A wonderful piece. If Israel had listened to Penny ( or gave the proverbial about what her rants to the United Antisemites Union aka the UN) she would be in a far worse place than she is now. Penny has no understanding of the middle east and the various governments here, state and Federal, are incompetent in their leadership. Seeing videos of marchers yelling for the death of Jews and waving Hamas and Hezbollah flags seemingly without impediment, makes me wonder- if they did the same with Nazi or Isis flags would the police act? Would the government actually do something? What if the Bali bombers' flags were waved about? The governments act to catch votes and have no moral compass or backbone. As you say, much of the Arab world has erupted in joy and are calling Bibi a hero and a king. Only in Australia do we read of how sainted a figure Nasrallah was, see the ABC appalling coverage of yesterday's rallies. I despair for our country.
My source on this isn't 100% so please don't bet the house...
But apparently Penny Wong's wife is of Lebanese background. Its tempting to speculate that personal feelings may be entangled in sober decision making here. Australia's capacity to contribute to solving this flare-up is zero - apart from repatriating citizens from a dangerous place. The predominant political objective should be to work on lowering tensions and reconciling the rival communities within Aus rather than flying off to "play big diplomat".
Thanks Debbie -- of course Victoria police would act on Nazi flags because the government has banned Nazi symbols. They're quick to move on white Nazis, much slower when it comes to brown Nazis...
"Sold out" both the ALP and the Greens nation-wide as it is all about them staying in power and their psephologists planning who stands and what needs to be said in different electorates. The Greens in particular are Trans captured and therefore anti-science, so dismissive of biological reality of being an adult human female. Also No 1 in 'Identity Politics', hoping for the pro Palestinian vote, not to mention the 'politics of envy' watch them bleat going for the Renters/Housing Vote. Watch the nastiness about to be created against anyone who owns more than one house regardless of who they are or how they came to be in the evil 'landlord' class - so careful who you vote for and how the vote is being preferenced!
My own view is let them march, waving their banners, signs and pictures of dead terrorists. It will not have the effect they think it will. If anything, it allows ordinary people to see the enemy in our midst and gives unintended support to policies seeking to counter Islamic aggression in and out of this country.
Lebanese Christians were the canary down the coal mine for western nations. That the UN has allowed Lebanon to be used as Iran's military base for operations against Israel is a permanent stain on that ineffective institution. I am neither Jewish nor religious in any way but I rejoice when I see depraved mass murderers like Nasrallah taken out. I'm only sad that it's taken this long to get the bastard.
I feel as if trans ideology and unchecked anti-Israel sentiments are suggestive of the same lack of critical thinking in the Left. I live in Fitzroy and often come across stickers that are anti-Israel. I always remove them or scratch them out. I report any graffiti to council and it is removed. I support peace in the middle east, and it is possible to do so without being anti-Semitic. Sometimes it feels as if being anti-Israel is an excuse to criticise Jews in general. And trans activism feels like an excuse to express sexism and homophobia. As if these currents of hatred are still there and given a chance will reappear. The changes to the SDA in Australia that now allowed men who want to be treated as if they are women is appalling. And the fallout from this is devastating for the lesbian community. Lesbians can no longer legally meet in Victoria unless we include men who want to be seen as women ie intact, heterosexual males. Where has this come from? I think a lot of it is due to intersectionalism, post-structuralism and libertarian feminism (as opposed to radical feminism) leaking out into Left wing ideas.
You're right Emma that the two ideologies (queer theory and anti Israel sentiment) tend to go together -- both have hijacked many of our institutions at any rate. And you're also right about where they come from. Although anti-Semitism obviously is a much older madness.
Thanks you for removing those horrid signs and stickers - I actually think (hope) that in those old suburbs of inner Mebourne - the Greens may be on a downward spiral when it comes to actual votes, as not everyone is Pro-Palestinian and not everyone believes their mantra that TWAW. (one of these who have decided to change their gender is running for a Federal Seat now). Lots of the older.middle aged generations have moved in from the outer suburbs so not as easily fooled by the identity politics they, the Greens promote. Of note little mention of the word "environment" in any of the current Local Govt greens candidates campaign material- not their "thing " any longer it seems ....
I've spoken to an independent in my seat. Much more open to genuine discussion. I am hoping that independents might be on a role and replace more and more party candidates who tow the party line.
