It was a joy to hear Billy Bragg on 3RRR this morning as i drove to work. His new songs are moving and poignant, heartfelt as always, although he’s mildly smoothed out his rough accent for the singing. (Interview podcasted via libsyn, and playable right here:

He had some words of encouragement for people who are expecting a lot of the New Rudd Labo(u)r experience. In twelve months, you will all be disappointed. You will say things like, “Rudd’s no different from Howard”. He’s seen it before, when they finally kicked out Thatcher, and were lumped with the oh-so-promising Tony B.

But do not give up hope, and do not become cynical.

i don’t know why people are expecting much, remember Bob Hawke, anyone?
What a let-down. People thought the world would change overnight, even Bob did.
.. and it hurt so much when they chose to govern from the centre(right).
But you’d rather Keating to Howard in retrospect, wouldn’t you!! Well i would.

Jude reminded me the other day of a joke doing the rounds back in 1996. People were saying, “Oh there’s no difference between Keating and Howard.”

The response goes: “Well yes, you’ve got a small bucket of sick (Keating), versus a whole swimming pool full of the stuff.”

Billy also urged us not to bucket Peter G too much, because he has crossed the line from activist to politician. That’s what happens when you make this choice. Political change is a slow game, and politics is the art of compromise. “You’ve just got to make sure that the compromise is on your terms.”

His strongest point? Cynicism is the real enemy. Do not spend all your energy carping about how bad the new government is. Get Active, and Do Something. He said. Hold firmly onto your belief in the possibilities of change. Yeah!

Interviewer’s most embarrassing moment: “Have you played here since your first tour in 1984?”
Billy: “Ah, yes i’ve come here for every album.”
Interviewer backtrack: “Of course, of course.”

One of those classic questions that pops out and you instantly regret it.
“Of course, i was at that concert.”
Oh boy was she blushing.

While i’m waiting for the 3RRR podcast to emerge (fingers crossed), here’s the man talking about the need for a British Bill of Rights (quick comment). (Interview podcasted via libsyn)

.. and the well-meant “All you fascists (are bound to lose)” .. a bit repetitive but catchy.

Before the election Julie Macken, writing for New Matilda, recalled some of the hard-core nastiness of the outgoing federal coalition government. She called it “The Bureaucratization of Evil“.

Julie wrote about a 2003 summit into mental health, examining the effects of detention on asylum-seekers: “But my note taking came to a halt when I heard Dr Louise Newman, one of Australia’s most respected psychiatrists, say during her presentation: &lquo;What I’m describing here is State-sponsored torture and child abuse.’”

“Then there was the 10-year-old Afghani boy, who in a fit of rage and despair sat down in the dust and carved ‘freedom’ into his arm.”

Tony Knight wrote in the same journal about the tragedy that was SIEV-X. Nearly four hundred people drowned at sea during that 2001 election campaign, and it barely made the papers. The Prime Minister at the time said it wasn’t our fault, despite reports that nearby ships knew what was going on. Tony writes of the beauty and grace of the community-built memorial in Canberra, and closes with the words, “Lest we forget”.

These two articles sum up the callous disregard for human life and dignity that really epitomised (the dark side of) that man and his government. They also remind me that all along, there were people speaking the truth and asking for healthier solutions.

Yeah, anyway he’s gone now. I know why so many Australians liked him: he offered safety and retreat from the world of difference, the comfort of denial, permission to blame other people for our problems, the freedom to believe in lies that would protect us against the great imagined horrors of invasion and destruction.

But i hope we get more optimistic and honest people in charge from now on.

(image: thanks for you lie – banksy by niznoz at flickr)

This quote from a reader in the UK (The Register): “In the UK he’d get a bullet in the brain, Canada tasered until he stops moving and US shipped off to Guantanamo? He should consider himself lucky.”

Well honey, thanks for your blessings and the kind reminder.

i really do consider myself lucky. i’m living in one of the wealthiest countries in the world. i’m alive, i have a working fridge plus a roof over my head, and i currently have a huge whacking degree of freedom. This freedom i am celebrating every minute, with every breath. Albeit somewhat nervously right now. A misunderstanding can really turn your world around.

Way too many other people haven’t been as lucky as me.

Many have fallen into the clutches of a horribly murderous cult, and given their lives to kill, which they were brainwashed into thinking was the right thing to do.

Many have died because of the (insanely misguided) actions of these people.
Many have fallen before the armies out hunting for the leaders of this cult. Many in these armies have died also.

A fair few have died from mistakes in the hunt for the cult leaders, and
Plenty have been locked up for time without charge, while
The rest of us are apparently living in fear.

none of that seems good to me.
So, yes i feel very very lucky. Don’t you worry about that Joh.

Lucky to be alive, lucky i didn’t get beaten up, lucky i never joined a cult. Lucky to still have my freedom. If i’d been reported to the security hotline, it seems unlikely but i could in theory have been detained for fourteen days without charge. With nobody knowing why i didn’t come back from Cairns.

I’d still be asking for my mobile phone, so i could send a text to my mum.

(Thanks Eric Kilby for the image “All your needs .. and Coke”, at flickr and Cowtools for “how to enjoy better meals”)
(There are some other funny comments on that Register page. Lot of people running down Australians for not being able to read.)