tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post1018075431514188371..comments2024-02-11T19:28:27.997+11:00Comments on Personal Reflections: Monday Forum – another what you willJim Belshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-79960163656707012014-09-23T12:21:09.983+10:002014-09-23T12:21:09.983+10:00John Stitch: there may be a grain of truth in what...John Stitch: there may be a grain of truth in what you say about the hype associated with AFP raids...after all there has been just one arrest. I nevertheless despaired when I read it; as I did when I watched Q&A last night on the ABC.<br /><br />DG Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-66436697964122641042014-09-22T19:50:05.683+10:002014-09-22T19:50:05.683+10:00I have always assumed that poke a stick at is Aust...I have always assumed that poke a stick at is Australian, kvd. Must look the derivation up.<br /><br />That's depressing, John. While I disagree to some degree with your point re precisely defined, I am obviously worried about the way all this is dissolving the freedoms we took for granted. Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-4301925160532192272014-09-22T13:09:57.840+10:002014-09-22T13:09:57.840+10:00Hi Jim - Forgive me but I think that the raids wer...Hi Jim - Forgive me but I think that the raids were precisely designed to coincide with the push for more powers for the Police and other agencies. As well the threats to parliament house which has lead to beefed up security, or should I say a further control on anyone wishing to visit their elected representatives. And of course just in case we don't get it the terror alert level was raised from medium to high. Are we now supposed to do something differently behave in a different manner? <br /><br />And lets not forget our prime minister with his hand up in Obama's class room shouting "me too sir, I'll go, choose me". So we have this situation where we are at the forefront of making ourselves a target and having our liberties (what's left of them) further eroded by this right wing boof head and his mates whilst the opposition sits meekly by and gauges the political pros and cons of supporting him.<br /><br />And now the government wants to tell us what countries we can visit. And what exactly is the purpose of the extra airport security we are paying for. It reminds me of the cold war where successive presidents ramped up military spending, created a scenario of potential death and destruction, kept the populous living on a knife edge of paranoia to justify the arms race.<br /><br />At least the Americans have a constitution to protect their basic rights. What have we got, Tony Abbot. It's as if the Federal government is trying to out do Queensland premier Campbell Newman, where already the right of free association has gone. <br /><br />My prediction is that the next move will be on the Press. There will be reporting restrictions on actions by Police and Agencies. I used to like living in this country, now I am not so sure.John Stitchnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-82730002684053579552014-09-22T06:36:13.615+10:002014-09-22T06:36:13.615+10:00Sometime yesterday (Sunday) an email link to New M...Sometime yesterday (Sunday) an email link to New Matilda's latest popped into my inbox. It was headed something like "More Terrorism Threats Than You Can Poke A Stick At"<br /><br />It made me laugh, because of the sheer Australian-ness of the wording. That is to say, I assume the "poke a stick at" is Aussie vernacular? (Didn't read the link; but am still wondering about the phrase)<br /><br />kvd<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com