Reasons you will hate me

Ah, yes, the BDO. There wasn't really anyone I wanted to see who doesn't live here, so I gave it a miss. I only went last year to witness the raw sinew of Iggy Pop writhing around on stage.

But, as it was, after Saturday's shenanigans, I was glad I didn't have a ticket, as to even make it through the day I would have required doses of illicit substances high enough to knock out a large thoroughbred, and would probably be still circling in the clouds.

Oh, but good on you for the flag thing. I didn't see any flag wearers last year, it shits me that it became an issue this year. If someone can give me a reason why wearing a flag is showing respect for it, (especially when you get drunk, sit on it, or step on it or spill your pie on it) can they please hurry up?

I think it's even funnier that it looks like about five other national flags unless you look closely. It's hardly distinctive. Sorry. I'm rambling. Hope you feel better.

I don't really feel much better, although a lovely young man dropped a plastic lily around to my house yesterday afternoon and it is cheering me somewhat.

Not only were their cuntrags draped in flags, one of the little fuckers had a thsirt reading 'Australia: love it or leave it." Snarl.

On the plus side there were an inordinant amount of uber-sexy shirtless boys.

Band highlight was definitely the hotness of Dynamo. Hurrah!

Yes, I agree, nice work on the flag wearers.

I'm sure you didn't screech like a seagull. If you did, I commiserate, as I do that too.

As for the BDO at all, good on you for going. I can't face it after my last experience two years ago. I made the mistake of helping my friend Simon out by working there. BIG MISTAKE. Your friends are all working when you're not, so wandering around aimlessly amongst teenagers who couldn't even remember the second BDO and make you feel decidedly old and unhip, and getting pushed out of Peaches by hundreds of excited squealing girls, does not happy fun times make.

Perhaps the flower delivery boy was in the same kind of pain yesterday that you are in today. Making someone else happy is sometimes a good cure for pain.

There was a fight outside the cemetery with a bunch of hoons draped in flags. They were attacked by ... other people.. without flags. I don't know why it didn't make the media, it was an easy pick for a controversy.

The non-flags started it, square and true. The flaggers were picked up by the cops, it seems. I had an exchange:

"Why are you even wearing the flag? What exactly are you proving?"

"That its time to be proud."

"You know that the flag is bound by a law saying it will never touch human flesh, right? You have to handle it with white gloves. You're desecrating our national symbol."

"...."

(I could have added: love it or leave it, but what I said was:)

"Yeah, you see how you scum."

Hi fitsy,
I'm glad you had fun at the big day out. alot of my friends went. one of them actually went sober! i cant believe it, i couldnt do it. theres something about music festivals that seems to scream drugs and alcohol at me... haha.

meanwhile - what do you do when your boss is a jerk? do you have any advice? i need to do something that will make me feel better about putting up with crap so often.

any advice welcome!!

claire x

Ahhh - Ms Fits - as always you NEVER let us down. Snarling at the dreadful flag wearers, obviously dressed wonderfully and a delightful critic!
Sip on some green tea with a little ginger and honey. You will be fine.

Not Lara Bingle said...
There was a fight outside the cemetery with a bunch of hoons draped in flags. They were attacked by ... other people.. without flags. I don't know why it didn't make the media, it was an easy pick for a controversy.

The non flag wearers mustn't have been of an ethnic (read islamic) enough appearance to attract media attention.

I once infuriated numerous people by wearing a flag at quite an inappropriate time... I wore a union jack boob tube to St.Patrick's Day celebrations at the pub... It was a while ago and I thought it would be interesting... it was kind of scary

"Sip on some green tea with a little ginger and honey"....WOAH THEIR PARTY GIRL...officially the wussiest, "let's sit down and talk about healing your chakra", vegan-esque idea to make yourself feel better of all time. Perhaps if you could also add a twist of chai and soy-something too to make yourself even less palatable...

I say, cook yaself up an eye fillet the size of Tasmania and have a stubbie instead, or just go another one of those f'ing sensational Espresso Martinis from Double Happiness (just not before bed).

damn. i spelt "there" wrong. equal parts anonymous and illiterate.

I can really imagine it:

You: Why are you wearing that
Them: Because I heard someone said I couldn't so I thought I'd better in case it made me look important

I kept trying to bundle up one of the flagwits with a 'is-she-taking-the-piss?'-type 'Ohmigod! That's so cool! You're wearing the flag of WHERE WE ARE!! WE'RE IN THAT COUNTRY RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK! That is just sooooo cool!' But Boyfriend stopped me, as he would be the one to get his arse kicked for his girlfriend's smartarsedry. So I had a sook about it on my podcast instead, because that's the kind of passive aggressive geek I am.

What I like most about the flag-waving dickheads is how they invoke WWII.

They say things like "My granddad fought in WWII for this flag!".

Four answers spring to mind:

1) No he fucking didn't. You don't know much about history, do you? He fought under the Union Jack.

2) He fought for that flag you're holding right now? Gosh it's in good condition.

3) WWII wasn't fought over a flag you goose. It was fought to save the world from fascism.

4) Let me see, you're blonde, you're blue-eyed, you're waving a flag, chanting a slogan and threatening people of a different race? Granddad was shooting people just like you.

Your Pal,
Ambrose

Actually, it wasn't the Union Jack they fought under either. It was the Red ensign. It looks like the Blue Ensign (otherwise known as the Australian Flag) but it is red. I wonder what reaction wearing one them to the BDO would get from the kiddies?

Confussed looks me thinks.

Some interesting background on the Australian flag

Not least of which that the blue ensign on which our flag is based is no more the Australian Flag than it is the flag of New Zealand, Fiji, or the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron

you told a kid to go and die becuase he/she had an australian flag on him/her?

What a slimy cunt you are

Damo
Brisbane

This website should fucking die too.

You're right, anon. A change is as good as a holiday, after all!

It is still not clear to me why the answer 'Aussie Pride' warrants a person's death. Is being proud to be an Australian a hanging offence? Or do you just loathe displays of pride generally?

I guess personally I see very little to be proud of in Australia's current political climate, P Doobes. Additionally after the 'flag ban/no flag ban' idiotic BDO furore in Sydney it was obvious those choosing to drape themselves in nationalism were doing so to thumb their nose at Ken West's otherwise thought-provoking debate re: Cronulla and racism generally.


Also I am a loudmouth with an occasionally nasty temper. So.

We have a child saying Whatever and Australian Pride.

Then yourself with fuckhead and Go and die.

Gee who is the mature one?

I'd be hard pressed to find anymore with more hatred, intolerance and self absorption than you Ms Fits.

Excuse me, one point of order. You are the fucking moron, lady.

