Tim Blair

The "truisms" of the left are being discredited daily at the moment. They're still all living in the 60s. If they don't bring their views up to date soon, I can see them becoming increasingly marginalised.

Nice quote Blair, she is frighteningly unaware of the irony it would seem. Come on all you salvating rednecks, lets have a good spat. Some gems from Janet (the lonely planet)'s full article, and a semi-literate response:

""Often couched in the language of religion, it is in fact deeply rooted in politics.""
Or is it in fact religion? I'm agnostic now but I remember reading about the good samaritan, the camel through the eye of the needle, the other cheek. Perhaps some of the clergy can in fact read??

""Its adherents, like all fundamentalists, keep their politics of hate simple. Rejecting nuance, ignoring the complex, they present us with the world according to them.""
Boy, that sounds familiar. So people who want to blow arabs off the face of the earth and lock refugees in concentration camps are complex, and nuanced, while their opponents push politics of hate? What sheer breathtaking postmodernism! An absolute inversion of logic and the apparent...

""And because there are so many of us who disagree with them... but also earn them disdain..The rest of us tend to turn away when we are told we are not merely wrong, but immoral.""
Oh, they should go with populist wind then, no matter if it is wrong. But the populist wind could never be wrong, certainly wasn't in germany, rwanda, serbia, south africa...

""We as a nation had reached new depths of political depravity.""
Well said by a clergyman I'd have a beer with!

""Revelations of doubts about some elements of British and US intelligence on Iraq's weapons""
Thats one way of describing the complete discombobulation of most of the case for war, and revelations of pure lying. You freaks actually think nixon was a good leader, don't you?

""and ignored the UN over weapons of mass destruction for more than a decade.""
She still runs this lie, knowing full well it has been disproven. Dishonest witch...

""every possible alternative lifestyle and embrace the ordination of gays and lesbians.""
Oh my no, embrace poofs while condemning slaughter of individuals? Clearly they don't know christ's true compassion....

""That reasonable people can disagree on these difficult moral and political issues does not feature in this new fundamentalism.""
Moving away from the old style church where people could mumble words for an hour then go out and hang blacks from a tree, with no trace of irony...

""And there were more sticks. "This Government is completely prepared to behave contrary to international law. In other words, take a different view to Butler on these political issues and you are a law-breaker.""
Actually he is right on all those counts, most of the leading jurisprudential minds on the planet agree with him.

""They abandon cool, dispassionate analysis of competing arguments in favour of emotion-charged epithets.""
Once again, unlike Janet, Tim, Andrew et al, who are measured and reasonable. If your bell curve was taken in a violent psych ward...

""The Left has mastered the art of self-loathing. And that is why it is losing the culture wars.""
What is it with the 'self loathing' bit? I don't loath myself. Im excellent. Im smarter and better looking than most of you lot. I dont even loath the bulk of those who disagree with me.

But the barking dogs of the far right- stupid, but also nasty- make me sick with loathing, I admit it.

Rather than going through the laborious process of plagarizing Sphincter, I'll just second that!

Um, who exactly is unaware of irony. Sphincter corroborated the point of the article better than any "stupid, nasty" right-winger could. Man, the benefits of letting the lunatic fringe drone on...it's almost worth it.

You're right Jerry,
The 'groupthink' of Uday Sphincter highlights the the unelectability and stupidity of the current left. Good thing too. Expose them to the light of day.

I would really like to know where some of these whiners and haters of the West think they'd enjoy living. I'd like to know what country or countries they believe close enough to perfection so they'd at least not hate it!!

I can't understand people who detest the country they live in and still remain there. I wish they'd all move to wherever is closest to paradise on Earth so we wouldn't have to listen to the constant drip-drip-drip of their complaining.

