Go Back To Bed, Australia

You've got to love the reactionary right. They just never take the time to think things through. For some bizarre reason, most of the righties that comment on Tim Blair's blog seem to think that nobody who has an opposing view reads his site. I'm mean, even I know that there are people out there who read this blog and disgree with everything I say (that's how this started in the first place). Are they stupid, or just plain naive? Take the recent furore over that song. Now, you can hate that song as much as you like (it's ok, I'll let you), but as soon as you attack it publicly on a blog, what do you think is going to happen? Your opponents will find out about the song and spread the word, as has happened. If they had kept quiet about it, it would still be the same small group of people who had heard it. Idiots.

On top of that, you get reactionary morons saying things like this:

And then there’s Anarchists that hate America- America, where mistrust of government was written into the constitution and everyone’s allowed to own a gun just in case they need to overthrow the State on short notice. The USA is about the closest thing to a successful Anarchist society that will ever exist.

Posted by wreckage on 2007 03 19 at 07:36 AM • permalink

Come again? The USA is about the closest thing to a successful Anarchist society that will ever exist?? Now, I'm no anarchist (cue dumb righties scratching their heads and saying 'But your title......'), but the US?? A country that spends more on the military than any other country in the world, a country that has Christofascists in the White House, a country who locks people up at will and the most successful capitalist economy in the world?? What definition of anarchy were you thinking of?? The slightly mad, strait-jacket afflicted, knuckle dragging, right-wing definition (brought to you be Conservapedia), by any chance?? And they call this:

an overdose of facts and reason.

Posted by Harry Bergeron on 2007 03 19 at 11:30 AM • permalink

Only in your tiny little brain my friend.

Still, the whole 'debate' (such that it is) reminds me of something good ol' Bill Hicks once said:

Go back to bed, America. Your government has figured out how it all transpired. Go back to bed, America. Your government is in control again. Here. Here's American Gladiators. Watch this, shut up. Go back to bed, America. Here is American Gladiators. Here is 56 channels of it! Watch these pituitary retards bang their fucking skulls together and congratulate you on living in the land of freedom. Here you go, America! You are free to do what we tell you! You are free to do what we tell you!

Although, obviously, you can substitute 'America' for 'Australia' and the message would still fit.

A Few Further Words of Thanks

Well it had to happen, didn't it? I made a typo. Luckily, Timbo & Co were so concerned that this might undermine the calls for Hicks to face justice, they very kindly pointed it out to me. Does their generosity know no bounds? It would appear not. Once again, I would like to take time out to say thank you to all of you who pointed out my mistake. It has now been rectified, but I have left the original banner on my previous post for your amusement. Thanks again, I have been overwhelmed by your kind words. Peace to you all.

A Special Tribute

I hope you don't mind but I would just like to say a few words of thanks. A few days ago, I blogged about a song by Wish Hounds about David Hicks. Since then, I have been inundated with comments and emails offering support (or criticism) of this piece of work. I would just like to say a very special thank you to Tim Blair for publicising this song and David's plight. It has done much to bring this to the attention of many people around the world. Before Timbo published his post, it was only shared between a few listeners. Now, thanks to Timbo's PR campaign, it has generated huge interest. So, in thanks to Timbo and all his commentors for their efforts to publicise this song, I would like to add a special tribute to my sidebar. Thanks Tim, you have done more to advance David's cause than you will ever know.

Into Our Arms - A Song For David

Into Our Arms is a beautiful song by Wish Hounds in response to the continued incarceration of David Hicks in Guantanamo Bay. It is part of a growing campaign to see David released from Guantanamo and returned to Australia. Despite the lack of action by John Howard and the Australian government, many people care desperately about David's plight and the precedent that has been set by his treatment. If you want to learn more about David's situation, you can view the YouTube video devised by my friend Rick B at Ten Percent. I'll leave it to singer/songwriter Justin Parker to explain the background to the song.

‘Wish Hounds’ is the nom de plume of Melbourne, Australia singer/songwriter Justin Parker.

The new single ‘Into Our Arms’ sounds the frustrations and despair that many fellow Australians feel over the plight of David Matthew Hicks. David, himself an Australian, has been in US custody at the Guantanamo military prison in Cuba and held for more than five years without trial since being captured in Afghanistan. On March 02, 2007 David was finally charged, retrospectively, with "material support for terrorism" and referred to trial by a special military commission at Guantanamo Bay.

After suffering a debilitating trauma accident early in 2006, and subsequently thrown into a long and arduous rehabilitation program, Justin was presented the opportunity for lengthy self-reflection. Feelings of resentment, despair, and abandonment were frequently common. Whilst not condoning David Hick’s alleged actions, his treatment by the current Australian Government, with their disregard of national and international law and justice for one of their own citizens, became intensely personal.

The complex and painful mechanics of relearning the guitar was instrumental in the healing of Justin’s injuries. ‘Into Our Arms’ was written, foremost, as a personal outlet; recognition of the many things that we can all take for granted. Hopefully, it finds its way to those blessed with the gift of empathy and aid those who struggle against adversity and who campaign to uphold habeas corpus and the rule of law...

You can listen to the song at Wish Hounds' MySpace page here, visit the homepage here or view the lyrics here.