Dear Belly,

As we both know there are genuine concerns in the
community about all sorts of things. If my father
was alive today - he'd be quite uncomfortable at some
of the changes taking place. I guess
older people especially don't like change and that
I can see from both the comments on this forum and
from the people that I meet in the nursing home - where
mum used to be and with which I still keep in touch.
However, from the links that I've read
and given - I tried to point out why some of the fears were
unwarranted in this country. Hopefully, history will prove
that to be right.

Foxy I too have noted the aged often let fear drive them, not balanced thought, my highlighting the Catholic Churches troubles could have selected from many other groups and faiths,sexual assault has never been the exclusive crime of one faith or group

individual,

I do like the way you have likened the lack of control over Muslims with our problems with Green Labor. The two are natural partners.Both are totalitarian and intolerant.

Dear Belly,

I tried in another discussion to point out that the
only thing we can be responsible for is our own minds.
In this country today there is what I described as
a "malignant thought form" that other people are the
problem. For example Conservatives tend to blame
what they call Leftists and Greens for their problems
and the Leftists and Greens tend to blame the
Conservatives. The media blames almost everyone, and
almost everyone blames immigrants and refugees.
Some people are convinced that gays are the problem,
while others think that single mothers and feminists
are. Still others think Christian Right is the
problem, others blame the clergy in general. It seems
that the entire culture has become a hysterical
blame session.

Yet as I also stated a healthy vital society is not
one in which we all agree. It is one in which those
who choose to disagree can do so with honour and respect
for other people's opinions, and an appreciation of our
shared humanity.

Anyway, I don't want to sound like I'm preaching here.
And I am fully aware that I also am guilty of being
disrespectful towards people whose opinions I
strongly disagree with. I have to keep reminding myself
that it is important that we renew dignified and
respectful dialogue with those who do not agree with us
than that we keep slavishly congratulating those who have
the wisdom to see things our way. But boy, this is hard
to do at times when it comes down to controversial and
emotional issues - right? I keep telling myself - go
for a walk, go for a run, (although with my bung leg -
that's not longer as easy as it used to be). Anyway you
get the picture.

Foxy my age has let me see changes some will never know about in politics, Sir Robert Menzies the founder of the Liberals would be confused to see his policies used far more by Labor than his party, the left slur is used often wrongly but if believing health education transport welfAre are basics for good government and leftist, then mark me left, if tax breaks for the rich and no tax for super rich multinationals is needed to run a country? just a thought one contributor uses much the same bigoted stuff that saw Mark Latham unmasked on twitter could it be?

Dear Belly,

You could well be right.

I've been wondering myself about a couple of
things that seem so familiar.