"Sphincter" simply misses the point. Albrechtson is quite correct - the stridency of the condemnation of the Howard Government by some prominent lefty scions has grown quite loopy. To the point where it is completely self-defeating. Their black and white view of the world is not only unattractive to ordinary folk but is completely inadequate as a framework for understanding the reality that confronts them. The same phenomenon can be seen in the USA as well.

For the political left in Australia to regroup and regain relevance as a force in shaping our nation's future, its influential thinkers will need to stop the shrieks of outrage, look again with unclouded vision at the policies they despise so much, and try to understand what they are actually trying to achieve and why they have the popular support that they do. "You are all a mean-hearted pack of bastards" is just a cop-out. This is going to be hard work, requiring a fundamental re-examination of a lot of old shibboleths. Try to fudge it or take the easy way out and they will stay in a leftie la-la land of irrelevance.

PS: By the way, one of the reasons I reckon why so many leading left ideologues are shrieking with impotent rage about our deplorable lack of "morality" is that they have lost the capacity to exert control through shaming.

I have commented on this before but, before Howard, dissent against elite left wing opinions was often able to be effectively controlled by "shaming", or the prospect of shaming, in the the all-pervasive PC culture existing at that time. Howard's greatest gift to Australian political culture has been to consign this to the dustbin of history. People feel much more free to express what they really think politically - and that is a damn good thing. True freedom of speech. But it has made the custodians of PC incredibly angry - how dare the hoi polloi depart from the one true path that we have decided is best!!

Looks like sphincter's been constipated for so long that when it opened up a lot of crap poured out.

Semi-literate?

The left once concerned itself with socialising the means of production - transferring wealth, nationalising industries, improving working conditions, etc. However, over the past 20 or 30 years the "left" has been colonised, taken over even, by a group of screaching puritanical moral fundamentalists. Their fulminations are filled to the brim with charges of "evil," "shameful," "racist," "xenephobe..." I'm sure you get their picture. They insist they are "progressives" and "people of goodwill." These 2 bit media mullahs have been responsible for the church hall reducation in Australian political debate.

Meanwhile, the Liberals have colonised the old left position and concern themselves with standards of living and proserity, leaving morality to individuals and civil society. The current government aims to reflect the community, rather than lecture the community on matters of morality.

Good thing too.

Sphinc,

Keep it below 200 words, would you?

Bit hard when you've had a dose of commie cascara.

Sure Timbo, anything for you darling.

Good to provoke a bit of a spat, shame not one of my points was responded to. All the usual cliches though. I didn't blanket her with pure ideology, I went in for some specifics too, in particular on Allbackson's attempt to splice the clergy from their texts, which for once they appear to be taking notice of.

Chris I'd just like to live in oz, without wankers like you crawling around it poluting the landscape.

There, less than 150...

It is typical not only of communards but conservative socialists, well indoctrinated courtesy of schools into the quackery of sociology and psychology(these days without even having attended a university to personalise een the most innocous pursuits). So, Brionowski reduces condemation of the assment she published vive voce over the air-waves of of grave events.

All Right Wing Death Beasts are reminded it is in 3 seconds time wombat hugging day which, on my calender, is 5.3403 to the 5.3403 and a third .

Laugh over, back to business.

If I hear someone say concentration camp again I'm gonna scream.

They can go back to their Muslim wonderland anytime they want. According to the left places like Iraq under Saddam must have been good - well they must have if the Conservatives were wrong and immoral to remove Saddam and the Taliban.

Stuff your illegal immigrants up your sphincter. A solid 70 to 80% of the population supports the governments stand. Whats immoral about a government representing the views of the voters?

Well said neocon chick.

Whats immoral about a government representing the views of the voters?

Hitler won by popular election.

By describing the leaders of left wing political thought as "mullahs", Janet implies some sort of moral equivelance between those on the left of the political divide (and it isnt hard to be n the left of Janet) and the leaders of militant Islam. You couldn't get a much better example of what Janet herself describes as indulging in "blinkered moral absolutism to impugn the motives of those they disagree with"

It's amazing how people like Tom support a fascist and racist dictator but use Hitler as an example of evil, have a look in the Mirror, Tom.

