaughtered in the space of a couple of weeks and they are the ones that hit news services. 

It’s difficult for me, as I suspect it is for many others to comprehend what drives men (and to a lesser degree woman) to carry out atrocities on this scale and with such levels of brutality. They claim that a book or a directive from their God made them do it, simply doesn’t cut it. It has to be more fundamental than that. There is only one God even Muslims believe that. So 'their' God is Satan. 

There is so much written about this problem by people who know much more about the issue than I do. Trying to make sense of it and to sort the fact from the fiction is really hard. My decision is based on what I read, who has written it; their experience and their motives. Then there are my life experiences and my fundamental beliefs and principles. Most importantly what I learn from people I know personally and who I trust, who are involved in the particular field of interest. Some of those people I take guidance from are very directly involved. 

So using the above as my framework in trying to understand the Muslim issue this is how I see it. We are facing the greatest challenge to our security and to world peace that I have faced in my lifetime. We are battling an enemy that I don’t understand. I doubt many apart from those on the frontline do. An enemy who wants to take us back to the brutality of the Dark Ages. It’s an enemy who doesn’t discriminate along ethnic lines. They simply kill anyone who doesn’t submit to their warped doctrine. Submit or die. It wouldn’t matter if I were from Iraq, Syria, Africa, Australia, America, England or France, they’ll still kill me. It doesn’t matter whether I am a Muslim, a Catholic, an Anglican, a Buddhist, they’d still kill me. It doesn’t matter if I am young, old, male or female they’d still kill me. Their enemy is the world that I am part of; the free world. 

The terrifying part is, I have no idea who ISIS really are apart from vicious killers who hide behind a religious  text which they have manipulated to justify their murderous, maniacal regime. If you listen to experts it does appear many who hide behind the ISIS brand (and other Muslim terrorist group for that matter) are hired mercenaries. Others are people who are seduced by the extremely good ISIS propaganda which paints a picture of their new utopia. A utopia that bears no semblance to reality. The world of; they hate you, but we love love you come help us build this brave new world. That's what they sell. Then we have the radical religious fanatics who dream of a new caliphate and world domination. It isn’t as though you can point a finger at them and say that is ISIS. They come from all lands, they don’t parade around in uniforms like the Nazis. Many in the west look like everybody else walking down the street. So, I guess like me many people are fearful and it's very easy for that fear to overwhelm to the point that we start to suspect everyone who wears the mantle of Muslim. 

In our relative safety in Australia I view what happens in Europe, the Middle East and because I’m interested in other parts like Africa, Pakistan, Afghanistan etc and I shudder. I witness what happened in Parramatta and the realisation hits, it can happen here and whilst it was only one person it still happened. When I think that the murder in Parramatta was carried out by a 15 year old boy my blood runs cold. He was a child. A child that hated so much he killed and lost his life for it. He could be the kid standing at the bus stop near my home. I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks that. 

It’s the unknown that frightens people. It frightens me. That’s human nature. I understand that but I can't spend my life jumping at shadows. 

The question for me is, how do I deal with this. I am not going to let it stop me leading my life. I’ll still travel and go about my day as usual. I’m more wary and cautious than I used to be but I can’t let that beat me. I’m not going to label all Muslims the enemy or demand the innocent atone for the actions of radicals. That hardly seems fair. I’ll continue to support my Muslim friends. I know they are as fearful, appalled and frighten as I am. I will focus on what I can do, albeit not much to help us overcome this scourge. I will do my best to share information and to show compassion for those who are struggling. I know in making my position public, that I am going to alienate a lot of people. I’ve already had some dreadful accusations hurled at me, I expect it will get worse. 

I am a conservative but was told a couple of nights ago that I have been marginalised by moderate conservatives on Twitter for failing to join the ‘ban and kick-out all Muslims’ voice. It was also suggested that the only people who share my position are from the left. I hope that isn’t true. I’m grateful for the advice, but I have to stay true to myself, my family, my friends. I think about what my parents would expect of me if they were still here. I’m sad that a division has developed along political lines. I feel like all my bridges are being demolished. How others whom I have never met judge me is up to them. What is important to me is how I judge myself and how my friends and family judge me, as it should be. 

I was always taught to stand up for what I believed in. I’ve tried to do that despite how hard that can be at times. So I will condemn as loudly as I can all terrorists, be they Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, whatever they are but I simply won’t brand everyone who follows a specific religion because of the actions of some. 

The experts within the Muslim faith state ISIS wants to create division in the world. They want to pit Muslims against the rest of us. They want to drive more to their cause. I believe the experts because frankly, they know more about it than I do. You don’t have to be too bright to understand that ISIS is extremely good at propaganda and since Paris they have done a very good job of achieving their objective. I’m not going to be part of their strategy, hence my commitment not to put every Muslim into the same bucket as ISIS and other terrorist groups.

“The practice of selectivity appears to be the tactic of choice of those who promote propaganda.” That said, it isn’t just the domain of ISIS the anti-Muslim brigade use it as well. As an example, I’ve used quotes attributed to Barrack Obama that were doing the rounds on social media yesterday. 

Firstly the list attributed to Obama, 40 mind-blowing quotes from Barack Obama about Islam and Christianity. 

http://youngcons.com/40-mind-blowing-quotes-barack-obama-islam-christianity/

I am no fan of Barrack Obama. Anybody who reads my Twitter timeline knows that, but I do believe in fairness and truth and that list is a classic case of ‘selectivity being used for propaganda’. 

The following article headed up, Truth on the cutting room floor proves it. 

http://www.factcheck.org/2009/12/truth-on-the-cutting-room-floor/

This type of scurrilous propaganda is used for one reason and one reason alone and that is to suck in the gullible to a cause. Not un-similar to ISIS. It's not that hard to check the validity of some of this stuff.

This is how I see it: 

If Muslims don’t condemn the actions of Muslim terrorists, they are branded sympathisers and supporters. 

If non-Muslims defend the majority of Muslims who are not terrorists, they are branded secret Muslims and Islamist supporters. 

If Muslims do condemn the actions Muslim terrorists, they are branded liars. 

If non-Muslims defend the Muslims who condemn terrorist they are branded naïve. 

If Muslims condemn Muslim terrorists and the language isn’t tough enough, or they dare to plead don’t condemn all Muslims, they are accused of being against the west and not taking responsibility. 

If non-Muslims try and defend softer language they are accused of being leftie sympathisers and even socialists. 

We even have a Senator in this country advocating fitting all asylum seekers and the Grand Mufti with electronic tracking devices!!! Regular Muslims must feel a bit like the Jews did in Nazi Germany, which is exactly what ISIS wants. It appears we have leant nothing. 

Well for what is it worth that’s my view of the world and how I plan to deal with it and why. I’ve made a commitment not to make a very bad situation worse by whipping up fear and anger. I hope to heaven that the leaders of this world get off their bums and do something constructive about fixing this problem. I wouldn’t have their jobs for a billion dollars. I fear for what our world is becoming. I fear religious Muslim fanatics and the really shocking thing is, I’m starting to fear my own kind.