And I don't hate you, I pity you, and I pity more the people who have to deal with you, family and 'friends', if you have any. You have all the earmarks of a world-class wench, bitchy, judgemental, pushy, nosy, controlling, loudmouthed, inappropriate, impolite, unpleasant, etc. etc.

Really, I think the "go and die" thing is projection. You are pretty obviously a profoundly unhappy and disturbed person, and "go(ing) and die(ing)" is probably on your mind a lot.

Get some help. You are poster child for that study showing most librulz are depressed and have mental problems. Its going to take more than a plastic lily to fix your twist.

"I'd be hard pressed to find anymore with more hatred, intolerance and self absorption than you Ms Fits."

Oh Anonymous, I sure you could press a little harder - try dropping in on a Young Liberals national conference, or a neo-Nazi gig, and I'm sure you find a little more hatred, intolerance and self absorbtion....

You hate a child for not hating their country as much as you hate your country. Nice.

Ms fits- ugly as anal slop cheese - inside AND out

Let me get this straight: You're at a music festival, which are notoriously populated by rebellious yoof. The festival organiser gets all authoritarian and says "Thou shalt not...!" The yoofs do their thing and thumb their nose at arbitrary authoritarianism, as is their wont, and you have a hissy fit??

*sigh*


Yes. That's it exactly. You've all got it in a nutshell.



Especially you, Mr. or Ms. Anal Slop Cheese 2007. Kudos.

I guess anyone who writes dreck such as 'Last Man Standing' or aspires to be like Bob Ellis probably has no concept of pride, national or otherwise.

Yeah, its the libs awho are the intollerant ones not people like you who actually open their gobs to issue filth and abuse to others. Why not look at your own fucking disgraceful behaviour rather than projecting it onto others?

Self centered, trumped up slag.

*checks stats counter*


Referrals from Tim Blair? As I live and breathe.

*checks stats counter*
Referrals from Tim Blair? As I live and breathe.
yeah, it's almost as if the internet is all connected or something...

*checks stats counter*
Referrals from Tim Blair? As I live and breathe.

yeah, it's almost as if the internet is all connected or something...

Let us retouch this word picture:

Scene: A young aboriginal man (draped in an aboriginal flag) and a bitter woman stand near each other in a crowd.

Woman: Nice flag, fuckhead.

Aboriginal man: Whatever.

Woman: Why are you even wearing that? Do you have any idea what you’re doing?

Aboriginal man: Aboriginal pride, man.

Woman: Go and die.

I blame your parents for your obviously disgraceful upbringing. You are rude and vulgar.

You Blairites just KNOW that she'll now be seen as a victim of "Right-Wing Oppression", don't you?

Ahahahaha!! Oh Fitz, this is making my day! It troooly, roooly is.

"You were rude to a real Aussie – now go die you [pointless invective]"

You know, I used to get quite a buzz from seeing and wearing the Aussie flag. Then a little thing called the Cronulla riots happened and I saw the whole thing in a different, terrifying light.

If you're not ashamed of your behaviour then you're probably beyond help.
Bragging about it on your blog suggests that in your twisted mind what you said to the kid was something to be proud of?
You're a raving lunatic.

"Not Lara Bingle said...
There was a fight outside the cemetery with a bunch of hoons draped in flags. They were attacked by ... other people.. without flags."

So you blame the people who were attacked for provoking a bunch of aggressive idiots who were obviously incapable of wandering off with a superior sniff?

Brilliant. Just brilliant.

Nice whinge on the flag. You must really live a miserable life if someone wearing the national flag of the country you are in sets you off. Love the smug faux-maturity of picking on some kid enjoying his music too.

I suppose I have to give you kudos for your honesty in admitting it, but do you often abuse children?

Ms Fits said...

"I guess personally I see very little to be proud of in Australia's current political climate, P Doobes."

I retort thusly...

Ms Fits, your overt displays of galling pretensiousness aside, you really are astoundingly ignorant of the real state of the world you inhabit.

While Australia's generally western-leaning culture is certainly unfashionable in the view of UN-adoring, Gaia-fearing, eye-rolling elites such as yourself, it simply cannot be roundly condemned in the way you exhibited without attendant psychological problems.

Don't believe me? I invite you to gain some perspective by moving to Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Sudan, Iran or any other grubby Islamic hellhole where Sharia Law holds sway.

Move there, then simply BE YOURSELF. For one week.

Go and die? Oh, yes, you shall. You'd be arrested on trumped up charges and executed within a couple of days.

You see, Ms Fits, the way of life you engage in (despicable though it is) is only made possible by the culture and basic values you profess to loathe. The Australian flag is a democratic representation of those values. The union jack is far less a symbol of an allegiance to the UK than a statement that we as Australians derive our basic liberties from British Common Law, the only form of law developed ANYWHERE that sought to strip the aristocrats of their power and empower the ordinary citizen.

So I suggest that in future you spend less time sprouting pig-ignorant nonsense and more time learning about your own culture.

You might yet be surprised at what you find.

Ms Fits,
Please forgive the poor manners of my fellow Blairites.

They should have thanked you profusely for providing us with such sport for a Wednesday afternoon.

We wouldn't want you to see us as ungracious now.

Love,
Nora

Wow, you're a hateful fucker aren't you?

Seriously, get on an airplane and go find a country lame enough to have you, you worthless piece of shit. This country's for cool people.

YEAH FITZ!! This is STRAYA!! You love it or you can go live with brown people with STRANGE NON-JESUS RELIOGONSS and see if you like THAT better!!!!!11!

4) Let me see, you're blonde, you're blue-eyed, you're waving a flag ....

White people are evil!

And these negative commenters consider themselves the rational, intellectual side of society.

"The Australian flag is a democratic representation of those values. The union jack is far less a symbol of an allegiance to the UK than a statement that we as Australians derive our basic liberties from British Common Law"

ACTUALLY, the Union Jack is present on the flag because in the original design competition one of the prerequisites was that the flag had to show "loyalty to the empire".

I think it is fantastic that a person of your impressive intellectual calibre and strong sense of social justice, goes up to complete strangers (children too) and calls them 'fuckheads' and 'to go and die'.

I say keep up the good work, but expand your activism to include some adults next time - you know - you are 30 years old and all.

Are you visiting Palm Island, Lakemba, Ipswich or Macquarie Fields in the near future?

Keep us posted Ms Fits.

PS - I think Dr Nic, really likes you.

Don't do a Natasha now, and marry a yuppie will you.

Marieke Hardy -
the walking talking VERY late term abortion that somehow survived.

Old Frank shoulda pulled out and spaffed his seed on your Granma's thongs-
woulda saved having useless inbred parasite cumstains like you around.