As for a 'parlous moral state' the churchs need look no further then their own priesthood and the still not fully investigated pedophile allegations. Unfortunatly the church leaders are returning to their roots by seeking to lecture the masses from on high.

While the church leaders issue moral absolutes rather then discusing the issues they are placing themsleves in the same camp as the Mullahs and their Fatwas.

Hitler never won a popular election. With the help of the senile President of the Reichstag, Hindenburg, he managed to get parliament dissolved under an enabling act. At best, the NSDAP had a bare majority at the time. read some history, before you comment on parliamentary democracy questions.

Habib Bickford,at least, has read history.
I get so tired of the "Hitler won a democratic election" crap.
He didn't. And even if he had, so bloody what? That would make the leftie's adoration of rule by the Chosen Elite ok?
Sphincter is upset that the majority of Australians support Howard, therefore the majority are fools. Well, why bother having elections at all? We simpletons can't be trusted with choosing our politicians, so maybe we should ape that bastion of democracy and civil liberties North Korea and simplify things a little......

Gilly, you are truly one of the nastiest pieces of shit around. They can go back anytime MY F*CKING ARSE.

What about all those who come from the very countries that you spend your days attacking on this site, for being undemocratic, dictatorships etc? How is it that people would be refused asylum coming from IRAQ, yet we apparently waged war on that country, given there are no WMDs, because it was a totalitarian state?

Weren't they genuine?

What about my friend ROb in SAs clients, the two iranian asylum seekers rejected, flown back to Iran and shot on the f*cking tarmac as soon as they alighted? Last year, you c*nt.

I wish your immigrant ancestor died on their way over you coward.

Sphincter,
Have you got any links that might prove this claim? If it is true I'm wondering why the pro-refugee lobby hasn't used it as it would probably help turn public opinion on the issue. I must say I'm highly sceptical.

Me too, pezza.

Great to see reasoned, civil debate, innit? lolol

Why do you need links verifying the "claim" that we attacked Iraq and Afghanistan.

I thought it was common knowledge.

I would like to know why those on the left supported illigal immigrants entering this country because they were going to be repressed by evil dictators in their countries of origin, and then in the next breath criticise conservatives for wanting to remove the same evil dictators.

Thanks you for your constructive comments bum muscle - I take it that you and your leftie mates will have no objection to an invasion of Iran given your post - just like you supported invading Iraq.

Thank you Habib for pointing out that bullshit Hitler line, he in fact received just over 30% of the vote in the Reichstag - and Tom are you suggesting that any politician that represents voters must be Hitler? Simon Hitler Crean objected to a second airport at Badgerys due to latent nazism maybe?

Oh yeah, bum muscle, I hold you personally responsible for the actions of all on the left. Stalin killing 20 million is your fault, Pol Pot's killing fields happened because of you, and I wont go into Fidel. This makes about as much sense as holding me responsible for your mates being shot in Iran - Dont need a long neck to be a goose do you?

Sorry to disappoint, but I think Sphincter et al might be a put-up.

If you browse this site and see all the postings, under a variety of names but with the same email address thislife@justice.com (first clue, make 'em think you're real stupid) you'll notice shrill, ludicrous messages with frequent anal references and an apparent obsession with maternal incest. At first I thought "medication problem" (I'm not being facetious, I've dealt with such types), but the - either deliberate or just sloppy - presentation of infantile arguments and cries for attention are probably a bait.

The message may be that we are too eager to believe that the Looney Left is represented by such minds; making us gullible. Sorry Sphincter, you're busted! Joke's over. It'd be better sport if it looked more real, though. Baiting politicos can be fun, but this was little more than a "first effort".

Actually 'The' the exact same thought was crossing my mind. I have dealt with the same types of individuals, the looney ranting was suggestive of a mental illness.