I used to have a lot of respect, even admiration for Penny Wong. At the time of the 2022 election I thought she was the pick of the front bench. That respect and admiration has completely evaporated over the last 12 months. I don’t know what is worse: that this is all about trying to hold onto Labor seats in Melbourne and Sydney or she is just genuinely clueless about the Middle East.
Penny Wong is intellectually smart but loyal to her leftist ideology. For many decades now the western left has pretended that Palestinianism is a national liberation movement of an oppressed, refugee people who just want their own national homeland next door to the state of Israel. To maintain this pretence the left, have had to, as it were, shout over the Palestinians who have always clearly said that above all they are committed to eliminating Israel and since they became Islamists, establishing a caliphate instead of a measly little state.
Dutifully, Penny Wong continues to "shout" (albeit with her characteristic calmness and deliberation) nice sounding words: de-escalation, ceasefire, two-state, peace, justice, even as the Palestinian commitment to eliminating Israel and Jews has now become so glaringly obvious to all of us. This position can seem clueless, but it is actually calculated to sound reasonable, heartfelt and caring so as to appeal to the polite anti-Zionist voters in Melbourne and Sydney.
I'd go with Penny Wong as "genuinely clueless" and more worried for the ALP vote in future and how her "speech" would be accepted/ questionned in the UN (given its current confused mess of members/voting rights etc.)
Can only hope for a Double Dissoloution in Canberra as that will sort out a few politicians, especially the ones who got in an a proper Party tickets then left to be Independent, when matter did not go their way.
"My hometown grows more unfamiliar by the day." Too true. The terrors and horrors of attrocity and hostility faced by Isrealies over the past year (a hole year!), as well as the brutal prepairedness of Hamas leaders to sacrifice the poeple of Gaza and Lebanon as war and famine fodder to promote international animosity to Israel, is beyond my ability to grasp. But that we here in Australia are playing into the propaganda aims of Hamas is also beyond my comprehension. What has happened to the sensible, truth-concerned, genuinely safe place for all comers that I thought Australia was?
You nailed the morally defunct Orwellian double speak of the wailing West. Thank you. The world needs voices such as yours that speak loudly and with great moral clarity.
Most witty, clever, "en pointe", as usual. Much as i still love them, I have given up on the inner City bien pensants. They think the same about almost everything Julie, and it is to your great and enduring credit that you don't. x
Very kind of you Paul -- and I have to say I've given up on the inner city types too. I document but I no longer seek to persuade. Like you say it's a lost cause.
Warning: theological post. When many in the small Jewish community here in Brisbane got together in shock and grief shortly after the October 7 atrocity last year (I am not Jewish but I went along to sit beside my Jewish friends) there was a very restrained sense in the air. The sense was you have to respond as the tragic and horrific circumstances require, but there was no outpouring of hate, no shirt fronting bravado about what would be done to the other side, no naïve and outraged sense that we will simply get even with those who hate us - even thouth those sort of responses were present in non-Jewish participants (politicians, dignitries etc) who like me also came along to try and show solidarity. Alas, the Jews have all too much experience with antisemitism to be surprised, naïve, or in any way blustery about these sort of terrible things. But I think what you are saying - Julie - about the Jewish thing of not celebrating the defeat of enemies makes theological sense to me as a Christian: in some terrible way, those who commit atrocities are dehumanizing themselves in a truly hideous manner, and if you can stop them, you must, but this is not a football game. And in some manner the victims who are so brutally snatched from us become, like that Jew, Jesus of Nazareth, divinized in their very humanity and vulnerability. As significant and strategically necessary as making the originators and organizers of these atrocities – such as Nasrallah – accountable for their actions is, lollies and dancing are not the right response. But then again as I read the Psalms of David, there are many cries to God that the teeth of the wicked should be broken, that the cause of the innocent should be upheld, that God should get up and do something to help the violated; that God should defend us against those who hate us without cause. Really exasperated cries, really angry and despairing cries. Fully a third of the Psalms are songs of protest, often against God. This also makes theological sense to me; atrocious crimes of evil against humanity are more than simply bad, they are a stain against the cosmos. Why, God, do you let these things happen? So there are no obvious “answers” to any of this. I think Hannah Arendt was in large measure right about the banality of evil – it is an entirely nonsensical surd. And Arendt was in no manner trivializing the horror of evil by observing the inner banality of sub-human hatred. But there is something more going on that the Psalms of protest get to about evil; it is a sacrilege, it cries out to high heaven for judgement, and when no judgement comes we feel abandoned by God. But this too is integral knowledge to the faith of both the Jews and their strange religious offspring, the Christians.
