“Opinion has caused more trouble on this little earth than plagues or earthquakes.” Perhaps, Voltaire, but imagine how boring things would be if we all agreed about everything. Welcome to Readers’ Comments, where a thousand schools of thought contend. Let’s engage ...
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Chin Leong Tan, the new race discrimination commissioner, leapt out of the starting blocks, rejecting claims Australia is a racist country and promising not to use his position to solicit complaints. Arvid approved:
“Fantastic to see common sense making a recovery. Australians don’t hate other races.
They hate whingers.
“Whingers love complaining because whatever they whine about is everyone else’s fault. No responsibility.”
Wake me up, said Winston:
“First the university chancellors supporting freedom of speech and now this. I fear I am dreaming and will wake up soon.”
Better, said Betty:
“Soutphommasane was intelligent and articulate but, in every interview, it leaked that he was ambivalent about Australia to the point of disrespect and, like Triggs, he is full of personal hang-ups ruling his actions.
“Both Labor affiliates and incorrect, costly damaging appointments. Do extreme leftists in power anywhere, always harm Australia?”
Hubert was hopeful:
“Chin Leong Tan’s attitude towards his new role sounds encouraging. Especially his opinion on that hyphenated nonsense of proclaiming oneself ‘Chinese-Australian’ or ‘German-Australian’ but just ‘Australian’, as it should be.
“Those who make a point of constantly proclaiming their previous allegiance demonstrate that they are unwilling or unable to commit to being a full time member of our nation.”
No doubts from Thomas:
“He said Australia had been criticised on the issue of race because the country held itself to a higher standard. Absolutely spot on.”
Paul was pleased:
“I like the cut of his jib; his answers were down to earth and not cloaked in academic jargon.
I wish him well.”
Christine had questions:
“With laws already firmly in place, why do we need a Racial Discrimination Commissioner? For that matter, why do we need a Human Rights Commissioner, or a Women’s Affairs Minister?”
Just wait, said James:
“No matter how much better he is than Soutphommasane, it’s not a long-term solution because the law is unchanged, the position is unchanged, and Labor can always find another trouble-maker when his term comes up for renewal.”
Another Peter posted:
“He sounds like a decent, good man with relevant experience for the job. However, the bigger question still remains of why does Australia, which is a fully functioning democracy with an independent and robust legal system, need a Human Rights Commission at all?
“The AHRC adds little value to improve how our society operates. It is nothing more than another UN initiative that has to be funded by the Australian taxpayer to the tune of $32-odd million per year.”
Cool, said Konrad:
“ ‘My kids are of Chinese extraction but they were born here. They don’t see themselves like, ‘I am Chinese-Australian’. They see themselves as Australian most of the time and that is what they say.’ How refreshing it is to read about the attitude of Mr Tan’s children.”
A like from Linda:
“Sounds like a breath of fresh air, someone who has absorbed the rather ‘devil may care’ attitude Australia used to be famous for, before we had it scared out of us.
“It is rather ridiculous for those who have reached the pinnacle of public life to complain about discrimination, and it must be true that if you look hard enough for offence you will surely find it, but please don’t paint all of us with the sins of the few!”
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When university heads united to defend free speech and face down the creeping tide of the culture wars and identity politics, some readers rejoiced; others scurried to their safe spaces. have warned of the urgent need to take a stand against encroaching threats to free speech in tertiary institutions. George was glad:
“A very encouraging development. Let’s hope they back these reassuring words with action to permit and defend the right to free speech at our universities.
“If not, our universities will be diminished in their pursuit of truth which will have serious consequences for learning in this country.
“This paper has played one of the leading roles in highlighting this problem. It could be one of its greatest achievements. I’d hope it follows similar principles in how it moderates comments in its own paper. I’ve been very encouraged about that recently.”
Michael was unmoved:
“Yeah, yeah. Expect lots of grandiose statements and virtue signalling from the university bureaucrats and zero change in outcomes.”
Augustus Carp carped:
“A the cliche goes, they can talk the talk but can they walk the walk? I reckon the first case they have of someone like Bjorn Lomborg wanted to give a talk they’ll go to pieces.”
Melissa’s prescription:
“Universities DO NOT need ‘safe spaces’ — there are no safe spaces in life, there’s just life. Let the students be exposed to all there is in life.”
Barbara looked back in anger:
“Think back to Professor Geoffrey Blainey, when he was hounded from Melbourne University for speaking to a position the staff didn’t like. It’s been building up for years, especially in the humanities.”