Then again, if bum muscle is fair dinkum then I'm sure most lefties are as uncomfortable with its rantings as I am with the rantings of the lunar right.

I dunno about you guys, but I hate all these coloured illegal people coming into my country. They take all the jobs and then go on the dole. I only like white people, just like John Howard. White people can stay in the country illegally and be free; I like having those hot British backpackers chicks overstaying their visas. One day soon, I'm sure I might get a root from one of 'em. Those Muslim women will never put out because they wear all those clothes. As for all those British guys, I reckon we should lock them up.

I dunno why John Howard doesn't get the Navy to shoot those fucking dinky wooden boats as soon as they enter Australian waters. I can see two benefits here: First, it will help the economy, it costs so much money to keep those illegal bastards looked up. And I hate seeing 'em on the news everyday complaining - shit like that. They should be happy being locked up in the middle of desert not knowing what will happen. It's better than their stupid countries. I mean its not like we're in anyway responsible for their poverty. People in 3rd world countries just need to work harder and protect their economies.

Secondly, it will be good target practice for our Navy. I'm sure that we'll being going to war against other countries to do some liberating with Dubya! I can't wait for that - I love explosions and bombs. How about that Iraqi kid with no arms? Bet he never saw that weapon of mass destruction coming!

Anyways, I'm sure all those commo, poofo, pinko, leso, fucking leftos will be very upset with my opinion. But like me and Jane and Gilly and Bob and all me other mates know what's right for this great country of ours.

Cheers!

Hey Buttplug - Nobody's worried about colored people coming here. Theyve been coming for decades. Some of us just tend to think that they should do it legally, as thousands of them still do each year.

After all, if you are willing to break the law just to get to the country, what's to stop you continually breaking it once you get here? Why should we accept criminals, of any race or religion?

Sphincter has learnt to change his email address. Clever boy.

Yes, Gilly, it would certainly make even semi-literate Left Wingers cringe, that's why I suspect it's a simpleton of the Far Right trying to embarrass the perceived opposition. Note the inclusion of Phillip-Adams' signature "Cheers!" signoff. But it's a pretty crude and futile effort.

Bring back Mufti Of The Muff for guidance and absolution, I say.

Yobbo,

Yeah, right on brother! Let's lock up all those illegal criminals. They're just coming into our country to steal more shit, cause they haven't got anything in their country to steal.

I take back what I said about those British guys who overstay their visas and continue to stay in our country illegally. We shouldn't lock them up! White Power! But, let's get one thing straight, they can't root any of our Aussie sheilas (except the fat ones). Nor can they hinder my attempt at trying to root one of those hot British chicks.

Hey, wait a minute, maybe we should lock up the hot British chicks that stay in this country illegally by overstaying their visa. That way I might get a root - If I found one, I could threaten turn 'em into the authorities unless they agreed to give me some bootie. They wouldn't be hard to find - they're usually working in restaurants getting cash in hand avoiding the GST. I bet you they would root me too - I mean who wants to be locked up in the middle of the desert? Imagine all those kids out there locked up? Betcha they're really fucked up! Better not let 'em out. Just like all the rest of the scum criminal, you lock 'em up to teach 'em a lesson, and then they come out a even worse criminal. Reckon we should just lock 'em up and keep them there.

Cheers!

The,

What are you talking about brother? Who is this Phillips Adams guy you're talking about? What's wrong with ya mate? You should be watching Ray Martin and a Current Affair to get all your opinions. Just ask Gilly. I reckon Gilly likes Ray so much that he wants to boink him in the bum. Phoarrrr! How about those fucking poofters trying to run our Churchs? Just think about that Gilly, next time you're playing with yer tallywacker watching Ray.

H

No THE, buttplug ain't me, i'm banned. Not just my email address, my whole computer! Wow, talk about running scared, I'm honoured to have offended so many unintelligent ingrates in such a short spray....