Urban Kvetching

I am fascinated by the process of politics and governance (hence my having an opinion on almost everything) but the older I get the more appalled I become at the failure of society in general to apply more pressure on our leaders through means other than the ballot box when we see something that just isn’t right. Don’t get me wrong, I believe democracy is the best option out of all the systems on offer, I just believe that too many of us are so concerned with our own lot we can’t even see the end of our own noses - and then even when we do manage to see past the end of our own noses it is generally little more than token gestures and empty promises that end up being bandied about.

Here is a recent excerpt from The Australian newspaper which has fired me up enough to inspire an extended kvetch (that’s me on the left by the way, a tad jaundiced but otherwise okay)

FIJI’S military rulers have imposed draconian new censorship measures on the Pacific nation, posting police in the offices of media outlets and cracking down on criticism of the regime.

Kevin Rudd today condemned the reappointment of military chief Commodore Frank Bainimarama as prime minister and his clampdown on opponents, which followed an earlier move by Fiji’s president to abrogate the constitution and sack the nation’s top judges.

“Australia condemns unequivocally this action by the military ruler of Fiji to turn this great country, Fiji, into virtually a military dictatorship,” the Prime Minister said.

Source: Kevin Rudd condemns Bainimarama’s return to power in Fiji as ‘dictatorship’ in The Australian

There are two primary reasons our Prime Minister is openly criticising the recent developments in Fiji and it certainly ain’t anything benevolent. Firstly, it makes him look like he gives a hoot about human rights and democracy and secondly, we don’t need Fiji. Plain and simple. We do, on the other hand, need China to the tune of approximately $500 million per week in government bonds, their trade, their investment dollars in local businesses, their tourism… just to name a few. Oh, and Rudd doesn’t speak Fijian so he can’t look all clever like chatting with their diplomats.

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Why was the archeologist depressed?
Because his career was in ruins.

Here are some quotes I came across in an article from today’s New York Times made by Barack Obama, President of the USA, leader of the free world

“In a strange turn of history, the threat of global nuclear war has gone down, but the risk of a nuclear attack has gone up.”

Source: “Obama Seizes on Missile Launch in Seeking Nuclear Cuts” in New York Times, April 5, 2009

Say what now? I’m not sure I get it. Well actually, maybe he means there won’t be global nuclear war because when the US gets nuked by Iran or North Korea or any number of its enemies a disarmed America simply won’t have the resources with which to defend itself. Okay kids, I get it now. Silly me.

Also, Mr Obama called for UN sanctions against North Korea after their whole little missile test thing the other day and then came out with this nugget (I’m quoting from the same NYT article)

“Black market trade in nuclear secrets and nuclear materials abound. The technology to build a bomb has spread.”

Pray tell, o great saviour, how sanctions will work against rogue states who procure nuclear secrets and technology on the black market? Instead of sanctions, perhaps a special envoy delivering strongly worded letters will do the trick. George Clooney surely gotta be on to something, right? Right?

I’ve got a feeling we’d all better  buckle our seat belts because this so-called free world of ours is in for one hell of a bumpy ride.

I have a bit of a bugbear at the moment. It’s been something that has been nagging at me for the last month but is now filling me me with so much ire that I feel like punching something. Anyhow, it seems nowadays myriad important causes are increasingly becoming fashion statements for your everyday Joe or Jane and little more than rote PR exercises for celebrities. Anyhow, let’s get to my current bugbear and then I will elaborate further once I get something out of my system and that is I currently have two simple words for the International Criminal Court.

Fuck you.

I’ve been trying to avoid using strong language on my new blog but the blood in my veins is boiling to such a huge extent at the moment that a simple F-bomb directed towards the ICC is merely the tip of the iceberg. Just over one month ago the ICC issued an arrest warrant for the Sudanese President, Omar al-Bashir, over “alleged” war crimes in Darfur. Sure it sounds great, it’s a wonderful symbol for the pursuit of human rights and international justice and it raises awareness and makes a bunch of people feel good about themselves but let’s get down to a little Realpolitik, shall we?

There is no doubt al-Bashir is responsible for horrific and unspeakable crimes that have and continue to be perpetrated in the Sudan. The current crisis in Darfur is nothing short of devastating and no words can or ever will do justice to the inhumanity that is the order of the day in the region. As difficult as it is to provide a summary in this case, the following paragraph from a recent article in Der Spiegel does a reasonable job.

The violence in Darfur has been far-reaching and extreme. Arrest warrants have been issued on 10 charges, including murder, torture, extermination and rape. Prosecutors say Sudanese troops, and the Arab militias they support, murdered civilians in their villages, and then continued to attack them in refugee camps. The militia has also used rape as a weapon against Darfuri women.

