‘Cook, the grocer’s boy, was the most humble explorer of them all’

Readers have their say on Captain’s Cook’s character assassination, Waleed Aly’s climate confabulation, and KK’s migration sensation.

White drivel-age: Victoria's deputy Chief Health Officer copped both barrels from The Mocker after likening Captain Cook to COVID-19.

Welcome to the column where you provide the content. After Victoria’s deputy Chief Health Officer Annaliese van Dieman went exploring the farther shores of cancel culture with a tweet likening Captain Cook to COVID-19, The Mocker wondered if ever a great man was more maligned than James Cook, legend of navigation, cartography, exploration, and leadership, yet smeared by the woke left as a cultural imperialist and disease-spreading genocidal hegemonist. James turned to history, and gets Comment of the Week:

“Not sure why she picked on Cook. His mission was scientific — that’s why he had astronomers and botanists on board. And the British objectives were trade based — they were always looking for trading opportunities because that was what their economy and wealth depended upon. (Value adding commerce was what they did, just like your Fitzroy coffee shop which buys cheap coffee beans, adds hot water and sells at a big mark up).

“Besides, when Cook mapped the east coast of Australia, the British still had all their American colonies and had no need for more, especially not in the most distant possible location. Colonisation came later (when Cook was deceased) and was driven by Banks, but even then their objective was trade (a “hub” providing closer access to China and the Pacific) and a supply of timber/flax. 

“That’s why they sent convicts rather than farmers/settlers. So why Cook and not the other navigators? Her namesake van Dieman, Torres, Dampier, the Dutch, they too were looking for trading opportunities on behalf of their backers, government or otherwise and their voyages too lead ultimately to Australian and regional colonisation. 

“The Portuguese de Gama has more to answer for. His rounding of the Cape of Good Hope opened up sea routes to the East Indies for the spice trade but his objective was a faster route to the East African slave trades because he was a wealthy slave trader out for personal gain.

“Cook, the grocer’s boy was pretty much the most humble of them all. I have been to his ship apprentice lodgings in Whitby, and it is abundantly clear he hardly hailed from the privileged white class. The good Dr’s comments only serve to show her total historical ignorance.”

A pox on epidemics, said Tony:

“Historians are in agreement that the 1st Fleet had no active cases of smallpox on board throughout the entire voyage. The only feasible source of smallpox in the fleet was the variolous matter (dried smallpox scabs) brought for the purpose of variolation, a kind of primitive vaccination against smallpox. The variolous matter would have consisted of infectious material sourced from people who had a strain of smallpox called variola minor. “Variola minor was a much less serious disease than variola major & it gave immunity against the more dangerous major strain. The death rate from variola minor was around 1pc of infected persons and it left much less scarring. The death rate from variola major was around 33pc of infected persons and it left survivors with disfiguring pockmark scars.

“According to medical experts on smallpox including Australian virologist Frank Fenner who led the successful World Health Organization program to eradicate it, smallpox was quite capable of crossing vast distances. Studies of how it spread in North Africa and Asia have proven that. It’s entirely possible that the outbreak of smallpox in Australia started in the far north a year or more before the 1st Fleet arrived and the epidemic reached the Sydney region about 15 months after the First Fleet landed.

“It didn’t ‘selectively’ turn up in Sydney. It’s likely that it affected large sections of the continent, wherever there were Aborigines living to infect and transmit it. It’s just that, in 1789, it was only in the Sydney area that there were literate observers to record its arrival.”

TonyW agreed:

“The First Fleet was at sea for months. If there was smallpox aboard it would have been ravaged before it got here.”

Spoon’s scoop:
“Without Captain Cook what culture would there be here? French, Dutch, Portuguese or maybe the stone age culture that was here, no one knows. But to criticise the culture that is here now just shows how stupid the so called elites are, by wishing the past was different will somehow make it so. A mild form of insanity or at least delusional thinking, I’d suggest.”

Lech was impressed:

“As a yachtsman I am full of admiration for his skills as a navigator (how he managed to go aground only once sailing through unknown waters full of shallows), cartographer (his maps still precise enough for pre-GPS cartography), knew about vitamins before they were invented (not a single crew lost to scurvy, standard killer on long sea voyages at the time).”

Van who, asked Alfred:
“Shame we can’t be around in 100 years time to see if anybody remembers her while celebrating Captain Cook, even though we all know the answer to that.”

Thanks from Truth seeker:
“Not only brilliant as usual Mocker but a highly necessary and important post. Thank you for standing up for the truth and thank you for standing up for Captain Cook. He deserves his day in the sun.”

Frankie figured:

“We need to flatten the curve on deranged Leftism. Difficult job given that our publicly funded institutions like the ABC, leftist media and academia seem to fan and spread the virus far and wide. Long periods of isolation might be in order.”

Paul’s point:

“Need to eradicate this one as its more deadly than the others and although a vaccine is available it seems there are far too many anti-vaxxers.”

Pretty in pink: The cake shops of St Kilda chose a strange way to test drive the pink icing. Picture: Getty Images

Graham giggled:

“I dunno, I think Cook looks good in pink.”

Ross was outraged:

“As someone who values Australian history, I am totally fed up with this minority leftie gaggle who despise everything that has made our nation the wonderful first world democratic society we enjoy. James Cook’s courage and brilliance should be revered by Australians, not denigrated. Our history is one of courage, sacrifice and hard work. These are qualities clearly lacking in this mob. They insult us all with their juvenile antics. They only debase themselves.”

