October 15, 2003
LIFE IMITATES BAD ART
I only ever feel truly alive when stupid cliches usually confined to sitcom parodies appear in pretentious essays by people named Jamie James:
For one terror-filled night, the gods deserted Bali, and, a year on, many islanders like Agus are still agonizing over why. "In the beginning I was simply shocked," said Agus. "I asked God, why did you do this to our beautiful island?" But, gradually, the Bali bombings compelled Agus to undertake a spiritual self-examination—and to ask more difficult questions. Had the Balinese grown arrogant because of their island's beloved place in the world? Were Balinese going to the temple just to pray for more money? Was the attack heavenly retribution for the sins of Kuta, where drugs and prostitution were allowed to flourish? "Maybe," Agus concluded, "we forgot what is really important."
Thank you, Jimmy Jim.
Posted by Tim Blair at October 15, 2003 04:42 AMJesus Christ! Is this idiot for real? "What is really important" is not getting blown up by a bunch of terrorists who will use any excuse, no matter how stupid or off-the-wall the excuser is, to justify their acting like a bunch of self-centered two-year-olds with Semtex. Wotta maroon!
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut at October 15, 2003 at 06:53 AMGood grief. Another 'we deserved it' proponant.
The Balinese, Australians, Americans, etc. all should be thankful because the terrorists will help us see the error of our ways?
No thanks. What a crock of sh**.
Posted by: Chris Josephson at October 15, 2003 at 06:53 AMHad Archie grown arrogant because of his beloved place in Betty's world? Were Jughead and his friends going to church just to ogle the hotties in the youth group? Was Veronica's father's heart attack heavenly retribution for his sins in the town brothel, where drugs and prostitution were allowed to flourish? Join us for the gripping climax (oh, cliiimmaaaxx) on Comic Book Soap Opera!
Posted by: Tongue Boy at October 15, 2003 at 07:55 AMYou'd think with the amount of lefty-self-hate-we're-so-bad media bias in Australia we had Simon Crean as PM. Thankfully, we don't.
This type reporting is wide-spread and is being read by someone, Tim for one. Lucky for us the votes still go where the brain, not the arse, leads. God help us if we elect a Labour government.
If my fellow mexicans (Victorians) think Bracksy' bad, imagine his type at the national level.
Posted by: Jake D at October 15, 2003 at 10:29 AMI've heard these kind of comments from Balinese people before.
When people talked about "root causes" with September 11, hinting but usually not explicitly saying that we deserved what happened, it reminded me of Hindu belief that people came back as lower castes (or as animals) because of sins in a past life. It's rather spooky when Hindus actually do start believing that an actual terrorist attack happened because of perceived "sins".
Posted by: Andjam at October 15, 2003 at 10:36 AM"Forgot what's important"- like NOT parking a van with filing cabinets full of nitropril bolted to the floor outside a crowded nightspot then initiating the primers.
Funnily enough, if you remember to not blow a couple of hundred people to flinders for no reason, none of the other shit seems to happen.
What a pinbrain.
Posted by: Habib Bickford at October 15, 2003 at 11:41 AM'Were Balinese going to the temple just to pray for more money?'
Nasty little capitalists. You drag them out of poverty and look how they respond. Give 'em an inch and they take a mile. Imagine that, praying for another dollar. Bomb the crap out of them.
This is funny. Lefties who reflexively decry anything to do with religion turn out to be the ultimate fire and brimstone proponents.
'Heavenly retribution' - now that is sick.
Posted by: ilibcc at October 15, 2003 at 11:44 AMYes, the James essay is way pretentious (but then so are the editors), yes its over-written but no its not wrong in discussing that many Balinese, including their intellectuals and community leaders, do believe themselves partly responsible for the bombs for attracting the type of behaviour that inflames Islamists. I have a house there, are there every month for a week or so and have had myriad people apologise. They weren't of course but many believe so. It could've happened in Jakarta. It happened in Bali, for almost a thousand years a Hindu affront to these Islamists, which didn't help, alongside the bare flesh, VB and drugs of the hated bules (Westerners).
http://bulletin.ninemsn.com.au/bulletin/EdDesk.nsf/All/C8BF6223BEA98A52CA256DB3007179E3
Posted by: Eric Ellis at October 15, 2003 at 12:53 PMIt's very sad. It sounds like those dreadful stories you hear every now and then of children apologising to their deranged parents as they beat them up or worse.
Posted by: ilibcc at October 15, 2003 at 01:08 PMAnd to think, this jejune piece of crap was accompanied by a nice cheque cut to the witless JJ, courtesy of Time Warner. Nice work if you can get it.
Posted by: David Gillies at October 15, 2003 at 04:57 PMBalinese---- worst sinners in the world..........
Posted by: Le clerc at October 15, 2003 at 06:21 PMI think you are missing the point. This is great news really. All this time us Aussies were trying to blame islamofanatics when it was the hindu praying for money that were the real murderers. There's nothing against discriminating against hindus, let's go get'em!
Posted by: random at October 15, 2003 at 08:56 PMIt is generally a good rule never to trust anyone with a repetitive name -- i.e. Sirhan Sirhan, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Marky Mark. I can't even think of an exception to the rule.
Posted by: Lawrence at October 16, 2003 at 04:08 PMLawrence
I thought of an exception for you - nineteenth century writer Jerome K. Jerome, one of the funniest ever.
Posted by: pooh at October 16, 2003 at 04:11 PM