Here's a good reason for wearing the flag: It puts the wind up hateful lefty shitheads like our host. Maybe if we wind them up enough, they'll all fuck off to Canada and we won't have to listen to them whining about the goddamn flag.

Here's another reason: it makes it easier to spot the dickfest "patriots" who hold their flag in such esteem that it's just a fashion accessory to political point-scoring.

ahh... the smell of rotting cunt.
that you marieke?

Ah, the idiot Blairites.

Thank god he's got them roaming about the internet insulting his perceived enemies rather than doing anything more destructive with their time, eh?

Why insult the kid? He wasn't insulting you, provoking you and he was younger. Zoe asks a good question: do you make it a habit to abuse children who are dressed as you aren't?

Marieke, irrespective of your view on the flag, the fact that you deem it appropriate to make generalised surmises as to the motivations and beliefs of each and every person at the BDO who wore it or waved it is misguided and shows your level of prejudice. As a nation we may not be perfect, but the country is a lot better place to live in then your bile laden bleatings make out.

I pity you, for you your life is evidently lacking something for you to feel as you do.

You told a kid to go and die for liking the flag?

Child abuser.

Ms. Hardy, i hope a muslim bashes you and rapes you and eats you and shits you.

Hey nasty girl! All I can say is if you think oz is such a bad place you havent travelled much you naieve fool. Face up to the fact that for you the generation gap is a chasm. You have become your old reactionary grandmother like all your ugly embittered wimyn friends without you even realising it. get a life and embrace the spirit of young people oz wide. you are so not cool you hag.

Nice hate-filled post, fuckhead. Do you even know why you're posting this crap? You're psychologically ill.

The owner of this blog is a moronic turd.

Please die.

The 'moron kid' basically ignored MissFits.

No doubt spotted you as a harmless old hag and blanked you even after you did you best to bait him.

Calling young Australians fuckheads and cuntrags for enjoying their patriotism on Australia Day?

Hey, why not spit on war graves on ANZAC Day too? Hopefully you get what you deserve.

People like you really dont know how good you have it in this society you hate.

Ooh look, Melbourne's very own Lionel Hutz, Wally Sear, has turned up. You gonna threaten to sue anybody pinhead?

hey Mari yuk

Do Australia a favour and emulate your aunt- you know, the dead one.

I'm not going to indulge in any vile abuse of you like some others have - but honestly Marieke, what you did was really lame.

You are in the wrong (I'm referring to your behaviour towards a kid, not your views on the flag which you are free to have). And on some level, I suspect you know that you are in the wrong.

As has been pointed out by others elsewhere, how would your opinion change if such abuse was directed at a person wearing an aboriginal flag? Or the flag of an Arabic country?

Would you consider it appropriate to start a conversation with "Nice burka, fuckhead. Do you even know why you're wearing it?"

I doubt it.

You may at some future stage see someone else behaving in what you believe to be an "intolerant" or a "judgemental" manner. When this happens, spare a thought to remember how *you* chose to behave at the BDO.

The funniest thing is that you actually think you had the better of the exchange, and don't realize that you acted boorishly and the kid displayed all the class and maturity in the conversation.

It is amusing to observe individuals such as yourself abusing people proud of the Australian flag (albeit it in a most likely unintelligible way), however when a chorus of individuals march under an indigenous flag or otherwise international flag they are no doubt displaying their patriotism.........it is you imbecile who is the true bigot....

Me - Nice blog fuckwit

MH - Hey?

Me - I said nice blog fuckwit?

MH - Really??

Me - No not really, you're just a frustrated little fucking imbecile too hopeless to make it on the basis of your own work and so, invoke comment of those more intellectual than yourself by posting the ramblings of a drunken Milne-esque journalist

MH - Really??

Me - Yep, now fuck off....

I'm a proud Aussie...proud of how tolerant and understanding we are towards those whose opinions differ from ours...proud of how we debate the issue at hand without resorting to name calling and ...oh, hang on a tick...hmmn....

Oh yeah, a question to those 'love it or leave it' proponents- I'm an expat, does that mean I'm not allowed to love Australia any more?

That kid said the only thing you can say to a leftie: "Whatever."

They're so wrapped up in their tiny little world, dealing only with people who think exactly like them that there's no point trying ot reason with them. Just hope they find something else to hate and go away.

What amateur little Thatcherites you right-wingers have become. You have lost all intellectual pride, now happy to clap "UN-loving" on the front of invective. Do your history homework. There really has been a serious decay in your ability to comment on your own political turf.

Ms Fits was angry at someone who wore the flag (itself a desecration of the national symbol) because wearing the flag now represents not just pride, but hate. Why aren't you all angry at those who've spat on its good name? What's stopped you from taking charge of the gravest case of national dishonour in a generation? Too hard politically? Or are votes more important than values? That flag-wearer knew what he was doing, especially as there's been a public issue about it. Anybody wearing that flag is doing it to provoke exactly that response. We can't be so naive as to think every flag-wearer at the BDO is a racist. But if you think each of them is truly proud of the national character, you've got more than a screw loose.

Never, anywhere, in the last 5 years have we seen one right-winger, anywhere in this country make a statement about growing racism. Now either its not a problem, or you're all being intellectually dishonest. Start coming up with answers about Cronulla, righties. We'll start to tackle immigrant intergration, because its equally true that we haven't so far. But don't think we have a monopoly on moral laziness. You've en masse abandoned everything that you once stood for. Now check out what happened to Forza Italia, the Tories, and so on.

As for all the rape/cunt jokes from anonymous single right-wing men; enjoy the crushing humiliation of the rest of your lives. If you don't see the irony of threatening a woman with rape because she refuses to subscribe to your definition of pride, then good luck to you. Your bitterness will have to fuel the rest of your confusing, small lives. Everywhere in the comments on Blair's page.. "arse" "bleeding" "punch her", and so on. Great work, everybody! Way to show national pride! I'm so fucking proud I'm going to rape me somebody!

I have a story of my own. I came up that day against a kid with "Love It Or Leave It" written on the flag that day. I said to her "I don't get it." She said: "It means that everybody has to respect what we stand for." I said: "Alright, what do we stand for, then?" She said: "Speaking as one voice... having one tongue... one identity .... " I interjected: "I get it."

Her: "So what do you think we stand for?"
"Tolerance, freedom from fear, oh you know, the classics."
"Tolerance is just another word for multiculturalism."
"Sorry, I don't speak Bolt. Tolerance means tolerance."
"Right, well, you clearly have got no sense of how things have changed in the last few years."
"Perhaps you're right. But in answer to your message, I'm going to say I love it, but I'm going to ask you to leave it."
"You lefty wanker."
"Enjoy your parade!"