Source: “Arrest Warrant Issued for Sudan President” from Spiegel Online

It is thus clear we are not dealing with a bloke who gives a rat’s about neither human rights nor human dignity and, moreover, has spared much - if any - thought about what any international human rights organisation or international justice body thinks of him. Just click on the image below of al-Bashir dancing a jig shortly after the ICC issued the arrest warrant to be brought to an article in Times Online reporting on just how seriously he is taking this whole thing.

So okay, the ICC has gone and taken the unprecedented step of indicting a ruling head of state. My thoughts? Whoop-de-freaking-do. I can’t help but wonder why on earth the ICC went ahead with the indictment considering the likelihood of ever actually getting al-Bashir to The Hague is about as likely as me throwing on a tutu and performing for the National Ballet.

A wide variety of people from politicians to seasoned bureaucrats to celebrities to bleeding hearts are congratulating this move, citing the importance of symbolism and awareness raising which the indictment of al-Bashir will bring about. Well I’ve got another idea, it’s pretty crazy and all, but wouldn’t it be, like, totally wacky if we stopped for a second to spare a thought for those individuals on the ground whose living hell has just been made a millionfold worse by the issuing of the indictment rather than feeling all warm and fuzzy about symbolism and awareness. We know what’s going on in Darfur, so what’s the bloody point of symbolism and awareness when not a single positive result is yielded for those we are ostensibly trying to help?

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How did the farmer fix his jeans?
With a cabbage patch!

Lulz.

Here is an excerpt from today’s The Age newspaper which bringz the lulz, from the article “Conroy admits blacklist error, blames ‘Russian mob’”

Meanwhile, the website of the Federal Government’s censorship body, the Classification Board, was hacked last night and defaced with an anti-censorship screed.

The message on the classification board website reads as follows

“This site contains information about the boards that have the right to CONTROL YOUR FREEDOMZ. The Classification Board has the right to not just classify content (the name is an ELABORATE TRICK), but also the right to DECIDE WHAT IS AND ISNT APPROPRIATE and BAN CONTENT FROM THE PUBLIC. We are part of an ELABORATE DECEPTION from CHINA to CONTROL AND SHEEPIFY the NATION, to PROTECT THE CHILDREN. All opposers must HATE CHILDREN, and therefore must be KILLED WITH A LARGE MELONS during the PROSECUTION PARTIES IN SEPTEMBER. Come join our ALIEN SPACE PARTY.”

It feels like 1983 and counting and I’m not looking forward to next year, so where do I sign up to this Alien Space Party? Is it like a sexy party, but… but better?

Get over it, crybaby!

I was casually scanning the online version of The Age newspaper the other day and came across this article. I had never heard of the author before but thinking the Knock, Knock joke at the start was funny in a Crap Joke Wednesday sort of way I proceeded with the article assuming it would be a tongue in cheek or at least a dry humoured examination of faith but instead I ended up with a semi-clenched fist and nasty little taste in my mouth.

Essentially, the author presumptuously claims that we expect only good things from God and turn away from him/her when things go bad, or rather, and I quote

When overwhelmed with those bigger questions about how “bad things could happen to good people”, perhaps the enormity of such losses reduces us all to sulky children.

Now don’t go accusing me of paraphrasing when I have used the author’s exact words, not to mention providing a link to the original article in full, but my jaw could not help but literally drop upon reading the words “sulky children” in this context. To refer to just one variant of the soul-searching process any person invariably faces after a trauma, that is to say the questioning of one’s faith and the existence and nature of God, as akin to that of a sulking child not only belittles the victim but makes this guy look like an arrogant dickwad with little insight outside of the particular vision of faith he has created for himself.

As pretty much all of my readers are aware I have not exactly had the easiest run in life; not only have I personally experienced a bit of trauma to put it lightly, but many people dear to me have experienced trauma greater than I could ever possibly comprehend. It is no one’s right to tell me or any of those who I hold dear what we should or should not believe in matters of faith. As for myself, finding faith is a journey I choose to make on my own and if experiencing trauma personally or vicariously makes me question the existence of a benevolent God, or the existence of a God at all, does not mean that I am acting like a sulky child, it means I am exercising my right to independent thought. One’s relationship with God is not something that should be dictated by others, judged by others, belittled by others or, especially, used against others. It’s between the individual and God and should only be shared if the individual so chooses.

Instead of haughtily chastising people who face a crisis of faith after experiencing a trauma, maybe the fellow who wrote this article could lend a shoulder and a kind word rather than a worldly rebuke, as it were, and try to return people to faith that way, you know, all compassionate like.

Just an idea.

I parked in a disabled space today and a traffic warden shouted, “Oi, what’s your disability?”

I said, “Tourette’s. Now f–k off asshole.”