Peter posited:
“It should never have been allowed to get to this stage in the first place. Universities were always a place to learn and exchange ideas, but the Marxist warriors have slowly infiltrated all of our educational institutions, and basically gained control, even over the administrations. “However, it is almost insulting to now hear Gareth Evans supporting free speech after his decision (to reject) the Ramsay offer. Hypocrisy springs to mind.”
James was jaded:
“Steven Schwartz says ‘today’s university students will grow up to be tomorrow’s lawyers, politicians and judges’. I think he may have just exposed the Leftists’ real goal of their activism.
“For those who are interested, do an internet search on ‘the long march through the institutions’ and ‘Antonio Gramsci’.”
Calvin counselled:
“I wish this paper would run some articles on the history of Marxism so that people could see what is happening today is part of a campaign to destroy western democracy. Gramsci, Herbert Marcuse, the Frankfurt School are all starting points for reading and enlightenment on the evil agenda of the activists and their useful idiots.”
A paean from Peter:
“Special thanks go out to this newspaper, its doughty journos who have campaigned relentlessly and resolutely against the cancerous scourge of Political Correctness that was primarily responsible for diminishing freedom of speech on campuses.
At the same time, a salutary warning, there will be kickback from the zealots that worship Political Correctness, the ABC, GetUp!, the Greens, the AHRC, and not forgetting a huge swathe of academia.”
Steve was serious:
“So how about a code of conduct for staff and students enforcing a code of true respectful debate of all ideas. This should include provision for removal from the uni for those that forcibly disrupt or close down speeches and functions they don’t agree with (after they have paid for any damage they have done and the security at the function!)
“Similarly staff should be encouraged to speak their mind on any subject however those that chose or threaten to take industrial action over the introduction of new courses they don’t agree with should also be fired. Unis are not sheltered workshops and the concept of robust and courageous debate should be instilled into our academics and most of all our students.”
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Three US academics pulled off the prank of the century, submitting a series of spoof papers to peer-reviewed “grievance studies” journals, only to have many of them accepted for publication, including one examining “performative rape culture” at dog parks and another that was a jargon-filled reworking of a chapter of Mein Kampf. Jason rejoiced:
“Wonderful. Reminded me that satire and ridicule are magic bullets against pretension. Bring it on.”
Bizarre behaviour from Bruce:
“I have a strange defect in that I occasionally visit my local university library to read PhD theses. Few have merit. Most are shockingly written with appalling grammar, nonsensical sentences and an astounding lack of logical rigour. They are hilarious.”
William was worried:
“It’s the same in our high schools. I’ve coached my teens to only write about politically accepted left wing ideology in year 11 and 12 studies as the markers are so blinded by their beliefs that the quality of the work comes second to the political correctness of the premise. “Tailoring their responses to a left agenda has been highly successful and any attempts at stepping outside accepted left wing beliefs have been notably marked down. This says an awful lot about how left wing our education system has become.
“An HSC topic this year in English is “dangerous ideas” but sadly I think the irony has been lost on the teaching profession.”
Kevin was concerned:
“Even though this is an American study it gives you a sense of the academic standards underlying cultural and gender studies in Australian universities. The screamers who protest any conservative setting foot on Sydney University campus are likely to be honours or doctoral candidates in these fields.”
Michael was measured:
“I do not mind the occasional hoax such as this one to demonstrate that peer review is not working properly, or that there is some groupthink leading to lack of critical thinking.
“But that does not justify throwing the baby out with the bathwater, like some of the bloggers here who (for example) are falsely asserting that all climate science is trash.”
Monarchist mansplained:
“In that last photo James Lindsay is manspreading. Why should I have to view his display of toxic patriarchal hegemony?”
Mohan moped:
“Being a researcher and journal editor myself, I can say with confidence that this whole peer review process on which an academic’s career rests is rotten to the core and a big joke.”
More power to them, said Peter:
“We need more disrupters on the right like this pair. Satire, hyperbole, humour, allegory or stories really take it to the serious long-faced SJWs.
“Why should the devil have all the good music? Why should the Left have all the good writers or satirists or comedians?”
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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.
Miners change tune on climate change
Peak mining industry body The Minerals Council of Australia has joined the fight on climate.
Easy to point the finger
Demanding we abandon coal for climate is akin to asking NZ to give up love affair with sheep.