There is currently a video circulating the internet, featuring Australian 'celebrities' pleading for mercy for con...victed drug traffickers Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan who are imminently facing the death penalty in Indonesia. There will also be a vigil in Sydney this evening, hosted by musicians and Human Rights advocates.
These men have been on death row since 2006. They were found to be the ringleaders of nine now infamous Australians attempting to smuggle $4 million of heroin into Australia from Bali. Since 2006, countless attempts have been made, through both lawyers and the Australian Government, to save and potentially free these men (among many others).
I don't begin to claim that I can understand what their families are going through, nor do I know firsthand how 'rehabilitated' they are - as they are claiming. If they hadn't been caught, how many people's lives would have been taken, or at the very least, destroyed by that heroin? They are two people. Two people who knew - as we all do on arrival in Indonesia - that the consequences of drug smuggling in that and many other countries, is potential death. Not by a nice little sleepy-bye-bye needle, but a firing squad or in some other South East Asian countries a noose. How many people and their families would have been affected had that heroin made it onto our streets? Yes, I know it's a drop in the ocean. That there is plenty more heroin making it's way to Australians, but these guys weren't jay-walking, or caught breaking some obscure law that nobody knew about.
For as long as I can remember, our media have flooded us with stories of Westerners facing death in international prisons, generally for drug smuggling or dealing. Even back in 1986, we were made more than aware of Barlow and Chambers being hanged in Malaysia. Yet again, our government is being called upon to interfere. To save these 'rehabilitated men'. Could our resources not be put to better use? If we are going to try to save Australians in international prisons, start with the journalists who are locked up in appalling conditions for 'providing false news'.
Are we prepared to open up our justice system (failing as it seems to be at times) and our country to other governments to have an opinion if we lock up their citizens and subject them to our punishments? Should someone stone a woman to death on our territory for having sex outside of marriage when she has been raped, will we set that person free because our law doesn't correspond with theirs and their government or Embassy asked really nicely?
Personally, I've grown tired of Australians (and others, for that matter) who continue to travel to other countries, blatantly abuse their culture, their people and their laws, then cry to all and sundry who will listen when they need bailing out.
Wednesday, 28 January 2015
Monday, 26 January 2015
So bloody lucky.. but that doesn't stop me complaining..
I am fortunate enough to live in a beautiful country, I have family and friends around me, a roof over my head, ready access to fresh food and water and countless modern conveniences... so am I still allowed to complain and be irritated about things? Perhaps a part of this is that grumbling about the trivial things in my life actually reminds me of how very small my troubles are.
I love a good bitch. I really do. Vent, get it out, take a deep breath and move on. That's just how I deal with irritations and annoyances. I know I have it incredibly good. I honestly do. I feel for those who struggle, who are condemned to a difficult life, don't have basic necessities and freedoms, struggle with limitations and ill health. I like to think I contribute a reasonable amount, financially, to charities - although, even that is getting to be a struggle. Which ones are 'worth helping'? I feel I will be judged if I don't help out, yet also if I choose a charity which sucks 90% of it's money to administration and paid staff. I digress. That's what I do. Start on a subject and get distracted by a new tangent. Look! Squirrel! Anyway, as I was saying, I don't claim that any of my problems count on the worldwide scale.
I enjoy many things. Sleep is one of those things. Personal space is another. Anything that gets in the way of those two things will grind my gears. Neighbours thundering around at 6.30am on a weekend? Stop. Fellow commuters touching me, breathing near me, being loud or having an odor of any kind on public transport? Step away from the grumpy bitch.
I like good people - that is an intentionally broad statement. I like many people who are a direct part of my life and affect my every day living. I like people I don't know who do good things in the world. I am both thankful and in awe of those who have made a real difference in their lives, in so many ways... researchers making advances in medicine, folks who constantly help others regardless of the time and sacrifice to their own lives. Those who are trying to improve this world for current and future generations, in whatever way that is.
