tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49560679467906254532024-02-19T07:32:30.443-08:00NancyRantsI doubt if the word 'Blog' had even been invented when I first thought how cool it would be to write a letter to everyone in the world! Mind you, I was only six at the time and quite a few things have happened to me since then because I'm now 72. I don't always take this long to get around to doing stuff...I can assure you I've had lots of interruptions but I think the time has come to share some of the ride!Nancy Catohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05492568770615530460noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956067946790625453.post-10796481797110885382015-10-15T18:55:00.002-07:002015-10-15T18:55:43.577-07:00In Defence of 'Old Age'<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">What’s to know about life?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">We arrive ‘mewling and puking in our
mothers’ arms’, (according to the Bard); we crawl to our choices and decisions;
hopefully stay alive, well and happy in spite of, or because of them… and
shuffle our way towards our final wave goodbye. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">What’s not to love?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">I hadn’t really thought about old age until
recently... yesterday, to be precise:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“How old are you?” asked the child on the
street as I passed her by.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“Now let me see” I replied, “I’m seventy
five but soon I’ll be…</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“Seventy six” she pronounced solemnly, and
with the piercing observation of youth, went on: </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“Does that mean you’re going
to die soon?” </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Without even allowing the tiniest gasp to
escape from my already tightening throat, I continued bravely.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“Of course not…
I’m not even old yet!” She looked at me, quizzically, summing me up.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“You look old... so when
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">will</i> you be old?”</span><span lang="EN-US"> I had to think. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“I’ll let you know... next
time I see you, promise” I said with a wan smile and marched off rather faster
than befitted my new status.</span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Once home, of course I reached out for my
old pal Shakespeare and his familiar 7 Ages of Man…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>where each ‘age’ plays a part. It’s a melancholy piece and
was no comfort at all - each age dragging ominously into the next with no clear
guidance as to when one should start and another finish. No comfort to know
that eventually one’s voice would ‘whistle in his sound’ before ‘second
childishness’ took over and then ‘mere oblivion. Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans
taste, sans everything.’</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">I don’t remember the first age, no matter
how many uncles told me I was a cute baby and my life seems to have been an
endless replaying of the 2<sup>nd</sup>, the age of childhood - at least in
spirit if not in actions! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">But I do remember the disappointment of
expectation as I entered my teens.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Waking up on my 13<sup>th</sup> birthday I
steadied myself, sat rigidly upright in bed and waited for the explosion that
I’d been assured by well-meaning friends was about to hit. But nothing
happened. Nothing had changed. Nil. Zippo. And I instantly became very
suspicious of numbers and advice and resolved to be governed by feel... not by
man-made time!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Still with no clear answer for my new
little friend as to when I should see myself as old, I turned to the 2011
Census where 3 million people resident in Australia were classified as
‘older’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I certainly became much
better informed reading its 5year groupings and classifications: race,
ethnicity, religion, culture, gender, education, marital status, death rates
and disability but I have to say I was no better placed to give an answer.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Turning to news reports in both print and
digital media, I gathered an image of old age which - in spite of its
extraordinary diversity and circumstances - seemed to revolve around grey hair,
slowness of gait & behind the wheel and… wait for it… Bingo!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Suddenly I could see a Courtroom. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“Next
case” yells the Bench Clerk and a Big Square Grey Metal Box shuffles to the
Stand. It’s labelled and where a label’s fallen off one can see cruel names
etched deep into its very side. Parts of the Box are sparkly bright, others
rusty, worn; mould-like disease has gathered in one corner and one foot moves
much faster than the other.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“Name?” says the Magistrate.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“Old Age” the Box replies.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“What’s your business here?"</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“A Judicial Review of my Status, m’Lud." </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“How old are you?” the Magistrate barks. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“I don’t know, Sir… not sure when I came
into being!" </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“Then I’d say you’re VERY old.” </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The Box looks up defiantly. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“You are young,
Sir… how can you possibly know what I am like or what I can do, not ever having
visited? Come look inside!”</span></span></div>
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</span><div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">And sure enough, as he stared into that Big
Grey Square Metal Box, the Magistrate saw something so overwhelmingly powerful,
so undeniably real that he stepped back, shaken and astonished. For here were
stories; stories heroic, tragic, comical, devastatingly beautiful and sad;
stories that covered lifetimes of loneliness, passion, rejection, sacrifice and
pain; stories so joyful yet some so cruel and stark, some so full of mistakes
that all the accumulated wisdom and accomplishment could barely make amends: so
many stories; yet not one the same. And it was for this very uniqueness that
the Magistrate returned slowly, thoughtfully to his Bench.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“I see the wisdom in your words... it calls
for no reflection here: I award your Right to Review. Let us challenge the
passing of man-made time! Release the shackles!"</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Then turning to all present he wove a
childhood vow into the spoken word: </span></span></div>
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</span><div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“Judge not the holders of these stories in
the closing chapters of their lives. Send them not away as if to feel ashamed of
passing years and all they did therein. Encourage them in all they seek to do
in waning time and let them skip or linger as nature will allow. Cherish their worth…
then let them go… warmth and affection ringing in their ears for a job done as
best as they knew how. And celebrate them… for all their differences… as those
before them, with such expectation, welcomed them.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">And with that same warmth and affection and
the resolution of my 13<sup>th</sup> birthday soaring through my heart, I sought
out my little friend on the street.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“I’ve an answer for you” I blurted out
excitedly.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Her eyes widened.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“You know when you’re going to be old?” </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">And I smiled. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“No, dear child, that, I'll probably never know!</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"> B</span></span>ut as long
as you take care of this" I answered, handing her a small grey, metal box "my
‘knowing’…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>doesn’t matter at all.”</span></span></div>
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</span>Nancy Catohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05492568770615530460noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956067946790625453.post-15492529916336562632013-05-23T01:59:00.001-07:002013-05-23T18:50:24.973-07:00Funny as it sounds - Humility May Just Win The Election.<style>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Thursday 23 May 2013 </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">I’m writing this after being deeply moved
by the people of Regents Park, Sydney who made up the audience of the Gillard
Government Community Cabinet meeting last night.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">I ought to be studying… and I guess, in a
way I AM. Studying people – a lifelong habit after many hours of acting classes
in the late 50s with the incomparable Wal Cherry.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">What struck me last night was the
difference between the way questions were both framed and asked in this meeting
as opposed to some of the questions in other shows on TV such as… well yes… QandA. The questions came
across as questions that people genuinely wanted answered – rather than, as is
sometimes the case, demonstrating the unique wit of the questioner or a
gotcha-trap for a brief moment of television notoriety.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The answer to why this difference was so apparent
came to me before the question bubbled to the surface of my consciousness. And
it came in just two words… respect and humility.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Respect! Where HAVE you been in the lead up
to this election?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Well – there it was last night in the hall
of the Regents Park Christian School for all to witness. I was taken aback. Respect
is not something I’ve grown accustomed to seeing of late – particularly for the
office of Prime Minister, let alone the Prime Minister herself – both from sections
of our politicians, broadcasters and journalists to members of the general
public. This is not hard to understand when one sees the influence from a Print
and TV Media monopoly that is, itself devoid of any respect for our democracy
and would choose to tell us who the next incumbents should be. Whether we
personally like or dislike the person holding the office of Prime Minister, we
cannot allow it to affect the respect we have for that office or our democratic system that ultimately
chooses who shall hold it.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">You could argue that the audience last
night was hand-picked to be positive and receptive to the Government but I defy
anyone to tell me that that necessarily guarantees respect. Respect was there
however, beautifully obvious – often manifesting itself simply by the addressing
of Julia Gillard as ‘Prime Minister’.</span></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">And then of course, there was the humility.
</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Humility! Funny word isn’t it. So close to
‘humiliation’ yet couldn’t be further from its meaning. But it was there too and
quite evident from everyone involved.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">My Dad taught me about humility. Raised in
abject poverty as a child then rescued by family into extreme wealth, this set
the scene for him to have a well-balanced view of the world and its people. He
was intelligent enough to go to University and study dentistry; athletic enough
to be a Country Regional Champion in many sports and raise a son (my brother)
to reach Olympic standards – but overwhelmingly he was a ‘people person’ with a
perfectly simple understanding of who he was. He could relate to the poorest in
the socio-economic scale or the wealthiest from the Toorak suburb of Melbourne
but as far as I could ever tell, not once did he deviate from his firm opinion
that humility was the key to being a worthwhile human being.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Not so much do I see this in many parts of
society today that still cling to the idea of entitlement; the idea that being
born into a position of wealth is the measurement of your quality, giving you a
natural superiority and right to the largest slice of the pie whether you own
it or not.</span></span></span></div>
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<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">And what comes with this sense of
entitlement?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Far too often we see
deluded, raised-in-wealth-or-privilege souls become impoverished of a sense of
human decency and kindness. Utterly divorced from the reality of other people’s
lives and needs, they use a tactic of ‘Aspirational Taunting’ early in life – a
‘look at me, you could be as important and useful a human being as I am if you
follow me and do as I say’ to accompany much of what they do. And this in many
ways is the first step to bullying – a subject I am as qualified to discuss as
the next person who has ever been a victim.</span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Look at the prevailing attitude by so many to
refugees/Asylum Seekers – fellow human beings often terrified, traumatised, homeless,
bereft of all human comfort or reward.</span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Look at the attitude to disability,
poverty, inequity, difference and see how much humility or respect you can find
in any argument from those of the ‘elite’ of society (influencing their would-be
followers ) who choose to use their wealth as their hallmark of quality. Sadly
you will more likely see and hear contempt or apathy or superiority as the
privileged foot comes down on the neck of deprivation.</span></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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</style><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Well – I for one was moved to tears last
night and the tears removed the scales from my vision. </span>
<span lang="EN-US">Maybe, just maybe –
a sense of decency towards our fellow human beings is making its way back. Maybe, just maybe
more of us are starting to see that our successful future lies within the
sharing of our wealth and power and expertise with our children and future
generations; ensuring that they receive the best education this country can
give them; the greatest health and technology support systems we can devise and
a fair and equitable distribution of the wealth of natural resources (apart
from the children themselves) we have in our midst.</span></span></span>
</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">And maybe, just maybe we’re also seeing how
much more powerful it is - and how much more it contributes to our society - to
be a compassionate, respectful individual, than one full of
privilege with little respect, humility or understanding of the true worth of
human life. </span></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Politicians of all persuasions trying to
win the September 2013 Election would be well advised to take heed of the
humility they saw on display last night.</span></span></span></div>
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Nancy Catohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05492568770615530460noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956067946790625453.post-86322142773040580902013-04-28T19:48:00.000-07:002013-04-28T19:48:26.990-07:00
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Nancy Cato’s hopes for the Royal Commission into Institutional sexual abuse of children</h2>
<small>In <a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/category/authors/nancy-cato/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Nancy Cato">Nancy Cato</a> on <strong>April 29, 2013</strong> at <strong>11:52 AM</strong></small>
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<img alt="Royal Commission" class="size-full wp-image-3423" src="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/royalcommission.jpg?w=604" /><div class="wp-caption-text">
Created by Alan Moir <a href="http://www.moir.com.au/" target="_blank">http://www.moir.com.au/</a></div>
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By <a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/nancy-cato/" target="_blank" title="Nancy Cato">Nancy Cato</a><br />
April 29, 2013<br />
This is my final attempt to face my demons, or at least some of them. It’s only taken 37 years.<br />
In 1976 as a young mother with a newborn babe – my third child – I
read a story of a shocking case of Child Abuse; it told of a father
shaking his baby and throwing her against a wall after molesting her.<br />
It traumatised me – still does – my hands are shaking as I recount
this story. I‘ve been in denial for many years and because I wish to
make a positive contribution to the scourge of Child Abuse that’s in
out midst (as I tried to do in my early television days) I must face it.<br />
My catalyst is the recently appointed Royal Commission into
Institutional Child Sexual Abuse. At its first hearing on 3 April 2013
Justice McClellan AM, the chair for the Royal Commission, acknowledged
that there had been harm committed against children that has caused
lasting damage.<br />
It’s a start.<br />
I will admit that I’ve been further stung into action by the recent
suggestion from a well-known radio broadcaster that a young girl may
have herself provoked the sexual attack she suffered.<br />
This piece is dedicated to victims of Child Abuse wherever you may
be, no matter your age or circumstances. It was not easy to write,
albeit fantasised and is probably less easy to read – and for that I do
apologise. I hope some of you will persevere to the end.<br />
It is not aimed at any one Institution, person, place or thing… but
rather, we ourselves; this society that would seem to want to protect
its borders more fiercely than its children.<span id="more-3417"></span><br />
<hr />
Sometimes, when opening up my eyes – not always from the deep of
sleep, but still more like the realm of reality than waking time incurs –
I see things that I ought not see, disturbing scenes such as the one
before me now.<br />
My hands are guided to these keys and yet I cannot write. The screen –
clouded with a mist of grey – has mesmerised my eyes but in the
distance I make out a group of children playing in a park. The images
draw near and then to my distress I see that what I thought was play is
nothing of the kind. Each child avoids another’s gaze and stands alone
as if in haunted states of disarray. They’re all in grey attire, mostly
rags – toddlers, others every age to nearing teens and one with a baby
in her arms. A closer look shows why there is no tumbling fun, no
shrieks of laughter reaching out to catch a friend; for in each face,
the eyes have lost the shine of children’s play – replaced by
hopelessness itself.<br />
A young girl comes into view. She’s not in rags but dressed
incongruously in a pink confection of party dress; brand new yet stained
and torn. She looks distressed and shuffles awkwardly towards me.
Reaching out – she can’t be more than six years old – her fingers touch
the screen and with her small face quite close to mine, whispers, “Can
you help us?”<br />
“What’s the matter?” I reply, forgetting I’m addressing someone on a screen.<br />
“It’ll be here soon. It keeps on….” and then she stops, looking around fearfully.<br />
“What is it? What are you afraid of? What keeps…..”<br />
“Come with me,” she says, cutting me off with such urgency I somehow
find myself in the mist, following her. She leads me to a small lane
where several cottages sit awkwardly as though embarrassed by their
neglect. We enter one and she throws open the door to a small room and I
draw back as I see a man with a tiny baby.<br />
“He can’t see you’, says the girl and I shudder as I see the man
shake the baby violently, screaming at it. To my shame – knowing what’s
going to happen next – I turn and run out the door through the mist. I
run as hard as I can but seem to make no progress, then, remembering the
girl I turn back and see her huddled on the ground. It’s the same girl
but now as though Time has steered off course, she appears to be only
two or three years old. She starts to whimper then gives way to throated
cries that rock her little body back and forth. “Don’t let him
Mummy…please…no dress.”<br />
I reach out to comfort her but the grey mist darkens and something is
pulling me backwards. Petrified I shall not reach my own Time Zone
again I scream out to her: “Tell someone; tell someone what is
happening” – and the screen then turns to black.<br />
I cannot get this image from my mind and try to press the button OFF – but destiny will not allow and takes me to another scene.<br />
A Market Square.<br />
It’s bright and colourful – full of crowds of happy, eager folk
searching for that bargain they must have; stall-holders are hustling
their tricks of trade that make the bargains look ‘just so’ – and dogs
and youngsters on the ground share spoils of lovers’ inattention to
their meals. Many of the adults (eclectic, ethnic mix and each from
every state and stage of being) have children in their care; some
‘mewling and puking’ in their mothers’ arms and others looking joyfully
from shoulders high at siblings pulled along by brawny hands.<br />
It’s one such child that breaks free now – dancing vivaciously
towards me, twirling with the energy that only childhood brings. She
looks straight at me behind the glass…so sweet of smile and nimble of
limb I am beguiled, till with a jolt I recognise the dress and see her
as the one that only moments ago, it seems, was pleading for my help.<br />
“My name’s Douglas,” she giggles without pause. “Daddy thought I’d be a boy.”<br />
“Is everything all right?” I whisper, the earlier scenes still vivid in my mind. “Where are the others?”<br />
“Daddy’s taking me to buy a dress,” she offers as if she hasn’t
heard, but something catches in her eyes and she adds, “I try to be
good”. Her attention is suddenly drawn to a sound behind her and she
whirls around with startled cry as a man pushes through the crowd to
reach her, his face contorted, angry, yelling “Get back here Douglas” He
grabs her roughly, pulling her arm as she tries to reach out to me, her
little body shakes with fear – and I scream “tell somebody”. But the
now familiar dark grey mist comes down and Douglas disappears.<br />
Unnerved and weeping unashamedly, I see the Market Place erupt as
ugliness descends and children run in all directions through the stalls.
They hide their eyes whilst elders brawl; they hear attacks of every
kind with kicks and punches flying blind upon the weak; they hear their
sisters’ cries; and when an altar boy comes crashing down a priest
resplendent in his robes enjoys the feast. They hear some men and women –
both in drunken rage or lustful ecstasy from pill or juicy potion –
wield their pickets and their glass until they find their children to
assault; the children cannot watch the glint of unsheathed knives whilst
knowing other weapons will appear, and as they run they see all adult
reason cease – trampled to the ground wherein lies dignity in tears.<br />
I search for Douglas in the crowd ashamed I’ve somehow let her down,
and wonder from which year it is. Or is it time gone by…or not yet past?<br />
I try to slam the lid on this distressing scene, and only cease as
suddenlya hush precedes a violent, crashing sound that opens panic’s
doors on this the open Market Place, and people try to flee the solid
walls that now surround.<br />
“Order!” screams a voice so full of power the masses freeze and fall
down where they are and look about with fearful dread. As well they
might: They’re in a Court of Law.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
*</div>
“All stand!” the voice commands, and as the people rise – tentative,
dazed – a Judge appears and takes his lofty chair. I see this is no
usual Court of Law. There is no gown or wig, yet on this Judge’s head an
outsized hat resides with faded tag assuring there is Justice. The
Prosecutor, to the right, stands tall – Opinion, flamboyant on his gown
and yet another word I partly see, lies hidden ‘tween the folds. He nods
approval to the crowd, acknowledging its sudden recognition and
support. There’s no Attorney for Accused although a robe with no
apparent label idly lies across a table to the left.<br />
“Bring in the Prisoner!”<br />
I expect to see a member of the rabble from outside brought in to
justice – but no, a tiny child is roughly handed up then pushed into the
dock. She is but six years old, so slight of limb and wide of eye, one
thinks of frightened horses in a crowd. With sickening jolt I see her
clear. Tis Douglas, self-same child in party dress of
pink-now-turned-to-grey; the one who turned to me for help. A tut of
disapproval struts around within the room and further murmurings take
hold – erupting as a shrieking chorus to the tune “Again?”<br />
Judge: Silence! What is the charge against this child?<br />
Opinion: Provocation, Your Honour! The charge is Provocation!<br />
Judge: Proceed with Opening Remarks.<br />
Opinion: My Lord! The accused, this wretched child, will masquerade
as virtue if set free. It will amount to nought but falsely bring my
clients – all great men apart from one or two – to shame. “He did me
wrong,” she squeals in girlish way; “…he put his hand and other parts
that hurt, inside of me…” What vicious lies are these that pour out from
her mouth? She has no status or no right to be parading thus,
pretending virtue as her meme when all along she is intent with guile.
Look upon her face; so well she knows what she is at; her very
countenance betrays the protests of her type. See how she thrusts her
tender breasts towards us now; see her hold her genitals just
so…provoking with each stroke? Her doe-like eyes say “I’m the Victim
here, please look on me”. My God, Your Honour, please be clear on who
the Victims are in this sad case. Within my clients’ hearts, that’s
where the suffering truly lies. A few good men that needs must give up
worldly freedom and reveal their whereabouts for life, ridiculed and
reviled and labelled paedophiles no less, when all they did was give her
what she craved. My clients all are ordinary folk and Dignitaries and
VIPs; Charities and men beholden to the Church. ‘Twas she who let it
happen truth be told, provoked them, led them on. I shall display good
cause to prove this charge of Provocation right; that she and all her
ilk should be incarcerated till they grow – in true humility – befitting
of their sex.<br />
Until such time, deserve they nought but fullness of contempt.<br />
Horrified and outraged by this speech, I yell out… but the Courtroom fades to black.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
*</div>
I imagine this will bring my nightmare to a close…but no…it is the
wretched park again. As though the children see me now, they slowly
shuffle forward one by one. There isn’t one you could call whole. Faces
gaunt, expressionless, they’re hungry, cold, neglected and forlorn. The
beatings and the blame have done their work, their labels clearly marked
‘Clumsy’ ‘Hopeless’ ‘Wicked’ and the like. The trauma’s clear. They
give no indication that they know what Love could be, and only then I
realize that I see the future of mankind.<br />
They stand in line before me now, silent, waiting, as if they know I wish to speak yet know not what to say.<br />
A lad of very tender years approaches and I see he has a stick to
hold him steady as he stands. “Douglas told us what you said,” he
falters, “She’s gone to tell – but some of us have no one…”<br />
Against the power of instinct – as though the Pipes of Pan are tuning
in to childhood’s needs and forcing me to face their pain, I shut my
eyes and hold my breath and whisper, “Then tell…me.” And as the horror
tales take shape with stumbling words and stutterings, the colour comes
to cheeks and life to limb, the whispers turn to rushing sounds that
shout down fears of those who have no voice; they tell me all and
finding each a brother/sisterhood they turn and form a circle all
together that no force will ever break.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
*</div>
Judge: Is there no one here to help defend this child?<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
*</div>
I note the unclaimed robe no longer lies upon the table to the left. A
figure stands before the judge and though it’s hidden by the hood –
with sinking heart and fearful dread – I recognise the face to be my
own.<br />
Judge: Are you representing this child? What are your credentials?<br />
Procrastination: Credentials I have none Your Honour! I’m here to put
my silence to an end and beg your leave to stand this child down from
the dock. She’s not the guilty one.<br />
Opinion: Objection! She has no idea…<br />
Judge: Overruled! You speak on this young child’s behalf – on whose authority?<br />
Procrastination: It is the Voice of Childhood spurs me on.<br />
Judge: You may proceed.<br />
Procrastination: Your Honour! It’s famous voices on the air, and ones
that moan and toll the Bell who say that children are to blame.
