Greens banned from Parliament after anti-Bush protest

[Davros]

I was having a chuckle at Khazadman's response too - those evil Lefties huh . No one must have told him that those evil Lefties are the ones in power that are his allies , and the protest groups come from across the broad spectrum of politics and interest groups. I guess those facts Khazadman makes it harder to classify the protestors as the lunatic fringe?

In the Australian situation there is also a broad range to the protest, but our lunatic fringe is the loopy Senator Brown and his Greens. They are such a small and insignificant party that they resort to stunts like this one to get attention. The sad thing for the petulant Brownie is that the significant protest he wanted to make this week was not to the American leader but to the Chinese (over Tibet). He has had his most prized of plans reduced to tatters (ie been banned from the 2nd session) becuase he chose to act like a prize prat to GDubbya. Serves him right I reckon [img]smile.gif[/img] .

[The Hierophant]

Come on now, the suspended Australian MPs in question should have had the dignity to hold their peace whilst another person was making a formal address, regardless of their opinions of that person. Opportunity to formally address and retort Bush's speech should have been given to Australian representatives though, at which time they could have brought up any issues they wished. But hollering and heckling like a drunken redneck whilst another formal representative is speaking in the parliamentary forum is just bad form, in my opinion at least (and that goes for all MPs, at any time). The problem seems to be with the minimal amount of voice that elected Australian representatives are given in this instance. Since they are not allowed to address Bush and the rest of the house formally, they are reduced to shouting out obscentities ('F**k off and die!' was it? Or 'something to that effect'?) during a formal address. Tsk tsk. [img]graemlins/1disgust.gif[/img]

As for the statue-pulling British protestors, well, go on ahead. It seems a little bit juvenile, but who am I to criticise? I have no love for the Bush administration, but I think that opposition should be put foward in a slightly more dignified manner (maybe scheduling an open parliamentary debate between Bush/Blair and chosen opposition representatives would be more fitting). Although I have to admit, the protests sound like a hell of alot of fun, I just don't think they are going to get anything constructive done.

Hehe. I thought this topic was talking about Greenpeace.

[Chewbacca]

It's about time President Bush got a dose of that concept he occasionally refers to, but is constantly shielded from: free speech.

[ 10-25-2003, 01:51 AM: Message edited by: Chewbacca ]

[Skunk]

I saw the broadcast of the speech (including the 'incident') and no-one shouted words to the effect of: "To the effect of 'you should go off and die'".

Furthermore:
"Brown even shook Bush's hand after the address that was capped by a standing ovation while Nettle tried to pass the U.S. president some papers, which Bush refused.

Brown -- an outspoken critic of the war in Iraq and a campaigner to have two Australian nationals held at the U.S. base in Guantanamo Bay returned to Australia -- interrupted Bush as the president was talking about the end of Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq.

"I didn't shout anything, I spoke very loudly so that President Bush got the message about the two Australians who are illegally held at Guantanamo Bay after President Bush repatriated the four Americans from that hell hole," Brown told CNN.

"But I did say to President Bush, 'Respect Australia. Return the Australians to this nation for justice and if you respect the world's laws, the world will respect you.'"
http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/as...kle/index.html

[Davros]

Skunk - you wouldn't hear those remarks in the footage - it was one of our "learned" protestors that accused a conservative MP who was phsically standing to obstruct her of the "go off and die" remarks. They were allegedly hissed to her as he stood in the way of their advance on the president.

[Davros]

There was a critical editorial in my local paper today of the Greens stunt, and I counted the letters to the editor as 15 against the grandstander and 2 in support.

[Skunk]

Originally posted by Davros: Skunk - you wouldn't hear those remarks in the footage - it was one of our "learned" protestors that accused a conservative MP who was phsically standing to obstruct her of the "go off and die" remarks. They were allegedly hissed to her as he stood in the way of their advance on the president.

Ahhhh. That puts it in a clearer light. The article makes it sound like the alleged remarks were directed at the President - which would be clearly unacceptable behaviour.
If Brown had made those remarks at Nettle, well it would not be abnormal behaviour in a legislature whose parliamentary decorum (as one observer mused) "bear a close resemblance to Australian football rules".

Should Brown have interrupted the President during his speech? No, not if there was an appointed time to publicy voice his opinion to the President in Parliament. If there was no appointed time - when else could he have addressed the President to voice his view?

[ 10-25-2003, 11:35 AM: Message edited by: Skunk ]

[Yorick]

It is interesting that a minority party member from the "unrepresentative swill" (description of the upper house in the immortal words of Prime minister Paul Keating), furthermore the unrepresentative swill from Tasmania, often the butt of "inbreeding jokes" could have such a loud and disproportionate voice in this matter. Who is he representing again? Are the Australians in Guantanamo Bay Tasmanian by any chance? The Senate is the "House of the States".

Bear in mind, I voted Green and hated Paul Keating, but that's by the way.

Anyhow... it is not for him to accost Bush. It would be a decision the elected representatives of Australia need to make a democratic decision and request the return of those citizens. As an ally with an extradition treaty I am sure America would respect the right of Australia to TRY TRAITORS.

As it is Brown needs to limit his protestations to the Australian government. It would be pointless for him to scream at Bush, if Howard is telling Bush "don't worry mate... keep them in custody, keeps them off our hands... the bastards".

Who would Bush listen to? Unrepresentative swill from a minority party in Tasmania, or the Prime Minister of the Government?

Got to get your own house in order first.

[ 10-25-2003, 02:23 PM: Message edited by: Yorick ]

[Yorick]

Good article Skunk.

The behaviour inside our Parliaments is a joke. Consider the sledging Australian Cricketers engage in and magnify it by a thousand. It's ridiculous.