Rita Panahi: Morrison’s sneering critics are out of step
SCOTT Morrison is a patriot and the sneers of his critics won’t resonate with ordinary Australians, writes Rita Panahi.
Rita Panahi
Don't miss out on the headlines from Rita Panahi. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THE self-loathers among us never miss a chance to trash their own country. So it came as no surprise that when Prime Minister Scott Morrison made a point of giving his ministers an Australian flag lapel pin that they would jump to all sorts of wild and vile conclusions.
Morrison tweeted after the swearing-in of his new ministry: “Today, I gave each of my ministers a lapel pin with the Australian flag on it. I’ve been wearing this for many years now.
“The reason I wear it is because it reminds me every single day whose side I’m on. I’m on the side of the Australian people.”
One can mock the measure for being jingoistic or unnecessary — after all, politicians shouldn’t need visual reminders of who they’re meant to serve — but to pretend the move represents some racist dog whistle that heralds a frightening foray into nationalistic fervour is ludicrous.
Predictably, that was the response from those who look at a tolerant and successful country but choose to see only seething hatreds and failure. That tends to happen when everything is viewed through the filter of racial, religious and gender politics and it is presumed every decision and outcome is due to entrenched bigotry.
So, a politician preaching his devotion to Australia must be motivated by a desire to perpetuate white privilege. There were hysterical cries that the lapel pins meant a return to the “White Australia policy” and that it was a “patronising, pandering to xenophobic voters”, while some demanded the Aboriginal flag be worn instead, and compared the national flag with a swastika.
Yes, these people are nuts.
Samuel Johnson’s famous quote “patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel” was another popular rejoinder, though those using it obviously weren’t aware of its full meaning. Far from disparaging patriots, the great English writer was calling out fake patriotism.
Fringe-dwelling malcontents with a passion for disparaging Australia may be small in number but they are over-represented in public life. The Left’s march through public and private institutions has seen such self-loathing seep into daily life, from school curriculums to boardrooms.
It is a viewpoint that has a firm foothold in the media and academia. It’s a sad state of affairs when you see Australians, living in one of the most prosperous and peaceful corners of the world, being relentlessly negative about their homeland.
Frankly, a touch of patriotism wouldn’t go astray. The Australian flag should not be seen as divisive.
Unlike other symbols that signify what separates us, the flag is one that represents every single Australian. Patriotism doesn’t mean being blind to your country’s shortcomings. One can work to improve the country without rubbishing it unfairly at any given opportunity.
In my experience, it is often migrants who appreciate most what a wonderful country Australia is and show greater patriotism than those born and raised here.
That was reflected in a 2017 poll, commissioned by Leftist publication The Guardian but carried out by a reputable polling company, on attitudes to Australia Day. The poll revealed that though the overwhelming majority of Australians loved the national day and were against changing the date, those who migrated to Australia were more patriotic than the rest of the community.
THE loud but small minority who dominate the public discourse would have you believe that the day of national pride is deeply divisive — but only 6 per cent of all respondents felt negatively towards Australia Day.
Australia Day is a litmus test for patriotism in Australia. While the majority are quietly proud of their country, they are drowned out by the shrill, miserable minority. Morrison is already copping the Abbott treatment from much of the media, which has no qualms about using his religious beliefs to mock him.
“The Pentecostal Prime Minister” is a little kinder than the Mad Monk moniker they gave Abbott but it is the sort of religious vilification we’ve come to accept from the Left, which is hypersensitive to any suggestion of Islamophobia but happy to indulge in Christian-bashing.
Don’t get me wrong — I think we should all be free to mock religion. But a little consistency would be refreshing.
Late last week, Morrison defended his lapel-pin gesture, saying that he was about “bringing Australians together” and not highlighting what separates us.
If you want to know a little more about your new Prime Minister’s attitude to patriotism, have a look at what he said shortly before he became a minister.
In early 2013, before the Abbott-led Coalition came to power, Morrison gave a speech in the UK in which he spoke about what it means to be Australian.
“As Australians, our nationalism is divorced from ethnicity, race and religion, disarming what is often a volatile and potentially negative combination,” he said, while acknowledging the great contribution of migrants, including “the liberal democratic institutions and Christian heritage of our British founders”.
“We must also send a strong message that cultural tolerance is not a licence for cultural practices that are offensive to the cultural values, and laws, of Australia, and that our respect for diversity does not provide licence for closed communities. Whether we become Australians by birth or by pledge, in adopting this land we adopt its heritage and we enter into the privilege of the legacy forged by those who have come before.”
Rita Panahi is a Herald Sun columnist
Join the conversation
Human cost of pandemic goes much further than virus
Whether you are pro or anti-lockdown the grim, unintended consequences of the fixation on coronavirus are undeniable, as other diseases — including cancer and heart disease — go unchecked, and despair from joblessness, poverty and financial stress rises, writes Rita Panahi.
Read more
Will buck really stop with Dan after disastrous decisions?
While Daniel Andrews repeats the “we’re all in this together” mantra, the reality is only the private sector is making huge financial sacrifices as he refuses to face up to scrutiny over the hotel quarantine fiasco and contact tracing chaos, writes Rita Panahi.
Read more