Outdated, boorish, sexist yet, they give no reason for the charge except
to save the souls of wealthy friends on high.<br />
Opinion: Objection! There is no…<br />
Judge: Let her speak.<br />
Procrastination: It is the child who is the Victim here. Abused and
yet Accused? ‘Tis many should be standing in that Dock for crimes
against the children. It will come.<br />
Voice from crowd: You’re a Liar. All lies. Opinion tells it how it is.<br />
Judge: Order! No intervention from the courtroom is allowed. It seems contempt is freely here today.<br />
Procrastination: Opinion, were it not for your most blinkered sense
of what is right – this child and children would now stand free as
equals, midst the sphere of Innocence.<br />
A babe is born and from that second on perfection starts its swift
decline, but till such time the child should take responsibility in full
we must support its care. Who dares to blame the children for
perversion gone astray when mindless cruelty or lust lie hidden in a
robe?<br />
This child, just six years from the womb is held here to be trialled –
no reason for her guilt. Look at her! Her innocence is clear. There is
no understanding yet of man-made guile to lure the passion of desire or
stir up anger in the adult breast. This child no more knows this than
why the flowers bloom or puppies chew. She yearns for Love that will be
bludgeoned shortly from her heart – or nurtured to embrace the joy of
life. You do not know the harm you wreak upon the child. While bruises
heal and bones will mend, her life will be a constant, joyless dread.<br />
Responsibility for this lies deep within your Court. I beg you hear the children’s plea.<br />
Opinion: Enough of this preamble…I call on Witnesses Contempt!<br />
Judge: Witnesses? Plural do you say? Good sir, you call but one.<br />
Opinion: I beg indulgence of the Court: so many hold this child in
deep contempt we thought it best to show en masse, the error of her
ways. I call them ALL before you now.<br />
Procrastination: Objection Your Honour. He cannot bring a crowd of people to the stand. ‘Tis HE who shows contempt.<br />
Judge: Order! Order!<br />
Procrastination: Children! Bring in the Guilty One!<br />
Judge: Be seated, all of you. ORDER! ORDER!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
*</div>
But look! It is too late. Confusion reigns as witnesses advance
towards the Stand and hurl abusive words towards the child. Some lunge
as if to do her harm and she recoils as though she knows them well. Then
suddenly a thunderous noise fills all the space and lights go out. A
hush descends and from outside, the children’s voices can be heard – all
loud and clear and strong.<br />
A spread of light pervades the Court as doors fling open and the
Children from the Park advance and sing “The Guilty One is here”.
They’re in procession-form and Douglas rushes from the Dock to meet them
at the head. Before them is a heaving, glutinous mass, like jelly from a
mould, that – rolled by eager hands – is pushed into the Dock. The mist
that once was grey – diluted now – still hovers, just above.<br />
Opinion’s witnesses retreat and whimper to their seats to fearfully
look on as this same mass begins to shake and wail its innocence to all.
Transparent, one can see inside: in shapes of promises and threats and
disempowering neglect, a blubbering mess of children’s dreams floats
helplessly around; the running sores and scalding burns slide freely
down the broken limbs and verbal curses roll around amongst cut lips and
fresh-bruised flesh.<br />
It moans, this mass that once was free; but captive now it roars its
predatorial song and tries to reach the children, lurching forth –
forgetting that with Love’s restraint – it can no longer feed the
appetite that never seemed to end.<br />
Procrastination: You see before you now this treacherous fool devoid
of all disguise. Deprived of meals depravity prepares…it cannot live to
prey upon the young. Let’s keep it so. For in the children’s hands the
Future lies as surely as our own demise Lies hovering in the wind.<br />
As if a camera films the room in motion slow, the mist and light
recede and people try to be upright and look about. The heaving mass has
disappeared and in its place the children all stand free. Small adult
groups approach with open arms while others view the scene – a look of
shameful horror on their brows, their heads bowed low, aware of this
their final chance.<br />
Some priests are on their knees: while others seek to be above the
shame and sneak out with a crowd of likewise guilty folk that do not
wish to face the blame. Their turn will come!<br />
But will enlightenment hold sway should Child Abuse come knocking just once more?<br />
The Judge departs; the Prosecutor throws his robes upon the bench and
shakes his head in disbelief as clients walk away. I see his second
label clearly now peep slyly from the folds. I trust you see it too.<br />
The Voice of Childhood calls and leads the laughing children to the
door. But Douglas turns and takes me by the hand. We run together
through the park and down the little lane, and as we turn into the gate,
the cottage in such disrepair before is showing signs of pride and
care. The little bedroom door is open wide and tears fall as I see
Douglas, woman now, attending to her babe with crooning song.<br />
The whole screen fades to black and I can feel retreating demons. Warmth returns to fingers keen to write, of what?<br />
Ah! Yes!<br />
My gratitude for the beauty, grace and innocence of the Child.<br />
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<li class="widget widget_twitter" id="twitter-2"><h3 class="widgettitle">
<a href="http://twitter.com/NoFibs">@NoFibs Tweets</a></h3>
<ul class="tweets">
<li>
Nancy Cato's hopes for the Royal Commission into Institutional sexual abuse of children <a href="http://wp.me/p2WWGt-T7"> wp.me/p2WWGt-T7</a>No Fibs Twitter Timeline <a class="timesince" href="http://twitter.com/NoFibs/statuses/328688160701812739">52 minutes ago</a>
</li>
<li>
Walking Away <a href="http://wp.me/p2WWGt-T4"> wp.me/p2WWGt-T4</a>No Fibs Twitter Timeline <a class="timesince" href="http://twitter.com/NoFibs/statuses/328456818034626560">16 hours ago</a>
</li>
<li>
Clive Palmer's latest big new venture: The UAP <a href="http://wp.me/p2WWGt-SS"> wp.me/p2WWGt-SS</a>No Fibs Twitter Timeline <a class="timesince" href="http://twitter.com/NoFibs/statuses/327785906683658243">2 days ago</a>
</li>
<li>
RT @<a href="http://twitter.com/MediaActive">MediaActive</a>: @<a href="http://twitter.com/prestontowers">prestontowers</a> @<a href="http://twitter.com/Hobjobblesmum">Hobjobblesmum</a> @<a href="http://twitter.com/margokingston1">margokingston1</a> @<a href="http://twitter.com/NoFibs">NoFibs</a> That's total rubbish I must say Preston. "Jealousy" is absent. Disma…No Fibs Twitter Timeline <a class="timesince" href="http://twitter.com/NoFibs/statuses/327303721719574529">3 days ago</a>
</li>
<li>
How Sales dropped the ball on Abbott <a href="http://wp.me/p2WWGt-St"> wp.me/p2WWGt-St</a>No Fibs Twitter Timeline <a class="timesince" href="http://twitter.com/NoFibs/statuses/327299250532798464">3 days ago</a>
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<h3>
<span style="color: maroon; text-decoration: underline;">Blogs To Follow</span></h3>
<strong><span style="color: maroon; text-decoration: underline;">Citizen Journalists</span></strong>
<strong><span style="color: maroon; font-size: 1em;">Contributors' Blogs</span></strong>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://victoriarollison.com/" target="_blank">Victoria Rollison</a></li>
<li><a href="http://yathink.com.au/" target="_blank" title="Yathink">Greenshack</a></li>
<li><a href="http://greenshack.info/" target="_blank" title="Yathink">Yathink.com.au</a></li>
<li><a href="http://boeufblogginon.wordpress.com/" rel="home" target="_blank" title="boeufblogginon">Boeufblogginon</a></li>
<li><a href="http://spacekidette.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank" title="Space Kidette Satellite News Network">Space Kidette</a></li>
<li><a href="http://theunderwhelmingblog.blogspot.com.au/" rel="home" target="_blank" title="boeufblogginon">Underwhelming Blog</a></li>
<li><a href="http://nancycato.blogspot.com.au/" rel="home" target="_blank" title="Nancy Cato">Nancy Cato</a></li>
<li><a href="http://sortius-is-a-geek.com/" target="_blank" title="Sortius Is A Geek">Sortius-Is-A-Geek</a></li>
</ul>
<strong><span style="color: maroon; font-size: 1em;">More Citizen Journalists</span></strong>
<ul>
<li><a class="bump-view" href="http://francesjones.wordpress.com/">Frances Jones</a></li>
<li><a class="bump-view" href="http://davidhortonsblog.com/">The Watermelon Blog</a></li>
<li><a href="http://badrickunadulterated.com/">Badrick Unadulterated</a></li>
<li><a href="http://turnleft2013.wordpress.com/">Turn Left 2013</a></li>
<li><a href="http://denniallen.wordpress.com/">Denise Allen</a></li>
<li><a href="http://paforclive.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">PA for Clive</a></li>
</ul>
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: maroon;"><strong>Federal Politics</strong></span></span>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://dragonistasblog.com/" target="_blank">Dragonista</a></li>
<li><a href="http://andrewelder.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank" title="Politically Homeless">Politically homeless</a></li>
<li><a href="http://grogsgamut.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank" title="Greg Jericho">Grog's Gamut
</a></li>
<li><a href="http://theaimn.com/" target="_blank" title="The Australian Independent Media Network">The Australian Independent Media Network</a></li>
</ul>
<strong><span style="color: maroon; font-size: 1em; text-decoration: underline;">Election 2013</span></strong>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://ausvotes2013.com/">AusVotes2013 </a></li>
</ul>
<strong><span style="color: maroon; font-size: 1em; text-decoration: underline;">Info for Carers</span></strong>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://info4carers.com/">Info4Carers</a></li>
</ul>
<strong><span style="color: maroon; font-size: 1em; text-decoration: underline;">Mental Health</span></strong>
<ul>
<li><a class="bump-view" href="http://johnalchin.info/">Johnalchin.info</a></li>
</ul>
<strong><span style="color: maroon; font-size: 1em; text-decoration: underline;">Health Policy</span></strong>
<ul>
<li><a class="bump-view" href="http://blogs.crikey.com.au/croakey/">Croakey</a></li>
</ul>
<strong><span style="color: maroon; font-size: 1em; text-decoration: underline;">Nursing & Others Things</span></strong>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://tnipe.wordpress.com/">Tara Nipe</a></li>
</ul>
<strong><span style="color: maroon; font-size: 1em; text-decoration: underline;">Gambling</span></strong>
<ul>
<li><a class="bump-view" href="http://www.cyenne.com/">Cyenne</a></li>
</ul>
<strong><span style="color: maroon; font-size: 1em; text-decoration: underline;">Industrial Relations & Unions</span></strong>
<ul>
<li><a class="bump-view" href="http://wixxyleaks.com/">WixxyLeaks</a></li>
</ul>
<strong><span style="color: maroon; font-size: 1em; text-decoration: underline;">Journalism</span></strong>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://thefailedestate.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank" title="The Failed Estate">The Failed Estate</a></li>
<li><a class="bump-view" href="http://truthinmediaresourcecentre.wordpress.com/">TruthInNewsMedia </a></li>
<li><a href="http://abcgonetohell.net/" target="_blank" title="ABC Has Gone To Hell">ABC Has Gone To Hell</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.australiasmassmedia.com/" target="_blank" title="Mediated">Mediated</a></li>
</ul>
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span style="color: maroon; font-size: 1em; text-decoration: underline;">Investigative Journalism</span></strong></span>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.independentaustralia.net/" target="_blank" title="Independent Australia">Independent Australia</a></li>
</ul>
<strong><span style="color: maroon; font-size: 1em; text-decoration: underline;">News, Politics, Media, Culture & Opinion</span></strong>
<ul>
<li><a class="bump-view" href="http://newmatilda.com/">Newmatilda.com</a></li>
<li><a class="bump-view" href="http://www.kingstribune.com/">The King's s Tribune</a></li>
<li><a href="http://limitednews.com.au/">Limited News</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/">The Political Sword</a></li>
</ul>
<strong><span style="color: maroon; font-size: 1em; text-decoration: underline;">Environment</span></strong>
<ul>
<li><a class="bump-view" href="http://watchingthedeniers.wordpress.com/">Watching the Deniers</a></li>
<li><a class="bump-view" href="http://www.desmogblog.com/">Desmogblog</a></li>
</ul>
<strong><span style="color: maroon; font-size: 1em; text-decoration: underline;">Economics</span></strong>
<ul>
<li><a class="bump-view" href="http://www.petermartin.com.au/">Peter Martin</a></li>
<li><a class="bump-view" href="http://www.marketeconomics.com.au/">Market Economics</a></li>
<li><a href="http://johnquiggin.com/">John Quiggin</a></li>
<li><a href="http://mattcowgill.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" title="Matt Cowgill - We Are All Dead">Matt Cowgill</a></li>
</ul>
<strong><span style="color: maroon; font-size: 1em; text-decoration: underline;">Technology</span></strong>
<ul>
<li><a class="bump-view" href="http://delimiter.com.au/">Delimiter</a></li>
<li><a href="http://michaelwyres.com/" target="_blank" title="http://michaelwyres.com/">Michael Wyres</a></li>
<li><a href="http://sortius-is-a-geek.com/" target="_blank" title="Sortius Is A Geek">Sortius-Is-A-Geek</a></li>
</ul>
<strong><span style="color: maroon; font-size: 1em; text-decoration: underline;">Local Papers</span></strong>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/rural/regions/farnorthnorthqueensland/" target="_blank" title="Far Nth & Nth Queensland">Far Nth & Nth Queensland</a></li>
<li><a href="http://tasmaniantimes.com/" target="_blank" title="Tasmanian Times">Tasmanian Times</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/" target="_blank" title="Sunshine Coast Daily">Sunshine Coast Daily</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.echo.net.au/" target="_blank" title="Byron Shire Echo">Byron Shire Echo</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.echonews.com.au/" target="_blank" title="Northern Rivers Echo">Northern Rivers Echo</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.cootamundraherald.com.au/" target="_blank" title="Cootamundra Herald">Cootamundra Herald</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.yasstribune.com.au/" target="_blank" title="Yass Tribune">Yass Tribune</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.fremantleherald.com/" target="_blank" title="Fremantle Herald">Fremantle Herald</a></li>
</ul>
<strong><span style="color: maroon; font-size: 1em; text-decoration: underline;">Law Blogs</span></strong>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://marshallchambers.weebly.com/blog.html" target="_blank" title="Marshall Chambers"> Marshall Chambers</a></li>
</ul>
<strong><span style="color: maroon; font-size: 1em; text-decoration: underline;">Books</span></strong>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://sherylgwyther.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" title="Sheryl Gwyther"> Sheryl Gwyther</a></li>
</ul>
<strong><span style="color: maroon; font-size: 1em; text-decoration: underline;">Feminism now</span></strong>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://sheilas.org.au/about" target="_blank" title="Sheilas Gwyther">Sheilas</a></li>
</ul>
<strong><span style="color: maroon; font-size: 1em; text-decoration: underline;">Carpe Diem</span></strong>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://deniswright.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank" title="Carpe Diem">Denis Wright</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Sunday 14 April 2013</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Dear Mr Woolies,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Yes -<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I know that’s not your real name but mine isn’t Lissen either – and
that’s what your Manager kept calling me when he bawled me out recently. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“Lissen” he hissed…and he hissed it quite a
few times which is pretty funny when you think about it – him trying to
determine if I really WERE a deaf (and dear) little old lady – and all.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">But I digress…</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">A few days ago one of your stores disgraced
itself (for the first time? I have to ask.) It refused entry to a woman who
obviously needed (and had) a properly-vested Assistance Dog with her. That’s
illegal.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">To salve your conscience and make her
humiliation go away (Haha!) you threw to a Charity, a few of the dollars you
make… (Aussie family businesses spring to mind.) And then it’s HiHo! and off we
go to play on our very own Pokies and do WooliesWheelies on our considerable
pieces of land and even better - see how much more cheap milk we can squeeze
out of the teats of the few cows that remain in this country. Have I got it right?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">But I digress…again!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The thing is, Mr Woolies…I got so angry I
threw a tweet out on Friday night to the Twitter Cyber Space – you know, that 5<sup>th</sup>
Estate called Social Media?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Well!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">I may just as well have thrown my nifty
little iPhone right into one of your BBQ'd chickens. Talk about MeltDown. Boy!
If I hadn’t felt loved before, I certainly do now. Because, Mr Woolies…the 5<sup>th</sup>
Estate is all about reaching out to people – REAL people…you know the ones? The
ones that CARE about other people; the ones that by and large are not purple in
the face from gobbling and stashing too many dollars under their tongues.
(Heavens are you friends with Rupe and…gulp…Gina?)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Anyways! My tweet simply pointed out that
you had kicked me and my dog out of a store also.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Thousands of people have read that Tweet
now, Mr Woolies and I haven’t yet identified one that isn’t angry, shocked and
ashamed of you. One, Andrew Elder, a wondrously intelligent blogger I’m cheeky
enough to call a friend, suggested I write to you and invoke my little
Granddaughters’ wrath upon your head. But somehow I think, on this one, I have
to stand up for myself and all of the dear souls who cope with disability each
and every day of their lives.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Here are the facts:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">Deaf since birth, aged 73 and
living alone, I rely heavily on my Assistance Dog, Gilly who is worth MILLIONS
(to me)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">I trained Gilly myself because
I really do understand - after 73 years of owning and training<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>dogs and being deaf - what it is I need</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">We’ve just moved to a new
location by the sea</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">One of your stores is walking
distance from us</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">Recently I went to this store</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">I’ve always known that it’s
required by law for Assistance Dogs to be identified by a vest that says
‘Trained by….’ or some such so I’ve NEVER tried to take Gilly inside a store.
He doesn’t have such a vest</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">However as this was my first
trip to your store and I’m acutely conscious that Gilly is an extremely
attractive little dog and has already survived one kidnap event, I tied him up
as close to the entrance as possible</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">Then I approached one of your
staff whose job it is to stand at the entrance to direct people</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">I asked her if she would mind
just keeping an eye on Gilly now and then as I’m extremely dependent upon him
and it’s pretty easy to slip a dog lead – if you’re of a mind to do that</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">Well…talk about Mother Teresa…without hesitation she said, “Look if
he’s an Assistance Dog, take him inside”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">11.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">I said “Are you sure?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I trained him myself and he doesn’t
have a vest”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">12.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">“No, that’s fine” she said.
“Take him in”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">13.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">So I did</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">14.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">We had a great time</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">15.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">Gilly didn’t pee on anything or
molest the meat in the deli and certainly didn’t bite anyone on the bum</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">16.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">Mind you…he did lead me to the
Dog Biscuits…just like a kid knows where the Lollies are</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">17.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">Anyway…I’d filled up my basket
(No cheap milk though)… when this man came rushing up…right into my face
(Latham’s handshake comes to mind)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">18.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">“Lissen” he said. “I don’t know
that you’re deaf. You can’t have that dog in here. You’ll have to get out”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">19.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">“But…but” I protested. “Your
staff INVITED us in”</span></span></div>
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</span><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">20.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">“Then they were WRONG” he hissed. “You’re talking normally…how am I
supposed to know if you’re deaf or not?”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">21.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">Now by this time, a crowd had
gathered</span></span></div>
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</span><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">22.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">I can lip-read</span></span></div>
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</span><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">23.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">“Oerr” they said. Has she been caught shop-lifting?”</span></span></div>
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</span><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">24.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">“Lissen” said the man who I now realized was the Manager. “Go and
get a vest from the Lions” and he took out his phone as if to ring them on the
spot. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">25.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">“Oerr” said the crowd. “He’s ringing the cops.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">26.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">I’d had enough so I told the Manager I was leaving</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">27.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">“Lissen” he said. “You can take take your goods…just pay for them on
the way out</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">28.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">He did NOT like the fact that I tipped everything out on to the
counter and left, humiliated but with dignity intact</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">30. I must point out that the female staff were also much distressed </span></span></div>
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</span><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Papyrus; mso-fareast-font-family: Papyrus;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">29.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">I shall never return</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The thing is, Mr Woolies, that you have
every right to take the letter of the law into your own hands …but you have NO
right to try to take a person’s dignity away.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">I DID ring the Lions and they said they
couldn’t provide me with a vest for Gilly because they didn’t train him. I
understand. It’d be just terrible for the Lions if<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> my </span>Spoodle (Poodle/Cocker Spaniel X) Gilly started acting like
a trained-to-kill mastiff of some kind.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">And yes, I know that I could get some legal
dog-trainer-company-whatever to assess him and provide a vest. But hey! I’m old
and Gilly’s 6 and in his middle years. How do I get them to understand that
THESE are the things my dog does for me?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span lang="EN-US">When my alarm goes off he puts
his paw on my face…until I tell him to sod off (nicely)</span></span></div>
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</span><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 38.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span lang="EN-US">When the milkman comes from
AussieFarmersDirect around midnight, he runs back and forth to let me know that
the lovely man with the light on his head has put my goods on my doorstep</span></span></div>
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</span><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 38.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span lang="EN-US">He tells me if someone I
haven’t noticed, is trying to speak to me </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span lang="EN-US">If a cyclist rushes up behind
me, he pulls me off the path</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span lang="EN-US">He tells me when an email has
arrived and when the postman comes</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span lang="EN-US">He identifies the ambulance and
the firetrucks and sings along with them too</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span lang="EN-US">In fact he knows each and every
sound I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span lang="EN-US">But he also reminds me that I
must appreciate I have my sight and there are beautiful things to see, like
bark on the trees and the sand blowing in the wind and the moon and rock pools
teeming with innocent life</span></span></div>
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</span><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 38.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span lang="EN-US">He helps me forget that you
reminded me that when I was a child I was bullied by boys with sticks as the
‘little kid who cannot hear’</span></span></div>
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</span><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 38.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span lang="EN-US">He licks my hand when I get a
bit sad…over…people like you. The ones that foster this bullying and greed in
an ever-growing, uncaring climate-change of cruelty and inhumanity to fellow
man.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">No, Mr Woolies, I won’t be coming back to give you a second chance.