This issue was worked out in the USA way, way, way back in my childhood during the 1960s when the freedom of speech we US citizens enjoy was invoked in multiple court cases and before multiple local, state and federal legislatures to overturn laws denying the use of flags as statements. So congrats on catching up with this little contratemps in glorious Australia, which is now and has long been one of the most admired countries among US citizens.

"We can't be so naive as to think every flag-wearer at the BDO is a racist. But if you think each of them is truly proud of the national character, you've got more than a screw loose."


Exactly. So, having zero idea of the kid's politics or intention, this idiot insults him. That's called bigotry. Making general assumptions about people based on a pre-conceived notion, and especially making negative assessments of someone you haven't even spoken to.

I'll make one myself: most lefties are smug, anal, self-righteous hypocrites.

Couldn't agree more about that cunthead flagwaving.
Good on yer. I particularly feel that way when I see people waving those Palestinian flags. Nice to find someone who thinks like I do.

I don't believe those of you who say that your attitude to the Australian flag changed following Cronulla - we all know that you hated it before, but you're now delighted to have "evidence" that it is a harmful, hateful, object...

How Cronulla must have confirmed your anti-lower-class-anglo prejudices.

Snobbery has become a mark of the Left, somehow...

Lara Bingle's Head

Ms Fits was angry at someone who wore the flag (itself a desecration of the national symbol) because wearing the flag now represents not just pride, but hate.

Ms. Fits was angry at a CHILD who wore the flag (not a desecration of the national symbol by the way), which represents not just YOUR hate, but the child's PRIDE. Only in YOUR mind does wearing a flag automatically mean hostility. do not project your self hatred onto others.

Talk about "intellectual pride" and "ability to comment"? Ha! Who is the one that told a CHILD to "go and die"?

Oh, for fuck's.



Right.


1. I certainly engaged with flag-wearers during the BDO, and the language occasionally grew 'colourful'. But this blog is a precis of emotional points rather than a word-for-word recollection of actual events. If people can't figure that out they are morons.

Quelle surprise.


2. I call people in their mid-twenties children as I am aged and worldly.




Everyone else, please go about your business getting cross at me for stabbing an innocent seven year old in the head with my verbal knives. It is most entertaining. Do drop by again, won't you?



/topic.

Oh boy, now this is entertainment.

All I did was google search some more writings from my favourite GG columnist, and here I am in fits. hey I should be working, but I'd better say something first. The internet would never forgive me ("Oh mighty God of pointless discussions, please accept this humble offering")

ms fits - you're the Cat's Pyjamas. Your commentry to the flag waving tosser(s) was apt and appropriate... for those folks who don't understand why, perhaps you should look at the values Australian culture is supposed to embrace then ask if we've been embracing them lately. Then wave your falg. The problem with democracy is that the gormless masses get to vote. So, here's what I'm a gonna do for you, ms fits. After work I'm going to the bottle-shop to buy a mini bottle of gin and a shot glass. These items will then form a part of my daily travel baggage until such time as I bump into you at some random time and place. At this point you will be presented with said items and another thank you for keeping me entertained this afternoon.

I'm so glad we're back on the safe territory of problem drinking, Rhys. Looking forward to imbibing with ye.

perhaps you should look at the values Australian culture is supposed to embrace then ask if we've been embracing them lately. Then wave your falg.

Perhaps they have. Plenty of people have done just what you ask, and concluded that yes, they have been embracing those values. So now is it ok with you if they wave that colored piece of cloth around a little bit?

Ms. Fits, people aren't morons. More likely any misunderstanding is due to poor writing on your part.

Personally, I believe you wrote exactly what you meant to write, exactly how it happened. And now you're trying to weasel out of it. Which indicates that perhaps you at least feel a tiny bit of remorse at your crude behavior. I suppose that's a good thing.

I never believed ms fits was talking about an actual child. Why did anyone else? 'Kids' is a term for peers under 35.

She is not 'weaseling out of it'. She is explaining how to translate from human to Bolt.

She hasn't said this, but I will: I spit on the flag. I spit on those who carry it in anger. I spit on those who use it to intimidate others. If its sacred to you, treat it as such. If not, GET THE FUCK OFF MY ISLAND. A flag is only worth as much as the people it represents. That's a right-wing idea, by the way. Just doesn't fit with your identikit nationalism. Read a book, KIDS.

Word LBN, funny thing about the troll-stormfront is that they usually populate a site where they can hide behind an admin when the argument gets a little tough for them to follow.

It's fits of laughter for me Ms Fits! - they never let you down don't Tim's potty mouthed, brown shirted dopes having their ten minute hate.

"Child abuse!" - their level of reading comprehension matches their writing "ability". Well bring it on I say Ms Fits, I'm ready to hear more from the little dears if you wouldn't mind supplying us with something else to upset Tim. Tell him John Howard is not the greatest leader in Australian history, or that his readers are not all candidates for Mensa or high school, and let's party!

"brown shirts", "stormfront" ?

So people disagree with you and this makes them nazis?

And yet you guys think you are the nice, tolerant ones...

cheers,
ekb87

An aside. A long aside.

What seems so odd to me is that the Blairites actually read history in such a way that Thatcher is considered a good strong conservative leader.

Exsqueeze me? Baking powder?

Lets travel through the square window; where the Common Agricultural Policy saved the rural and farming communities of England, and Milton Friedman GEEEENIUS suggestion to free up the enterprise system resulted in nothing short of a miracle for manufacturing and small business, where the Poll Tax was a s-m-r-t idea that everybody embraced that poured millions into the public coffers and somebody apart from Dutch Telecom made money from the sale of public utilities.

Thatcher's genius was to abandon economic intelligence and disguise every politically-motivated act as an economic one. Smash the unions by altering work agreements, smash education left-wing culture by keeping poor kids out of uni, and so on.

Sound familiar?

The end result is that even the most fanatical Tory recognises the economic damage this farcical popularist approach causes. Ask a right-winger from England about 1986-1989 and they will blush. No credentials exist on the right to run economies anymore. They blew it.

And - wait - what's this? Six interest rate rises in a row? B-b-b-b-but only the l-l-liberals can run the treasury! Oh yeah? Put up or shut up. Prove that Costello is better than Keating to me in a Powerpoint. In your working, show me the current account deficit figures, please.

The right-wing in this country is running scared, running out of options, flared up and cornered. They were given a clear run to operate things how they wanted and blew it. Categorically and totally. No ideas, no progress, no results for a decade. Economically stagnant, no public services, foreign debt that would make the USA blush, education and health at pre-Magna Carta levels, foreign policy run by a idiot and no prospects for prosecuting a home-grown terrorist (and he's guilty, lets face it) on our own soil. Just what is a government for? What is my passport worth? What's my flag worth?