On the flip-side, I am constantly frustrated by fame whores being shoved in my face, celebrities who are famous for being famous. I understand that it is common in human nature to admire those with talents - musical, performance of any kid... sports people. It seems that these 'celebrities' have been taken to an entire new level of worship and too much emphasis is put on their opinions and actions... but in a small and strange way, they may have earned a little praise and admiration. Famous for being famous? Get back in your cave. There are so many people who continually go unrecognised and truly do incredible things day in, day out... yet the media continue to shove plastic airheads in our faces and analyse everything they have to say as if it matters.
Crime and a lack of consequences are the other thing I like to have a good rant about. I don't take my lack of knowledge of an entire story to be a valid reason for me not to have an opinion on how someone should be punished for a crime. Evidence? Leave that to the lawyers. Justice? Give me a crack. Once you outline the crime and guilt has been established, I'll take it from here. I have a list of what I feel are very just punishments depending on the crime and who it was committed against. These punishments range from sterilisation to death. From 'volunteering' to clean up our streets and towns to public flogging. I feel that I am firm but fair. Anal penetration with acid-dipped pineapples has it's place in my world of punishments. Could I play a part in reducing crime rates? I believe so. No crime too big or small.
Anyone else not get enough sleep last night? :D
I love a good bitch. I really do. Vent, get it out, take a deep breath and move on. That's just how I deal with irritations and annoyances. I know I have it incredibly good. I honestly do. I feel for those who struggle, who are condemned to a difficult life, don't have basic necessities and freedoms, struggle with limitations and ill health. I like to think I contribute a reasonable amount, financially, to charities - although, even that is getting to be a struggle. Which ones are 'worth helping'? I feel I will be judged if I don't help out, yet also if I choose a charity which sucks 90% of it's money to administration and paid staff. I digress. That's what I do. Start on a subject and get distracted by a new tangent. Look! Squirrel! Anyway, as I was saying, I don't claim that any of my problems count on the worldwide scale.
I enjoy many things. Sleep is one of those things. Personal space is another. Anything that gets in the way of those two things will grind my gears. Neighbours thundering around at 6.30am on a weekend? Stop. Fellow commuters touching me, breathing near me, being loud or having an odor of any kind on public transport? Step away from the grumpy bitch.
I like good people - that is an intentionally broad statement. I like many people who are a direct part of my life and affect my every day living. I like people I don't know who do good things in the world. I am both thankful and in awe of those who have made a real difference in their lives, in so many ways... researchers making advances in medicine, folks who constantly help others regardless of the time and sacrifice to their own lives. Those who are trying to improve this world for current and future generations, in whatever way that is.
On the flip-side, I am constantly frustrated by fame whores being shoved in my face, celebrities who are famous for being famous. I understand that it is common in human nature to admire those with talents - musical, performance of any kid... sports people. It seems that these 'celebrities' have been taken to an entire new level of worship and too much emphasis is put on their opinions and actions... but in a small and strange way, they may have earned a little praise and admiration. Famous for being famous? Get back in your cave. There are so many people who continually go unrecognised and truly do incredible things day in, day out... yet the media continue to shove plastic airheads in our faces and analyse everything they have to say as if it matters.
Crime and a lack of consequences are the other thing I like to have a good rant about. I don't take my lack of knowledge of an entire story to be a valid reason for me not to have an opinion on how someone should be punished for a crime. Evidence? Leave that to the lawyers. Justice? Give me a crack. Once you outline the crime and guilt has been established, I'll take it from here. I have a list of what I feel are very just punishments depending on the crime and who it was committed against. These punishments range from sterilisation to death. From 'volunteering' to clean up our streets and towns to public flogging. I feel that I am firm but fair. Anal penetration with acid-dipped pineapples has it's place in my world of punishments. Could I play a part in reducing crime rates? I believe so. No crime too big or small.