My forebears started a grocery chain called Moran & Cato many years ago. It
was built on sound business principles of quality and turnover and nothing over
2/6d. But most importantly of all, it was built on Customer Service and
compassion for those in need.</span></span></div>
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</span><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
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</span><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The irony is, Mr Woolies that the true wealth in this country is in its people - like those who flew to my defence.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">You would be well served to start looking after them…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>as well as you look after yourself.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Yours…</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Nancy</span></span></div>
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</span>Nancy Catohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05492568770615530460noreply@blogger.com55tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956067946790625453.post-46200231160898565472013-03-04T19:12:00.001-08:002013-03-04T19:12:54.736-08:00
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<div class="post-1980 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-nancy-cato category-refugees tag-asylum-seekers tag-multicultural-society tag-racism tag-refugee tag-scott-morrison" id="post-1980">
<h2>
Roaring at the man drilling tattoos into my sensitivities</h2>
<small><strong>March 3, 2013</strong> at <strong>11:24 PM</strong></small>
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<img alt="Survivors of Unthrown Children - 2001" class="size-large wp-image-1981" height="453" src="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/pink-baby.jpg?w=604&h=453" width="604" /><div class="wp-caption-text">
Survivor Family of Unthrown Children – 2001</div>
</div>
By <a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/nancy-cato/" title="Nancy Cato">Nancy Cato</a><br />
March 3, 2013<br />
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.<br />
I’m a happy soul, usually.<br />
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.<br />
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:<br />
<i>Your words @ScottMorrisonMP have punctured my skin, entered my
bloodstream & sadly for you, boosted my adrenaline levels.
#fightnotflight</i><br />
<i> </i>I stand by them.<br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
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?<br />
No?<br />
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.<br />
Ugh.<br />
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.<br />
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?<br />
No? I’ll tell you.<br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
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 <i>are</i> a Multicultural Society with skins ranging from black through red and yellow to white.<span id="more-1980"></span><br />
Like it or not, in our grab for this land we originally <i>were</i> boat people – mostly crims and sundry others – who imposed themselves on our indigenous folk and <i>started</i> a crime rate that continues today.<br />
Like it or not we already <i>have</i> disadvantaged and marginalised people.<br />
Like it or not, some of our citizens <i>already </i>live in fear and struggle to be accepted.<br />
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.<br />
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 <i>all </i>look different, they <i>all </i>come from a multitude of backgrounds, they <i>all</i>
behave according to their upbringing or circumstances. You insult every
one of them and us with your insinuations that ‘one who looks
different’ is <i>certain </i>to commit a crime.<br />
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?<br />
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.<br />
You’re not advancing our society, Scott Morrison. You’re peeing on it.<br />
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Credit Alan Moir – Fairfax</div>
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<li class="comment byuser comment-author-teddysea even thread-even depth-1 highlander-comment" id="comment-4312">
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Well said. We said! This needs to be written in indelible ink on the inside of that fools eyelids …<br />
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<cite class="fn">teddysea</cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4312" title=""><strong>3 March 2013</strong> at <strong>11am</strong></a> </small>
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<li class="comment odd alt thread-odd thread-alt depth-1 parent highlander-comment" id="comment-4313">
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Well said, Nancy. What is even more disgraceful with Scott
Morrison’s vicious vilification of asylum seekers is that he is
allegedly a proudly committed Christian of the happy-clapper Pentecostal
type where gaining wealth is considered good but being different isn’t.
He has long ago forgotten the parable of the Good Samaritan if he ever
lived by it. <br />
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. <br />
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.<br />
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<cite class="fn">Joy Cooper</cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4313" title=""><strong>3 March 2013</strong> at <strong>11am</strong></a> </small>
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Thank you for your response to my piece, Joy. I learn something
every day about the awful situation facing our Asylum Seekers and your
comments have added value to my store.<br />
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<cite class="fn"><a class="url" href="http://nancycato.blogspot.com.au/" rel="external nofollow">Nancy Cato</a></cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4427" title=""><strong>4 March 2013</strong> at <strong>11am</strong></a> </small>
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<li class="comment byuser comment-author-carolyncordon odd alt thread-even depth-1 parent highlander-comment" id="comment-4314">
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The more we hear from that man, the more we are tainted, until we read the cleansing words of one such as Nancy Cato!<br />
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<cite class="fn"><a class="url" href="http://gardendog.wordpress.com/" rel="external nofollow">carolyncordon</a></cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4314" title=""><strong>3 March 2013</strong> at <strong>11am</strong></a> </small>
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What a beautiful comment, Carolyn. Thank you! You have just
provided me with an Anti-Taint Recipe: replace the Taint in
consciousness with the Truth and Bingo! it disappears.<br />
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<cite class="fn"><a class="url" href="http://nancycato.blogspot.com.au/" rel="external nofollow">Nancy Cato</a></cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4429" title=""><strong>4 March 2013</strong> at <strong>11am</strong></a> </small>
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You speak for many of us, thank you lady <img alt=":)" class="wp-smiley" src="http://s0.wp.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif?m=1129645325g" /> <br />
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<cite class="fn"><a class="url" href="http://twitter.com/YaThinkN" rel="external nofollow">Noely (@YaThinkN)</a></cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4315" title=""><strong>3 March 2013</strong> at <strong>11am</strong></a> </small>
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If I do, Noely, then ’tis I who is privileged. Thank you!<br />
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<cite class="fn"><a class="url" href="http://nancycato.blogspot.com.au/" rel="external nofollow">Nancy Cato</a></cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4430" title=""><strong>4 March 2013</strong> at <strong>11am</strong></a> </small>
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Nancy<br />
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.<br />
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<cite class="fn">gravel3</cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4316" title=""><strong>3 March 2013</strong> at <strong>11am</strong></a> </small>
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Oh gravel3…my heart goes out to you. Being a Grandmother is such a
joy but not without its responsibilities. No…I speak not of baby-sitting
(which I happen to love) but of sharing the wisdom inevitably gained
over the years. I am so happy for YOUR Grandchildren.<br />
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<cite class="fn"><a class="url" href="http://nancycato.blogspot.com.au/" rel="external nofollow">Nancy Cato</a></cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4432" title=""><strong>4 March 2013</strong> at <strong>11am</strong></a> </small>
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World Day of Prayer 2012 was Friday, 1 March ….. the theme this
year was “I was a stranger and you welcomed me” with a focus on
migration. I can only assume Mr Morrison was too busy vilifying
refugees to participate at his local church.<br />
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<cite class="fn">bimmer</cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4319" title=""><strong>3 March 2013</strong> at <strong>12pm</strong></a> </small>
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Enter a crowded room not knowing a soul and the one thing you seek
(except perhaps a drink) is a welcoming face. “I was a stranger and you
welcomed me” is something most of us can relate to in everyday life,
Bimmer. How magnified must the feeling be for Asylum Seekers. Thank you
for your response.<br />
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<cite class="fn"><a class="url" href="http://nancycato.blogspot.com.au/" rel="external nofollow">Nancy Cato</a></cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4433" title=""><strong>4 March 2013</strong> at <strong>12pm</strong></a> </small>
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Sadly, Morrison is using the Pauline Hanson/John Howard/Tony Abbot manual to incite and confuse, it got them elected.<br />
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7</div>
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<cite class="fn">Geoffrey P</cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4323" title=""><strong>3 March 2013</strong> at <strong>12pm</strong></a> </small>
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Just as uncertain cooks use only tried and true recipes, so too
does the coward hide behind someone else’s words. Thank you for your
perceptive remark, Geoffrey.<br />
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<cite class="fn"><a class="url" href="http://nancycato.blogspot.com.au/" rel="external nofollow">Nancy Cato</a></cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4435" title=""><strong>4 March 2013</strong> at <strong>12pm</strong></a> </small>
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Lynn Walsh’s response to Morrison and co – <a href="http://sentiodotme.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/brains-heart-humanity/" rel="nofollow">http://sentiodotme.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/brains-heart-humanity/</a>:<br />
‘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.’<br />
@lynnwalsh <br />
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<cite class="fn"><a class="url" href="http://twitter.com/margokingston1" rel="external nofollow">margo kingston (@margokingston1)</a></cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4324" title=""><strong>3 March 2013</strong> at <strong>12pm</strong></a> </small>
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Makes you wonder how low they can go.<br />
Only positive on this is, give them enough rope…….<br />
Unbelievable how this issue has become so politicised and the demonisation of people seeking our help.<br />
Interesting the stats of politicians and criminal convictions compared to refugees.<br />
Thankyou Nancy.<br />
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<cite class="fn">LindaDom</cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4331" title=""><strong>3 March 2013</strong> at <strong>2pm</strong></a> </small>
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Oooo I’m so glad you’re with me on this, Linda. Would sure hate to have you as an adversary. ;0D<br />
P.S. The stats you mentioned would make fascinating reading.<br />
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<cite class="fn"><a class="url" href="http://nancycato.blogspot.com.au/" rel="external nofollow">Nancy Cato</a></cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4436" title=""><strong>4 March 2013</strong> at <strong>12pm</strong></a> </small>
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<li class="comment byuser comment-author-fehowarth even thread-odd thread-alt depth-1 parent highlander-comment" id="comment-4336">
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Today’s effort on the Insiders sum it up. I have never seen the man
so much on the defensive. Did not like criticism and had problems
containing his anger.<br />
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?”<br />
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.<br />
At least he was challenged this morning on what he is saying. Unable to give answers.<br />
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<cite class="fn">Fed up</cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4336" title=""><strong>3 March 2013</strong> at <strong>3pm</strong></a> </small>
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I share your frustration, Fed up. But I must confess, I didn’t
watch the last ‘Insiders’ show; I threw my shoe at the telly during the
last one and am awaiting the repairman. However – your suggested
questions are valid and deserve an answer.<br />
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<cite class="fn"><a class="url" href="http://nancycato.blogspot.com.au/" rel="external nofollow">Nancy Cato</a></cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4437" title=""><strong>4 March 2013</strong> at <strong>12pm</strong></a> </small>
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<li class="comment byuser comment-author-fionajr even thread-even depth-1 parent highlander-comment" id="comment-4340">
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Nancy Cato, thank you from the bottom of my heart.<br />
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<cite class="fn">fionajr</cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4340" title=""><strong>3 March 2013</strong> at <strong>3pm</strong></a> </small>
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Wow Fiona! I just took a look and found a heart paved with the
golden softness of human kindness. More than happy to sit amongst it.
Thank you!<br />
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<cite class="fn"><a class="url" href="http://nancycato.blogspot.com.au/" rel="external nofollow">Nancy Cato</a></cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4438" title=""><strong>4 March 2013</strong> at <strong>12pm</strong></a> </small>
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<li class="comment byuser comment-author-dyoll09 even thread-odd thread-alt depth-1 parent highlander-comment" id="comment-4343">
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Reblogged this on <a href="http://aziazone.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/873/" rel="nofollow">AZIAZONE</a>.<br />
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<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4343" title=""><strong>3 March 2013</strong> at <strong>3pm</strong></a> </small>
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Dear dyollo9<br />
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<br />
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<cite class="fn"><a class="url" href="http://nancycato.blogspot.com.au/" rel="external nofollow">Nancy Cato</a></cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4439" title=""><strong>4 March 2013</strong> at <strong>12pm</strong></a> </small>
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Very well said what the less articulate amongst us is feeling<br />
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<cite class="fn"><a class="url" href="http://gravatar.com/otiose94" rel="external nofollow">Les Victor</a></cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4344" title=""><strong>3 March 2013</strong> at <strong>4pm</strong></a> </small>
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Hello Les…and thank you for your very kind words. I am grateful
that instead of ears I was given an urge to interpret the spoken word
via the vibration of feelings.<br />
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<cite class="fn"><a class="url" href="http://nancycato.blogspot.com.au/" rel="external nofollow">Nancy Cato</a></cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4440" title=""><strong>4 March 2013</strong> at <strong>12pm</strong></a> </small>
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Thank you Nancy for the necessary compassion, absent in the MSM, that we need to hear in the media on the asylum seeker issue. <br />
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.<br />
What a disgrace and a threat to democracy!<br />
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<cite class="fn">Maureen Searson</cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4348" title=""><strong>3 March 2013</strong> at <strong>4pm</strong></a> </small>
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Maureen – You speak of Compassion for Asylum Seekers, Truth in the
‘Ashby Affair’ and the Threat to Democracy. I see your words clearly and
share all of your concerns. Thank you for contributing to this Comments
section.<br />
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<cite class="fn"><a class="url" href="http://nancycato.blogspot.com.au/" rel="external nofollow">Nancy Cato</a></cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4442" title=""><strong>4 March 2013</strong> at <strong>12pm</strong></a> </small>
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Nancy!…Beautiful Nancy!… Today was my Birthday. Wont say which (
cos ladies don’t tell ) at least in public forums. I watched you as a
little kid on telly and i loved you then as i do today! What instinct
you have. An instinct that can detect the smell of a predator from a
mile off! Scott Morrison and ilk are not Politicians. They are predators
hunting out hatred with the lure of the rotten flesh of prejudge and
fear. Thank you for making my day!<br />
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<cite class="fn"><a class="url" href="http://www.facebook.com/kerry.camilleri3" rel="external nofollow">Kerry Camilleri</a></cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4354" title=""><strong>3 March 2013</strong> at <strong>5pm</strong></a> </small>
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How wonderful…a birthday! A very belated but heartfelt ‘Happy
Birthday’ Kerry. A birthday celebrates the day you joined other members
of the human race to try to make this a better place…just when, is
irrelevant. Thank you for your beautiful words.<br />
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<cite class="fn"><a class="url" href="http://nancycato.blogspot.com.au/" rel="external nofollow">Nancy Cato</a></cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4443" title=""><strong>4 March 2013</strong> at <strong>12pm</strong></a> </small>
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Hi Nancy,<br />
A beautiful piece on such an ugly topic. I found it difficult to put my feelings into words.<br />
Thank you for solving the problem for me.<br />
Scott Morrison is a disgarce, as is anyone else who spreads this poisonous rhetoric.<br />
Whitless<br />
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<cite class="fn"><a class="url" href="http://notadeadpoet.wordpress.com/" rel="external nofollow">WhitWords</a></cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4358" title=""><strong>3 March 2013</strong> at <strong>5pm</strong></a> </small>
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Ah! But you are far from ‘Whitless’. You have instinct and a sense
of justice; you have expressed gratitude and outrage. Takes wits to do
all of that. Thank you!<br />
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<cite class="fn"><a class="url" href="http://nancycato.blogspot.com.au/" rel="external nofollow">Nancy Cato</a></cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4444" title=""><strong>4 March 2013</strong> at <strong>12pm</strong></a> </small>
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Wow! Thank you for that impassioned response. I loved reading it.<br />
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<cite class="fn">Heather</cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4361" title=""><strong>3 March 2013</strong> at <strong>6pm</strong></a> </small>
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So glad, Heather. Thank you for taking the time to comment.<br />
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<cite class="fn"><a class="url" href="http://nancycato.blogspot.com.au/" rel="external nofollow">Nancy Cato</a></cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4445" title=""><strong>4 March 2013</strong> at <strong>12pm</strong></a> </small>
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i expect this sort of stuff from these moral vacuums but what
angers me is the silence from the religious section of society whenever
this kind of outrageous and despicable comments are made.what do they
stand for if they let this stuff go without challenge?<br />
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<cite class="fn">incredulous</cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4363" title=""><strong>3 March 2013</strong> at <strong>7pm</strong></a> </small>
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I cannot pretend to be on top of commentary on this subject,
Incredulous. One would hope that people generally, regardless of
religious affiliation or not, would object to these tactics. Thank you
for your comment.<br />
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<cite class="fn"><a class="url" href="http://nancycato.blogspot.com.au/" rel="external nofollow">Nancy Cato</a></cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4446" title=""><strong>4 March 2013</strong> at <strong>12pm</strong></a> </small>
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I hope that the words of Nancy break through the shell of fear that
has been created by poisonous people like Scott Morrison. Some great
points made here. I particularly like the question about the church’s
opinion about Morrison’s position. Do they agree?????<br />
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<cite class="fn">Woodypear</cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4388" title=""><strong>4 March 2013</strong> at <strong>12am</strong></a> </small>
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Well, there you go people…there’s an invitation. Thank you Woodypear.<br />
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<cite class="fn"><a class="url" href="http://nancycato.blogspot.com.au/" rel="external nofollow">Nancy Cato</a></cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4447" title=""><strong>4 March 2013</strong> at <strong>1pm</strong></a> </small>
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Good point, incredulous & Woodypear. The resounding silence
from religious spokespeople about Scott Morrison’s reprehensible
statements re asylum seekers quite frankly, beggars belief. It is
disgraceful<br />
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<cite class="fn">Joy Cooper</cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4408" title=""><strong>4 March 2013</strong> at <strong>7am</strong></a> </small>
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I would welcome a response from anyone with a religious perspective, Joy. Thank you!<br />
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<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4448" title=""><strong>4 March 2013</strong> at <strong>1pm</strong></a> </small>
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Thank you Nancy for taking the time to read our comments & for
your wonderful, kind individual responses. It is very much appreciated. <img alt=":)" class="wp-smiley" src="http://s0.wp.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif?m=1129645325g" /> <br />
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<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4459" title=""><strong>4 March 2013</strong> at <strong>2pm</strong></a> </small>
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Thank you Joy, but the thanks really should go to Margo and Tony
for giving me this opportunity. I believed very early on in my career,
that communicating with people via any form of media was a great
privilege. But It’s one that also comes with a responsibility; that is,
to have the preparedness to follow up and be answerable for your words
or actions. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be able to do that.<br />
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<cite class="fn"><a class="url" href="http://nancycato.blogspot.com.au/" rel="external nofollow">Nancy Cato</a></cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4463" title=""><strong>4 March 2013</strong> at <strong>3pm</strong></a> </small>
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Spot on Nancy. Politics in this country was never so vile and
despicable. But though it started with Children Overboard it was hard to
imagine then how the Coalition could sink any lower. The other day
Scott Morrison showed the way.<br />
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<cite class="fn">Liam O'Neill</cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4462" title=""><strong>4 March 2013</strong> at <strong>3pm</strong></a> </small>
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Yes Liam…in this instance I am sad to say I think you’re right. We
all know that the infamous ‘Children Overboard’ episode was allowed to
be perpetuated by the withholding of vital information from the public.