Play us out, Martin:
“That night east of Cooktown: The horrific sound of coral smashing through timber. Cook and his crew, working diligently to save themselves, their colleagues and their ship and Ms van Diemen, charging for the long-boat, pushing that horrible white trash out of the way, whilst yelling, ‘Don’t you know who I am?’ I’ve lodged the script with the ABC. Just waiting to hear back.”

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On pointe: If you’re good, the renewables fairy will come in your sleep to scatter carbon credits across your pillow. Picture: WireImage

Chris Kenny had a beef with The Project’s Waleed Aly, his poster boy for alarmists in the media who “prefer cliches, deceptions and exaggerated simplicity” to facts while using the cloak of COVID-19 to skew the climate debate. J-Dogg growled:

“Aside from its Malthusian focus, Planet of the Humans should be compulsory viewing for the entire so called green movement. The film exposes many of the manufacturing techniques behind such ‘environmentally friendly’ products as photovoltaic solar panels and biofuels. Equally, the opprobrium directed to Moore attacking his exposure of these behind-the-scenes facts shows the blindness of ‘those who do not wish to see’ in stark reality. And the money grabbing, trough feeding hypocrisy of ‘renewable energy’ proponents.”

Charles countered:

“Watched it. Agree that biomass burning is a bad idea, and enjoyed hearing Prokofiev’s Scythian Suite as apocalyptic background music. Otherwise, it’s replete with misleading statements and a number of outright falsehoods.

“My challenge to its champions here is to review any representative sample of work on the carbon cost of renewables and fossil fuels, and still believe that the emissions associated with renewable energy get anywhere close to those of fossil fuel burning.

“For example, how could the film’s makers disregard detailed evidence (e.g. Nature Energy 2 (12) – December 2017) showing that just to build and supply fossil-fuel power plants produces 1.7-8.7 times more emissions than non-fossil fuel plants, and that’s before any fuel is even burnt?”

Paula proffered:

“Aly doesn’t understand the heavy reliance renewables have on mining, nor the major loss of energy in transmission, especially over vast distances, that make them unsuitable. Nothing like having a national platform to promote your own ignorance.”

Moet had a pop:

“Waleed Aly has got it wrong. It's the opposite to his fallacious statements. The pandemic is an example of what would happen if you close down all coal, nuclear and gas base load electricity generation. The economy collapses. Millions out of work and millions of lives destroyed.”

Kevin said:
“One thing Waleed Aly, shows like the Project and the ABC won’t tell viewers is that fossil fuels have largely been responsible for dragging a billion people out of extreme poverty and hunger over the last 25 years by providing electricity to power lighting, heating, cooling, running water, sewerage and a means to irrigate crops and grow food. In their current state of development, renewable energy is not capable of achieving a fraction of that.”

From John:

“Waleed Aly has as much right to spruik political nonsense as anyone in a democracy. What genuinely worries me about him is that he seems to be a protected species on Channel 10 and ABC. I have personally tried many times to have an on air debate with him on issues he expounds. I have been consistently obstructed. So if a major commentator cannot uphold his views when challenged in civilised discourse, then how fragile are his arguments?”

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Migratory species: Kristina Keneally suggests immigration policy be brought under the Ministry for Silly Walks.

Troy Bramston suggested it took a certain level of chutzpah for an immigrant like Kristina Keneally to lecture Australians about the need to restrict immigration. KJM’s concern:

“It is time to take a breath on immigration. We need to review both the economic benefits and the social impacts. Many Australians feel that we have become a nation of different tribes (Geoffrey Blainey).

We have large ethnic enclaves in every one of our cities which influences politicians to pander to specific groups. That some candidates for elections are not chosen on merit but chosen according to their ethnicity. We should be mindful not to allow any one ethnic group to become to numerous to overly influence political processes. Dual citizenship should not be allowed. It puts in question loyalty to this country.”

IanJ objected:
“We have a great history of immigration, especially just after both world wars but that was at a time when we had lost so many men that immigration was the answer. That is not the case now, we haven’t lost most of our young men and women, just the opposite we have too many out looking for jobs but can’t find them.

“Why? Because either our education and training systems have let them down or some overseas student studying here has been offered the job over an Australian citizen. When will our politicians, other leaders and people like yourself come to realise it is not dog whistling to stand up for the ideal of those living in Australia come first.”

Allison argued:
“If a kid wants to come here, study and drive an Uber while they’re here, why should we stop them? I don’t blame anyone thumbing their nose saying a particular job isn’t their cup of tea but to blame a lack of jobs on immigrants isn’t a fair go.”

Elaine observed:

“What comes out of Kristina’s mouth depends on the day of the week. As Shorten’s winning bus companion she was almost as successful as Bob Brown in his.”

John said:
“If an Australian political party doesn’t favour benefiting Australians over foreigners, it can’t expect support from Australians. It’s a no-brainer, and to tell an immigrant like Keneally that they’re not allowed to talk about or make recommendations about immigration is just not on. As a native born Australian I would consider it chutzpah in the extreme for me to tell someone who’s chosen Australia as their home and been accepted that they have no right to talk about policy.”

Last word to Rejected:
“Immigration is great. When it benefits all Australians. Absolutely zero people are complaining about that. The kind of immigration that doesn’t benefit Australians is what needs to stop. We need to define the difference. I don’t think that is difficult.”

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Each Friday the cream of your views on the news rises and we honour the voices that made the debate great. To boost your chances of being featured, please be pertinent, pithy and preferably make a point. Solid arguments, original ideas, sparkling prose, rapier wit and rhetorical flourishes may count in your favour. Civility is essential. Comments may be edited for length.