I wholeheartedly agree with Sells. As a community we should all go on a retreat for a few days of contemplation, reflection, and honest discussion about what we really do value. I'm sure that, were they to give some real attention to the question, most people would rank a number of things higher than "staying alive". By our weakness or apathy we are letting Howard, Beazley and their cohorts lead us towards an Orwellian nightmare.

I regard every day as a bonus. What's wrong with that?

Cheers
Kay

I agree with Sells – the way we live is more important that just living.

Like David_BOAZ, I find the comment by Kenny obtuse (maybe Kenny’s logon is inspired by South Park)

Crabby, whilst you agree with Sells – I note you suggest

“By our weakness or apathy we are letting Howard, Beazley and their cohorts lead us towards an Orwellian nightmare.”

Check history - Animal Farm observed a powerful and officious bureaucratic state (run by and for the principle benefit of the pigs).
Similarly, Orwell wrote “1984” in 1948 – the significance of the “date name” was as an anagram, inspired by the growing influence of Stalin and the communist system at that time in post WWII history.

Fortunately the state which Stalin created was demolished with the collapse of USSR.

Suggesting Beazley will take us toward the Orwellian nightmare is rubbish. Suggesting Howard, a Liberal, whose political career has been devoted to opposing “the Orwellian nightmare” is pure hyperbole, verging on hysterical rubbish.

Surrendering to a terrorist threat will take us to the "nightmare". Resisting all and every terrorist threat is what we can do and what we should do. The words of Dear Margaret Thatcher ring true “All attempts to destroy democracy by terrorism will fail. It must be business as usual.”

To those of us fortunate enough to have lived through the cold war and seen the collapse of state organised terrorism, we have the memories of the a lot of East Germans and other victims of communism oppression dying in attempts to get over the Iron Curtain / Berlin Wall.
Democracy works best – it is imperfect but ultimately, dying for a democratic state is better than living under a despotic one.