Involvement in politics should never be seen as an individual’s right to
incite hatred or peddle fear. Thank you for taking time to comment.<br />
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<cite class="fn"><a class="url" href="http://nancycato.blogspot.com.au/" rel="external nofollow">Nancy Cato</a></cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4464" title=""><strong>4 March 2013</strong> at <strong>3pm</strong></a> </small>
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The NLP just cannot shake off its old habits, can it?<br />
Straight out of Ruddock’s vilest manual of division, hysteria, xenophobia and dog-whistling.<br />
It’s an old tried and tested technique that can lead to…<br />
Go Nancy. And where are the other voices of leadership?<br />
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<cite class="fn">Cliff B</cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4472" title=""><strong>4 March 2013</strong> at <strong>4pm</strong></a> </small>
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It beggars belief that in this day and age, were still seeing these
shameless tactics being used, Cliff. It is said that politics can
de-humanise an individual and this is one of the classic examples. I’ve
also seen it in Local Government where people become statistics or
numbers or an alphabetised entry and are treated as such. In this case
it’s racism; there’s no principle, dignity, decency or compassion in any
of it and we must call it out for what it is, whenever we see it. Thank
you for sharing your thoughts.<br />
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<cite class="fn"><a class="url" href="http://nancycato.blogspot.com.au/" rel="external nofollow">Nancy Cato</a></cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4538" title=""><strong>5 March 2013</strong> at <strong>1am</strong></a> </small>
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A beautiful piece of work Nancy,a beautiful piece of work.What else can I say.THANK YOU.<br />
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<cite class="fn">Robert Bettinzoli</cite>
<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4508" title=""><strong>4 March 2013</strong> at <strong>11pm</strong></a> </small>
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Your words are more than enough, thank you Robert. I’m very touched
by them and am so happy – delighted even – that you liked the piece.<br />
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<small><a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/03/03/roaring-at-the-man-drilling-tattoos-into-my-sensitivities/#comment-4539" title=""><strong>5 March 2013</strong> at <strong>2am</strong></a> </small>
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[...] Roaring at the man drilling tattoos into my sensitivities [...]<br />
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Nancy Catohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05492568770615530460noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956067946790625453.post-31221886788571778762013-03-04T19:05:00.002-08:002013-03-04T19:05:19.426-08:00
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Looking for my Aunty</h2>
<small><strong>February 17, 2013</strong> at <strong>4:14 PM</strong></small>
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February 17, 2013<br />
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<a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/nancy_cato.jpeg"><img alt="Nancy Cato" class="size-full wp-image-1582" src="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/nancy_cato.jpeg?w=604" /></a><div class="wp-caption-text">
Nancy Cato</div>
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Yes – silly isn’t it. I feel rather foolish making this awful public
confession that I’ve sort of lost my Aunty, but it’s a fact – if a fact
can be ‘sort of’. Anyway, I do my share of complaining about the lack of
<i>any</i> sort of facts in much of today’s media, so ‘fess up I
must. It’s embarrassing. Aunty Ambidextra Balancedia Clarificia (ABC for
short) has been in our family for – well, since she was born really, in
1932 – making her only 7 years 5 months older than her niece. It
happens in families.<br />
Mind you, she’s not just <i>my </i>Aunty and she’s not <i>really</i>
my Aunty at all – as in a blood relation or anything. My Mum and Dad
just happened to take her in as a tiny baby and reared her as my Aunt.
This also happens in families. Goodness knows where her parents were –
she seemed to be surrounded by fusty, old, white, politically-absorbed
males at the time – but that’s for later.<br />
When Aunty arrived in our house she was just a noise – no visual
accoutrements at all – but she sure made her presence felt. Dad was a
busy dentist; his surgery attached to our house allowed him to sneak
home regularly, in-between patients, to listen to Aunty holding forth on
one thing or another of national importance. He’d get up at some
ungodly hour like 4am to listen to Alan McGilvray commenting on the
overseas Test Ashes Series and managed to know exactly what was going on
in the much-loved serials <i>The Lawsons</i> and <i>Blue Hills </i>every lunch hour.<br />
It was in those early days that Aunty did three things of enormous
significance for my family; three things that formed a bond between my
Aunty and me, changed the course of my life, and caused this current
rising panic because I can’t find her.<br />
<strong>First Significance:</strong> Dad was a cricket tragic and as
soon as I was old enough to appear to be able to understand what he was
saying, he explained the system that Aunty had used 2 or 3 years earlier
in 1938, to telegraph Test results back home from England. Apparently, I
was sitting on the floor playing with my toy monkey and had my back to
him. He was tapping a pencil on the kitchen bench to show me how the
broadcasters in Aunty’s Studio simulated the sound of bat hitting ball.
I showed no interest. Dad tapped louder, but not even clap of hands and
stamping of feet made any difference. I don’t remember that bit of the
story, but I DO remember getting swooped up suddenly into an enormous,
heaving bear hug and trying to wipe my dad’s tears away with Bunky’s
tiny hands.<br />
<em>Aunty had inadvertently alerted my parents to the fact that I was unable to hear a word said. I was deaf.</em><br />
<strong>Second Significance: </strong>Dad was a Menzies man. He
thought the world of Pig-Iron Bob, Prime Minister at the time of my
birth in 1939. Bob could do no wrong, say no wrong, think no wrong. And
because Dad understood that lip-reading was useless for radio, he
started to interpret what was being said via Aunty, right as it was
being aired. Faithfully he imparted News Bulletins, Political Debates,
The Country Hour and countless discussions of life in the 1940s.<br />
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<span id="more-1395"></span>I’m not sure at what point I started to
question my Dad’s political wisdom, but question it I did. I suspect it
was during Bob Menzies’ second stint as Prime Minister from 1949 to
1966. Life as Dad explained it seemed to be all about ‘privilege’, and
this seemed at odds with what I saw around me. My best friend in the
whole world – a girl of similar age but vastly different lifestyle to
mine, would only come across the word ‘privilege’ by reading Jane
Austen, which she did, avidly. As a flow on from The Great Depression of
1929, her dad was out of work and their lives were those of devastating
hardship and deprivation. It took five minutes in the local milkbar one
day after school to realize that people could be judged by their
perceived wealth or lack of it. I was served at the counter; my friend
was ignored. She was nine.<br />
<i>Aunty had forewarned me of the world of privilege, aspirational
politics and ‘The Born To Rule’ mentality – where those who HAVE can
want you to WANT to have but not necessarily HAVE. And from that moment
in time, although my 1940′s schooling forced me to become ambidextrous, I
made sure my natural left-handedness kept me from straying too far to
the right to taste the Tea Party scones.</i><br />
To his credit, over the years Dad did everything in his power to
relay the messages coming out of Aunty’s mouth. We argued loud and
strong and learnt to be fair and balanced with each other’s points of
view, just as Aunty was.<br />
<strong>Third Significance: </strong>One day in the late fifties,
just before Aunty blossomed and started manifesting herself publicly,
wearing all manner of costumes in the new Black and White medium of her
choice, she did something else for me. She financed celebrated stage and
radio actors Patricia Kennedy and Wynn Roberts to tour country
Victorian Regional Centres to record a series of radio plays with local
talent. I was extremely fortunate to be one of the chosen and my new
career was on the way.<br />
<i>Aunty offered me – a country teenager with a profound hearing
impairment in times he of gross ignorance of disability – the
opportunity to audition. That led to training with top professionals
like Keith Eden, George Fairfax, Wal Cherry and Corinne Kirby
(Whitbread); professional performances of radio and television plays;
living with and learning from Patricia Kennedy, one of the finest
actresses Australia has produced, and perhaps most importantly of all,
continuing my love of hosting Children’s Television in its own ‘<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adventure_Island_%28TV_series%29" target="_blank">Adventure Island</a>’.</i><br />
<span class="embed-youtube" style="display: block; text-align: center;"></span><br />
I owe you so much, Aunty Ambidextra Balancedia Clarificia (ABC). I love you and I want to say ‘Thank You’.<br />
But where the Hell ARE you?<br />
You taught me to trust you. I knew I could turn to you. I knew you’d
deliver the news of the day in an unbiased, dignified, professional
fashion no matter which political party held the upper hand. You
quenched my thirst for information with savvy discussions, widely
drawing on the knowledge of men AND women who were experts in their
field.<br />
You were fair. You acted on principle. We could trust you. You gave us FACTS.<br />
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And now I seem to have lost you. Why?<br />
Why have you abandoned your principles, Aunty?<br />
Why have you chosen to disguise yourself so?<br />
In the days of Prime Ministers Keating and Howard, each thought that,
although they were badly done by, you were fair. You didn’t rush to
seek the view of the Leader of the Opposition about every detail, big or
small including the inner workings of the Government. Why are you doing
that now?<br />
When Kerry O’Brien was in <a href="http://youtu.be/Eai3eKPEV5I" target="_blank">full flight on the <em>7.30 Repor</em>t</a>
a couple of years back, you allowed him to make mince meat of anyone
who avoided questions, blatantly lied or gave the responses of a Dodo.
So why treat Jon Faine of ABC 774 with such <a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/02/04/my-open-faine-letter-to-mark-scott-margo-kingston/" title="Open letter to Mark Scott about Jon Faine from Margo Kingston">public shaming</a> and then refuse to answer <a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/02/15/stonewalling-on-steroids-abc-fails-transparency-test/" title="Stonewalling on steroids: ABC fails transparency test">questions</a> such as those posed most recently by Peter Clarke of @MediaActive.<br />
Why are you insisting on using the same tired old faces of often
politically irrelevant, white, mosty-male Opinion-Singers with – it has
to be said – the charisma of turtles farting. Have you seen the terror
on their faces if ‘same-sex marriage’ or ‘Asylum Seekers’ are mentioned?
Why don’t you try a few other words, like, say ‘<a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/01/21/the-ashbygate-conspiracy-of-silence/" title="The Ashbygate conspiracy — of silence">Ashby/Slipper/Brough</a>? <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tampa_affair" target="_blank">Tampa</a> anyone? <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/reith-rewrites-history-to-hide-the-shame-of-children-overboard-lie-20120831-255u3.html" target="_blank">Mr Reith</a>?<br />
Why are so many of your journalists not asking the hard questions
instead of “Where did you get your glasses?” of politicians of all
political persuasions? Why are they relentlessly seeking out opinion
over facts?<br />
And what’s with the over use of representation of only one Think Tank on your panels? There are others apart from the <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/3849006.html" target="_blank">IPA</a>.
Do you really believe they’re the smartest brains in the country to
give an expertly informed explanation (as opposed to
an ideologically based one) on – let’s pick a subject – Climate Science?
You might just as well leave the studio-stable door open and let the
Bolt horse around with his nonsensical charts.<br />
Why have you abandoned your principles, Aunty? Why have you abandoned me?<br />
You have made me sad. At 73 years of age I cannot afford to be sad. I
want to live what’s left of my life to the full and be informed. I want
people to have what is rightfully theirs. I want you back, Aunty, just
the way you were.<br />
Please come home.<br />
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<img alt="Nancy Cato" class="size-full wp-image-1400 " src="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/catherine-50-228-7089_2.jpg?w=604" /><div class="wp-caption-text">
Nancy Cato</div>
</div>
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<a href="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/bdsjr0lcaaelubt-1.jpg"><img alt="BDSJr0LCAAELuBt (1)" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1414" height="171" src="http://australiansforhonestpolitics.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/bdsjr0lcaaelubt-1.jpg?w=300&h=171" width="300" /></a><br />
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Nancy Catohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05492568770615530460noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956067946790625453.post-63432710455712818802012-10-19T23:50:00.002-07:002012-10-19T23:50:28.723-07:00Farewell...in a good way...you've made me weep.<style>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Saturday 20 October 2012</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">This morning started off so well. Staring
at a fast-approaching departure time for Paris and deciding to ignore potential
Pffts, Ahems' and Lulz-at-my-expense I decided <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to do my ‘Farewells’ today.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">I did not get very far.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Within a few minutes I was bawling my eyes
out - consoling myself with a hot muffin and glass of red - or was it the other
way around?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Everyone was being so damn kind and
thoughtful and loving that I should have been on a high(way) to Heaven…and here
I was blubbering.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Not sure which had the effect – the red or
the muffin - but regardless, it set me thinking about the nature of ‘weeping’…and
the power of Social Media.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Since I joined the Twittersphere a year
ago, I’ve done a great deal of it –weeping, that is… some of it from joy… some
from empathy for poor souls undergoing hardship… and lately and probably most
telling…some from sheer exasperation. Same sort of tears – vastly different
instigators.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">I’ve seen arguments of late – or is it
wishful thinking - mainly from a few Mainstream Media sources of the irrelevance, nay,
absolute impotence of Social Media in its ability to faithfully reflect and
report on, the thoughts, feelings and political implications of the ‘real common
man’ – you and me. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">A few Mainstream Print journalists have
gone head to head (or should that be finger to finger) against Internet
bloggers at 100 paces; perhaps not realizing that other journalists are getting
on with it and straddling both worlds with aplomb. [This so reminds me of the
50s and 60s radio actors who feared that those who could perform equally well
in radio as they could in that new-fangled television, were going to kill their golden goose.]</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Like it or not, we’re all aware that the
recent digital uprising from certain Joint-Destroyers against a certain
loose-lipped Shock-Jock has startled the doubters by its ferocity and
effectiveness. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Sponsors who’ve removed their advertising
from within range of said Shock-Jock are very clear that they feel the people
have spoken – and significantly so.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">But only days ago I noted the suggestion
from within Twitter itself, that the campaign against said Shock-Jock was ‘a
tad Big Brotherish’ with overtones of Russian Spy movies rather than that
well-known Reality Show. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Is there any justification to be had for
people in a community to rise up via Social Media and attempt to stifle the right for
Shock Jocks and their ilk to say what they like?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">I say ‘Yes’.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">If the safeguard of stopping to think of
ramifications caused by their words does not come from within the very hearts of those who say
them – from whence should it come?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As yet – no set rules have had any effect; surely if a community feels
someone has gone beyond the bounds of the standard of decency they wish to have in their
midst; if they feel that that someone is inciting anti-social actions in others
– then they have the right to have their say too. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Let’s look at the point here: If we are in
any position of communication-power; be it via print-media, radio, television or the internet…that power
(amplified one zillion times of that put out by the funny, sweet and sad little
tweets that I received this morning) enables us to make people weep...distressingly.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">And who weeps in this way?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">I dare you to show me one person on my Twitter
Timeline who is not at some stage of their lives going to either: Grieve for the passing of
a loved one; agonize over a departed lover; be bullied; despair at a
child’s illness or her inability to again conceive; fight off violence; know poverty; feel guilty, unloved, neglected, shy or debilitated by depression…without weeping about it at the same time as trying to lead a ‘normal’ life. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">These are our vulnerable times – the times
when one word, normally dismissed can push us over the edge. One thoughtless
act, one jibe too many, one more show of neglect.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Did Malala Yousafzai weep as they shot her
in the head for daring to campaign for girls to be educated?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Did Amanda Todd weep as she put that rope
around her neck because of cyber-bullying?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Did Jill Meagher weep as the hands of
another took her life away because she chose to walk alone?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Let us ALL think well before we dash off
that last word on air… in a tweet …or on paper and ask ourselves this:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Will my words
incite someone to anti-social behaviour or make someone weep?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">You - my Social Media friends, have
embraced me overwhelmingly - and this, on my point of departure is my thank you
to you.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">I love that you know I cannot hear and yet you
send me YouTube Songs; I love that some of you remember the bond we had when
you were children; I love your words of kindness and your confidence that I can
still mend a graze on your heart with a kiss through the air; I love that you
send me links to your own efforts of word and image<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>or articles of great scholarship – (and your faith that I
will understand them). </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">You’re from every walk of life and every
level of education; you’re every shade of green regardless of your opinion of
deity; and you are as politically diverse as it’s possible to be.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">You have (perhaps unwisely) given oxygen to
my ridiculous sense of the ridiculous. You have laughed with me, shared secrets
and tut-tutted with me. You have let me agonize, hypothesize, empathise and
advertise. Above all – you’ve shown such respect and love for one who teeters
(but is not yet there) on the edge of the Chasm of The Wisdom of Years that I again fight back the tears.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">I
DO love you all.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">So - Social Media’s irrelevant?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Don’t make me weep!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Back soon.</span></span></div>
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Nancy Catohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05492568770615530460noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956067946790625453.post-18076795568256034742012-10-04T01:48:00.001-07:002012-10-04T01:52:14.782-07:00IS Freedom of Speech really free? Really?<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Thursday 4 October 2012</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Last night I had a very brief Twitter
exchange with a learned friend about the notion – seemingly quite prevalent on
the airwaves at the moment - that Freedom of Speech comes with freedom of
responsibility.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">I do not share that view.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">It’s a great defence and it goes something
like this: He said/she said this and that so suck it up princess – we’ve got
freedom of speech in this country.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Well here’s my disclaimer: I’m about as far
away as the moon from being an academic or scholar, philosopher or
intellectual. I am but a person who has lived and experienced life for not
quite her four score years - let alone her four score and seven as Titus
Andronicus would have us say.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">And here are my thoughts:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Regardless of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, there IS a time in each of our lives when we enjoy complete and
utter freedom to do whatever we can or want to do. From the moment we’re born
to the moment our wits adjust to the fact that there are certain boundaries to
our behaviour… we do as we jolly well please. We wee and poo wherever and
whenever we feel like it; shake our fists and hit out at anything and
everything; kick and scream and drive everyone bonkers; and some of us are
lucky enough to be loved for doing it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">But gradually as our eyes come into focus
and cognizance of our environment takes hold, we realize that our actions bring
certain other actions… and results. Some will be pleasant – bring relief and
our needs met; for some however, the reactions will not be so pleasant. We will
all learn accordingly.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">And thus it is when we emerge – either by
free choice or forcible ejection - from our house, squalid hut, riverbed, igloo,
orphanage or mansion into the wide world of freedom - we’re supposedly mature
enough to take care of ourselves and be responsible for our actions.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Sadly it is not so. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Some of us will have been shown an age of
reason by means of reasonable discourse; some by a thump, starvation or a stick.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Some of us will emerge as everyday citizens
going about our business; some will emerge as preachers, brimstone firing on
all cylinders; and alas – some will emerge as thieves and thugs… and bullies.
All shapes, sizes and colours, we bear the markings and the trappings of those
who trod before us. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">But emerge we do - given or left to repeat
or repeal and find for ourselves values, morals, attitudes, abilities and
standards by which we shall live.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">And it’s into a country with remarkable
personal freedom that we do this emerging. With some notable exceptions Australia
is a free country in a myriad of ways. We can largely ‘do our thing’, dress,
choose friends and religion and what we say, at will. Albeit ever so slowly,
the freedom in the Scales of Equality between the sexes is adjusting, the
female dish no longer dragging its bum on the floor; and in spite of fears of
Bestiality and Group Unions, Australians in their number appear to be growing
in favour of Same-Sex Marriage. Perhaps one day we will even see that in this
wide, brown land of ours, there is ample room to share the things we have with
those who have nothing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Halleleuyah!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">But how well or wisely are we using this
gift of freedom? Are we taking personal responsibility for it? I remember with
sadness that it took legislation before we saw the wisdom of rejecting our
freedom-to-be-tossed-around-and-mashed-to-pulp in favour of using seatbelts in
our cars.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Even in the USA where there’s a
constitutional right to ‘keep and bear arms’, one is not allowed to pull a gun
out and shoot another for putting insufficient salt in the soup, without taking
responsibility for it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">And thus it is with our Freedom of Speech.