Another great and intelligent commentary on the strange "Alice In Wonderland" upside down world where nothing is as it once was. I totally agree on the description of the UN on its lack of historical understanding of Israel and what it faces just to maintain its current statehood. When all this is over I think the United Nations needs to refresh and check just for what purpose has all of the past funds been used for in Gaza? Certainly not to increase women's rights, health care and education - more for arming Hamas's miltary plans and km's of underground tunnels. Don't be concerned re the Greens gaining any more politcians in a decision making role - at any level of government. The example of the Pride Centre in St Kilda Rd denying the 2023 Lesbian Conference access to that building is proof of the misogyny within the LGBTQI "controllers". The same people who are now ensconced in the AGV, which has created a huge exodise of members especially after declaring their own internal 'War on Women'. Voters who remain voting Greens for saving the 'environment' or for action on climate change purposes are wasting their vote !
From Max Weber's 1917 lecture 'Science as a Vocation', part of the concluding paragraph -
"This integrity enjoins us to be mindful that for all those multitudes today who are waiting for new prophets and saviors, the situation is the same as we can hear from that beautiful song of the Edomite watchman during the exile that was included in the book of Isaiah. "One calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? what of the night? The watchman said, Even if the morning cometh, it is still night: if ye inquire already, ye will come again and inquire once more. " The people to whom this was said have inquired and waited for much longer than two thousand years, and we are familiar with its deeply distressing fate. From it we should draw the moral that longing and waiting is not enough and that we must act differently."
Not by waving flags, and let police act against offences according to the laws enacted by the State (or Commonwealth). Should be entertaining, though, assuming some attention-seeking clowns will try something or other at the demonstrations being organised for Oct7th. A banner bearing Arabic script - who would be able to read it? May as well be shouting obscenities in Hindi or Hokkien.
A wonderful piece. If Israel had listened to Penny ( or gave the proverbial about what her rants to the United Antisemites Union aka the UN) she would be in a far worse place than she is now. Penny has no understanding of the middle east and the various governments here, state and Federal, are incompetent in their leadership. Seeing videos of marchers yelling for the death of Jews and waving Hamas and Hezbollah flags seemingly without impediment, makes me wonder- if they did the same with Nazi or Isis flags would the police act? Would the government actually do something? What if the Bali bombers' flags were waved about? The governments act to catch votes and have no moral compass or backbone. As you say, much of the Arab world has erupted in joy and are calling Bibi a hero and a king. Only in Australia do we read of how sainted a figure Nasrallah was, see the ABC appalling coverage of yesterday's rallies. I despair for our country.
My source on this isn't 100% so please don't bet the house...
But apparently Penny Wong's wife is of Lebanese background. Its tempting to speculate that personal feelings may be entangled in sober decision making here. Australia's capacity to contribute to solving this flare-up is zero - apart from repatriating citizens from a dangerous place. The predominant political objective should be to work on lowering tensions and reconciling the rival communities within Aus rather than flying off to "play big diplomat".
Of course many people in Labor are having trouble with sober decision making and they're not all married to Arab/Muslims..
Thanks Debbie -- of course Victoria police would act on Nazi flags because the government has banned Nazi symbols. They're quick to move on white Nazis, much slower when it comes to brown Nazis...
"Sold out" both the ALP and the Greens nation-wide as it is all about them staying in power and their psephologists planning who stands and what needs to be said in different electorates. The Greens in particular are Trans captured and therefore anti-science, so dismissive of biological reality of being an adult human female. Also No 1 in 'Identity Politics', hoping for the pro Palestinian vote, not to mention the 'politics of envy' watch them bleat going for the Renters/Housing Vote. Watch the nastiness about to be created against anyone who owns more than one house regardless of who they are or how they came to be in the evil 'landlord' class - so careful who you vote for and how the vote is being preferenced!
My own view is let them march, waving their banners, signs and pictures of dead terrorists. It will not have the effect they think it will. If anything, it allows ordinary people to see the enemy in our midst and gives unintended support to policies seeking to counter Islamic aggression in and out of this country.
Maybe… who knows?
Lebanese Christians were the canary down the coal mine for western nations. That the UN has allowed Lebanon to be used as Iran's military base for operations against Israel is a permanent stain on that ineffective institution. I am neither Jewish nor religious in any way but I rejoice when I see depraved mass murderers like Nasrallah taken out. I'm only sad that it's taken this long to get the bastard.
