Chris, thanks for the reminder of how Australian values should be or even used to be.

Living in our government induced state of fear we seem to be willing to condone any act which we can be persuaded will ensure our security.

I hope one day we will awaken from our coma and start to demand some accountability from the people who feed us misinformation about weapons of mass destruction, the fear of terrorists arriving on our shores in leaky boats and the fear that we may have to be accountable for climate change.

What comes around goes around and we would do well to remember this.

You know guys i am still confused as to where all this feeling comes from about a bloke that nobody actually knows that was running with a sus lot.

I mean you are all hardley the picture of nicelness to one another here in Australia and to your fellow cizs are you?

You only have to read these posts to see everybody snipeing at one another.

You dont suddenly change your nature because the blokes in another country now do you.

So if you cant be nice to your fellow Australians then how come you have so much time for strangers overseas?

Or do the people who regually go on about being nice really have another agenda.
I wonder.

Signed confused

Wendy, good point. I tend to have mixed views about this issue.
- I am very strongly opposed to western governments knuckling under to terrorists and breaking the rules. It's a slippery slope. There does seem to be solid evidence that treatment of some prisoners by the USA has been outside what most expect the law to be.
- Hicks was at best an active supporter of an extremely brutal and horrific regeme - The Taliban and at worst actively supporting a terrorist organisation intent on damaging the non-muslim world.

I have heard no serious denials of Hicks involvement in supporting the Taliban and assume that is correct. Any personal sympathy for him dies somewhere about there when I consider the brutality dished out to those who did not follow Islamic rules in the "right" way. Unless his involvement with the Taliban has been dramtically misrepresented Hicks is no hero, rather a biggoted thug who was a party to the kind of repression which none of his Australian supporters would countenance here.

The issue is really about what happens to our society when we start imprisoning people without charge or trial. When happens to our society when we accept systematic emotional (and possibly physical) abuse as legitimate tools of protecting ourselves. When we use some of the tools Hicks appears to have given support to in supporting the Taliban. If it is Ok for potential terrorist sympathisers then maybe it is Ok for suspected tax avoiders or those who publically disent with the Government. Governments and those who serve them have a way of taking a bit more once power is gained and that is what we much be on guard against.

R0bert

(the robot cut me off for my sins)

Wendy and Robert, Hicksie is NO stranger to someone of my generation. He is - (drum roll):

The Bastard From the Bush - David Hicks, Part 2

I ask myself, "What happened to the Aussie spirit?"

Did it wither during the Howard tenure, or was it a delusion that never really existed? Is bodyline OK as long as it is Bush's brigands doing the bowling? How did we let a Sydney Toff set limits to our moral and intellectual compass? Why are our collective voices drowned by the roar of the stock exchange?

Give me the roar of a shearing shed any day. At least we know who is the shearer and who the shorn, and a dog whistle summons only the kelpies.

And I do so hope that the Putsch has met it's match in Hicksie, the bastard from the bush (caution, fruity language):

http://www.immortalia.com/html/recitations/long-recitations/bastard-from-the-bush/index.htm

Question: Do we have the guts to reclaim Hicks before he's forced to join the Poms?

*

For goodness sake, Australia locked up 840 children and their parents for the terrible crime of running away from the Taliban - David Hicks didn't lock up, torture with tear gas and batons, water cannons and Woomera. He didn't turn a new born Afghan baby girl back into the sea while her mother was bleeding from the birth and denied medical care, didn't turn them away to Nauru.

Didn't bomb them at weddings and funerals and having their dinner.

We bloody well did.

Robert

Well I guess there is still one real Ausie left out there .

Your so patient with your explination good for you. I tend to just loose it with them after a while. Bush Boy I am looking for you. See wwwhalakindmeats.com .

Now Now M We were talking about Dear Mr Hicks not children you always do that.

Lets just stay On the Hicks case shall we for now.

Which I might add is a very good idea speaking of Hicks a case.

You know sometimes> Just somtimes, not often mind you I just think it might be possible that the Army and the intelligence might know a bit more than we Australian cits getting about doing our housework and chosen jobs but dont tell the new anti Ausie lot.

So I guess you think its good that that low life has been realeased that plotted to kill everyone in Barli Too do you M.

Tell you something Prison is Prison and wars are wars.
There are no bloody rules.

There would be less if I could get my hands on that Bastard who just walked free over there.

Remember that bloke is fighting for the same cause your mate Hicks

Gee I forgot he didnt do anything either now did he?

Screw Hicks and as his farther is so much in support of his! Son!
mission they should P him off as well.
As they say in the bush. He bred him

.

M You make me sad for the Men and Women who had some real vaules and fought to save this country.

I know what THEY would have done. Hes a traitor and you defend him.

Theres plenty more room to leave and go with him if you like.
If I had the time I would round up a few real country Ausie boys and go fishing.

Drop the bastards off personally I would back to their islam and Allah.

Screw Hicks!

M if u want to do somthing for others then offer a few war widows feee accomadtion like our family does.