Are we taking responsibility for the things we say? </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">No matter the model we assume, no matter
the repeat or repeal of behaviour we take on – are we realizing there’s not one
thing we say or do that does not have its consequences of one kind or another?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Earlier I made a disclaimer to address the
fact that I am not a Learned Person qualified to speak about Human Rights and
the laws of this land. I speak not of Laws against any Incitement of Violence
or Hatred.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">I speak merely as a member of the Human
Race; I speak because I care about the wellbeing of my fellow Man.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Is it not possible that we tread this earth
for better reason than to gorge or gloat or indulge ourselves; or rape, murder,
brutalise, bully, embarrass, vilify and give pain to another human being? </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Is it not possible we’ve been given the
freedom of speech that we may uplift the confidence of those around us; that we
may encourage, support, share ideas and pull together resources to ensure we
leave our world (and those who occupy her) in better shape physically,
emotionally and mentally than our forefathers could ever have imagined?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Is this not bringing to the forefront a sense
of Human Decency?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Look at the outpouring of grief over the
senseless rape and murder of a vital, young woman in Melbourne recently. How
many of the tens of thousands who trod the March of Peace knew her? Jillian’s
death has come to symbolise the massive Call to Arms against Violence towards
Women, against the continuing brutality and misogynistic behaviour some women
suffer every day of their lives. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The message is very clear: </span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Take heed those of you who
verbalise publicly, that any words of brutality, hatred or
violence will no longer be tolerated.</span></span> Say what you
want by all means; but should you publicly go against the grain of ordinary,
common, human decency be prepared to take full responsibility for your actions;
and should this cause you loss of income, loss of power and certainly loss of
any dignity you may have enjoyed… so be it.</span></span></div>
Nancy Catohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05492568770615530460noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956067946790625453.post-62810555769184217772012-09-22T22:10:00.000-07:002012-09-22T22:13:26.458-07:00A rather Grimm mix of Fairytale, Myth & Possibility<style>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">A rather Grimm mix of Fairytale, Myth and
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">One cloudless night, a Sheep, a Cow, a
Donkey and a Human looked up from their ménage-a-quatre and saw a planet so
bright they followed it.</span></span></div>
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close friends looked one upon the other and marvelled.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">'Me neither' said the Cow and Sheep in unison. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Which left the question and the naming-rite to the Human. ‘Y?</span></span></div>
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Nancy Catohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05492568770615530460noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956067946790625453.post-55816593445688495882012-09-08T22:44:00.001-07:002012-09-08T22:44:30.873-07:00Letter to my granddaughters on the Human Condition<style>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Sunday 9 September 2012</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Having spent 8 wondrously funny hours with
my two young granddaughters yesterday, I returned home at 8pm only to slam into
a wall.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">No…nothing physical…just a wall of hard,
cold, sobering feeling after catching up on recent news.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The first piece I read was the 2012 Human
Rights & Social Justice Lecture delivered at the University of Newcastle by
Anne Summers on Friday 31 August 2012. Entitled ‘Her Rights at Work. The
political persecution of Australia’s first female prime minister.’ </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">It was a tough read indeed. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Almost immediately after reading this piece
I received a message on Twitter alerting me to the passing of our Prime
Minister’s father, John Gillard.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">This was followed closely by another
message quoting Sky News Australia’s headline: ‘Gillard misses APEC because
father dead’.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">It was my stomach that reacted first to all
of this. With Olympic panache…it twisted my intestines into multiple
knots…escalating into my lungs so I scarcely could breathe.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">How could people be so utterly cruel.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">My reaction had nothing to do with
politics. It had everything to do with my perception that as a race we are
becoming utterly de-sensitized to the human needs of others.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">For the first time I had to fight down a
sense of fear for my granddaughters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I love them beyond words - delighting in their world full of love and
laughter and short-lived tears; their unfolding awareness of surroundings and
imaginations inhabited by Green-Footed Giraffes and Grubblezups. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">I wanted to rush back and gather them in my
arms but as they would have been fast asleep it was not a solution. Instead I
wrote them this letter. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">My
darlings Olivia & Hannah</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">Thank
you for the most wonderful day today. At nearly 4 and nearly 2 you have more
energy than your Nanna can ever remember having – even when she had four
children (including your mother) under the age of 5.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">I’m
writing this letter to you because I’ve just been reminded of something I
learnt once – many years ago -and maybe when you’re a bit older it may come in handy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">I
was in my mid-20s when it happened. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">Your
Nanna fell off a rainbow. Well…it wasn’t a real rainbow and I didn’t exactly
‘fall’…slithered more like from the top of a huge set in a television studio
that had been built to look like a rainbow. A piece of the set had given-way
and I landed in rather an un-gainly fashion I imagine, on the concrete floor
several metres below.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">I’ll
cut this short because you don’t need to hear anything but the important
details…sufficient to say that I was taken to hospital, diagnosed as a
paraplegic, given the prognosis that I would never walk again and after several
months sent home to my parents – presumably to stay for as long as they could
look after me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">Well
darlings, you wouldn’t believe how that changed your Nanna’s attitude to life. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">For
one thing I had to learn that when you live in a wheelchair…people bend down
and shout at you…and I must say that that often made me laugh inwardly because
most of them didn’t know I couldn’t hear them anyway.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">But
oh! what respect it gave me for our wheelchair Olympians.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">My
dad - your great-grandfather Cato who sadly you never met – was a great
carpenter and yes, I know he was a dentist. He endured many jokes about that
connection I can assure you. Anyway, he built me a set of parallel bars from
which to hang by the armpits in the vain hope that it may stimulate the nerves
into action.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">It
didn’t…but he never tired of lifting me onto his apparatus in the hope that
he’d see a flicker of life in those limbs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">Anyway
- you want me to get to the point of my story don’t you – even though it’s
often you two who sidetrack me in the middle of a story with your treks into
the Ranglejangle Jungle.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">So
here it is.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">One
day my dad lifted me off the apparatus and onto my bed… and I didn’t thank him.
I turned my head to the wall and felt all the resentment that’d been building
up for months exploding inside. I hated everybody and everything about
my life and everybody and everything in it. I started to voice this out loud…and
my head ached and the pain right through my body grew worse and worse.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">Then…to
my horror, I suddenly realized that my hands and arms were being affected…they
began to stiffen, become immobile.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">My
darling mother – your great-grandmother Cato was sitting by the bed helplessly
watching my agitation when suddenly but gently she reached out to me. And I
froze. Earlier I’d been reading about the destructive nature of hatred and
resentment on the human body; about the need to see their lack of principle or
ability to achieve anything but self-harm; about the need to fill consciousness
with a positive sense of good.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">And
in that frozen moment…as my mother reached out and I resolved to change my
thinking…my mother screamed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">Horrified,
I looked at her face and she was pointing with a shaking hand as my dad ran in
to see what the screaming was about.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">She
was pointing at my feet. Can you guess? My toes…were moving.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">Within
seconds my mum and my dad were sitting on either side of me. Dad lowered my legs
to the floor, they stood me up…and I walked.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">Olivia
and Hannah…I can’t honestly say that I’ve always adhered to what I learnt that
day. Was it a miracle? I don’t know…perhaps Life is the Miracle. But I really
have tried hard to remember to constantly reject resentment and any semblance
of hatred out of consciousness. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">I
hope that you will be able to do the same. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">And
I hope with all my heart that by the time you read this – as vital young women
- you will no longer need to tread a rockier path to achievement than your male
colleagues; that you will not suffer from a disease called Misogyny that once
was rife; that you will not be tempted to replace diligence with jealousy or
spite at other’s success and that you will contribute…as we are meant to do…fully
and positively to the well-being of the Human Condition.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">I
love you</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">Nanna
Cato</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Nancy Catohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05492568770615530460noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956067946790625453.post-43091028185550438482012-08-31T01:07:00.003-07:002012-08-31T21:30:23.210-07:00'Destroying the Joint' Mr Jones? You bet we are!<style>
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<br />
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"> Friday
31 August 2012</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">It is
many weeks since I wrote my last post. The only reason for this is because I'm
currently living out of boxes. Utterly consumed by the need to find a new home
I'm therefore spending every waking hour either online-searching or foot-searching. Been going on for months it has!</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Somewhere...sometime
soon I hope...someone will agree to allow me to live with my Assistance Hearing Ear
Dog.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">But that
is NOT what this post is about. I was all fired up...ready to serve it up to
the Real Estate Rental Market when along comes...Mr Alan Jones.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Oh Mr
Jones! May I quote my 3 year-old Granddaughter who, on being told of your
latest remark today solemnly said: 'Nanna why does he say silly things?'</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">This is
my letter to you Mr Jones...on behalf of my Granddaughters.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Dear
Mr Jones</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">I
am finding it incredibly difficult to write this letter to you…not, I hasten to
add because I don’t know what to say…but simply because <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">my fingers are laughing at you. </b>Yes – laughing. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Mr
Jones…I know that fingers don’t normally laugh or write blog posts independent of the
mind they’re attached to…but mine DO. They’re utterly ill-disciplined, wilful,
spoilt-brat-disgraceful digits trying to make me write all sorts of truthful
but unwise-to-say things about you. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">There!
Fingers and urges under control now.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Would
that you could do the same with your tongue.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">“Women
are ‘destroying the joint’” are they Alan? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow! You’ve got us all on edge now haven’t you. We’re all
getting ourselves into a rage because of you aren’t we.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Wrong.
We’re laughing at you. Yes – laughing. And my two Granddaughters aged 3years
and 19 months are laughing hardest.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">They’re
laughing Alan, because they are Hell-bent on doing exactly as you say. They are
going to ‘destroy the joint’ all right and they’re going to tell you how. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">But
first of all…because
you write/rage/ogle or simper with no thought or reason other than to attract
attention (that no one on this planet would otherwise give you)…let us define our Terms:</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Women</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">When
we emerge from a mother’s womb Alan (distasteful enough subject eh? well
there’s worse to come) we arrive not with a tail between our legs but one of
two options:</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 22.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">An Opening (Oh dear! A female I hear
you say?)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 22.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">A Dangly Bit (Yay! A male)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Now
given that you are prone to Openings of any sort other than human female ones –
the posher the better - it seems surprising that you so favour the Dangly Bits.
But favour them you do. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">My
Granddaughters do not have Dangly Bits and therefore they are behind your Eight
Ball even before they (Heaven forbid) meet you.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Joint</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">While
it can mean any manner of things in our marvellous vernacular from Weed to Home
Sweet Home, ‘The joint’ as you see it Alan...is this great country of ours
called Australia.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">The
fact is that Australia was first and foremost occupied by men, women, tribes
and families…but that’s incidental to you isn’t it Alan. The important thing is
that it was <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">discovered</i></b> by <b>men</b>…<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">taken</i></b> by <b>men</b>…<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">manipulated </b>by <b>men</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ruled
over</b> by <b>men</b>: men firing from the hip and the penis until everything
and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>everybody yelled ‘Submission’
and the place started to look, feel and sound like a ‘joint’.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Good
people over the years have tried to address those injustices Alan and many have
contributed much to ensure that this could be seen potentially as a beautiful
country – not a joint. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">But
you’ve done your best to make sure that it stays a ‘joint’ haven’t you Alan.
For years with your bigotry, misogyny, sexist rants and bile you have coloured
the airwaves blue with stupefyingly successful shockjock results. Turning
people against people, group against group. With the help of your like-minded
shock-jock and political bros you have maintained this 'joint’ image – a fearful, selfish,
mean-minded, greedy country that cannot abide women, asylum-seekers, people
with disabilities or our indigenous brothers and sisters…to name a few.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Shame
on you! </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">And
now what? Women are daring to rise up, take some of that power away from those
with the Dangly Bits in order to equalise the equation…and you’re frightened.
Yes – you’re snivellingly, crawlingly frightened that these creatures with Openings
dare to show what they can do. They dare to lift that skirt, put down that
pail, have a drink if they want to and defy mens’ gaol.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">My
Granddaughters know they’re as good as the boy or girl next to them in the
Kindergarten or Playgroup.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">They
know that they will be encouraged to be ‘who they are’ to their maximum
potential because the women who went before them made damn sure that they
would.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">But they also know Alan…that they cannot do it alone. They know that if we are to make
this Joint into a modern, civilized, healthy and equal opportunity country, men
and women must work together. Men and women must mutually respect one another
and their individual strengths.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Enough
of your bleatings, Alan Jones. Our Granddaughters and Grandsons will work
together. You..and 'The Joint' are passé. </span></div>
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Nancy Catohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05492568770615530460noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956067946790625453.post-61523178108342759752012-05-31T01:04:00.000-07:002012-05-31T01:04:59.165-07:00Assertion v Aggression: How I taught my kids<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
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<span lang="EN-US">Aggression is the last thing I thought this
post would be about.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">It is not my friend. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">In my early experience of being bullied as a child, I realised that aggression more often than not started with verbal abuse and likewise that people often seemed to assert their rights aggressively rather than assertively. And thus it was I spent a great deal of energy as a
young mother training my daughters and sons to understand and embrace the
difference between ‘Verbal Assertion’ and ‘Verbal Aggression’ and an incident in my garden
this morning reminded me of that fact.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I’m in the process of trying (once again)
to find somewhere permanent for this old body to call home – not easy when one
has a faithful pooch. And because I need to move, I was in the garden sorting
out my potplants – (like my books, artworks and dog they’re coming with me no
matter what). </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Now anyone who reads <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">NancyRants</i> on any sort of regular basis would know that I do not
hear…I FEEL…what’s going on around me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But I can lip-read rather well and it was obvious that my young female
neighbour at my front gate was yelling at me vigorously and waving what looked
like an empty McDonald’s container rather aggressively in my direction. The
fact that the veins in her neck were purple and swollen-ready-to-burst also
helped my judgement of the situation.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">‘Did you throw this over my fence?' she
demanded to know. ‘What did you do that for?'<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I must admit here and now the first thought that
flashed through my brain was “‘Guilty until proven Innocent’ – must be
catching.”</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">‘No of course not’ I replied…showing as
much surprise as I felt. ‘It might have been the wind.’</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">‘Wind nothing – why did you do it? Sick of
it’ she shrieked.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">So I opened my gate and beckoned her into
my garden. ‘See these plants?’ See these pots? See these gardening tools ? See
these bins?’</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">‘Of course I do, so what?’</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">‘Do you not see that there’s a sense of
order here? Everything has its right place…and the right place for that empty
packet is in a bin’ I said taking the packet from her ever so gently and
dropping it into my garbage bin. ‘I would no more do that to you than I would
do it to myself.’</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">‘Oh…um…I just thought it ...um...must have been you ’ </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The aggression melted away. No pushing, shoving, kicking or punching had been needed.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">And there’s an even better ending to this
little incident that I’ll recount in a minute.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">But first - back to Assertion v Aggression in their verbal form.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">It was in the late Wal Cherry’s acting
classes that I became truly aware of the one place where it's necessary to feed aggression
with aggression. It's in the Theatre - one of the few places where tension and drama are vital. In an argument on stage, one cannot
build to any sort of tension if the actor playing opposite you does not take
his/her aggressive action a notch higher than your previous one until the scene
reaches its climax. Bit of a fizzer - if you don’t build on the other’s
performance.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">And so it is in real life. Meet aggression
with aggression and you’ll soon have a fight on your hands. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I taught my kids to meet aggression with
assertive reason wherever possible. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">But I also saw to it that they asserted
their rights without verbal or physical bullying.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">With four kids under the age of 5 and
living in the Outback…I’d found it vital to self-preservation to set down
parameters of behaviour - especially for a trip to the Supermarket. The main
one was simple: help me get through this ordeal of shopping and we’ll go and
celebrate our success with a little treat. Not only did it work…but it
demonstrated perfectly on at least one occasion how to assert one’s rights. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Having had an extremely successful shopping
expedition without any of my four whining, whingeing, fighting or placing unwanted
objects surreptitiously in my shopping trolley…we set out for our treat.
Destination: the local very exciting and rather expensive ice-cream shop that
was a rare treat indeed.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">We looked at the colourful signs placed on
high behind the shop assistant. Huge swirls of delicious creamy confection in
equally huge wafer cones held in very tiny hands met our gaze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were pricey but within our range
for an every-so-often treat.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Deliberation was fascinatingly faster from
these offspring of mine than for most questions asked of them and we verbally
handed over our choices in double quick time.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">To my horror we were presented with five of
the tiniest cones imaginable topped with barely a large teaspoon of ice-cream.
The looks of disappointment on my kids’ faces was unendurable – this for them
was a very rare treat engendering much excitement and good behaviour. They did
not deserve this unfair outcome.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I quietly explained to the man behind the
counter that these offerings were not what we had ordered. ‘Either you are
falsely advertising’ I said, pointing to the misleading signs or you have, for
some reason decided to short-change us’. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">All he did was repeat how much money I owed
him.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">‘Could I speak to the Manager please’ I
asked, restraining my natural impulse to be a little curt with people who
disappoint children.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">‘I am the Manager,’ he said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘Now pay up’.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">We hadn’t touched the ice-creams as they
were still sitting upright on the tray on the counter and my children looked from
them to the Manager and back to me to see how I would handle the situation.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">At this point I must revert to my own
childhood to say that I was raised to live within my means, pay my bills but
always question value for money. I have the utmost respect for retailers and
their need to make a living – an honest living that is.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I explained all of that to the Ice-cream
man who became very agitated and started shouting and threatening to get the
police if I didn’t pay up.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The ice-creams began to melt – possibly
because of the heat of the abuse being hurled at us - but it was essential that
I demonstrated to my kids the veracity of my thoughts on handling aggression.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">‘Consumer Affairs will be very interested
in your false advertising if you wish to take this further’ I said, not matching
his decibels. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘Your greed has
prevented you from seeing that another teaspoon of ice-cream on each cone may
have avoided this scene…but as it is you now have to work out what to do with five melted ice-creams that are not what we ordered and not coming with us.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">And with that, I herded my brood as
efficiently as a hen with chicks and left the store - icecream-less. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">But it wasn’t all bad. We went to a much
cheaper place…found much better value and discussed the situation like sensible
people over ice-creams that were probably not as exotic but tasted every bit as
though they were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My kids were then
aged<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>7, 6, 4 and 3 and I have to
say they are rather astute shoppers today.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">Back now to my young neighbour with the
shouty voice.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">As it turned out…this young woman is a University
student – putting herself through a rather demanding degree, struggling with
several subjects and not having too many resources at her disposal. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">She now has many of my no-longer-needed research books on her desk and probably far more importantly, a new outlook on handling a situation assertively
rather than with aggression.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">We even shared a cup of tea. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">It's little wonder then that my granddaughters, every
Wednesday are getting their share of Nanna’s theory: Assertion is always better
than Aggression…often with benefits to all.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>Nancy Catohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05492568770615530460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956067946790625453.post-20070072649289586032012-05-24T00:39:00.001-07:002012-06-07T21:38:30.196-07:00An Agonizing Explanation & Thank You: 1000 Followers by the skin of my teeth.<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
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Thursda
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span>
<br />
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Thursday 24 May 2012</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Six
Characters in Search of an Author is a 1921 Italian play by Luigi Pirandello
that was met with shouts of ‘Manicomio’ (‘Madhouse’ in English) at its
Premiere.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">It is an
absurdist play – basically about the relationship between the characters in a
play, their author and the theatre.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">It came
to mind this morning as I was thinking about the Social Media site Twitter and its
restriction of 140 characters per message. 140 characters in which you can potentially
delight, disappoint, encourage, destroy, stimulate, inspire or terrify your
fellow human beings. Yes – there is no ending to the impact that just 140
characters can have on another person’s day or wellbeing … or even sanity.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">It is
not for the faint-hearted. There are few rules. Grammar and punctuation are all
but abandoned and interpretation is a free for all. There are no barriers to
swearing, blaspheming, threatening or abuse - and hatred is allowed to pour
forth in all its many disguises. It allows visual and text links to all manner
of material from anywhere on the planet that is able to support its technology
and puts people in touch with like-minded colleagues around the globe. It encourages,
intimidates, supports and harasses and it’s here to stay in some form or other
for better or worse.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">And I
LOVE it!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">You
see…Social Media is not really the playground of the elderly…not yet, anyhow. I
think at 72, I’m probably at least twenty years older than some of my dear
digital friends and more like forty years older than most. But I’ve been
embraced into Twitter’s heartland in a way I would not have thought possible or
even plausible.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">It has
led to my developing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">NancyRants</i> - this Blog where I can rant, reminisce or communicate with little children to my
heart’s delight.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">It has
introduced me to interesting people all around the world and through reading
first-hand experiences opened my eyes to so much more global activity than I’d
ever known before. In fact – a
large part of Twitter has been absorbed into my digital bloodstream – giving me
an even greater zest for life. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">So it
was with a great deal of sadness and regret that only a few days ago, I spent a
restless and sleepless night agonising over whether or not to withdraw from
Twitter. Earlier that day, Monday 21 May I had been watching the speech from
Craig Thomson MP on television. But as is my usual wont, I also had Twitter
open on the iPhone beside me and I started to see an outpouring of what seemed
to me heartless cruelty; a mob-mentality taunting and bullying a human
being. As his title tells us Craig
Thomson MP is a member of parliament.
He has been accused of much, charged with nothing and continues to
be tried and convicted by all and sundry in what is to me, a reprehensible
display of lack of basic human rights. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">And in
my state of sleepless struggling I formed the opinion that the phrase - ‘Innocent until proven Guilty’ of which
we are so proud in this democratic country – had become an empty slogan not
even worth the sneer wrapped around it.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">But
worst of all…I faced my worst demon of all. Bullying. I was mercilessly bullied
as a child over my deafness – an experience that I handled at the time in my
own way (See my last post: Open letter to little children: My 5 Secrets). But
until this crisis took hold I had not realised how deeply I’d buried it in my
psyche.)</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">All but
taking the decision to abandon Twitter - the fabulous Social Media platform
that had so caught my attention and put all the above invective in my face – I
ventured the possibility of leaving Twitter in a Tweet early on Tuesday
morning.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">By
Tuesday afternoon – and here is one of the indications of the snowball effect
of the Twittersphere and its potential power to move mountains and bring down
governments – I had an extraordinary and totally unexpected barrage of
responses. Evidence of the beautiful, honest, truthful, encouraging, supportive
and loving side of humanity rose to the occasion and convinced me not to ‘cut
and run’ but to stand firm and continue to speak out against things I do not
believe in, or for those things I hold dear.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">And now
– just a few days later and about nine months all up (appropriate gestation
period) I have reached a personal milestone of 1000 Followers.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Yes – I know…that’s absolutely nothing
in its proper global perspective of Twitter-Followers but nevertheless a
fabulously exciting phenomenon for me.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">So here
is my ‘thank you’ to all of you, who – by your courage of your convictions,
your strength and your determination - have inspired me to stay and fight; to
put forward thoughts that may be sneered at or derided; to be true to myself at
the risk of personal attack and to face the revolting challenge of unmitigated
cruelty (look at our Refugees) inflicted on members of our human race by one or
more of our own.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Thank
you SO much for taking the time to read this. I cannot tell you how much I
appreciate you all.</span></div>
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<br /></div>Nancy Catohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05492568770615530460noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956067946790625453.post-56721798252834186442012-05-22T08:43:00.000-07:002012-05-22T08:43:03.961-07:00Open letter to little children: My 5 Secrets<style>
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<span lang="EN-US">Tuesday 22 May 2012</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">I did not sleep last night.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">It is a rare occurrence for me but it is
one that re-appears from time to time and has done so since I was a small child
in a world of silence.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">I know the triggers and when I was a child
I wanted to run from them. I wanted to hide; I wanted to dodge and weave and
pretend I wasn’t there to face the inevitable bullets that would shortly shaft
into my consciousness with the precision of a trained marksman.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">But I also knew…instinctively, I guess…that
until I built up a line of defence, the process would repeat itself. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">I did build up that defence – and as I
child I called it ‘My 5 Secrets’. It’s stood me in good stead over the years. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">Last night the triggers were the relentless
attacks on one person who has been pushed to the edge of despair…a feeling I
know so well…and I had to work very hard to get my defence working today. I did so with a lot of help from some dear friends...most of whom I have never met.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">This is the reason for this letter to the
children. If you think it useful I would love you to share it with a child you
know.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US">………………………………………………………..</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">My dear
little Children</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Chances
are that someone is reading this to you or at least paraphrasing it (you might
have to ask them what that means).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">And
chances are, also that that person is someone to whom I once said ‘Hello’ from
the television set when he or she was a child. Maybe it’s your Grandma or
Grandpa or do you say Poppa or Nanna like my granddaughters do?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">I have
no idea what age you are…but one thing I do know is that I am a LOT older than
you. I’m 72 and that makes me as old as some of the trees you see in your park.
