Dear ConservativeHippie,

You wrote;

“Steele - you don't know diddily squat about me, my background, my political thinking, religion, or anything else. You are so wrong on so many counts, you have no idea.”

I think my friend you might find that is exactly the point.

You have been on OLO for well over 8 months. In that time you have posted nearly 300 times. If we consider, at a conservative estimate of 150 words per post, you have offered up 450,000 words detailing your political thinking, your religious perspective and your background. Now I appreciate I might not have been exposed to a fraction of your pontifications, perhaps a tenth, but that is still 45,000 words detailing your thoughts and perspectives.

Yet you, within minutes of listening to MM decided to hate her.

I will grant that after learning she was indeed Jewish you walked back your anti-Semetic label but that was all you were prepared to concede.

In the space of about 200 words from her your overwhelming emotion was hate. Sorry I don't buy any “I went for shock value” crap. You said it and you meant it, full stop!

You asked;

“Don't you hate Tony Abbott?”

Nope.

I am distressed that such a man is my prime minister and the I consider him a embarrassment, but I certainly don't hate the man. That kind of hatred seems mainly generated from your side of politics for people like Julia Gillard.

You wrote;

“I don't see how you're behaving any differently to what you accuse me of.”

Again that is exactly the point, imitation is my wont, if you don't like it don't do it because I'm happy to return it in spades.

Wow Foxy,

The freedom of speech debate went right over your head.

Firstly Brandis did not say that it was OK to be a bigot, he said that one had the right to be a bigot, that saying something offensive should not be automatically criminal. However, it does not shield one from the other consequences such as being fired for harassment or being generally shunned by society.

Because the poison dwarf's bigotry is PC suddenly it's OK?

What if someone said that no one likes aboriginals and that the racism directed against them was entirely their fault, is that OK? the only difference is that I have swapped Jewish for aboriginal in what MM said.

"People don't like Jews..." Miriam Margolyes, come off it Shadow put it in context. You are definitely trying to beat the drum, when there is no drum to beat. The Liberal Josh Frydenberg spoke straight after Miriam Margolyes and he did not express the slightest outrage at her comment, in fact he did not comment at all on what she had said. Again I stress put it in context and listen to every word the woman had to say, and not just the first half dozen.

<<the only difference is that I (SM) have swapped Jewish for aboriginal in what MM said.>> Not true Shadow, you have also swapped the words "people don't" for "no one", there is a difference in meaning.
<<that no one likes aboriginals>> SM. I do not agree with that, but if you had said "People don't like Aboriginals" I would agree.

Steele, thank you for taking such a strong interest in my "pontifications" to OLO. I'm surprised that you haven't been able to get past your own strong opinions enough to see that most of the time I am actually fairly moderate although I do have opinions on climate change, immigration, Islam, and corporal punishment that are always regarded as 'extreme right' by those who have the opposite view.

If you regard me as an example of the extreme right, does that make you extremely Left? Probably not in your world, because you are on the side of good, and the deniers and pragmatists are evil. You probably think you views are those of the majority and the way the world should be. Perhaps a world that would consider Miriam Margolyes a good prospect for Prime Minister.

I realise my meagre 300 contributions pale in comparison to your 824 since January 2014 (125,000 words by your estimation) and that we basically will never agree on most important issues. So let it be, I'm not trying to change your thinking. You might be disappointed to learn that I've actually been on OLO since 2011 but because of a new computer, a new email address and a lapse of memory with my password, I had to open a new account with a new name last year.

As for Miriam Margolyes, I can't stand the woman and I cannot undo that for you. Feel free to have the last word, I'm done.

Dear Shadow Minister,

I'm pleased that you do admit to what Senator
Brandis said.

Because, after-all -

Senator Brandis did say that "People do have a right
to be bigots, you know." And he said that in regards
to the Bolt case. However the point being made here is
that Miriam Margolyes is therefore entitled to express
her opinion and should not be judged (according to
Senator Brandis - as in the Bolt case), for it.

I'm glad that you do understand the concept of freedom of
speech afterall.

Fascinating how the right-wingers here constantly bleat the accusation that anyone who critcises the PM or his govt hate Tony Abbott.

These are the same folk who wobbled around the forum shrieking "Juliar" ad nauseam and thought the "ditch the witch" episode was great fun!

We have seldom seen a debacle on the scale of this govt - and it will be a long time (hopefully) before we're treated to a shambles on this scale again - from either party.

The latest revelation is that Tones and Peta instituted a "rule" that no Labor appointees would not be rehired.

How puerile is that from the "adult" govt. No matter the expertise and capacities of the appointee - it they were appointed by Labor, they are persona no grata.

You couldn't make this stuff up.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/opinion/abbott-must-stop-sacking-labor-appointees/story-fnp85lcq-1227250552716?utm_content=SocialFlow&utm_campaign=EditorialSF&utm_source=TheAustralian&utm_medium=Twitter