Anyone else not get enough sleep last night? :D
Thursday, 22 January 2015
Why do I even HAVE a blog? I'm not famous or anything...
It has occurred to me lately that I have a lot of opinions... and a rather limited vocabulary. Not that I don't know a lot of words - I do, but I don't use them. I have a few favourites which are on repeat, I often 'dumb down' what I want to say in order to not sound stuck up or wanky... or sometimes, I don't say 'fuck' as often as I'd like to avoid offence. I love to read. A lot. I get particular enjoyment from ingesting other people's words that I considered the fact that I should perhaps take some time to get out my own words. I don't particularly think that anyone would be interested in me or what I have to say, it's more of a much needed therapy and a bit of an exercise in getting to know myself a little better.
Me. About me. I am a mother, a daughter, a sister, a friend, a wife, a colleague. Each of those things is a part of what determines the way I live my life. What I do with my days, how I think, where I go and who I speak with when I get there. I like to laugh, to eat, to walk, to watch. I like to make others smile. I like nice smells and sounds. I love music. I don't just love music, I need music. I often wish I were a musician. I dream that I had a sense of tone and rhythm. To be able to sing, or play an instrument and make music of my very own. But I don't. Music is the soundtrack to all of my memories. Each memory I conjure out of the furthest banks of my mind has a backing track appropriate to the period of time that memory was created. My days are filled with an eclectic mix-tape which plays non-stop inside my head. I love to sing along with my favourite songs. Badly. I wish so much that I had a beautiful singing voice and at times in the car with the stereo up loud enough I pretend that I do. I would love so much for my children to be able to look back on me as a mother and remember me singing soothing lullabies or uplifting songs to them. Rather, I think they will look back with one eye squinting and an expression not unlike that you make when experiencing a particularly nasty smell and say "Mum loved to sing, but we always wished she wouldn't".
Me. About me. I am a mother, a daughter, a sister, a friend, a wife, a colleague. Each of those things is a part of what determines the way I live my life. What I do with my days, how I think, where I go and who I speak with when I get there. I like to laugh, to eat, to walk, to watch. I like to make others smile. I like nice smells and sounds. I love music. I don't just love music, I need music. I often wish I were a musician. I dream that I had a sense of tone and rhythm. To be able to sing, or play an instrument and make music of my very own. But I don't. Music is the soundtrack to all of my memories. Each memory I conjure out of the furthest banks of my mind has a backing track appropriate to the period of time that memory was created. My days are filled with an eclectic mix-tape which plays non-stop inside my head. I love to sing along with my favourite songs. Badly. I wish so much that I had a beautiful singing voice and at times in the car with the stereo up loud enough I pretend that I do. I would love so much for my children to be able to look back on me as a mother and remember me singing soothing lullabies or uplifting songs to them. Rather, I think they will look back with one eye squinting and an expression not unlike that you make when experiencing a particularly nasty smell and say "Mum loved to sing, but we always wished she wouldn't".
I'm from an immigrant family - does that still mean I'm an Aussie?
As Australia Day and it's controversy and opinions near... I think about my own heritage and upbringing as a child of an immigrant family. A white, English speaking family, but an immigrant family just the same. I am 'lucky' enough that the background I am from doesn't immediately identify me as a child of immigrant parents, I don't have different eyes or coloured skin and don't wear 'strange' clothing.
I consider myself an Aussie, through and through. I was born here, I have the lazy accent and even say 'strewth' from time to time. I don't cope well with being cold and don't consider a six hour drive to be particularly long to get somewhere for a weekend away.