The good thing is…I don’t have leaves sprouting out of my head…well at least I
didn’t, last time I looked.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Now
cuddle in a little closer because I want to tell you a few secrets that I
learnt from MY Nanna.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Secret
1</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">There
is always going to be something that somebody can do and you can’t. Someone
will be able to run faster than you…or sing better…or be really good at Maths
and Spelling and other yukky stuff.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">My
Nanna told me this…and it helped me not to be jealous of my friends.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Secret
2</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">There
is always going to be something that YOU can do that nobody else can do. You
might know what that something is right now…or it might take you quite a few
years to discover it…but you can be sure that it is there because you are UNIQUE.
That means that there is nobody else in the whole wide world exactly like
you…even if you’re a twin.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Nanna
seemed to think I needed to know this…and I soon found out she was right. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">The
thing about these two secrets is that they are both good! It’s rather wonderful
that we can all do something better than anybody else and that’s why we
can be happy for our friends and our family. But here’s another
secret that Nanna knew.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Secret
3</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Not
everybody KNOWS what it is that they can do better than anyone else. Do YOU
know? Do you
think your best friend knows? Or Grandma? Maybe you could help them find it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Now
this brings me to Secret 4, which is a little bit tricky.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Secret
4</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Sometimes
we seem to be DIFFERENT from everybody else.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">When I
was just a really little kid I couldn’t hear anything like the other kids
could…and I still can’t. They said I had ‘profound hearing loss’ which is
really just another way of saying I was deaf. Sometimes when you can’t hear
anything, you can’t talk…but for some reason, I could talk even though I
couldn’t hear my own voice. This meant that most of the kids didn’t understand
that I was deaf. But some kids from another school found out. They used to wait
for me to come out of my school gate and they’d make a circle around me and
start to call me names and push me around inside their circle and ask me to
repeat what they were saying…then they’d laugh when I couldn’t. Other kids
would join in and soon there’d be a big crowd all pushing and pointing at me and
laughing. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Somehow
Nanna found out about this and that’s why she taught me about Secret 2. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have a quick look at it again. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">I
realized that if I concentrated really hard and looked very carefully at the
way the other kids’ mouths moved, I could tell what they were saying. I didn’t
know it then, but I later learnt that it’s called ‘lip-reading’. This was something I could do that nobody else could do...and it felt great.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Now I
didn’t let on for ages that I could do this…because I wanted to be really good
at it before I let anyone know. Then one day when they were saying really
terrible things about me I yelled out ‘STOP! I DIDN’T steal Jimmy’s apple and
I’m NOT a stupid dummy and I'm not a liar and I’m…I’m NOT going to be taken away and put in a
madhouse!’ Every cruel and mean thing they had said to me, I repeated straight back
at them. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Well…you
would have thought a ghost had them by their pants. They took off and didn’t
try that again.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Now
this brings me to Secret 5 which is really rather exciting.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Just
for a few minutes go back and have a look at Secret 1. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">It’s
about everybody else isn’t it. It says that everybody can do something special.
Well, I learnt to use that as a secret weapon…not a weapon that would hurt
anyone…but one that would help ME because the teasing was still going on with
other kids who said I was 'different'. Here it is.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Secret
5</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would look at each kid as he or she
was teasing me and I’d concentrate really hard - just like when I was learning
to Lip-Read - and I’d think about Secret 1 and try to work out what each kid’s
special thing was. What could they do that nobody else could?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">And a
really wonderful thing happened.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">I tried
it out on Harry. He was a really big kid for his age…and some said he was a bully at his own school. He was yelling at me and poking at me with a stick so I
thought hard about what it could be that Harry could do that nobody else could.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">And I
suddenly remembered something. At the Inter-School sports day a few days
earlier, Harry wasn’t running – mainly because he couldn’t – so he was messing
around behind the drinks stand. I was having a drink – because I’d done a lot
of running – and I saw Harry bob down suddenly and pick something up from near
the garbage cans. It was a tiny bird and it was very scared…and it appeared to
have a broken wing. Well…I could hardly believe it…big bully Harry picked that
bird up and stroked it and started talking to it ever so gently. He had it
quiet and settled in no time. I think he took it home.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">That
was it! That was Harry’s SOMETHING. And as I looked at Harry I thought about
that…and do you know what happened? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Harry
gave me a funny look…threw the stick down…and just walked away. Later we became friends and he told me he wanted to be a Vet or a Zoo-Keeper but his Dad had said he was too stupid and too fat. Can you imagine how Harry must have felt? He said that when I looked at him and he threw away the stick, he felt ashamed...but he also knew that somehow he WOULD become a Vet.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">…………………………………………………………………….</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Well –
they’re my 5 Secrets…and you can have them. Put them in your pocket right now
and take them with you wherever you go.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">If you
do that, you will find you have the most powerful thing you could possibly own.
You can use it when other kids are mean, or things go wrong or you don't feel great. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Do you know what it is? Here’s a clue.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> It can give
you respect </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">And the
freedom to fly</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">The
wisdom to solve things</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">And
help passers by</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">It can
help little children</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">And men
tall as hills</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Make
everything equal</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">And
heal lots of ills</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">It can
calm any anger </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">And rid
you of fear</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">It’s
there in your pocket</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">For laughter
or tear</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">It’s
there for the asking</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">As tame
as a dove</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">I think
you have guessed it</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Of
course it’s called LOVE</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>Nancy Catohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05492568770615530460noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956067946790625453.post-20911921212143063882012-05-13T08:20:00.001-07:002012-05-13T08:20:23.791-07:00It all began at the Well<style>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Monday 14 May 2012</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I have always been passionate about the need
to develop imagination in young children. Even as a child myself I could not believe that people could go
through their early years without understanding that milk jugs could dance and
yet hope to plan a city that truly inspired or become men and women of vision.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">It was therefore with great delight many
years ago that I came upon this quote from Dr Peter Ellyard, Former Director of
the Commission of the Future:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US">“We cannot work
to create a future which we cannot first imagine.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"> The future is not some place we are
going to, but a place we are creating.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I found the quote again recently and sat down
and wrote this little tale - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It all began
at the Well</i> - because of it and a few other things on my mind.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"> ……………………………………………………………………</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Once Upon a Time…there were Two Tribes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Vastly different, they both lived in the Middle
of Nowhere…because that is where they began.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">When the news broke it was Tribe Tenebrisi
that heard it first; creeping and slithering through the cracks as only rumour
can…it caused such excitement within the upper ranks that much scrambling went
on to keep it secret from the underlings: hands went over mouths, gatherings
broke up never to re-group and all those - seen to be gossiping idly on the
path…merely vanished. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">On the other hand, Tribe Luminosi based on
the Far Side of the Middle of Nowhere, met the news with collective
celebration, quickly gathering to spread the word amongst the weakest and the
smallest of them all. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">And thus it was that two Tribal Expeditions
made their way that night to the Starting Line: for indeed the news could not
be ignored. Treasure had been found in the midst of Desert Somewhere and it was
imperative that each should find it first. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">The Tenebrisi were not pleased at all when
the shapes of the Luminosi appeared on the Horizon as they gathered at the
Starting Line.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">‘They’ve heard the news…we must leave now’
said the Tribal Elders of Tenebrisi. And as ill-prepared as were their people, they took off
into Desert Somewhere with little thought for those they’d left behind.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">It was a young man of the Luminosi Tribe who
asked the question many had feared to ask as they set out for the Starting Line.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">‘Please…what is this treasure of which you
speak…what does it look like? And what happens if we do not find it?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">But no one could answer.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">‘We will know it when we find it…and find
it we will’ said the Keeper of the Peace. ‘Are you all ready? We must away before the start of the
Tenebrisi Tribe becomes too great.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">‘But’ said the young man. ‘How can we know what we cannot
see?’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">And they all looked at each other…for they
too wanted to understand.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">‘I think I know’ said a child ‘and if I’m
right…there is no need to rush. ‘We cannot see a heartbeat and yet we know it’s
there. Our Keeper is right…we will know it when we find it but the Tenebrisi
will see only what they expect to find.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">And with that, the Luminosi Tribe took all
the time they needed and prepared so that all should be in order for the
journey ahead.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">By then the Tenebrisi Tribe or as much
of them as could keep up with the race, were deep into Desert Somewhere and very
weary for they had tracked from side to side searching for Treasure signs impossible to see in the light of night.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">‘We need food and our children are too
tired to carry on,’ said one.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">‘What? Let the others find the Treasure?’ answered another. ‘Let us
push on into the Darkness. We can always come back for the others.’ </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">So that is what they did. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">‘Is this the Treasure?’ called out one in
the gloom, coming to a spot that felt damp and cool. ‘No’ was the reply. ‘That’s just surface dew. Illusion. Magic. Treasure is
of solid make - will stub your foot - feel strong and lie within a great Oasis
bed. Shiny it is and mirrors much of night. Imagination cannot bring the wealth
that will be ours when no more shall we work. Our bidding will be done and we
shall have to care no more. Do you believe that surface dew can do all that?’ Why just as well believe a tree stands there and underneath its roots a treasure box is hid.'</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">And on they pushed and on and on.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Now the Luminosi Tribe was not far from the
Starting Line by the time the Sun had interrupted the night with her broad
grin. And the deeper into Desert Somewhere they went the more brightly she
burned down on them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Onwards they trudged…the strong
shouldering the weak. They could see the tracks of the Tenebrisi Tribe
criss-crossing like ants in the rain and elected to steer a more direct path.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">‘We need to stop and let our people rest’
the Elders whispered, rather fearing they’d taken too much upon themselves. ‘The Sun will show no mercy and our
water supplies are low.’ </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">‘Look…is that a tree?’ cried one of their
number pointing an elderly hand. ‘Over there…in the distance. It seems almost
too far away but it may give us shade.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">‘Why yes’ said a woman. 'It IS a tree. If we carry those who can no longer bear their burden we could be there by nightfall’ </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">And that is what they did.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Thus it was the Luminosi people came
upon that tree - the Soak beneath…the very same discarded by the Tenebrisi Tribe that merely saw its surface
dew…a humble Soak that in the Darkness gave no hint at all. The tree was large and spread her cooling branches very wide. And all around the Soak was green…flowers of every hue danced to subtle music tones of Pan and tiny
creatures splashed and played - rainbows reflecting in every drop upon each leaf. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">And all together knew what they had found. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">‘It is the Treasure, isn’t it,’ whispered
the child and they laughed and knelt and drank that surface dew and gave their
thanks and made their plans.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">The child stood up, began to clap and shout and weave around the Soak…and soon to follow - all including old and frail were caught up dancing, madly prancing in the spirit of rejoicing tears.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">They built a Well and around its wall they
sat at night and taught the young; told stories of the years long gone and of
their customs and their tongue; they shared their skills and toiled by day; healing the sick and hailing life to come; they planted crops while
cattle roamed; invented dances, games and songs - to entertain when work was
done.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">They cared for those who needed care and
taught the children to respect; exchanged their goods and shared their wealth and no one sought
to have excess.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">They took in Tenebrisi from afar and asked
no questions of their birth; for they could see what time had done to those
pursuing empty gain. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Strangers came from far and wide - taken in and prospered all.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">The young child grew and made his plans…imagination
fired by years of hearing stories at the Well.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">He built a town for all to share its
burdens and delights.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">He called it…</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US">HOME.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>Nancy Catohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05492568770615530460noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956067946790625453.post-72095723043796597922012-05-07T07:27:00.004-07:002012-05-07T07:27:49.032-07:00To incite...or not: open letter for our children<style>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Tuesday 8 May 2012</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">I must apologise for the hiatus between my
last Blogpost and this one. I’d forgotten what a family wedding actually
entails…to say nothing of a precious few days with a daughter-not-often-seen
and then three intensive days of study.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">But my fingers are snapping at my ankles to
get started…albeit on a post I wanted to write exactly one week ago.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">I’ll pre-empt a little in case you want to
tune out now…although I certainly hope at least one of you stays.<span> </span>You see…it’s another letter on behalf
of my two tiny granddaughters (aged 3 and 18 months).<span> </span>I must admit I didn’t really expect to be writing another quite
so soon after the first.<span> </span>Nor did I
expect that it would be to another male whom I don’t know and whose name starts
once again with the letter M…only on a surname this time.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Yes Mr Grahame Morris…I speak of you.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">On Monday 30 April 2012 you were reported
as making a rather unfortunate remark on television.<span> </span>Now at the time of reading your remark I was horrified,
aghast and yes, even furious but busyness can sometimes cancel out even
passionate emotions…at least for a while. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">But that ‘while’ is now over Mr Morris. I
have just seen my two little girls and re-kindled the necessary indignation. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">Dear
Mr M</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">I
am writing this letter to you on behalf of my two young granddaughters who are
not yet old enough to write to you themselves. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">They
are, however quite accustomed to their grandmother discussing things with
them…things like ‘sharing’ and ‘manners’ and<span> </span>‘caring about the needs of others’…so it was no great
surprise to them that I mentioned the remark you made the other day about our
Prime Minister.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">You
remember the remark, don’t you – I’m sure you must because you apologized for
it the next day after someone reminded you that it was probably not a
politically wise thing to have said.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">But
just in case you’ve forgotten what you said (and don’t we all wish for amnesia
re certain episodes in our lives) I shall remind you.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">You
said of our Prime Minister:<span>
</span>(Australians) ‘…ought to be kicking her to death.’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">And
you said it on television.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">The
subsequent apology from you and others concerned only about the political
impact of your remark, suggested it was a throwaway line that you often use – and
merely an Australian colloquialism.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">That
may well be Mr Morris…but the year is 2012 not 1952. We no longer say (at least
publicly) lots of things we used to shriek out loud back then - albeit
colloquially...offensive words like ‘nigger’ and ‘coon’ for a start.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">No!
‘Oft-used colloquialism’ is not a really strong and impressive defence. <span> </span>In fact, it is no defence at all - even
the three year old chuckled - because, Mr Morris…she knows better and she knows
she’d never get away with that at Kindergarten.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">For
a start she understands that at Kindergarten, kicking someone is simply not
allowed.<span> </span>She knows from personal
experience that it hurts and she wouldn’t want to do that to someone else…let
alone have it done to her again. She also knows that some little boys can kick
even harder than can little girls.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">But
what she doesn’t know, Mr Morris is that when incited…people have been known to
kick others to DEATH…that it’s a practice still happening right here in our
midst.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">She
doesn’t even know what ‘death’ means…yet. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">None
of us do, Mr Morris – not really, not until we experience death itself…and then it’s all…too…late!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">It’s
a funny verb<span> </span>‘to incite’. You can
make it work for you with very few words…like, say…‘kick to death.’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">Olivia
doesn’t yet realise that people CAN be incited to inflict violence on others - even
in jest or by colloquial reference. She doesn't even realise that people CAN be stirred up sufficiently to
perpetrate on another human being, any atrocity you can think of - given the
right environment…and words. Any environment at all will do the trick…any place where
human beings are gathered together – even at a family event – especially where
alcohol or a touch of cocaine may be added.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">Please
think about it Mr Morris.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">Television
is EXACTLY the right catalyst – as is radio – for the promotion
of violence. Just ask Mr Alan Jones how effective HE is on the good old
airwaves with suggestions like a certain PM should be placed in a sack
and drowned at sea?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">Are
you thinking? Can you see how sick this is? Can you see that I do not want my granddaughters or any of our Australian children to grow up in this environment of attitude?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">I
want you to think very carefully about this Mr Morris…because whilst my
granddaughters may not understand the power of television, I do.<span> </span>Many years ago with a careless but
innocent toss of a few words I was the direct cause of two little boys burning
down their parents’ garden shed. <span> </span>It could have been their lives that were lost. What a lesson!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">And
that is the point Mr Morris.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">It
is one thing to say a smart, funny, clever or sarcastic jibe at someone’s
expense whilst you’re entertaining in the pub or at a private social function;
but it’s quite another to do so in the public arena of television broadcasting.
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">If
you're lucky enough to get your head on the telly <span> </span>- and get it on often enough to wield some influence on the
average casual viewer…then there is a rule that comes into play: it’s called
Duty of Care.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">It's simply not good enough, not professional enough and certainly not humane
enough to imply or suggest on television that violence of any sort on another
human being is a good idea.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">I
hesitate to say that your remark - (perhaps unlike the remark made by Mr Max
Tomlinson recently on the ‘obvious inadequacies of the females of the species’) -
was made from any subtle or otherwise misogynistic base. But it is hard to
believe that such a bully-phrase would have been directed at a male Prime
Minister. Gough for one had a long reach – and so did Malcolm.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">Whether
or not you care for her politics, her clothes or her marital status the fact
remains she is your Prime Minister; she is a highly intelligent woman who is working in an extremely difficult political environment.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">She
has endured death threats, incitement to violence, cruel remarks on her decision
to not bear children, taunts on her atheism, her hair, her clothing, her make-up
and yes…her nose. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">Endured
- Mr Morris. Do you believe she is inhuman - has no feelings at all?<span> </span>Do you really think she deserves this
kind of constant diatribe? </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">No
human being deserves such treatment.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">At
the very least, Mr Morris she deserves your respect; and at the very most she
deserves protection from these hideous and veiled threats we hear and see all too often. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">But no one is standing up to you Mr Morris. If there is a TV Watchdog with teeth, he took them out when he heard your remark.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">It
is essential we eradicate this unacceptable attitude in our society and we must do so with education on Equality & Respect.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">My
granddaughters along with millions of other children hopefully will be educated by family members to be aware of this scourge in our midst; and on their behalf and the many young
Australian children who may not receive that benefit, I ask that
you refrain from ever repeating such vile suggestions on television ever again.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">We may not be on television...but we shall all be watching. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">Thank
you</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";">Nancy,
Olivia and Hannah</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>Nancy Catohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05492568770615530460noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956067946790625453.post-22121179720707120782012-04-30T07:17:00.000-07:002012-04-30T07:17:42.663-07:00This thing called...Separation.<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">Tuesday 1 May 2012</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">I have news for you!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">There are NOT 6 degrees of Separation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">There’s really only Separation…and I
thought I’d tossed it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Really and
truly tossed it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">But I haven’t! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">I’m no better at the art of Separation than
when I was two and I lost Bunky.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">Bunky was a small, brown, felt monkey who
endlessly ate a banana and went to bed at my bedtime...on my pillow.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">Forget about putting me to bed without him.
My 5 year old sister tried it once and tearfully had to explain how she’d<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘helped him a little bit’ to climb into
her school bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even I was amazed
at how quickly our exasperated mother could smell guilt...and resolved to give
big sister tips on not letting the monkey out of the bag so easily in future!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Then there was the Separation of the egg
yolk from the white.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">My Nannna was a whiz at it…one hand!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">She didn’t need one of those plastic things
with a groove for the yolk and a space for the white to run through. Not Nanna.