Well said David.
I feel as if trans ideology and unchecked anti-Israel sentiments are suggestive of the same lack of critical thinking in the Left. I live in Fitzroy and often come across stickers that are anti-Israel. I always remove them or scratch them out. I report any graffiti to council and it is removed. I support peace in the middle east, and it is possible to do so without being anti-Semitic. Sometimes it feels as if being anti-Israel is an excuse to criticise Jews in general. And trans activism feels like an excuse to express sexism and homophobia. As if these currents of hatred are still there and given a chance will reappear. The changes to the SDA in Australia that now allowed men who want to be treated as if they are women is appalling. And the fallout from this is devastating for the lesbian community. Lesbians can no longer legally meet in Victoria unless we include men who want to be seen as women ie intact, heterosexual males. Where has this come from? I think a lot of it is due to intersectionalism, post-structuralism and libertarian feminism (as opposed to radical feminism) leaking out into Left wing ideas.
You're right Emma that the two ideologies (queer theory and anti Israel sentiment) tend to go together -- both have hijacked many of our institutions at any rate. And you're also right about where they come from. Although anti-Semitism obviously is a much older madness.
Thanks you for removing those horrid signs and stickers - I actually think (hope) that in those old suburbs of inner Mebourne - the Greens may be on a downward spiral when it comes to actual votes, as not everyone is Pro-Palestinian and not everyone believes their mantra that TWAW. (one of these who have decided to change their gender is running for a Federal Seat now). Lots of the older.middle aged generations have moved in from the outer suburbs so not as easily fooled by the identity politics they, the Greens promote. Of note little mention of the word "environment" in any of the current Local Govt greens candidates campaign material- not their "thing " any longer it seems ....
I've spoken to an independent in my seat. Much more open to genuine discussion. I am hoping that independents might be on a role and replace more and more party candidates who tow the party line.
I used to have a lot of respect, even admiration for Penny Wong. At the time of the 2022 election I thought she was the pick of the front bench. That respect and admiration has completely evaporated over the last 12 months. I don’t know what is worse: that this is all about trying to hold onto Labor seats in Melbourne and Sydney or she is just genuinely clueless about the Middle East.
Penny Wong is intellectually smart but loyal to her leftist ideology. For many decades now the western left has pretended that Palestinianism is a national liberation movement of an oppressed, refugee people who just want their own national homeland next door to the state of Israel. To maintain this pretence the left, have had to, as it were, shout over the Palestinians who have always clearly said that above all they are committed to eliminating Israel and since they became Islamists, establishing a caliphate instead of a measly little state.
Dutifully, Penny Wong continues to "shout" (albeit with her characteristic calmness and deliberation) nice sounding words: de-escalation, ceasefire, two-state, peace, justice, even as the Palestinian commitment to eliminating Israel and Jews has now become so glaringly obvious to all of us. This position can seem clueless, but it is actually calculated to sound reasonable, heartfelt and caring so as to appeal to the polite anti-Zionist voters in Melbourne and Sydney.
Most elegantly put David.
Yes that's a good question Peta, which is worse?
I'd go with Penny Wong as "genuinely clueless" and more worried for the ALP vote in future and how her "speech" would be accepted/ questionned in the UN (given its current confused mess of members/voting rights etc.)
Can only hope for a Double Dissoloution in Canberra as that will sort out a few politicians, especially the ones who got in an a proper Party tickets then left to be Independent, when matter did not go their way.
"My hometown grows more unfamiliar by the day." Too true. The terrors and horrors of attrocity and hostility faced by Isrealies over the past year (a hole year!), as well as the brutal prepairedness of Hamas leaders to sacrifice the poeple of Gaza and Lebanon as war and famine fodder to promote international animosity to Israel, is beyond my ability to grasp. But that we here in Australia are playing into the propaganda aims of Hamas is also beyond my comprehension. What has happened to the sensible, truth-concerned, genuinely safe place for all comers that I thought Australia was?
You said it Paul!
You nailed the morally defunct Orwellian double speak of the wailing West. Thank you. The world needs voices such as yours that speak loudly and with great moral clarity.
"The wailing West." Nice one. 😉😂
Most witty, clever, "en pointe", as usual. Much as i still love them, I have given up on the inner City bien pensants. They think the same about almost everything Julie, and it is to your great and enduring credit that you don't. x
Very kind of you Paul -- and I have to say I've given up on the inner city types too. I document but I no longer seek to persuade. Like you say it's a lost cause.
