JEFF RICHARDS' WEB DIARYNOTES FROM THE FRINGES OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY(Untitled)- April 26, 2003 Respect and Politics I am reading a book on the issue of respect in social relations by the sociologist Richard Sennett (Respect: The Formation of Character in an Age of Inequality, Allen Lane, London, 2003). Sennett engages in a vigorous unpacking of the concept of respect in modern society. His argument is about the problem of respect in an unequal society. Respect is undermined by inequality. If we wish a society based on respect among humans, then can only come about if we resolve the...http://blogs.salon.com/0001112/2003/04/26.html#a83 (Untitled)- April 25, 2003 Cruise Missle Fired from Perth lands in Canberra On the weekend a cruise missile was fired from Perth at the Australian Labor Party offices in Canberra. The owner of the missile, Kim Beazley declared that he was challenging the leadership of Simon Crean. He denied firing the missile despite all evidence to the bloody obvious! There is no doubt that Crean has failed to mobilise support for the ALP despite recent opportunities that could have given him an advantage. Included in this was the...http://blogs.salon.com/0001112/2003/04/25.html#a82 (Untitled)- April 15, 2003 A role for the United Nations War and Interests. Some among those of us who opposed the invasion and subjugation of Iraq have been calling for the United Nations to take over the role of re-establishing civil order in Iraq. I question this. In my view it is the invaders who must take the responsibility. Why should the UN become the clean up agency. The money should come from the coffers of those who invaded. After all, they are getting the contracts for all sorts of reconstruction activities....http://blogs.salon.com/0001112/2003/04/16.html#a81 (Untitled)- April 15, 2003 The Last Days Very shortly before the collapse of resistance in Baghdad, I began to wonder if the Iraqi information minister had lost his marbles. When tanks and aircraft were busily destroying the outskirts of the city, he kept proclaiming the Baath regime was in control. The now former information minister had a popular following. A web site devoted to him was closed down due to excessive demand (it will be reopened shortly). Its a humorous site, dedicated to his exaggerations. He had some...http://blogs.salon.com/0001112/2003/04/15.html#a80 |