‘Crack’ on the bowl, twist of the fingers and before your eyes turned into
all-day-suckers, the white was in one bowl and the yolk another. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">I lusted after that skill and practised on
all her eggs on cooking day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
never seemed to tire of rescuing bits of eggshell from unlikely places and
cheered as though Bradman had scored a century when I finally got the hang of
it. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">After that I thought Separation a cinch. On
neighbours’ farms I learnt to Separate the milk from the cream and the sheep
from the goats.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">At Sunday School I found being ambidextrous
a boon when Separating kids in a fight.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">I even concentrated on the Separation of
Cells in Science - although it must be said - largely because our teacher Mr B. was...well...handsome.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">And much, much later I discovered that when
all the clothes that weren’t yours, disappeared from your double wardrobe…that
meant Separation too.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">There has been Separation from generations
of reptiles, birds, rodents, cats and dogs…each doing its bit to enhance my
love of nature.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">Friends have Separated themselves by
accident, illness and natural causes…leaving me to grieve and ponder ‘Why them and not
me?’ </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">And then there’s Family.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">I’m the youngest and now Separated from my
Father, Sister, Mother and Brother by the passing of their Time.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">Yes…I thought I’d really tossed it…this
Separation thing…until tonight.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">For you, my daughter have turned
and waved so bravely at those wretched Customs Doors.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I’m glad you didn’t see them braking on my
heart. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwG1T3yqYb2ReO6dYZ3DFqfnHvreSod9uDvfua6iyDiKme3J06fo3mZBvghYQyIjaD4tBE0dHwLHSnGakNg-bFjZpFmjSDQ7O6HY0cRHkCKAulkf8mahdh8f8pn8nXDhMlbgG9PqIhldl/s1600/IMG_0481.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwG1T3yqYb2ReO6dYZ3DFqfnHvreSod9uDvfua6iyDiKme3J06fo3mZBvghYQyIjaD4tBE0dHwLHSnGakNg-bFjZpFmjSDQ7O6HY0cRHkCKAulkf8mahdh8f8pn8nXDhMlbgG9PqIhldl/s320/IMG_0481.jpg" width="240" /></a><span lang="EN-US"> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">My first-born - tiny, trusting soul. A Mother Lion...I held you in my
arms with such protective power...it threatened to extinguish that same life that
Love had given you.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">A tiny girl, so sweet and sure…a little
mother to her siblings three…a kindred spirit…pure delight.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">You saw I smiled the widest smile of
all…until that spatial silence took you from my view and left me helpless to
restrain the pain of salty tears.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">But I am blessed…it is not death or parting
ways of war. You have the gift of Life and I shall once more see your
face…when that Time comes.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Go...use your talents well, my darling child. Comfort and give joy to those who cross your path.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">And remember evermore...</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">I love you. </span></div>
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<br /></div>Nancy Catohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05492568770615530460noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956067946790625453.post-69060242860677895662012-04-25T19:17:00.001-07:002012-04-25T19:36:02.932-07:00Will the real ME please stand up...<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">Thursday 26 April 2012</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">Right! </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">After a day of reflection for many and overwhelming
sadness and memories for others…it’s time to lift our spirits.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">I know only one way to do that…but it involves a
journey…to a special place.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">Come with me…are you game?</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">I can see you in cyber-space: and even if I don’t
yet know your name…I know you’re there.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">Come with me; you may see yourself. It won’t
be a mere reflection or shadow; it will be the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">real</i> you. You’ll see lots of other people too – some you’ll
recognize; some will be total strangers because they’ll all be real. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">I’m taking you to the one place where we don’t have
to pretend…anything. We don’t have to impress our in-laws, our kids, our boss,
our parents, boyfriend, girlfriend – or anyone for that matter. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">It’s a place to re-charge batteries…utilize our
strengths...and face our weaknesses. It’s a place just for us – called<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">…</i></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">This place has no buildings; there are no roads and
therefore no road-signs; no road-rules – and therefore no punishments; the
pressures are few; no dogma to follow or avoid; no demands to be the person we
were not meant to be; no need to do something for which we have no heart. There
is nothing in this place…until we get there!</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">Some of you come here often and affirm who you are;
but it takes courage and some of us have long forgotten or cannot face the pain
of trying to remember.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">We'll leave shortly…but there's a job to do
first...turn around and look back into the far horizon...no...further…see that
wall? Look over it. See the box? </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">That's it.
We’re all in there. Can you
see yourself?</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">Our bum’s just been smacked…we’re yelling and
gasping for air – and desperate for food. We’re helpless and know nothing
except the urge to shriek if we’re not asleep or comfortable.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">Of course we’re not comfortable; we’ve just
come from our real world into the World of the Human and somehow we know what
is meant to unfold…</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">It’s the purpose of our being.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">But the mist comes down on some and it does not
always oblige. Can you still see yourself?</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">We’re all there. We’ve emerged into the World of the Human box where we’ll meet
our future, mapped out - not necessarily by us - but by Other Humans. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">At first these Other Humans will come from our own
tribe as they take us on a journey in Human Time to release us from the
box. We’ll progress and meet those
from other tribes; some will comfort and protect us; some will
smell and come too near; some will give us confidence or fill our hearts with
fear; some will be demanding – that we shut up, look serene; and some will be
disgusted and ignore we’d ever been.
</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">Some Other Humans will label us – according to their
whim.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">Awkward and clumsy; selfish or dumb; some will
mislead us – giving a false impression of a talent or gift we do not possess
while others will laugh and re-direct our obvious abilities as they look the
other way. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">It is they who do not understand that the most
powerful thing one can be…is oneself. It gives us our power. Perhaps they
understand all too well…and fear that power.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">And as they set about undoing the purpose of our
being, we will protest or succumb; we will fight or take fright; we will
reason, cajole; we will scheme to avoid their grasp or watch the fading of our
dreams. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">Which of those
did we do?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">……………………</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">Ready for the
journey? We’ll going to that special place now.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">Shut your eyes…hold
your courage in your hand…and hang on!</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">…………………………</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">Oops! Sorry
about the landing…it’s been a while. But at least we’re here and you can open
your eyes.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">You may not recognise this place...at least not for
a while…or it may be very familiar.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">Only you can
know.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">But here where we
stand is the place where our instinct screams to return.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">It can be done.
It is never too late. It is natural and will bring its own rewards.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0.1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">There’s a clear
purpose for being in this World of the Human - the person we were meant to be. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"> We knew it
then and we can know it now.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;">Let’s lift the
mist and stay in this <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">real </i>place
forever.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"> The Place
Called….ME</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>Nancy Catohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05492568770615530460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956067946790625453.post-23647132624628027392012-04-24T15:38:00.001-07:002012-04-24T15:38:46.674-07:00Anzac Day<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
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<span lang="EN-US">25 April 2012</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Today is Anzac Day.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">It is a significant national day of
remembrance in Australia and New Zealand to serve as a reminder of the first
military action by troops from both countries during the First World War in
1915.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The plan to capture the Gallipoli Peninsula
– in particular Constantinople - backfired and became a drawn-out affair of
several months in which time we lost over 8,000 men and New Zealand more than
2,000. However, the landing on the beach at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915 became
the date of commemoration for both countries to honour the troops from the
Australian and New Zealand Army Corps with the acronym ANZAC.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">There is no glory in War and I do not
believe that the commemoration of Anzac Day suggests that there is. But there<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> is</i> glory in sacrificing your life for your country as so many
gallant young men and women did.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The pain and horrors they endured are
unimaginable just as it is unimaginable to think that mankind has not learnt
its lessons from both World Wars, the Korean War, Vietnam and the wars
currently raging in the Middle East and Africa.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">Why do we rage?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Basically we rage because somebody has
something we want or we think we need or we think is rightfully ours. We rage
because someone has insulted our God by saying he does not exist; or we rage
because someone has suggested that there is a God who is supporting us in doing
whatever killing, raping, pillaging and desecrating we are doing.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">We rage because mortal man is stupid and
the opposite of what is true about the reality of Man. The Real Man gives and takes only what
is his to give or take; the Real Man allows others to hold their beliefs; the
Real Man does not harm others or take their lives or their children. The Real man shares what he has and is
content in the knowledge that the Universe is in perfect balance and will
provide for all…if only mortal man…would allow it.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">We are thinking today of the families that
lost loved ones in these inglorious wars: sons and daughters, grandsons and
granddaughters, brothers, sisters. husbands, wives, uncles, aunts and cousins.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">My grandmother lost two brothers in World War 1 </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">My mother lost one of her two brothers in World War 2 </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"> My brother was called up for National Service but thankfully he did not go to War</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"> There are not too many degrees of
separation between being affected or untouched. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">We are thinking of those who were maimed
and deprived of a decent life.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">We are thinking of those for whom the whole
experience unsettled the mind and the soul.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">We are thinking on this Anzac Day...but are we truly thinking?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Truly…thinking? </span></div>Nancy Catohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05492568770615530460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956067946790625453.post-68769476633753586462012-04-23T09:30:00.003-07:002012-04-23T09:30:44.181-07:00My four best friends...a Mad Hatter...and a wedding<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
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<span lang="EN-US">24 April 2012</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">You must forgive me for not posting a message for three days. You see, I've been excited. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">It’s quite a while since my four best
friends were all together in the same country at the same time.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">And yet it wasn’t all that long ago they
were all living in the same house - quite often at the same time: four of them
- all in the bath together; four under the age of five! </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Meet my kids: here they are…although not in
the bath and on their best behaviour. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Clockwise from top left: Rachel, Marius, André & Justine.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">It took the wedding of the 2<sup>nd</sup>
eldest, Marius to achieve this reunion just three days ago on Saturday 21 April
2012 at the wonderful Ashcombe Maze and Lavender Garden in Shoreham,
Victoria.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He flew in (with Sasha,
his bride-to-be) from South America the week before, Rachel the eldest flew in
from Paris (where she resides and does all sorts of exciting things) arriving on the
night before the wedding and Andre and Justine (mother of my two
granddaughters) were already in Melbourne. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Meet my adult kids: here they are…still not
in the bath and still on their best behaviour after several hours of wedding
reception! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>From the Left: André,
Marius (the Bridegroom), Rachel & Justine.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"> Marius is the clown of my family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t need to wear the big shoes
and the painted smile though…he just came out of the womb laughing and you
could just tell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I often wondered
if he’d need to find another clown as a compatible partner...but instead he
found Sasha.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Meet Sasha: She’s just gorgeous. Here she
is with very close sister Sharne immediately after the ceremony. Sharne has a
story all of her own…yet another Blog post for the future.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Had it been my role or business to go out
and find the perfect partner for my son I’d have gone straight to Sasha’s
house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s the sort of girl who
dresses up in mad costumes to cheer up little sick children; the sort who
laughs and loves adventure; a health addict who yogas, and snow-boards and eats
healthy food; the sort of girl who smiles even when she’s sad and who loves my
son beyond all reason.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">It was Sasha who themed her wedding as the
Mad Hatter’s Tea Party…a lovely throwback to childhood that in the wrong hands
could have fallen as far as Alice herself down the rabbit hole. But so
witty and mad-hattery were the décor and the imaginative table settings that
they deserve a Post all of their own and shall get one in due course.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Of course it’s not a wedding unless there
are risks and as we are all big risk-takers in our family, there was no
hesitation in agreeing to Sasha and Marius’ request that their niece Olivia
(Livvy) be their Flower Girl.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Meet Livvy: she’s three years old and as
all parents will know - it’s one thing to say and think that your three year
old child will do something on cue…and quite another for them to actually do
it…or something entirely different in the opposite direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But a couple of months at Kindergarten,
a couple of years in the swimming pool and relentless, loving consistency from
her parents have given Livvy an in-built understanding that doing what you’re
asked to do (relevant questions of ‘why’, allowed) usually brings the best
results for all concerned.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Meet three generations of girls in my
family represented at the wedding:</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The Matriach…or if you prefer - me – (the
old girl up the back) - is known to some of you and acted as the Celebrant for
the occasion. Daughter Rachel on the Left, played all the wedding music on a
keyboard she’d never seen before - having just arrived from a twenty hour flight
and driven for a couple of hours at midnight the night before the wedding.
Daughter Justine stage-managed the dressing and fine-line between hysteria and
indifference by Livvy, who is sandwiched in and quite obviously slightly
younger than the rest of us.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"> Meet my son-in-law Scott (Livvy's dad) and my new daughter-in-law Sasha bonding to the realisation that they have the same mother-in-law.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"> All blokes getting married should be surrounded by their best mates.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The script should take its own curtain. It
wrote itself!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">A nod to hilarity with deference to dignity
it unearthed unguarded moments, tender exchanges and the truth of the
attraction each to the other. It brought the guests to tears with Edward
Monkton’s beautiful story of Love Monkey and asked of the Guests to make a Vow
- out loud - to support their two friends in their marriage through the good
times, the great times, the awesome times and (if they had to) the awful
times!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it spilled the beans on
a first ceremony in South America where Sasha and Marius were blessed by a
Peruvian Shaman at 3,400 metres above seal-level on a sacred Andean Site. And thus it teased a little, laughed and wept a little and laid bare the very depth of their love. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">At my elder son’s wedding.</span></div>
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<br /></div>Nancy Catohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05492568770615530460noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956067946790625453.post-46876582796060187042012-04-19T08:57:00.001-07:002012-04-19T08:57:57.154-07:00Lacking Inspiration? Maybe you're looking in the wrong place.<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
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<span lang="EN-US">Friday 20 April 2012</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I’m sure the seasoned Bloggers are far more
organized than I am regarding the subject of their new Posts.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">It’s my younger son’s fault…(oh yeah…the
best thing about having kids is you can blame them for just about anything…just
like my Dad always blamed our poor Cocker Spaniel for any stray burps or farts
at the dinner table!) Do I shock
you? I thought that happened in
every normal household.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Anyway my younger son said if I were really
going to start a Blog I had to be disciplined about it and write something
every day. And that’s precisely
why I can blame him - I never really know what I’m going to write about until I
sit at the laptop and reach for the jar labelled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Inspiration.</i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">‘Yikes!’ I said. ‘Things worth putting on a
Blog only happen to me about once a month.’ ‘Well’ he replied in his laconic
way ‘write about when things happened once a day – they DID, didn’t they?’</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Had he not said that I doubt I’d have had
the confidence to even THINK about starting a Blog…but I took his advice and
the memories wheeled into consciousness like a flock of galahs at dawn…and a
Blog was born.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">And then an interesting phenomenon occurred
- as so often happens after a momentous occasion like a Blog-birth (say that
quickly 20 times!)</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Through my new obsession with Social Media
– particularly Twitter, I found I was Following men and women of all ages who
were writing engaging, erudite Blog posts on the current scene – political,
fiscal & societal et al. And
suddenly, there was a whole new area of inspiration in front of me.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">You see, I’m not a scholar, academic,
scientist, intellectual, archaeologist, lawyer or anthropologist…(although I’d
love to have been any one of those things)…but one thing I AM is a
‘Picker-Upper of inspiration. Great Bloggers like Joan, Jane, Greg, Jack tra la
have placed the facts of their expertise firmly under my nose so I can actually
UNDERSTAND what is going on in the world. And then I rely on inspiration to do the rest. See? Easy…I
end up not actually doing ANYTHING. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">So, back I go to my starting point of what
to write about and my lack of organization.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"> I must confess that because my elder son is getting married
tomorrow down at Red Hill (which - for readers who’ve made the most unwise
decision not to live in Melbourne Australia - is about an hour and a half away
from the CBD) and because I’m the acting Celebrant and am picking up my elder
daughter from the airport very late tonight and driving down there…I do not
feel all that organized about this Post.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I was going to write about Love…but I
really want that to be the Post for the day of the Wedding.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">And then I thought again of all the
wonderful friends I’ve made through social networking; I thought of all the
support and encouragement I’ve received since starting the Blog… and those
memory-galahs wheeled in again.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">That’s it!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Gratitude. I’ll talk about
Gratitude…because that’s one thing I DO know something about. It sparks
inspiration! And how do I know this?
I know, because Aunty Ruby told me.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I bet you have an Aunty Ruby in your
family. She may not be called Ruby
but you’ll know the one I mean.
She’s the one who seems to have been born in an era exclusive to herself.
She has good advice for everybody except it’s about 20 years out of date…a
little bit like Miss Havisham.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Our dear old Aunty Ruby had perfect reason
to be like that. Born in the late 1800s she lost her fiancée in the First World
War and never really recovered. For all her quaintness though, she was…well, as
a child the only word I could think of was…mysterious. She would pick up an injured bird or an
animal that seemed to be beyond any hope of restoration and have them running
or flying around in no time…sometimes instantly. She did the same for us. Not
once did she let us believe for a minute that we could be sick or tired or
panicked, have lost something, be feeling downhearted…or lacking inspiration! </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">And it worked! Up we’d get; fit, active,
calm, uplifted and finding missing articles by simply find ourselves staring at
them.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I was fascinated by her and intrigued to
know how she did it.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Her answer on my questioning was always the
same.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">‘It’s Gratitude dear! </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">‘Express Gratitude for that which you have
and you make room for what’s missing - be it health, money, keys or happiness.
It’s not that it’s missing…you just can’t see it because you’re looking in the
wrong places.’</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I started practising that as much as I
could even as a little tacker; and on the very first day, I made one of the
most important discoveries of my life.
</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">She was right! </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">‘</span></div>
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<br /></div>Nancy Catohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05492568770615530460noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956067946790625453.post-58770858729090213402012-04-18T07:12:00.000-07:002012-04-18T07:12:46.657-07:00An Open letter on gender...on behalf of granddaughters<style>
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<span lang="EN-US">Thursday 19 April 2012</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Believe me – I had no intention of writing
about the M Word today - the idea landed into my thoughts as though it were a
box of goodies falling off the back of a truck. Clunk!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Two men…one yesterday and another just a
couple of weeks back…lost their jobs because they opened their mouths wider and
faster than their brains could operate.
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<span lang="EN-US">There is no evidence to suggest whether they
lost their jobs because of the nature of their remarks or because those remarks
were publicly aired. The cynic in me suspects the latter.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Racism was the reason given for the first
dismissal: misogyny for the second.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn3CY0FP8WE68nK00TJepyUbwcVa6TmoN3VhCz7-mb5DnEmmz3_qad3luuRbLLMuAmDgZRKlvmJ4ky6KBfyw0WlZqw0D6ibQDKcswdHIZ2bvHEkiUFouCly7LQzL8xJltrp0TUIbs1OMgr/s1600/is.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn3CY0FP8WE68nK00TJepyUbwcVa6TmoN3VhCz7-mb5DnEmmz3_qad3luuRbLLMuAmDgZRKlvmJ4ky6KBfyw0WlZqw0D6ibQDKcswdHIZ2bvHEkiUFouCly7LQzL8xJltrp0TUIbs1OMgr/s320/is.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Abhorrent things…both of them!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Personally I am sorry for people who lose a
valuable job over a mistake. But
if there has to be a sacrificial lamb (or two) to get essential Human Rights messages
across – then so be it!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I am equally appalled and fierce about both
of these issues, but as luck would have it…it is Thursday, the day after my baby-sitting
two adorable little girls and I am therefore emotionally drawn to the subject
of gender. I have lived long enough and experienced enough to know that
equality of the sexes is not alive and well in our midst. The old Boys’ Club
ethos pervades no matter the environment. And women - even those most brilliant
- do it tougher than men financially, physically, mentally and socially and
rarely achieve the status of equality. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Hence this open letter to the man who lost
his job yesterday.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I am writing it on behalf of my tiny
granddaughters who cannot yet speak for themselves.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 16pt;"> Dear Mr Max</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 16pt;">Yesterday you lost your job. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 16pt;">My granddaughters and I were concerned
to hear about that - even though the reasons for your dismissal confused them a
little.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 16pt;">You see Max, they’re only 18 months and
3 years old with their whole lives ahead of them. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 16pt;">Their eyes asked me to explain…so I did
the best I could and thought it would be good for you to have it explained too.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 16pt;">At the moment all they really understand
is that they are loved and protected, comforted and fed.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 16pt;">They do not as yet realize that as they
go through life, some people will regard them as second-class citizens because
they are female!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 16pt;">And because of the nature of your letter
confirming this fact (sent by email to Dr Carole Ford - a highly educated and
respected Queensland feminist) their parents and I will see to it, from this
moment on, that they are equipped sufficiently to deal with it.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 16pt;">Let’s look at your letter so I can quote
you accurately, Max. How about we
take the 3<sup>rd</sup> paragraph as a sample?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Question:
Why don’t you have a go? Answer: Like most women, you probably don’t possess
the necessary drive, determination and decisiveness that men innately possess.
It’s not a personal criticism; it’s a fact of biology. Where, for example, are
the great female explorers, mountaineers, warriors, inventors, chefs? Blokes
dominate most areas of human endeavour because Nature equipped them with
something called testosterone. That was part of Nature’s grand design to enable
men to be stronger, more fearless and more determined than their sisters. Sorry Carole, fact not fiction.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmmLwixTBHa-JiZKAbtodhRSD1AR45imcyr5U9eUH5ri0pA8sqNIcIja7VaGHDBcS0g7aQDgp4ffhHFkEO64hym6swAhMQZtY5QWJg9aS5V71C4mpVnV1KbvexpvhLTuNjmW2bCvFfyuFv/s1600/MarieCurie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmmLwixTBHa-JiZKAbtodhRSD1AR45imcyr5U9eUH5ri0pA8sqNIcIja7VaGHDBcS0g7aQDgp4ffhHFkEO64hym6swAhMQZtY5QWJg9aS5V71C4mpVnV1KbvexpvhLTuNjmW2bCvFfyuFv/s200/MarieCurie.jpg" width="167" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 16pt;">First of all, you ask a question that
could be considered rhetorical, except you seem desperate to answer it yourself.