Now they turn to calling lefties 'cunts', threatening rape and equating hatred of war to love of fascism. How quickly the worm turns! Nothing brings me more pleasure to see a bigot squirm. At the end of the day, threatening rape is threatening rape, and its a crime coming from a Muslim, from an Anglo, from anyone. I despise the commenters here with the same voice I despise the misogynistic spewings of our meat-covering Shiekh. To me, Islamofascism is a real concern, sure, but so is fascism. Both have to be squarely stared down.

Notice once again how you cannot remain anonymous on Tim Blair's blog but are free to rant anonymously here. Quelle surprise.

Bring back the right-wingers who operated with ethics, morals and a sense of fucking pride in their political viewpoint. I haven't met one in a decade. Clock's ticking, ladies and gents. Its closing time at the Pub With No Clues.

"So people disagree with you and this makes them nazis?"

Jesus titty-fucking christ. You're out of your depth. Read this thread from top to bottom and honestly say you're not disgusted by the language of the right-wing commenters. Honestly. People who respond to any threat, real or imagined, to a symbol (the flag) they dont' have the moral agency to fucking stand up for are fucking brownshirts - be they left or right.

People who talk about protecting their country, love it or leave it, 'fuck off, we're full' - these are brownshirts. Not every kid who wore a flag at the BDO, like I said, was a racist. Some surely did it to rebel and stand up in the face of authority. But get eight of these guys together, as I saw that day, ranting about having to keep foreign gangs out of our streets, and you have a fucking brownshirt problem. A spade is a fucking spade.

After getting outraged at the news of a Lebanese gang rape, these whitebread heroes will go on to assault a girl at a bar and call her a stuck-up bitch, two of them chase will chase her into an alleyway and force her to accept the Australian way of life.

Anyone with a iota of moral fibre will go after all criminal acts, all acts of hate, of violence, no matter from who and from where.

Forget your bullshit ideas. Wearing a flag on your back is sometimes an act of threatening violence. Has been for hundreds of years in hundreds of places. Fucking grow up and RESPOND TO SITUATIONS LIKE CRONULLA instead of pettily bitching about Ms Fits's approach to taking a stand. Anything short, to use your ever-shrinking language, is appeasement.

Plastic lilies and shandies for all, and please, do come and chat with me if you see me about, I'm more than willing to debate the meaning of the ANZAC spirit, now the men themselves are all at peace.

I can tell you one thing for free, none of the old men I used to take tea with on ANZAC day or Rememberance day would have thought twice about calling the flag wearers anything they damn well pleased. And rest assured, it would not have been suitable for mixed company.

My own father fought under the Australian flag in a war he now regrets greatly, not for doing his duty, but because the war was a political sham, which left his own men second class citizens for having been sent there by a Liberal government kowtowing to the US masters. It just so happens there are a few blokes in a very similar situation right now, with slight landscaping differences.

You think the people who have voluntarily pledged their lives in defence of this country would think that people parading around in our flag are anything but mindless halfwits?

Lets have lunch at the Naval and Military club, and we can discuss it like gentlemen. Oh, but there's a dress code. No flags, unfortunately. Suit and tie be okay? Frocks for the ladies, obviously.

This should and shall be a non issue. There are real problems to solve. But if you feel like getting all the anger and frustration out on someone who is public, and well known, whilst hiding behind anonymous posting, feel free. I'm sure she doesn't mind. In fact, I'd say she encourages it, if only for the fact that nothing has been deleted.

Go read some literature in a more politically oriented vein, and don't spend all your time reading into fairly innocuous blog posts. Might even learn something.

'Lara Bingle body part' wrote:
"I have a story of my own."

Dude, that is so made up... You expect me to believe that you had a conversation with a yobbo at BDO (which you forgot to mention earlier) where you used the phrase "I don't speak Bolt" as if anyone outside the blogosphere or newspaper-junkies would have a clue what that statement meant.

And frankly, most young apolitical people don't even uses phrases like "lefty".

You'll have to learn write more convincing dialogue if you want your great novel to be published.

You also wrote earlier:
"If you don't see the irony of threatening a woman with rape because she refuses to subscribe to your definition of pride, then good luck to you."

I'm not going to condone any tit-for-tat abuse of Marieke by my fellow "amateur Thatcherites", but you seem to have forgotten that Marieke's tit, as it were, was out of the blocks first.

If you don't see the irony of trying to paint yourselves as innocent victims, when it was actually Marieke who was launching unprovoked abuse at passers-by, then good luck to you.

"Dude, that is so made up... You expect me to believe that you had a conversation with a yobbo at BDO (which you forgot to mention earlier) where you used the phrase "I don't speak Bolt" as if anyone outside the blogosphere or newspaper-junkies would have a clue what that statement meant."

No, it wasn't at the Big Day Out, it was at the cemetery gates on Lygon St - same day as BDO and about ten minutes away. 2.30pm to be precise. They were handing out leaflets (nothing particularly political - a 'community party' somewhere in Northcote run by a group I didn't recognise.

"I don't speak Bolt" is also in common usage. Sorry. I've heard conservatives use it too.

I think its clear the girl in question was neither a yobbo or apolitical. She seemed rather well spoken and direct about it, actually. That was my problem.

But if its easier to reckon its made-up, then ignore me. The language I reported is as close to the event as I can remember. But hey, I'm just another commenter, right? What's another story, right?

Also, I didn't paint anybody as innocent, I'm just saying that the shoe sure as fuck fits the foot of a lot of morons last weekend. I wouldn't have done it as Ms Fits did, but I sure would have done something.

So your criticisms are that I made the story up, and that I said something that I didn't. What else? Anything? Still no comment about the actual issue?

"I never believed ms fits was talking about an actual child. Why did anyone else? 'Kids' is a term for peers under 35."

Really? Come on. Would you seriously call a 34 year old man a child? Just give it up.

Why did people think she was talking about a child? Maybe because that's what she said?

Would I? I do all the time. Like if I go to my friends Jeff and Felicity's house, I could say, "Hey, kids, what are you up to?" Its a term of endearment and to be oblivious to that use of is really bloody strange.

I call my dad and his friends 'kids'.

But for argument's sake, if a 34-year old man was wearing an Australian flag at the Big Day Out, well aware of the furore the week before, I'd call him a 'moron child'. He would not be oblivious that the flag on a pole represents freedom and democracy, but on a back it now represents violence, hate, and xenophobia. He would have well likely done it on purpose. Despite knowing he is participating in the hijacking of a symbol of freedom for a narrow political gesture.

This.
Would.
Be.
A.
Moron.
Child.

But lets also forget the fact that the incident never occurred. Who read the post and thought it actually happened like that? And that it was more likely to happen than my alleged incident?

