Can You Help Others

[bum]

I'm not sure what relevance they had when they were first brought up though.

Welcome to Off Topic.

Argue his reasons for bringing it up, not against its continued discussion.

 

[manticle]

I'm arguing against the introduction of the straw man and against diversionary tactics which is how I see the entire 'boat people' issue at large.

Just for interest's sake: my argument on the whole topic of 'boat people' is that it should be a non-issue. A very small number of people per year come here, presumably fleeing very extreme circumstances. They get demonised (queue jumpers, illegal blah blah) and people fall for that jargon and ignore anything of any substance - whether that relates specifically to the refugees and where/what they've come from or whether it relates to issues of a different nature.

They get locked up in detention centres for potentially ridiculous amounts of time (adding weight to the reason they tried to queue jump in the first place - wait for bureaucracy to sort out their paperwork and watch your family get slaughtered) then mostly get granted some kind of status (sometimes on shit visas that have no benefits and no right to work extinguishing the ridiculous notion that they are all here to rape our less than generous welfare system) while plenty of happy backpackers outstay their visas and keep working when they are supposed to have gone home. No-one seems to give a shit if Mike their local Irish barman was supposed to have gone back in May but the mysterious faceless afghani somehow cops all the self righteous tax payers' rage.

I know you know the issues surrounding the ridiculous beat-up that this whole illegal queue jumper thingy has become and I assume you can understand why I would rather concentrate on other issues rather than be dragged into what is really quite a ludicrous argument.

Not sure why you think I was arguing against continued discussion - I quoted Barls but my last point was merely a reflection on the discussion. The only other post I made in the whole thread was a link to medecins sans frontieres which has a donate link for some of the regions mentioned in the first post. The first post offered interested posters no specific way of donating so i thought I'd provide one.

 

[bum]

The first post offered interested posters no specific way of donating so i thought I'd provide one.

The first post offered interest posters...um...little of anything much. I'm sure the intention was good, of course.

Look, I'm sure we're both on the same page for much of the issue but there is one point where we diverge (and it is relevant, bear with me). Yes, politicians do use this issue as a smokescreen to cover up for either failed policies or a lack of policy but they don't pull it out of nowhere - they are preying on a real fear in the community. A fear that, like it or not, is present enough to shape the political landscape of this country despite the number of boat people arriving here each year being in such insignificant numbers. While the rhetoric is worthless the position cannot be ignored because it won't go away and it does have a real effect on the community.

 

[michael_aussie]

I'm sure the OP had a good intention when they posted here.

From the direction the thread has progressed, I'm not sure it has been at all helpful.

I was always taught as a child, don't discuss religion and politics. Maybe we should also add charity to the list of "don't go theres".

As each of us live our life we make choices about who or what or where our charity money goes to. Some people are extremely generous with this money. Others not so. Some choose to share in their close circle .. family.. extended family and friends others sponsor kids or buy sporting crap at fund raisers, or shell out a percentage of their income at their church, buy poppies and ANZAC badges or whatever.

I think each should be left to their own.
I think this topic shouldnt be discussed in a Beer forum. It can only cause bad blood.

Peace everyone.. .. give wherever you want to give, and dont mind what anyone one else says, does or thinks.

My 2c.

 

[goomboogo]

I think this topic shouldnt be discussed in a Beer forum. It can only cause bad blood.

A beer forum it may be but the 'Off Topic' section it is.

 

[manticle]

The first post offered interest posters...um...little of anything much. I'm sure the intention was good, of course.

Look, I'm sure we're both on the same page for much of the issue but there is one point where we diverge (and it is relevant, bear with me). Yes, politicians do use this issue as a smokescreen to cover up for either failed policies or a lack of policy but they don't pull it out of nowhere - they are preying on a real fear in the community. A fear that, like it or not, is present enough to shape the political landscape of this country despite the number of boat people arriving here each year being in such insignificant numbers. While the rhetoric is worthless the position cannot be ignored because it won't go away and it does have a real effect on the community.

I agree. The fact that people fall for it frustrates me so much I don't even know where to begin.

My position is not 'who cares?' it's WHO CARES!!?? if you take my meaning.

Basically a few people who could probably do with more compassion than castigation go through a lot of shit to try and not get killed and get faced with this kind of irrational bullshit from governments and population alike.

I'm retreating more and more from these kinds of things because I honestly believe I can only be responsible for not personally contributing to the bullshit. If people want to keep heads in arse then the cycle will continue to be perpetuated but at least I can remove myself from that cycle.

Selfish maybe but I'm only 35 and I'd rather not have a heart attack brought on by others' stupidity. I also firmly believe that if more people took responsibility for their own lives (including awareness of the impact they have on others around them) and worried less about what everybody else is doing that we'd all be much better off. People poking their noses in left, right and centre is what fucks things up (on every level).

 

[goomboogo]

Selfish maybe but I'm only 35 and I'd rather not have a heart attack brought on by others' stupidity.

I don't know why but I thought you were a lot older.

 

[manticle]

I do have some grey hairs. You don't think my avatar is me do you? (many people do)

 

[goomboogo]

I do have some grey hairs. You don't think my avatar is me do you? (many people do)

That's why I assumed you were older. I just thought MacGowan had moved to Brunswick West.

 

[manticle]

He does perform a lot in my house and we drink beer for beer until i need to go to bed. He stays up - that's why he looks so old.