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Last updated on August 9th, 2017 at 03:53 pm
You’ll recall that Australia’s international reputation was completely ruined by our policies on immigration and asylum seekers. Ha! Much of Europe has recently adopted our policies, or approximations thereof:
New laws are raising the hurdles for newcomers, especially Muslims, and winning cheers from many Europeans. Polls indicate that strong majorities in almost every European country favor not just tightening restrictions on ordinary immigrants but also casting a colder eye on the hard-luck tales of refugees seeking asylum.
Australia leads. The Old World follows. Speaking of the Old World, let us now celebrate thirty years since the The Judgment of Paris: “It was iconic, the first chink in France’s armour, and a huge, huge shock.”
- Jasper Morris, one of only 250 Masters of Wine in the world . . ..
Oh, now they tell me. And I threw my money away on a Master’s in International Management. Well, maybe it’s still not too late. Better start doing some home work. . .
Glug, glug. Hmmmm. M’yes. This bottle of Night Train (vintage: last Thursday) is deceptively acidic, yet paradoxically suggestive of discount bleach. {i] Eats a Hostess Twinkie to cleanse palate. And what have we here? MD 20/20. Say, I thought it was just Tequilla that was supposed to have a dead worm in it. And this one’s still moving around!
- ahhh … gurglurglurgle smek smek smek … the aftertaste redolent of fine furniture … the invigorating dry heaves and those refreshing wet ones right afterward …Posted by Stoop Davy Dave on 2006 05 25 at 01:18 PM • permalink
- Yeah! And hand him a leg o’ lamb, first. A nice long one, with good heft, okay?Posted by Stoop Davy Dave on 2006 05 25 at 03:02 PM • permalink
- paco, Stoop Davey Dave,
Is it true that a wino ain’t afraid o’ nothin’ but runnin’ outta wine? And could he handle Dracula?
=^D
(RIP, Richard)Posted by Spiny Norman on 2006 05 25 at 05:00 PM • permalink
- Poorer immigrants assist the left in perpetuating the ethos of the growing gap between the rich and the poor.
You see as longer term residents get richer, they become more conservative. They have more to protect against change.
The left need more poor immigrant folk to ensure they can still have (a) battlers to appeal to, (b) make claims of white Australians being inherently racist and (c) people who come from countries who might see the appeal of leftist socialism having never experienced capitalist democracy.
- Australia leads. The Old World follows.
Music to the ears.Posted by SwinishCapitalist on 2006 05 25 at 05:25 PM • permalink
- Spiny
Is it true that a wino ain’t afraid o’ nothin’ but runnin’ outta wine?
There ain’t nothing else to BE afraid of, because there ain’t nothing else that ever happens. I just keep running out of wine, every damn day, twice a day sometimes, I run out of wine. It’s my main and most important problem, and it needs solving all the time. Okay sure sometimes I get run over, or mugged, or rousted by the cops, or recreationally set on fire, and I’ll admit, it’s distracting when that shit happens, but the main thing is, see, I keep running out of wine.
Dracula? He can find his own wine.Posted by Huck Foley on 2006 05 25 at 08:23 PM • permalink
- But… now where will all the Swedish refugees flee to?Posted by richard mcenroe on 2006 05 25 at 08:32 PM • permalink
- … said that Australia was the only country processing [some] illegal entrants off shore … I believe the most vulnerable country in Europe, Spain, does the same
Not exactly. Those exclaves in Northern Africa may be off-shore, but they’re also Spanish territory, so these guys have essentially succeeded in immigrating once they have entered these exclaves. (Assuming they didn’t cut themselves up too badly while scaling the 10’ barb-wire fences…)
Spain is naturally trying to reject most of these would-be immigrants, but they’re having a bitch of a time returning them, not least because the North African countries they’re coming from aren’t too keen to take them back. I’ve just read that after 40 days in custody, the authorities have to let them go, and rather than having thousands of immigrants wind up in the exclaves (or on the Canary Islands, which is becoming a second way in lately) they’re then transporting them to the Spanish mainland, at which point they’re pretty much free to go wherever in Europe.
