to THE AUSTRALIAN
Janet Albrechtsen is right to defend Western culture and civilization and a knowledge of its history free from distortion by political ideology (‘We risk going down as age that forgot history’, 21-22/10). However, her own grasp of what needs defending (‘our modern liberal project’) is imperfect. Her claim that ‘we are all equal, regardless of skin colour, creed, sex or sexuality’ is unrealistic. The differences between individuals, and between peoples, need to be admitted and respected. Within the realms of politics and the law it is equity and not equality that should be espoused.
Secondly, while she rightly laments the lack of university teaching of the history of the mediaeval and renaissance periods, as well as of British constitutional history, she is silent about the deficiency of fundamental Christian theology which has contributed greatly to the current impasse. Christianity undergirded the spectacular growth of the Western world, but cannot now contribute to renewal if it does not experience a new birth.
Finally, she seems to avoid necessary comment on the scandalous censorship which continues to corrupt the teaching of 20th Century European history, as well as many discussions involving sensitive issues of ethnicity.
NJ, Belgrave, Vic