Citizen Journalism
Roaring at the man drilling tattoos into my sensitivities
March 3, 2013 at 11:24 PM
Survivor Family of Unthrown Children – 2001
March 3, 2013
At my usual early hour on a sunny Melbourne Saturday, I pushed back the covers along with the urge to go back to sleep and wondered why I felt discomforted.
I’m a happy soul, usually.
And then I remembered; the images of Scott Morrison’s many interviews the day before on his pea-sized understanding of the asylum seeker debate were drilling tattoos onto my sensitivities.
Before I had much chance to let my brain catch up to my outstretched hand. I’d sent out this message via Twitter for all to see:
Your words @ScottMorrisonMP have punctured my skin, entered my bloodstream & sadly for you, boosted my adrenaline levels. #fightnotflight
I stand by them.
Mother Nature knew what she was doing when she equipped us with the instinct to take flight or stand and fight when sensing danger. The animals of the wild also know it well, and you Mr Scott Morrison have turned me into a wild Mother Lion today. A very wild one.
You see, Mr Morrison, I have two tiny granddaughters. They’re innocent, loved and free and I want them to remain that way, at least while I’m around to tear anything to pieces that would destroy their rights or foul the very air they breathe.
That’s just what you’re threatening to do, Mr Morrison. Do you realise that? Do you have the faintest idea of the impact your words have the minute they settle somewhere, anywhere?
No?
Of course you don’t. You’re far too busy stirring your inner crucible aren’t you. Let’s take a look in it shall we? I hesitate, but see it for what it is we must.
Ugh.
It’s bile. It’s slimy and deep. Look, I can see the ingredients that refuse to integrate: superiority, affluence, ambition, greed, power and opportunism. And what’s that down at the bottom? Ah yes. Hatred, all fine-tuned to the latest recipe of racist thought your alignments dictate.
Can you see what your words turn into, the minute they leave your mouth and mix with the hot air you’ve summoned around you Mr Morrison?
No? I’ll tell you.
They become as blowflies. Each one blowing in the wind to settle and leave its new hatching to poison and rot the environment we love and care about.
Oh yes, I’m a Mother Lion today but not just for my grandchildren. I’m roaring in rage for all the children who hope to grow up in this beautiful country of ours, free from the despicable discrimination that you wish to impose on their thought. And I’ll tear into you as much as you deserve – albeit just with my words.
You do not seem to understand, Mr Morrison, that it’s far too late for you to pretend that this society of ours is pristine white and problem free. Like it or not we already are a Multicultural Society with skins ranging from black through red and yellow to white.
Like it or not, in our grab for this land we originally were boat people – mostly crims and sundry others – who imposed themselves on our indigenous folk and started a crime rate that continues today.
Like it or not we already have disadvantaged and marginalised people.
Like it or not, some of our citizens already live in fear and struggle to be accepted.
Do you really think that giving a few asylum seekers from across the seas the chance for a peaceful new life will make one jot of difference to our lives? Do you really think that by helping a few, we’re endangering the lives of those of us already here because the crime rate will suddenly skyrocket? Shame on you.
Look at our children. We have privileged children, but we also have terrified children, different-coloured children, hungry children, spoilt children, disabled children, disorientated children, fleeing children, abused children, children in despair… They all look different, they all come from a multitude of backgrounds, they all behave according to their upbringing or circumstances. You insult every one of them and us with your insinuations that ‘one who looks different’ is certain to commit a crime.
I have forebears from all over the world and live with a disability. I too, am different. Am I likely to commit a crime? Should I have been thrown overboard from the birthing table?
We get one go at life Mr Morrison. We can choose to do the very best we can to advance the society in which we live by the way we live, or we can choose to soil our nest.
You’re not advancing our society, Scott Morrison. You’re peeing on it.
Credit Alan Moir – Fairfax
He has done a Howard whereby he has made it ok to malign & attack asylum seekers or anyone who looks different from the idealised white Australian. The only ones of us whose forebears didn’t arrive by boat or plane are Indigenous Australians. Even Tony Abbott came to this country by boat as an assisted immigrant.
The Liberals continue in their usual manner in stirring the unthinking, unconnected populace’s basest fears encouraged by the worst of the shock jocks & News Ltd.. Despicable.
I too despair for my grandchildren’s future with all this vilification of ‘others’. All I can do is explain to them the right and wrong and hope they will be immunised against this vileness that the LNP are perpetuating.
‘Whenever I attempt to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard to express my horror, I feel lost for words. As a human being (one of billions on this planet) I just do not get the deliberate inciting of prejudice by so-called community leaders and representatives. I do not understand the uninformed acceptance of media grabs, devoid of facts and ignoring the complexity of issues, designed to ramp up people’s fears. I find the peddling of racism and homophobia and any other ignorance-driven behaviours very difficult to understand.’
@lynnwalsh
Only positive on this is, give them enough rope…….
Unbelievable how this issue has become so politicised and the demonisation of people seeking our help.
Interesting the stats of politicians and criminal convictions compared to refugees.
Thankyou Nancy.
P.S. The stats you mentioned would make fascinating reading.
Why is he not asked, why the present policy, a harsher version of the Pacific Solution is not working. Followed up by the question, “What are you going to do about it?”
Then he could be asked if he is willing to work with the government in a biparsan manner to move on to putting into place the Huston Plan.
At least he was challenged this morning on what he is saying. Unable to give answers.
You must forgive this old dear for not being entirely sure what you’ve done with my piece…but I can sense that it’s a good thing and I trust you implicitly. Mind you…I intend to research AZIAZONE and look forward to being further educated. Thank you! ;0D
I cannot express my deep concern and anger, at the thought of a political party who engaged in scandal – the unresolved Ashby/Brough/Lewis affair- with the help of the Murdoch media, to destroy one man – Peter Slipper- who’s hoped for political destruction, would end the Gillard government and, who may end up governing this country.
What a disgrace and a threat to democracy!
A beautiful piece on such an ugly topic. I found it difficult to put my feelings into words.
Thank you for solving the problem for me.
Scott Morrison is a disgarce, as is anyone else who spreads this poisonous rhetoric.
Whitless
Straight out of Ruddock’s vilest manual of division, hysteria, xenophobia and dog-whistling.
It’s an old tried and tested technique that can lead to…
Go Nancy. And where are the other voices of leadership?