Warning: theological post. When many in the small Jewish community here in Brisbane got together in shock and grief shortly after the October 7 atrocity last year (I am not Jewish but I went along to sit beside my Jewish friends) there was a very restrained sense in the air. The sense was you have to respond as the tragic and horrific circumstances require, but there was no outpouring of hate, no shirt fronting bravado about what would be done to the other side, no naïve and outraged sense that we will simply get even with those who hate us - even thouth those sort of responses were present in non-Jewish participants (politicians, dignitries etc) who like me also came along to try and show solidarity. Alas, the Jews have all too much experience with antisemitism to be surprised, naïve, or in any way blustery about these sort of terrible things. But I think what you are saying - Julie - about the Jewish thing of not celebrating the defeat of enemies makes theological sense to me as a Christian: in some terrible way, those who commit atrocities are dehumanizing themselves in a truly hideous manner, and if you can stop them, you must, but this is not a football game. And in some manner the victims who are so brutally snatched from us become, like that Jew, Jesus of Nazareth, divinized in their very humanity and vulnerability. As significant and strategically necessary as making the originators and organizers of these atrocities – such as Nasrallah – accountable for their actions is, lollies and dancing are not the right response. But then again as I read the Psalms of David, there are many cries to God that the teeth of the wicked should be broken, that the cause of the innocent should be upheld, that God should get up and do something to help the violated; that God should defend us against those who hate us without cause. Really exasperated cries, really angry and despairing cries. Fully a third of the Psalms are songs of protest, often against God. This also makes theological sense to me; atrocious crimes of evil against humanity are more than simply bad, they are a stain against the cosmos. Why, God, do you let these things happen? So there are no obvious “answers” to any of this. I think Hannah Arendt was in large measure right about the banality of evil – it is an entirely nonsensical surd. And Arendt was in no manner trivializing the horror of evil by observing the inner banality of sub-human hatred. But there is something more going on that the Psalms of protest get to about evil; it is a sacrilege, it cries out to high heaven for judgement, and when no judgement comes we feel abandoned by God. But this too is integral knowledge to the faith of both the Jews and their strange religious offspring, the Christians.
I love that you wrote a theological post Paul! That is so cool! Can't think of a more profound response for now but I'll mull over what you've said.
Another ripper. Well done.
Julie, the comments that people write in reply to your posts are so interesting! A shout out to all of your readers :-)
I agree Bianca! I learn heaps over here!
Another great and intelligent commentary on the strange "Alice In Wonderland" upside down world where nothing is as it once was. I totally agree on the description of the UN on its lack of historical understanding of Israel and what it faces just to maintain its current statehood. When all this is over I think the United Nations needs to refresh and check just for what purpose has all of the past funds been used for in Gaza? Certainly not to increase women's rights, health care and education - more for arming Hamas's miltary plans and km's of underground tunnels. Don't be concerned re the Greens gaining any more politcians in a decision making role - at any level of government. The example of the Pride Centre in St Kilda Rd denying the 2023 Lesbian Conference access to that building is proof of the misogyny within the LGBTQI "controllers". The same people who are now ensconced in the AGV, which has created a huge exodise of members especially after declaring their own internal 'War on Women'. Voters who remain voting Greens for saving the 'environment' or for action on climate change purposes are wasting their vote !
From Max Weber's 1917 lecture 'Science as a Vocation', part of the concluding paragraph -
"This integrity enjoins us to be mindful that for all those multitudes today who are waiting for new prophets and saviors, the situation is the same as we can hear from that beautiful song of the Edomite watchman during the exile that was included in the book of Isaiah. "One calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? what of the night? The watchman said, Even if the morning cometh, it is still night: if ye inquire already, ye will come again and inquire once more. " The people to whom this was said have inquired and waited for much longer than two thousand years, and we are familiar with its deeply distressing fate. From it we should draw the moral that longing and waiting is not enough and that we must act differently."
Interesting. And how should we act in this instance?
Not by waving flags, and let police act against offences according to the laws enacted by the State (or Commonwealth). Should be entertaining, though, assuming some attention-seeking clowns will try something or other at the demonstrations being organised for Oct7th. A banner bearing Arabic script - who would be able to read it? May as well be shouting obscenities in Hindi or Hokkien.