Australia is scared – scared of debt, scared of unemployment, scared of carbon pricing, scared there won’t be enough to go around when they get old, scared of tax reform. They have even gotten themselves scared about a few thousand asylum seekers.
For some reason they have also decided to now be scared about the never-ending war in the Middle East.
AIMN contributor mars08 very clearly showed how wrong we are to be afraid by reminding us of the words of Osama bin Laden, 2004:
“All that we have to do is to send two Mujahedin to the farthest point East to raise a piece of cloth on which is written al-Qa’ida in order to make the generals race there to cause America to suffer human economic and political losses without their achieving for it anything of note other than some benefits to their private companies.”
What are we so afraid of? A mentally deranged man who, despite all the warning signals, was ignored until it was too late? One sick teenager who attacked two policemen? A few kids who talk tough on Facebook? A video?
So much for the much vaunted ANZAC bravery. We aren’t even under attack and we are cowering – they are coming to get us.
We are being played. We are spending a fortune for what gain? Our token involvement only adds to the propaganda for IS. Every bomb we drop breeds resentment.
If IS did pose an “existential threat” to Australia, as Julie Bishop would have us believe, then sending a few planes and a few hundred non-combat troops is a piss-weak response. But getting Tony all worked up means you can make him promise to buy your planes and submarines in exchange for the free trade agreements he so covets.
Someone is using social media to collect a few thousand vulnerable kids from around the world and they have given them trucks and big guns to rampage around the country terrorising people. If anyone seriously believes a 21st century nation can be built by beheading people they are deluded. This is a strategic move to undermine the US and their sidekicks and we fell for it again.
But far worse, our kids are falling for it, heading over there to become cannon fodder and suicide bombers or sex slaves. Those who quickly realise they have made a mistake are stuck with no help from home – with no home to even return to for some.
Our nation did everything in its power to help two convicted drug traffickers and grieved when they were not shown mercy, but no such mercy will be shown to our children seduced by these manipulators even if they have done nothing other than to talk to someone or travel somewhere.
If we truly wanted to address terrorism and human rights abuses abroad we would increase foreign aid, we would help lift people out of poverty, we would educate and empower women, and we would use our defence forces to help build nations.
If we wanted to protect ourselves at home we would address domestic violence, we would invest in education, we would create jobs, we would fund community groups, we would have youth support programs, we would be investing in mental health initiatives, we would encourage young artists and musicians, we would mentor those who needed help, and we would embrace our diversity. We would respect each other.
Prevention is so much more productive than inadequately dealing with, or even aggravating, symptoms.
Tony is fond of telling us that you can’t tax your way to prosperity. Can you shoot your way to any sort of meaningful peace? Can you punish your way to co-operation? Can you vilify your way to cohesion?
Jimmy Barnes has sent a message to anti-Islam rallies who play his music: stop.
“I only want to say the Australia I belong to and love is a tolerant Australia. A place that is open and giving. It is a place that embraces all sorts of different people, in fact it is made stronger by the diversity of its people. If you look at my family you can see we are a multicultural family. Australia needs to stand up for Love and Tolerance in these modern times.
“None of these people represent me and I do not support them.”
Our artists and musicians, our scientists and aid workers, our doctors and teachers, our grandparents and children – so many in our society are fighting the fear our Prime Minister is working so hard to promote.
Come on, Australia, what are you so afraid of? It’s only Tony talk.
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