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The Forum > Article Comments > QandA's virtues and vices, and the self-censoring of the left > Comments

QandA's virtues and vices, and the self-censoring of the left : Comments

By Tristan Ewins, published 7/9/2015

The tighter we limit free speech the more likely it is that our enemies will apply those standards to us as well one day.

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And BTW 'ON The Beach' actually have some sympathy for Latham in the sense that his enemies are waging a campaign of personal destruction against him - and I hate those kind of politics....
Posted by Tristan Ewins, Monday, 7 September 2015 10:33:03 AM
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Hi Tristan,

" .... waging a campaign of personal destruction .... " - do you mean like the infantile attacks on 'Howard the Coward' and Abbott the Rabbitt' ? That sort of thing ?

It's refreshing to hear that you " ..... hate those kind of politics...."

Now THERE's an oxymoron somewhere.

So what are you doing on the opportunist pseudo-Left ?

What are the issues that the coalition should be attacked for ? What are their principles which should be critiqued ? I don't give much of a toss about who said what, but I do care WHAT they said and how it squares with what I think are right and good policies.

SITA politics can be satisfying for the half-witted, but surely you and I are above that ?

Cheers,

Joe
Posted by Loudmouth, Monday, 7 September 2015 10:46:57 AM
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u only have to look at the attack on the corruption buster to see how idiotic Tritans claims are. Here we have Shorten up to his ears in union corrruption, decent workers being ripped off by the ones representing them and people put out of work for not joining in the bribery scheme and the abc/regressives attacking/demonising the one exposing it. The regressives have always cared more about sides than issues. Gillard was still considered a saint by the abc/regressives even when she opposed gay 'marriage'. It is unbelievable how blind you are Tristan.
Posted by runner, Monday, 7 September 2015 11:43:41 AM
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Tristan is of the Socialist Left of the Victorian branch of the ALP. Back in the sixties the Victorian Socialist Left were so malodorous they kept Labor in opposition federally for years.

He's a "qualified teacher", a self-described "freelance journalist" and "social commentator", apparently without qualifications.

All of that sums up his scope and range. You know in advance what his opinion will be on any subject.

For him to suggest, for example, that an occasional moderate or conservative appearing on QandA, The Drum, 7.30, etc., is any sort of swerve to the right or "self-censorship" by his ABC is simply ridiculous. But that's the Socialist Left for you.
Posted by calwest, Monday, 7 September 2015 12:22:56 PM
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"Tony Jones looked very uncomfortable when Naomi Klein was speaking".

I really felt for Tony Jones while she was carrying on with her BS. I am not really a fan of Jones, he generally has too much to say, but on this occasion he just seemed helpless and I empathized with him.

Runner, I am in complete agreement with you, something that doesn't happen often.

David
Posted by VK3AUU, Monday, 7 September 2015 12:38:35 PM
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As to Abbott's opinions that should be criticised: Punitive welfare; letting the auto industry die with 50,000 jobs; ambiguous about whether we will fully implement NDIS; wants for cut income taxes for people on high incomes and cut corporate tax - But wants to increase the GST and leave superannuation concessions that will soon cost us about $50 billion a year... He Does this at the same time as making the plea: "there's not enough money for infrastructure etc". And he tries to divide and conquer by demonising vulnerable Australians such as the disabled.

Finally we can do a lot more with regard refugees. Germany is accepting over 100,000 from Syria. They have a bit less than four times our population I think. I think we can manage 35,000 a year if we link humanitarian programs to skills and reprioritise from the skilled migration intake.

As for my qualifications they include BA(Hons),Grad Dip Ed, and a PhD. I don't mean to be trumpeting this from the rooftops. But calwest questioned whether I have any qualifications. I think also importantly I've been in inside participant it the ALP for about 20 years.

Who you interpret as 'moderate' is open to question. For what used to be 'Left' there is now a shift to the Centre. That damages pluralism; and damage to pluralism is damage to democracy.

As for corruption - some union leaderships don't put their members first. But Abbott's attacks on the labour movement are not about altruism and justice. Its about embarrassing Shorten in the run up to the next election. The labour movement should get its own house in order. But its interesting that other issues like white collar crime don't get nearly the same emphasis as attacks on trade unions.

No-one seems to be noticing I'm arguing for free speech - and for a pluralism, participatory and inclusive public sphere.
Posted by Tristan Ewins, Monday, 7 September 2015 12:42:17 PM
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