Is this to air your superior knowledge?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 16pt;">If so, in the first part of the airing you
make a rather silly gross generalization about ‘most women’ that could not
possibly be substantiated by any reliable statistics.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 16pt;">How are we doing Max? My little
granddaughters are starting to giggle.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 16pt;">Secondly, you assure Dr Ford that this is
not ‘a personal criticism’ but a ‘fact of biology.’</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 16pt;">Now at this point, Max I asked the 3
year old to get down a medical encyclopedia. It seemed to me there might just be confusion in your mind
over the difference between biological causation and learnt aspects of
personality such as temperament and character. I mean…if it’s a ‘male thing’ to
have ‘drive, determination and decisiveness’…why don’t ALL men manifest those
qualities and NO women show any signs of them? </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ZVlM2WtQiBmTOs1vAYwX2LM41MiMoOZspTw4Q1oDIgCV0OzrWdI2CPdlHf-LMVaHI2U5h-KTcm56lB0H_Al4Nua_RADmjQhr5F677Exx7L7UcffAsZpnqI7djMdbuqBrARyZylaWEPQH/s1600/KylieKwong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ZVlM2WtQiBmTOs1vAYwX2LM41MiMoOZspTw4Q1oDIgCV0OzrWdI2CPdlHf-LMVaHI2U5h-KTcm56lB0H_Al4Nua_RADmjQhr5F677Exx7L7UcffAsZpnqI7djMdbuqBrARyZylaWEPQH/s200/KylieKwong.jpg" width="197" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 16pt;">Mmm?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 16pt;">But we shouldn’t let YOUR confusion get
in the way of your ‘fact not
fiction’ claims, should we!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 16pt;">The 3 year old had great fun finding dozens
of examples for you of prominent female explorers, mountaineers, warriors,
inventors and chefs</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">,
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 16pt;">whilst the 18 month old looked at their
pictures with a faraway look in her eyes. Would she, I wondered like to follow
in the footsteps of the likes of Marie Curie, Samina Baig, Kylie Kwong or the
remarkable Aung San Suu Kyi for
instance?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 16pt;">I’ve no wish to go further with your
farcical letter or my explanations to these wonderful young granddaughters of
mine, Max. They’ve both fallen asleep…bored to sobs with the puerility of your
arguments. And no doubt, your vision of the woman’s place being firmly in the
labour-ward or the kitchen would no doubt terrify them, given the mother they
have and the train set they got for Christmas.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 16pt;">Instead I shall make sure every moment I
share with them will be joyful; they shall be stimulated, inspired, supported
and feel the compassion as they pursue their interests, search for role models,
develop their strengths and overcome challenges.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 16pt;">We shall anticipate – no, by our
attitude, command respect from males and return it in kind.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYg4nphSiikqp3g9ZzWxZ8O4lU1iBbbHOZQUE0xnAXSo9iKmi8KyIIWqk6L_COTrJj32xdvMenFZu4LV4RLKJxdXHdsKIHH4dluXjoSRaDHrnGedn56bgznxnLEWI4KI6Nkf4ftLqUKml_/s1600/Samina-Baig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYg4nphSiikqp3g9ZzWxZ8O4lU1iBbbHOZQUE0xnAXSo9iKmi8KyIIWqk6L_COTrJj32xdvMenFZu4LV4RLKJxdXHdsKIHH4dluXjoSRaDHrnGedn56bgznxnLEWI4KI6Nkf4ftLqUKml_/s320/Samina-Baig.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 16pt;">We shall be strong and feminine.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 16pt;">And we shall stride out into the world
in confidence, armed sufficiently with the weapons of integrity, civility and
intelligence to demonstrate and celebrate our gender. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 16pt;">We wish you no ill will, Max and hope
that you use your new-found recreational time wisely in thinking through these
things.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 16pt;">May your pomposity vanish and your
humility rise.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 16pt;">Nancy, Olivia and Hannah</span></div>
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<br /></div>Nancy Catohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05492568770615530460noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956067946790625453.post-66733887312102726932012-04-17T06:24:00.000-07:002012-04-17T06:24:53.125-07:00Are we really reaching out...enough?<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
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<span lang="EN-US">Wednesday 18 April 2012</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Change happens!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">It happens to everyone from the moment of
our birth to our last breath. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">We crawl then walk and grow some hair</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">We get some teeth </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">They’re everywhere</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">We go to fat</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Or get too thin</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">And Father Time is closing in</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">We lose some teeth</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">And perhaps our hair</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">If this is change it isn’t fair!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">It doesn’t necessarily pounce on us –
change - it tends to creep up from behind; whereupon we either embrace it (once
we turn ourselves around) or we let it strangle us with its strangeness.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I do both. I embrace; I am strangled.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I LOVE the change in THINGS - as in
technology that makes life better, faster, easier, smarter: I LOATHE the change
in society that makes the individual, sadder and lonelier.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">It’s often said that elderly people don’t
cope very well with change but personally I think it’s more to do with one’s
circumstances than one’s age.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">It’s so much easier to embrace change of
any sort when you’re in a secure and loving environment…where you feel relevant…perhaps
in an extended family or small community.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">But what of the individual isolated in a
big city? A single mum or dad
perhaps struggling with limited resources; an elderly person living on his own,
a young student with family far away?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Perhaps I’m talking as a country girl who
grew up in a town where everyone knew everyone else. Knew everyone else’s
business too…but that came with the territory. At least you knew your
neighbours, shop assistants, sporting heroes, professionals,
business-men/women…all one big, if not entirely happy, family.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I often think about the changes that I’ve
had to face in my 72 years:</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">When I was a kid, milk came straight from
the cow…or we left out a billycan for the Milkman. The Baker arrived at the
door each morning carrying a huge wicker basket full of enticing smells of the
varieties just baked; not a plastic wrapper in sight. Old Mr Singh the Indian Hawker pulled up in his huge horse-drawn covered
wagon once every two months to tempt Mum with his supply of saucepans and
tinkerish things and Mr Hill the Iceman cometh faithfully each day to fill our
Ice-box with a huge block of ice (and chip off a little corner with his
ice-pick as a treat for us kids).</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">Our old Buick took eight hours to reach
Melbourne from Swan Hill – a journey that anyone in a half decent vehicle can
do today in less than half the time and the train wasn’t all that much faster.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">Of course there was no TV, so Reading was
my choice of entertainment along with kicking the footy in the street,
gathering wild Asparagus from the banks of the channel and playing sport. Every
single thing on my shopping list after school was bought from a different shop
in the Main Street and the reward was a full-to-the-brim milkshake in a huge
metal container. What’s more it was paid in shillings and pence not dollars and
cents.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">YOU could swim for miles not kilometres and
grow in inches not centimetres. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">There were wirelesses - not radios, clunky
old typewriters – not computers, telephones with cords and a voice asking for
the number you required – not iPhones.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">These were glorious days of freedom in a
country town where you could roam at will on your bike - never needing for a
moment to be warned of ‘dangerous strangers’.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">A safe and happy environment, indeed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">But now in a big city, I am blessed to have
four children who care about me, teach me, at times tolerate me and sometimes
let me win. Embracing and
accepting change is exciting and easy for me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">Is it that elderly people fear change,
stubbornly resist it and don’t want to discard the familiar? Or is that they
don’t know HOW to embrace it. Do
they have a patient visitor to show them how to use a computer or a TV remote?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US"> Is it that isolated, lonely people fear change and reject it
or can they not afford to do anything about it and lack the knowledge to try?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">How many people like that do we know in our
cities?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">Are we really reaching out to help them
cope with change?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">Are we really reaching out?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">Enough?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>Nancy Catohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05492568770615530460noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956067946790625453.post-44231445556725687492012-04-16T09:24:00.000-07:002012-04-16T09:24:57.161-07:00How a baby with cerebral palsy was left on our doorstep<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
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<span lang="EN-US">Tuesday 17 April 2012</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">Quite recently I noticed an encouraging
report on the television news regarding the etiology and prevention of cerebral
palsy – a condition that affects 1 in every 400 babies born in Australia.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Now, I’m no medical practitioner – far from
it, but I do have some intimate knowledge of cerebral palsy from when I was in
my middle teens and living with my parents in Swan Hill, up on the Murray
River.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhSebcPISzAeWFxE4NwswriTh-tuHA9nWj6uLMSRjVLgjpSqPAN5dOn5mMcvXJGYsI5NNiPsyI02Q0YWGXVHxKngytiZFsa-bou5VsJTieT9ZJeGBa-CDz65ltXu_muvgN4yD-Z4CYbRCV/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhSebcPISzAeWFxE4NwswriTh-tuHA9nWj6uLMSRjVLgjpSqPAN5dOn5mMcvXJGYsI5NNiPsyI02Q0YWGXVHxKngytiZFsa-bou5VsJTieT9ZJeGBa-CDz65ltXu_muvgN4yD-Z4CYbRCV/s1600/images.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I’ll have to take you back to the 1950s.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">For some of you reading this, the 50s will
remind you of Rock n Roll, James Dean, Square Dancing in big skirts, Audrey
Hepburn, leather jackets, chocolate milkshakes in metal containers and Harry
Firth of Bathurst Car rally fame.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">For some of you young’uns…the 1950s might
just as well have been the 1850s...far too far back to have any relevance.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">Well…they had relevance to me…more than I
could ever have reasonably expected as a teenager growing up in a country town.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">My dad was one of only three dentists for
many miles around this Mallee town and therefore his dental practice (attached
to our house) was always busy and alive with the sounds of chattering teeth.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Dad was also one of the more unusual
examples of his profession. He’d arrived in Swan Hill to set up his new dental
practice soon after the onset of the Great Depression (sparked by the Wall
Street crash of 1929). Like everyone at that time, he saw years of poverty,
high unemployment and lost opportunities for personal advancement for the
young.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now everyone’s nightmare, the dreaded <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">toothache </i>couldn’t care less about these social conditions; when <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">toothache</i> wanted to visit somebody it
did, regardless of their personal circumstances.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It always amazed me just how often the victims were men of
the land – market gardeners, fruit-growers and wheat ‘n’ sheep farmers.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Here is a typical conversation my dad would
have on a weekend…always a weekend.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Bob:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That you Mr Cato? Bob here.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Dad:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How you doing, Bob?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Bob:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not so good, Mr Cato. Got a toothache.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Dad:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gee, that’s no good Bob.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Bob:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nah, not
when me trees need to be picked.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wonderin’ if ya could give us a hand?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Dad:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What? Fruit
picking.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Bob:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t be
daft, Les…pullin me flamin’ tooth out!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Dad:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sure…come on
in.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Bob:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wot…now?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Dad:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yep</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Bob:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Got no
money, Les.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Dad:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s
OK…you grow oranges don’t you?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Bob:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah…but?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Dad:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bring in a
few oranges and I’ll take your tooth out.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fair
exchange!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Bob:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sure? You
bewdy…see ya in an hour then.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">And thus it was that Mr Les Cato’s Dental Bartering</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Practice began.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Now, every morning before school, I’d run
out our front door onto the verandah and invariably trip over bags of apples,
oranges, sweet corn, asparagus…just about anything the district produced.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">This particular morning I ran out and
tripped over – not a bag of fruit – but a large basket. Can you imagine how
taken aback I was to see a tiny baby lying in the basket?</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">‘Mum’ I yelled… ‘Mum, there’s a baby on our
front verandah!’</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">‘Go to school, Nancy’ came my mother’s
measured tone. But she did come to see why I was making such a ruckus.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">‘Go to school and stop making up stor…’ and
that’s all she got out – for she too could see that there was a very tiny new
baby right there in the basket.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Within 30 seconds that baby was inside our
house and the local doctor was on his way.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">It would take thirty pages for me to
recount the story of Tippy, the baby left on our doorstep. As much as anything,
the story highlights the sort of mother I had but this is Tippy’s story and I
shall attempt to condense the following 17 years into a few paragraphs.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">On a first examination of the baby by our
local doctor, it was apparent that she had some form of physical disability. He
didn’t know what. But it was obvious that we had to find Tippy’s parents as
quickly as possible, get a medical history and work out what to do from there
onwards.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">It turned out there was nothing sinister in
the ‘dumping’ of the baby on to us. My parents and the local authorities
eventually worked out who Tippy’s parents were just as they were about to
contact us. It was simply a case of a young family being overwhelmed by the
birth of twins, one seemingly with a physical disability when they already had
a small daughter needing medical attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a moment of panic, they could only think of turning to my
mother for help.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">It did not surprise me that these parents
turned to my mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every Christmas
we would have ‘orphans’ at our Christmas Dinner table – ‘orphans’ being anyone
Mum heard of who had nowhere else to go or no one with whom to share the
festive occasion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She would be at
every school sports-day cheering us on, or cheering on the little kid who
didn’t seem to have anyone there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Her hands held the power of love and the common sense of comfort as she
dished out hugs and tended to all and sundry that needed a word of
encouragement, a bandaged knee or a poultice on wounded pride.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">It also did not surprise me that Mum
officially became the full-time Carer/ Foster Mother and I, the ‘adopted’
sister of one sunny young lady called Tippy.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Tippy, the smaller of the twins was
eventually diagnosed with cerebral palsy.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">Being the second twin in the birth canal,
it was assumed at the time that her elder-sister-by-less-than-a-minute must
have given her an almighty kick to the head as she was emerging, affecting
Tippy’s physical movement and the messages her body received from her brain.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The fact that we lived almost half a day’s
travel time from Melbourne did not deter my mother who immediately took it upon
herself to learn as much as she could about cerebral palsy. A tiny wheelchair,
a small bag of splints, bandages, an overnight bag and Tippy accompanied her to
The Royal Children’s Hospital, Dame Mary Herring Centre and Yooralla for
frequent visits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Specialists such
as Dame Jean McNamara were consulted until Mum knew enough to start a daily,
tough physical regime of therapeutic exercises for her young charge.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The only time I ever saw my mother turn
purple with rage during this time was when a young intern at one of the medical
clinics suggested to her that she might be wasting her time. That Tippy would
be at best, unable to walk or talk or do anything for herself and at worst be
‘no better than a vegetable!’</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">‘Don’t you DARE suggest such an ignorant
thing to me or anyone else, ever again’ Mum said, seething with indignation.
‘This child, by the very nature of the Love she reflects…is PERFECT.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m going to help her physically
manifest that inner perfection and YOU are going to help me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a start, go and gargle your brains
with straight vinegar, wash your hands as though you were about to perform an
operation and come back and face me when your attitude is free of
imperfection.’</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">In his defence, we must remember that these
scenes occurred in the 50s when information on cerebral palsy was scanty; but
to my complete and utter surprise, the young doc went off meekly with his tail
drooping and returned an hour later, gave mum a huge bear hug and worked with
her from that moment on for the next three years.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Tippy was tested and found to have
above-average intelligence and Mum worked with her year in and year out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She learnt to form words in spite of a tongue
and lips that would not do her bidding. She learnt to walk in calipers on
little legs that did not really understand what her brain was telling them to
do. She played games with me and always won the ones requiring logic then
laughed when she fell down during the more physical pursuits. She became an
advocate for Rights for those with Physical Disabilities and lit up any room
she entered, with a smile as broad as the sunset.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was Tippy who set me on a path of utilising my drama
training by working with young people with cerebral palsy. (See pic of me (c)
with young cerebral palsy patients in a Drama Class (1986).</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Tippy stayed with us for 17 years and due
to my mother’s tireless efforts was then able to undertake training for an
independent life-style in a larger city. For all those years, her presence
brought constant joy to our household; it was her gift to us for the
opportunity she’d received to realize her potential.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ88aqOOmKFdKysd5uEUVVJRlnAsFNqi7bKgdY-WmniBnuJarL7F66eqseOsuMFWgx4TYgPt5orDr_nlflZFSjfvF_81UOA2BrtxAXGEED718iCXAa-w3EDKryBAgHxbO6kHpsfD9pBjlo/s1600/NancyDancing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ88aqOOmKFdKysd5uEUVVJRlnAsFNqi7bKgdY-WmniBnuJarL7F66eqseOsuMFWgx4TYgPt5orDr_nlflZFSjfvF_81UOA2BrtxAXGEED718iCXAa-w3EDKryBAgHxbO6kHpsfD9pBjlo/s320/NancyDancing.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Of all the things that Tippy learnt to do,
there is no doubt in my mind that the greatest of these was her recognition
that she COULD reflect the Power of Love and contribute to the world.</span></div>
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<br /></div>Nancy Catohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05492568770615530460noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956067946790625453.post-91756067012628216072012-04-15T07:24:00.001-07:002012-04-15T07:24:42.793-07:00Imagine losing thirty-six years of your life...<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
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<span lang="EN-US">Monday 16 April 2012</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Life throws out chances to us all the
time. We either catch them or let
them go and who knows what influences come into play as we make our choices.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">My sons nagged me for…probably four
years…before I succumbed to the lures of the Social Media site<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> Twitter</i>. For the life of me I couldn’t see why anyone would be the
slightest bit interested if I went to have a cup of coffee; nor could I imagine
caring if anyone else did.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I guess that was my 72 year old take on
this new-fangled bit of technological communication given that I was perfectly
happy with email and SMS.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I shall not go into the lures and carrots
these lads hung before their mother; suffice to say I joined up in the latter
half of 2011 and have since found my 7<sup>th</sup> heaven.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Finding people to follow was intriguing and
when I realized that I could watch a conversation unfold between Mia Farrow and
Salman Rushdie, I was sold.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">By way of introductions and recommendations
I finally came across and followed a charming USA-based lawyer who specializes
in Cold Cases. To this day I have no idea what his real name is but he goes
under the pen name of Vidocq (Vidster) who is also a fictional character in the
book Vidocq is currently writing.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Vid told me about a current case he is working
on, where the accused, Tommy Zeigler is still on Death Row for the 1975
quadruple murders that took place on Christmas Eve inside his family’s
furniture store in Wintergarden, Florida.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">A quick calculation and I realized that I
had been three months away from delivering my third child (second son) when
that crime took place and Tommy Zeigler had been incarcerated for the entire
length of my now-36 year old son’s life. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">My concern grew as Vid explained to me that
he firmly believed Tommy had not had a fair trial owing to dubious procedures
in the gathering of evidence, several anomalies in the presentation of the
evidence and the dis-allowance of DNA evidence, which back then was in its
infancy of development.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">With sinking heart I was reminded of a powerful
piece of theatre I’d seen in New York several years ago. Black Theatre indeed,
based on true cases. I stumbled on the Off-Broadway production when I passed a
small downtown theatre quite by chance and scrambled to get a ticket on the
spot…the last seat available.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The play was the critically acclaimed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Exonerated</i> by authors Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I’d heard about the play because of its
2002 production at the Los Angeles Actors’ Gang Theater where Tim Robbins was
Creative Director.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Theatre notes on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Exonerated</i> indicate that the authors carried out extensive
research </span>of letters, case files,
interviews and the public record and told the true stories of six people in the
USA sent to Death Row for crimes they did not commit. </div>
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The play has been
influential. In 2002, Blank and Jensen were invited to present <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Exonerated</i> for Governor George Ryan
of Illinois, as he was considering whether to commute the sentences of over 140
Illinois death row inmates. That performance took place at the 2002 National Gathering
of the Death Row Exonerated, for an audience including over 40 exonerated death
row inmates, Governor Ryan, and several members of the Illinois State
Legislature, as well as major religious leaders</div>
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It is gut-wrenching,
confronting and horrifying theatre and the tragedy is that there are many
similar situations on Death Row today.
Tommy Zeigler’s being one of them.</div>
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With this play still
very much in the forefront of my mind I read Vid’s eBook account of the crime,
the procedures and evidence that didn’t add up and asked if I could write a
review. Along with many others, it sits on Vid’s website together with a
fascinating amount of detail of Tommy’s and other Cold Cases.</div>
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I made the decision to
write to Tommy.</div>
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We now correspond
regularly. He is a mild-mannered, charming and humble individual in his 60s who
has never given up hope that one day justice would be done and he could reclaim
whatever little was left of his life.</div>
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A few days ago, Vid
emailed me with the startling news of the emergence of new evidence in Tommy’s
case.</div>
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It is far too complex
for me to go into here, but I thought I would provide comprehensive links for
those of you who would care to pursue this for yourselves.</div>
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Yes, I know there is
always huge public concern and outrage when murders are committed and
rightly so. But having read
comprehensively all of Vid’s material, I am convinced that Tommy’s case needs
to be looked at again with the inclusion of modern DNA techniques and
correction of procedural errors. </div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Should you care to follow this fascinating
story, the following links will take you to everything you could possible know.
Please feel free to forward or
include the links wherever or to whom you feel they may be appropriate.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.defrostingcoldcases.com/forensics/zeigler-part-xix"><span style="color: #184ee5;">http://www.defrostingcoldcases.com/forensics/zeigler-part-xix</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US"> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.defrostingcoldcases.com/miscarriages-of-justice/zeigler-part-xx-the-false-arrest-report"><span style="color: #184ee5;">http://www.defrostingcoldcases.com/miscarriages-of-justice/zeigler-part-xx-the-false-arrest-report</span></a> </span></div>
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<u style="text-underline: #184EE5;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #184ee5;"><a href="http://www.defrostingcoldcases.com/miscarriages-of-justice/zeigler-part-xxi-legal-consequences">http://www.defrostingcoldcases.com/miscarriages-of-justice/zeigler-part-xxi-legal-consequences</a></span></u></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Imagine losing thirty-six years of your
life on Death Row when you may well be innocent.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Vidocq passionately believes that Tommy is
innocent. So do I. I invite you to read further and come
to your own conclusion. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">One thing is sure. Tommy needs all the help
he can get.</span></div>Nancy Catohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05492568770615530460noreply@blogger.com2