- Good point, PW.Posted by MentalFloss on 2006 05 25 at 11:12 PM • permalink
- #12 given that it is still quite legal to own an SMLE .303 rifle, a shotgun or a handgun in Australia I fail to see what all the gun nut bleating is about. Lets face it if you need an automatic rifle to go hunting you are obviously a pretty crap shot. I’ve always said if a bolt action rifle was good enough to kill germans and japs its certainly suitable for rabbits foxes pigs and goats for fux sake.Posted by Astonished on 2006 05 26 at 02:09 AM • permalink
- martin bryant was a sane law abiding tax payer up to the point he killed 35 people.
the simple fact is Howards Gun laws are overwhelmingly popular. There is no move to change them outside the gun club community.
Dont vote for him if you dont like it.
Posted by Astonished on 2006 05 26 at 02:24 AM • permalink
- #21- Martin Bryant was an insane welfare dependant, and had been institutionalised prior to the event and was prohibited from possessing weapons; his cheese-dicked shrinks failed to re-institutionalise him despite him showing pathological symptoms. Had there been an armed, sane, law-abiding taxpayer present, ol’ Marty would be in a hole, with a few holes, not still breathing and costing Tasmanian taxpayers a poultice.
And I don’t vote for JWH, mainly because of his centre-left leanings, committment to big government and populistwelfarism. I don’t vote, and will continue to withold my vote until there’s actually a candidate or party worth me detouring from the pub on polling day.
- Astonished #19 and 21,
If the issue were what kinds of rifle you can own, our loss of the Ruger 10/22, the world’s most popular rabbit rifle, would close the case.But it isn’t.
The issue is the self-righteous contempt of the chattering class for whoever they choose to despise. The laws objectify a moral contempt that has nothing to do with reality.
- #24 all sections of a modern society make compromises to live together. This is fundamental to How Democracy works. I have to put up with a government run TV channel (ABC)that uses my tax money to preach a economic philosophy i totally oppose. I vote for the parties that are most likely to succesfuly change this element of the status quo ie The liberal party. For people who regard the opportunity to own assault rifles as a key empowering factor in their lives political parties also exist. They should vote for these parties and i wish them well. I’ve personally enjoyed firing many of the current banned weapons over the years I just regard the benefits of keeping them out of the hands of loonies worth the inconvenience of not being able to own one myself. Presumably Howard is of the same opinion. I strongly encourage people who want to shoot these weapons to join the ADF or ADF reserves. You will then be paid to shoot the weapons and get free ammo. Of course you will have an obligation to society as a result. PS I’m a .308 winchester fan dont give me any of that .22 or 5.56mm crap.Posted by Astonished on 2006 05 26 at 04:30 AM • permalink
- Astonished,
Great to see we agree on so much. However with respect the .22 is not crap, but ideal for appropriate purposes.I have never owned an assault rifle under any definition; I grew up with tight gun laws. The 22 rabbit rifle and the ordinary sporting shotgun were 85% of the weapons destroyed. I had given up all guns in 1988; but the climate of hate of 1996 revolted me so much I came back.
The media don’t take any interest in this, but the main cause of the rash of massacres was copycats – the contagion effect. The reason those people were killed was not just that a loony held guns against the law, but that somehow he got the idea and the plan.
How? The answer is easy to see. (Hint: it wasn’t some conspiracy).
Why then, not three months earlier? Or twelve months earlier?
And why did the massacres stop, when so very many guns ARE still in circulation?
And why Tasmania, when Qld has so many more loonies and easier gun laws?
Anyway, gotta go live in a democracy where I am free to aim my car inches from innocents, and they can trust me to take care of their lives, and only a nutjob like Harold Scruby is trying to ban my car – so far.
