April 05, 2003
PRO-WAR people, according to the
PRO-WAR people, according to the Melbourne Age's deep-thinking Hugh Mackay, are largely gullible, enjoy the violence of warfare, are impatient and bored, can't be bothered following debate, or are suckers for propaganda. But as for the anti-war people ...
On the other side of the argument, among the majority who still oppose this war, something rather more complex is occurring: beyond the shame over Australia having been cast in the role of aggressor and the outrage over the illegality of the invasion, there's a quiet, persistent voice that may yet rise to a roar: "Of course we are against this war; come to think of it, we are against war."
These are not traditional pacifists. They are people - especially women - who are looking at the concept of war through 21st century eyes, seeing it as an affront to history, an admission of failure and a pathetically primitive, wearyingly predictable resort to violence.
These complex anti-war people just know a whole bunch more stuff than us lumpen primitives. Excuse me now while I go outside and rearrange the rock fence guarding the hut perimeter; our local augurer predicts increased Wilde Beaste activity this evening.
Posted by Tim Blair at April 5, 2003 04:02 PM