Chris Mitchell (“Amnesia Suits the Politics of Today’s Media Generation,” The Australian, September 5, 2016), notes that the crop of today’s progressives in the media are “publicly contemptuous of everyday Australians, those people who make up journalists’ audiences.” But do every day Australians primarily watch, say, the ABC and SBS? I doubt it, or at least not the ordinary blokes I know. The chattering class who vilify us produce their self-reinforcing bs for members of their own class to maintain group solidarity, as the sociologists would describe it.
Still, Mitchell makes some good points. Then Prime Minister Julia Gillard, was opposed to same-sex marriage right up to 2013 and no “progressive” accused her of “hate speech.” But oppose same sex marriage now, and feel the might of the courts dropped upon you. Why, the Marxist cubs will bash you and the system will do nothing about it, or, almost nothing.
Yes, there may be a “culture of forgetting,” but I think this has always been part of the psycho-political warfare that the ruling elites play. Consistency over time is politically problematic, so the easiest option is to just ignore what was said and press on regardless. And that’s really easy to do if you are the chattering class, owners of the means of production of bs.
It is somewhat ironic to read Chris Mitchell’s piece published in The Australian on September 5, 2016, and to also see Caroline Overington’s “Share the Love, Share the Joy and Allow Our True Colours to Shine Through,” The Weekend Australian, September 3-4, 2016, p. 19.
She says “The fear campaign against a same-sex marriage plebiscite is driven purely by political selfishness.” Yes, as in war time or in the opening of the Sydney Olympics, “Australians young and old will come marching. Arm-in-arm, hand-in-hand, with children in tow, they will come out to get this done.” All the polls say that the “no” side will be defeated, she says. “Yes” is about social justice “because it’s our duty as human beings to do what can to ease the suffering of others.” What! They didn’t argue that in the 1970s; in fact, then, conventional marriage was seen as oppressive. Oh, she votes, and so do zillions like her.
That is why it is important to vote “No” and to tell everybody, even your cat if it votes, to vote “No.” Say “No! No! and more No!” to the Caroline Overington’s of the world. Without arms-in-arms, and without hand-in-hand, we must get this done.