MikeStanton

Really? Let's follow your usual ridiculous line of "reasoning" (I'm being generous, here). Many people in UK are against the war in Iraq. However, I bet I can count on one badly-mutilated hand the number that actually did something. And, following your logic, that makes them no better then the perpetrators, in this instance the "coalition of the willing". And, no doubt, this is the logic the suicide bombers used to justify their atrocious acts of last year.

To treat your response with contempt wouldn't do it justice.

thebears

annqldau

232Bar

Don't you just sit there rolling your eyes woman - get off your arse and go and do something about those abbos

Pollyana

Before or after bringing you another beer

annqldau

Coke and rum to be precise tonight and he's making it... .

Pollyana

The wisecracks he's been making at your expense, he should be on drink-making duty for at least a month

annqldau

Oh! don't you get it wrong he never gets to make wisecracks at my expense he always pays later.

Mercedes

Umm, obviously didn't understand my post, I'm generally used to being surrounded by people who understand where I'm coming from, however since we are strangers and we don't know each other I will try and explain, since you can't look deep into my eyes and see what I'm really saying - without too much waffle, I hope.

Yours
Government's are elected to deal with issues such as these - but it buys almost zero votes in Oz as most people don't give a damn. As we know, Howard hasn't even got the decency to apologise for the appalling treatment meted out to indigenous people.

My response which involved

There is unfairness in all aspects of life. But there are people from communties etc who try and make a difference, and it is often people that you never hear about etc, are making that difference, not necessarily the governments, who at the end of the day are politians out for themselves and what makes them look good. How many people didn't agree with Iraq and yet it still happened ,the government lies to it's people, thousands die, major screw up, and it's the unknown people who usually have to clear up the mess.

To explain.

Quite simply, Government do lie, they will do what they want if it suits them. Considering there was an objection to Iraq from the people, and not a small one, they still went ahead and continued against objections and even their own intelligence reports. Is this clear to you? It has nothing to do with people having to get blown up to make their point, so put your mutilated hand back in your pocket. Fool. So since the Government will often have their own agendas, or the polititians at least, people should not necessarily rely on Governments doing the right thing for it's people or what they wants them to do, I often wonder if the governments do represent the people sometimes.

But in the case of the Australians I beleive they are doing something with the regards to the Aboriginals, but more could be done by people in the communities, not everyone is racist or a redneck. Ring the right bells, and sometimes it happens, think Live Aid....

My comment to you is, you are no better than those who you critisise, which seems in this instance about the Australian people and their treatment of the aboriginals if you did not try yourself to try and make changes to the situation, however small. How can you be passionate about something and yet not do anything to try? Maybe you don't understand that reasoning. Why moan and bleat on about it otherwise, unless you are of course you are one of those Brits who like to moan and critisise as a pastime? There are loads of things you can do, if of course it bothered you that much. But how can you really critisise other Australians for not giving a damn either. A sweeping statement. How do you know they don't, maybe in point of fact they fon't like it but don't do anything either.
Consequence = situation remains the same.

If I came across an accident, I would stop and see what I could do to help, regardless how small it was, even if it was offering comfort. You will see others who will also dive in and do their best also help, whether it is in a medical sense, or calling for help, or stopping traffic blah blah, and you will see those who stand around watching everyone else, expecting them to sort out the problem, or feel helpless, so still don't do anything and of course you will get some who see or cause the accident and drive on leaving the injured behind. It depends on which box a person fits into. Just an illustration.

Maybe we hang out with different people. The people I know if they don't like something or a situation they make a big effort in getting those situations changed or improved. The doers, generally positive people. That may be in many ways and legal. There are many individuals who I know, companies, journalists, lawyers, doctors, blah blah that do things to help change situations, or at least make some improvements and some have even died in doing so on overseas problems But for them in not doing anything about something that they feel passionate about is unacceptable, but it is generally humaritian changes which I thought was the discussion. It doesn't involve the London bombings, killing innocent people I don't agree with anyway, regardless if it is a terrorist or the Government. But that is another subject.

annqldau

If more people had joined my personnal protest vote the American Puppet wouldn't have got in again... , the monster raving loony party would be running more of the country.

cresta57

Yeah GO Lord Sutch!............................................ .................................Oh shoot, he has gone
Ah well R.I.P Lord Sutch

232Bar

This is what politics lack these days - someone who's in it for a laugh....oh, - hold on - there's a certain guy called Bush!!!

Mercedes

I think Blair is looking for his next job in America, so we may see him as Bush's Vice President yet.

Changes can be made....if you want them badly enough, so maybe your party may get in yet. It might be fun to have something totally different in Parliament. Well my family is full of people who have made changes which have had an impact. Books have been written about my family, my Great Grandfather was knighted for what he did for medicine, his brother and his son are also well known and the son had books written about him personally about what he did and died in helping others, and still being written and sold, and even the National papers in the last couple of years have written articles about him. So I have quite a few members of my family who's committment to humanity is still being discussed years later and are well known in many cities and communties and thats in UK and Europe.. So they are quite famous in many circles, even today. So I grew up in that environment, where people did things for humanity and made a difference.

So being influenced by that environment and growing up in it, and my grandmother was a good influence to me, I have got more involved in humantarian issues, and apart from making a difference to many lives, I have been able to have influence and involvement in government policies overseas. By getting involved you get to see how changes can be made and the result is actually doing something worthwhile and making a difference in somebodys life, for the better.

The world is full of problems and always will have, but even if you can make a difference to some of the peoples life, it is worth the effort. It also makes your own seem small in comparison, in some cases. So if I get over passionate when I see someone moan about something that they don't like, but may not get involved, I wonder why, and also think they should not be able to critisise anyone else for not doing anything either, if they don't. Because at the end of the day, I don't think they are any better than the people they critisise especially if it is a humantarian issue. But that is just my opinion. At the end of the day nowhere is perfect and the longer you stay in a place you will see it's flaws. Go to a country that really is hell, and anywhere after will seem perfect....

Now I'm flying off to one that can be hell for me, my mother's house......positive thinking, positive thinking positive thinking.....maybe the plane will be delayed...

annqldau

I just have one thing to say bring back Maggie before she dies...

Deadmeat

Can't be long, surely?