My parents and two older brothers arrived in Perth in August 1971. I was raised and schooled alongside many other children of 'new Australian' families as well as families who's Australian heritage goes back for many generations. Greek, Italian, Indian... the list is endless. As kids, we didn't know the difference, we were all just kids. Children are cruel and there was teasing. You were teased and taunted if you were big, small, fat, thin, fast, slow... you get the picture.... I have distinct memories of students arriving to our primary school from non-English speaking countries (the one who stands out the clearest was Berit, who came from Denmark and became one of my closest friends through my school years). These kids weren't ostracized - they were embraced. We accepted the challenge to teach them to speak English and how to 'be Australian'. How to avoid blistering sunburn or losing the skin off the soles of your feet in summer. How much tomato sauce to put on your pie or sausage roll, the best seat in the car at a drive-in... the important things.
Many people from these different backgrounds changed our little city for the better. Buildings, designs, gardens - and the food! The culinary options that literally appeared before our eyes. I can so clearly remember the first Chinese restaurant opening in our area and our visits there (they were only on very special occasions, we didn't just eat out for the sake of it back then). Looking back, I guess Mum and Dad hung onto some of their British traditions and embraced some of the Aussie ones.
It saddens me to think of how dramatically attitudes towards immigration have changed over the years. On both sides. There are those who are seen to abuse the system. Who bring hatred and violence with them. Who see our beautiful country as a place to exploit and convert. There are also those who add to our excitement and beauty just by being who they are. Who have enriched our society with their knowledge, culture and traditions. There are people who oppose immigration "but it's ok if they speak English and live like we do". I can think of several examples of Australians who have cruel and violent hearts and have committed despicable acts. The correlation between where you come from and your intent to do good or evil just doesn't seem consistent to me.
I fear for where we are headed, with so much anger and hatred, but have to hold some optimism that there is enough tolerance, understanding and love to remain the Australia that I love and am proud to call home.
Happy Australia Day - but don't 'chuck another shrimp on the barbie'... nobody says that. Ever!
I consider myself an Aussie, through and through. I was born here, I have the lazy accent and even say 'strewth' from time to time. I don't cope well with being cold and don't consider a six hour drive to be particularly long to get somewhere for a weekend away.
My parents and two older brothers arrived in Perth in August 1971. I was raised and schooled alongside many other children of 'new Australian' families as well as families who's Australian heritage goes back for many generations. Greek, Italian, Indian... the list is endless. As kids, we didn't know the difference, we were all just kids. Children are cruel and there was teasing. You were teased and taunted if you were big, small, fat, thin, fast, slow... you get the picture.... I have distinct memories of students arriving to our primary school from non-English speaking countries (the one who stands out the clearest was Berit, who came from Denmark and became one of my closest friends through my school years). These kids weren't ostracized - they were embraced. We accepted the challenge to teach them to speak English and how to 'be Australian'. How to avoid blistering sunburn or losing the skin off the soles of your feet in summer. How much tomato sauce to put on your pie or sausage roll, the best seat in the car at a drive-in... the important things.
Many people from these different backgrounds changed our little city for the better. Buildings, designs, gardens - and the food! The culinary options that literally appeared before our eyes. I can so clearly remember the first Chinese restaurant opening in our area and our visits there (they were only on very special occasions, we didn't just eat out for the sake of it back then). Looking back, I guess Mum and Dad hung onto some of their British traditions and embraced some of the Aussie ones.
It saddens me to think of how dramatically attitudes towards immigration have changed over the years. On both sides. There are those who are seen to abuse the system. Who bring hatred and violence with them. Who see our beautiful country as a place to exploit and convert. There are also those who add to our excitement and beauty just by being who they are. Who have enriched our society with their knowledge, culture and traditions. There are people who oppose immigration "but it's ok if they speak English and live like we do". I can think of several examples of Australians who have cruel and violent hearts and have committed despicable acts. The correlation between where you come from and your intent to do good or evil just doesn't seem consistent to me.
I fear for where we are headed, with so much anger and hatred, but have to hold some optimism that there is enough tolerance, understanding and love to remain the Australia that I love and am proud to call home.
Happy Australia Day - but don't 'chuck another shrimp on the barbie'... nobody says that. Ever!
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