- #26 to be honest I have no problem with semi auto .22 as i think it probably passes the broad arrow cafe rugby player test which is the litmus as far as i am concerned.
one thing though gun supporters should consider is the fact that Howards action appears to have ended the long arm gun debate for good with sporting shooters still having many options available.
just consider how such a catastrophic event would have been handled by a steve bracks or mark latham. I suspect guns of all types would have been banned. Food for thought when you bag Howard for his actions.
Posted by Astonished on 2006 05 26 at 08:54 AM • permalink
- #25 Astonished:
Yep, you’re right, that’s pretty much how a democracy works. What shits me about the gun debate in this country is the blatant dishonesty and lack of impartiality of the media when it reports on it. Given a fair and rational public debate about it, I really think our gun laws would be much laxer. An example of the media bias I refer to would be the article on the front page of the Australian newspaper last month titled, “America’s Gun Sickness”, complete with heart-rending photo of a toddler in the US killed by a stray bullet from a gang war. Give me a fair and unemotional debate, and I’ll be happy to go with what the majority votes for. The scaremongering crap that you mostly read in the press is what shits me to tears.
Posted by Mr Snuffalupagus on 2006 05 26 at 09:25 AM • permalink
- Habib, Bryant had a legitimate licence and was sold his guns by a licensed dealer. They are the police facts. He had no criminal record. The Melbourne shooter was a former Duntroon cadet FFS. He had no criminal record. The sydney shooter had no criminal record. At the time of Bryants crime Tasmania had the most relaxed laws in the country. Since the laws changed we havent had a single repetition. No i cant claim the change in laws is the cause of that but i am re assured that hystericals like you cant legally buy assault rifles. Thats my bottom line. If pauline hansen does things for you please vote for her I dont mind. I will continue to proudly vote for little Johnny.
for #28 I couldnt agree more the standard of journalism in this country demands action of some kind. My first action would be to open up the free to air number of TV licenses by at least another 3 in an attempt to get some sort of non group think going.
Posted by Astonished on 2006 05 26 at 09:50 AM • permalink
- I forgot Martin Bryant was a millionaire if i recall.Posted by Astonished on 2006 05 26 at 09:51 AM • permalink
- 19 Ast
I fail to see what all the gun nut bleating is about.
So do they have an explaning problem or have you got a comprehending problem?
Lets face it if you need an automatic rifle to go hunting you are obviously a pretty crap shot.
Let’s face it, if hunting is all you ever need firearms for, then you live in paradise. On this planet, there’s some critters that shoot back, and they do NOT feel constrained by your nice restrictions on gun ownership.
Posted by Stoop Davy Dave on 2006 05 26 at 11:52 AM • permalink
- 25 Ast
all sections of a modern society make compromises to live together.
Not on this planet, they don’t. On this planet the dominant species is some sort of jumped-up primate called Homo Sapiens Sapiens; and morally you’ll find them to be quite the disappointment. Consequently, in the urban parts of this planet, you’ve got whole banlieus, and similar neighborhoods, where whole sections of modern society are more than willing to let your nice democratic majoritarians do all the compromising. But good luck taking away their Glocks.
Posted by Stoop Davy Dave on 2006 05 26 at 11:58 AM • permalink
- 31 PIMF
Looks like I have an explaining problem. Drat!Posted by Stoop Davy Dave on 2006 05 26 at 03:39 PM • permalink
- #29/30- Check your facts- Bryant was not licenced, and was on a dsp because he was a fruitcake. (His licence had been revoked because of his instability).
- 34 Gerry
You’ve just fallen through a crack of varigated English spellings.
Is that what happened? Here I was thinking it was just my typical haste and negligent stupidity.
Posted by Stoop Davy Dave on 2006 05 27 at 04:07 PM • permalink
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Both parties need the immigrants to keep voting them into office, and for business purposes. Bottom line, you know.
On this one, some need to tell our President to go shit in his hat, in nice way of course. I have and I keep getting these little “Thank you for contacting”. I don’t think he is listening…same with my Senators and Representative. Wait until the next voting cycle for these of my area.