Xena “Col, just what part of desperately fleeing for your life don't you understand?”

I guess I do not understand the part in which these people managed to move through a dozen other “sovereign nations” since the “fight for their lives” and then still took to paying a criminal people smuggler to avoid migration control at our sovereign border. Somehow the “fleeing for your life” bit ceased and became a “queue jumping economic refugee”.

Di – nor am I in competition – I am merely pointing out the emotional tripe and platitudes which you are trawling up in some form of pretend justification for sanctifying the actions of the illegal and corrupt.

It was you who wrote (Australian detention centres are) “21st century equivalent to Nazi camps”, it was I who illustrated the hyperbole and stupidity of that statement – If you cannot live with the consequences of what you wrote, I suggest – think more before writing.

Now suggesting why people voted is simple – they made their free choice and they exercised it – you are neither qualified nor competent to “judge” why they may have done so, regardless of how much a sense of “smug superiority” it may give you.

As far as “social vices” are concerned, the air of “superiority” often goes hand in hand with an extravagant indulgence in “hyperbole” – they are both symptoms of deep seated frustration stemming from a self-realisation of how pointless and ineffectual some peoples lives really are – so much so they try to find purpose and esteem in defending the indefensible – all quite “quixotic”

Col

I take it then that you think locking up innocent people (including children) indefinitely for years is OK. As I have stated previously we didn't treat refugees in years past (Vietnamese) like this, so why are we treating people so badly now?

I want you to state that you think locking up little kids is just fine by you - say it "locking up little kids is fine".

You bet I'm emotional - why don't you speak to some refugees ask them to tell you their stories first hand?

Yeah Col and I spose it's okay with you if we have to lock up and destroy and even deport a few 'real' Australians in this pathetic and counter productive attempt to save our lifestyle from being threatened by people who just want to have what we have.

It seems to me that these people should be congratulated for exercising their rights as indivdiuals to attain a better life, anyway they can.

As an advocate of self-reliance, you should be applauding them for their initiative, for the spirit they show in getting through 'dozens'(!?) of countries to make it here - rather than waiting for the 'govment' to help them

Col Rouge, you are the only person to use the word hyperbole to the extent it becomes a hyperbole in itself to keep using it, other than Alexander Downer (who is famous for using it) and that is hardly a claim to fame in your little dic(tionary). For scalar, I give you back vector. (Xena and Mollydukes - get out your dictionaries, you too can have a field day of fun, educational postings and learn something other than cheap wasted emotions on those nasty little illegal, criminal, lawbreaking queue jumping brats). It's nice to know Col, that you stood by choice, in a nice little, orderly queue and got your little passport and visa stamped so you could come to this country legally. Thank your lucky stars that it didn't have to be in a leaky boat to a country where the likes of Xena, Mollydukes and myself would have been waiting at the dock to throw you overboard. But then, you came from a nice, orderly, friendly country where you were allowed to come here. Nice choice Col, keep posting the way you are and I'll happily throw you back. Sovereign just says it all. One rule for you and forget about the others.

Xena – somewhere along the chain of a dozen countries these people passed through and recruitment of the services of a people smuggler, they creased to be “fleeing” and metamorphosed into “economic opportunists"

As for “I want you to state..” - I would remind you – I do not jump to your “command” and will state nothing I choose not to state – I will always resist unauthorised commands – on principal if nothing else - next you will be suggesting the thought police and censorship of all opinion except your own!

Mollydukes I applaud those who conduct themselves with respect for others and within the law of the country they wish to become a citizen of – I do not applaud, support nor condone violators of Australian laws and sovereignty including illegal immigrants.

Di – I will exercise whatever vocabulary I choose – read my response to Xena re – me stating what she commands and suggest.
With regard to the leaky boats – they paid their ticket for illegal entry to a people smuggler – they accepted the risk – “Volentia non fit iniuria”.
Further, just as illegal possession cannot convert to legal ownership, illegal entry cannot imply or ascribe citizenship or right of residence.

Col, illegal possession has been known to convert to illegal ownership in quite a few countries. Terra Nullus/Mabo (sorry my Latin is not up to speed with yours) ring a bell? Changing the law has kept quite a few politicians and lawyers busy dealing with that one over the last decade. Squatters' rights? I (dare) suggest you've gotten a bit away with yourself here. I don't think anyone (and there I go thinking on everyone's behalf again) on this posting has said that illegal immigrants should be given carte blanche citizenship, with a house in the western suburbs and a free set of steak knives, rather, that the Australian processing of our illegal immigrant detainees is what is under question. Re the morality of holding human beings in detention with all the fall out that is coming with it. Political, emotional, psychological. The traffickers themselves and the profiteering and corruption is another story.

Xena is just telling you to put your money where your mouth is, which is nothing less than what you have been demanding of other posters, including myself. Chill out and don't be so lofty about the whole shebang.