Stop trying. Tim Blair has cultivated a tempo of outrage at invisible monsters. Go play. Shoo. Still not a peep out of any of the anonymous throng about what they think of racists using the Australian flag. Not a single one.

Jaysus! (oops, now I've taken the Lord's name in vain, maybe that will deflect some crap my way!)

By about comment 45 or so, I was mentally preparing my "intellectual defence of Ms Fits' actions," and by about #80 I was preparing to offer you a stiff drink to cheer you up, however Lara Bingle's appendages and Rhys seem to have beat me to both.

I'll whittle my response down to:
1) If it didn't mean that Q&A/Confessions/Crushes and other regular tete-a-tetes were less fun, it would be nice to change your comments so that anonymous posts were banned, so we could all see where these vile bigots come from.
2) I too use the endearment 'Kids,' although I think that the original point of the post has been lost since all the kiddy-fiddling accusations started.
3) I'll still buy you a drink.

Interestingly, not a peep about flag wearers (as opposed to flag wavers) erroneously using the ANZAC defence. Matter of fact, I would assume all the servicemen and women I know who helped out in East Timor (albeit thirty years too late) would probably also have little time for the scruffy youth running about like Super Ozzie.

Shame, I was hoping to talk about the farming community, and what they think of the Ashtrayans who carry on like pork chops about national pride, but wouldn't, ironically, know the arse end of a sheep from a bale of hay. Nor that they should be carrying on like lamb chops, at least.

Lara Bingle wrote: "He would not be oblivious that the flag on a pole represents freedom and democracy, but on a back it now represents violence, hate, and xenophobia."

Pyschologists call that projection.

And you can repeat this as many times as you want, but it doesn't make it so.

The flag can represent any number of negative things to you, but it may represent positive things to others (like me).

And if you believe you have some omnipotent ability to define the terms and meanings of debate for the *entire* community - well, then I suspect you need somewhat of an ego-check.

"scientician" said: Matter of fact, I would assume all the servicemen and women I know who helped out in East Timor (albeit thirty years too late) would probably also have little time for the scruffy youth running about like Super Ozzie.

Well, I've only ever had two aquaintences who served in East Timor, (but also a number of others who served in other ways) so I don't know if my experience is representative - but frankly, they were far more culturally conservative than average, and certainly more so than regular commenters here.

If a particular veteran speaks up and comments, I'd always respect that. But don't expect anyone to be kowed by some vague unsubstantiated appeal-to-authority on your part.

The diggers, as individuals, can speak for themselves.

cheers,
ekb87
(i wrote the last post a moment ago too, but forgot to sign it. this is probably confusing with all the anonymous accounts)

"Pyschologists call that projection."

Actually, they don't, projection was a shitty concept most respectable psychologist dropped a while ago, but fine. Lets ignore the use of flags for purposes of xenophobic racism in England, the US, Australia, Germany, Belgium, France, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia - oh look - every damn where. The question is are you blindly going to accept every use of this thing that you love, or protect it from idiots? Love it or lose it. You lost it.

"And if you believe you have some omnipotent ability to define the terms and meanings of debate for the *entire* community - well, then I suspect you need somewhat of an ego-check."

What kind of non-comment is this? Ego-checking? What? You're taking your bat and ball and going home? Why, because I refused to lower myself to rape and sodomy jokes and therefore can't be quoted as yet another lunatic fringe by Tim Blair?

I'm not defining terms, I'm contributing my analysis of a situation where analysis seems to have been sorely lacking. Feel free to oppose and disagree with actual points of your own anytime you like; the right to debate being something rarely extended by the Amateur Thatcher Hour. I invite intelligent conversation on this topic but have received not a single word - not one word here or elsewhere. Nobody wants to fight for their beloved flag anywhere in this country, and its a crying shame.

Lara Bingle arse wrote: "Still no comment about the actual issue?"

Well, it depends on what you think the "actual issue" is. To a lot of people like me, the issue looks like this:
- Marieke acted like a rude, aggressive, judgemental, intolerant, prejudiced, bigoted bitch.
- (Self-described) 'progressives', 'green-left', etc generally get very angry about intolerance, prejudice and bigotry, and spend a great deal of time accusing the broader community of this (and then blaming Howard for inciting all of it too).
- Some of us find the hypocrisy and arrogant lack of self-awareness offensive - yet still amusing.

Now the "actual issue" to you appears to be Howard, Cronulla, Flag=hate (because it does to you, it must to everybody else, right?); oh, and the "Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union between 1986-89" (you lost me at that point, mate).

But as I've said above, you don't have the power to define the terms of debate for the rest of us.

cheers, ekb87

Who's appealing to authority? The jokers running round draped in the federal flag are the ones claiming some kind of cultural precedent by calling up the names of people who served their country. I'm just suggesting that the overwhelming majority of diggers I met while they were still alive would be appalled by all of this bullshit, while the rest would have probably just laughed.

My point was basically, that people should be free to say whatever they want about the flag, and do with it as they will, but they will be judged for their own actions and opinions, and should expect no quarter from unsolicited allies.

There is always a massive difference between criticising or berating someone for something they have chosen to do, and attacking them for a quality over which they have no control.

Oh. My. God. I can NOT believe a large number of the people on this comment page.

The kid chose to wear the flag. He didn't seem too concerned about the conversation.

Ms Fits probably shouldn't have acted as she did, but that really doesn't give you all the excuse to rudely, crudely abuse her. Especially in any way that denotes physical or sexual abuse.

Comments such as those make me, as an Australian, ashamed.

Wow. Go Hardy Go! Seriously, since when have we decided that the American redneck approach to national pride was acceptible? Part of living in a nation like our is that we are free to express our views on things like whether we feel pride in the flag or not.

I always piss myself when I hear people telling allegedly "unpatriotic" people to shut their mouths because, like, " you can't say something like that that in China, so be grateful for your freedom and shut the hell up."

Newsflash dickheads: It's precisely because we have that freedom here that we choose to say what we say. It sounds to me like you right-wingers are the ones who'd be happier in a totalitarian state. Then you'd be able to rat us out to the secret police, instead of swearing at us on blogs!

"Well, it depends on what you think the "actual issue" is. To a lot of people like me, the issue looks like this:
- Marieke acted like a rude, aggressive, judgemental, intolerant, prejudiced, bigoted bitch."

First, thanks for at least stepping up, such as you did.

Second, you are assuming, despite the context of the original post, despite the glaring, screaming, five-alarm chilli style in which the post was written, that there ever was a conversation remotely like this, that it wasn't a styled embellishment of a probably extremely terse exchange, if not a fantasy of what she could and should have said. This is actually incredible to me. This speaks of a deep disconnection from reality. Can you find the moron child in question, whose honour you are so happy to defend? You (and Tim Blair, and many others) are taking the perpetrator's account of an event as real.

Okay, I will accept this for the purposes of rhetoric - lets assume that this happened exactly as written. Lets put aside the massive logical fallacy and accept it as real. Lets put this moron child's age at anything you like - 21? 14? 9? 4? Lets say 14 years old, male. Old enough to care, but not enough to know. BUT if you do this, and I'll continue to do it as a rhetorical gesture, please do me a favour and read the post again in its entirety. Its a blog post about visiting BDO and one section of four is about confronting 'flaggy cuntrags', assumed real person, assumed 14 years old, with three phrases:

"Nice flag, fuckhead."; "Why are you even wearing that? Do you have any idea what you're doing?"; "Go and die."

Nobody will doubt this is aggressive and rude. Nobody is arguing that. But accept for an instant that despite your bizarre appeal that the flag is always good, every flag in history is hijacked by racists, bigots, idiots, criminals, for the purposes of psychopomp and deceiving others into nationalistic fervour, against the values of their country. There is not a country that doesn't experience this, and both the right and left do it. Its a fact of politics. Forza Italia used the flag as a rallying symbol at political meetings despite the fact they had scrapping of vasts tracts of the constitution (to which the Italian flag is indelibly bound) as part of their platform. They were dishonestly using the national symbol, right?

The point is, if this alleged 14 year old kid is actually wearing a flag on his back, its not just "Aussie Pride" - not purely. And if you say that it is, then you are going to have a fucking hell of a time distinguishing patriots from lunatics, which is in your best interest right now, because the politics of the right on this issue have been shown to be paper-thin and some credibility needs to be regained by someone. Only Ken West's statement (and screw Ken West, anyway) that the entire thing had been a waste of the public's time is intellectually honest. Flag-wearing requires the right wing to stand up and defend the power of the flag to symbolise freedom. It has not.

Everywhere in history where people wear flags on their backs and don't fly it high - everywhere, in every country, left and right, old and new - its about xenophobia and racism. This is a point of historical fact (mostly written about by conservative writers, mind you) so vast and impregnable that it approaches canon. Now either right now in Australia, flag-wearing is the first time ever in the history of the world where its just nationalism and a bit of larrakism and good ol' fun, and there's no spectre of exclusion or hate - the first EVER time - or Occum's razor says thst perhaps its not about a post-cricket match laugh with the boys and a bit of pride in Warney's run at the ashes. Face-paint is a good example; that's benign, loving, and usually supportive of a sporting person or persons out there doing people proud. Its fantastic, go for it.

Flag wearing is no longer that. Its become something else. Not according to the left, but to history. The left haven't really said anything coherent on the issue, mind you, but goddamn you if you think anybody on the right has either.

To wear the flag at the BDO is an act that says 'its time to protect us from outsiders', 'White pride'. To wear it at the cricket is one thing, its a context that is different. But at the BDO, if anybody think that's the same - which I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and not assume - then they are going to find watching the next few years of news really confusing.

That assumed kid, wearing that flag, did it because he's taken on an ideology (either through independent thought, or however else you want to establish these things) that is not, along any rational person's conception, just 'Aussie Pride'. Don't you agree? Don't you think for a second that its more likely he was saying something more complex? Hey, lets cut to the chase here and say what you've been wanting to - maybe this kid is just out to piss lefties off, feeling them - what is it you called them? - intolerant, bigoted?. Lets assume that. This is the best case scenario for the kid. The absolute best!

He wears the flag, knowing some people find it offensive. And oh, by the way, its the fucking Big Day Out. Its got 50 bands and 200,000 thousand music fans. How many left-wingers do you think will be there? 70%? 80%? Sorry, we couldn't book any conservative musicians - John Cougar Mellencamp and ... ummm... errr... Shania Twain couldn't make it. Did you see the fucking hilarious attempts by the Republicans to rally entertainment people to their support in 2004? Even Arnie wouldn't play ball, and he's a fucking conservative governor. This kid is not walking into a place where he thinks he's going to be greeted with open arms.
He's there to cause shit. He's there to act threatening. If you want to take this particular line up, we can look at photo sources if you like.

So to conclude: Actually think about this issue before responding, apart from "oh well that's your opinion"; that's not anything, and vote motherfucking Quimby.

Maybe its because I grew up in Thatcher's england having the shit kicked out of me by skinheads that I feel this way, but if you on the right don't come up with answers to Cronulla with the speed of a fucking freight train - like right now - you will lose the chance to establish moral authority on the fabric of the national identity. Do you think that fucktangle Blair won because he made the logo slant to the side? He repossessed idiot nationalism from the Tories and repurposed it.

You will not see a Tory government, no matter how shitty Blair and Gordon become, because the Tories blew it and the spectre of the National Front will haunt middle England forever.

Okay, what else did you say....

"Self-described) 'progressives', 'green-left', etc generally get very angry about intolerance, prejudice and bigotry, and spend a great deal of time accusing the broader community of this (and then blaming Howard for inciting all of it too)."

Do they? Well that does seem somewhat alarmist. Although your point seems to be that because Ms Fits spoke rudely to some moron child with a flag, that's as bigoted as right-wing "intolerance, prejudice and bigotry"? Is that right? Is that what you're saying? She's a hypocrite because that's just as bad but of a smaller scale as say, what happened at Cronulla? That a white person talking to a white person, spitting invective, is the same as 500 men attempting to murder someone with dark skin? That its bigotry? Do you not think it possible that perhaps it wasn't Ms Fits hate for nationalism, but her realisation that the flag-wearer is out to act threatening. I don't condone what she said or didn't say, but get real, and get real fast about the motivations. Get incredibly real with velocity. Keep in mind I can write this stuff all day and I've made grown people cry with my regurgitation of political history.

"Some of us find the hypocrisy and arrogant lack of self-awareness offensive - yet still amusing."

Welcome to politics, I reckon. Its all offensive rubbish with no self-awareness, sadly. I find the right-wing and parts of the left-wing's hypocrisy and arrogant lack of self-awareness offensive - yet still amusing - and ultimately disappointing too.

"Now the "actual issue" to you appears to be Howard, Cronulla, Flag=hate (because it does to you, it must to everybody else, right?)"

If a t-shirt was being worn by someone that said "I will fucking rape you to death, you shitty person, you", you cannot say that's not threatening, right? I didn't say Howard. I did say that for some time now, the flag has been hijacked to the point where its become a bloody rag for some people, while others cling to it as a perfect symbol. It seems to me those who think its perfect should stand up for it.

"oh, and the "Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union between 1986-89" (you lost me at that point, mate)."

Sorry. I do tend to go on. The point is, when you disguise politics as economics, you get shit on your hands. This is why true conservatives don't want Costello as PM.

"But as I've said above, you don't have the power to define the terms of debate for the rest of us."

Where did I intimate this at all? I am being long-winded but I've always invited debate. Or do you mean I've made some good points that have made some sense here and there, and there fore its best to retreat to "oh, well, everybody has an opinion."



cheers, ekb87

Did I kill the fun?

Err.. ignore the ekb87 at the end there, that was bad formatting on my behalf.

Speaking of ekb87 I do wonder whether, as someone not so slow and more than a little civil ... you know, what ekb87 is doing running with the Blair pack?

Here's just one thought ekb87: is pride in the flag associated in any way with pride in the courage of those who have fought under it? If admiration of bravery in the line of national duty is in any way something to do with waving the flag, isn't Tim Blair cowardly for not allowing comments at his blog - where if he doesn't like you he'll actively stop you from commenting there (not just force you to sign up) - and for encouraging the kind of rabid morons who've been embarrassing you above with their rantings? I consider Tim to be responsible for the calibre of moron he inspires to get out and about, writing violence and abuse on other people's blogs - he ought to be ashamed of himself. And to be clear, Ms Fit's abuse of the flag degrader was very rude but funny to read and almost certainly apocryphal. It was in a different category to the work of the brownshirts above that's covered Tim in the opposite of glory again.

Tim Blair's site seems to have been down for quite a while today. Maybe someone forgot to clear the bile cache.

Jesus.

LIST OF TYPES OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD WEAR A NON-IRONIC AUSTRALIAN FLAG TO THE BIG DAY OUT:

(a) Fucking idiot.

What is this argument about?

"I'm an amendment to be,
yes an amendment to be,
and I'm hopin' that they'll ratify meee..
There's a lot of flag burners
who have got too much freedom,
so I wanna make it legal
for policemen
to beat 'em -
cos there's limits to our li-ber-ty
at least I hope and pray that there are:
cos those liberal freaks
go too farrrrrrrrr"

dammit if there isn't a simpsons quote for every moment

Hello, people! People? Yes, I'm particularly talking to all you Anons who have not the courage of your convictions. This may have been said before, but frankly, I lost interest after the umpeenth hate comment towards Ms Fits, because they really lacked imagination. Especially the anal people. Yawn, y'know?

Listen up: a flag is not an item of clothing. It is not a superhero cape. It is not an invisibility cloak. It is not a get ouf of jail free card. One does not wear a flag about one's shoulders simply because one has been told it is not acceptable. Wearing a flag about one's shoulders does not make one a "patriot", a term which was little known in Australia until the 4th of July invasion.

That is all.

A flag is A FLAG. It is designed to be hung from a flag pole. In case you have never seen one, it is anything about 6m tall and up.

redcap wrote: "Listen up: a flag is not an item of clothing."

It is if you want it to be.

"It is not a superhero cape. It is not an invisibility cloak. It is not a get ouf of jail free card. One does not wear a flag about one's shoulders simply because one has been told it is not acceptable."

One may if one wishes to.

"Wearing a flag about one's shoulders does not make one a "patriot", a term which was little known in Australia until the 4th of July invasion."

4th of July invasion?

"That is all.

A flag is A FLAG. It is designed to be hung from a flag pole. In case you have never seen one, it is anything about 6m tall and up."

A flag is a symbol, and people may choose to display it in variety of ways.

It's weird. You guys seem to really like telling other people how they should live. I hope you're not holding your breath waiting for us to obey orders.

winston said...
"Speaking of ekb87 I do wonder whether, as someone not so slow and more than a little civil ... you know, what ekb87 is doing running with the Blair pack?"

Hi Winston,
I read it because I find him to be quite witty and amusing even when I don't agree with him (but I do agree with him on quite a few things). Some of the commenters are quite talented writers too. I actually rarely comment on blogs overall.

That said, Tim's blog has now become so large it often gets 200 comments per day (and there are several thousand registered accounts I believe), and yes, some of these people are short on temper, and long on anger.

That's life on a blogosphere, not much anyone can do about it. You find the same thing on large lefty blogs like DailyKos, etc.

There's not much mileage to be made for either side on this score, I think.

Ooh ah!..shock horror!.. people wearing the flag!!!. I wore one at the BDO just to upset you feeble, limp-wristed, lefty, bottom-feeding arse-bandits. As for the harpie that authors this blog..fuck you!, you predictable, miserable, narky little cunt.. Get brave did we??..harass a small boy eh?. You silly little slag. May Johnny Howard sit on your face and fart the national anthem. You creep.

Wow. I've never seen so many four lettered comments in my life.

And it led me to wonder...is there actually some sort of politically transmitted disease that would cause the holder of an unpopular belief set to contract an unpleasant set of genital discharges? (I mean, really..."anal slop cheese"? the mind boggles =)

Or is it just that the narrow minded, pseudo-educated, Howard-loving, isolationist rednecks who feel the need to crucify anyone who doesn't toe the crypto-fascist line, can't actually compose an insult that involves polysyllabic words?
Go figure...and in the meantime, Ms. Fits rocks my world!

Aussie pride?
As far as I'm concerned, at this point we've got precious little to be proud of.

We're letting a bunch of jumped-up, George Dubya-ass-kissing sycophants sell our country out from under us, and due to clever marketing, the virtual abolition of higher education for your average kid, and IR laws that make sure we're all too busy trying to put food on the table and fuel in the car to worry about politics, most of us don't even realise it.

We're open racists, sexists, and xenophobic nationalists, and we don't care who knows it.
The only reason most of these idiots get about wearing flags is because no one's introduced them to the potential of a good white sheet set and some burning crosses.

So you go, Fitsy, Rock on.

I know I've missed all the excitement, but two asides for posterity.

Well, I've only ever had two aquaintences who served in East Timor, (but also a number of others who served in other ways) so I don't know if my experience is representative - but frankly, they were far more culturally conservative than average, and certainly more so than regular commenters here.

My only acquaintance who served there is a goth with facial piercings and a flourescent plastic woven into his dreadlocks. I don't know that he particularly interested in left wing politics, but I certainly wouldn't call him culturally conservative. There are exceptions to every generalisation.

A second point - Lara Bingles something or other used the word psychopomp, and I think quite incorrectly. Its a rather glorious word with a quite specific meaning.

As my only comment on the issue at hand - it seemed quite clear to me that display of the flag, at the BDO or elsewhere, is a complex and nuanced issue. But it is also clear that if you are wearing the flag as a cape, you are a fucking fool.

Also, if these intruders are via Tim Blair, that tells you a lot about Tim Blair.

hello,i found a funny kids video.I think you will have an interest in it.