Wednesday 7 March 2012

An election is...

''An election is nothing more than the advanced auction of stolen goods.''

~ Ambrose Bierce (with thanks to Eric Holowacz)

24 comments:

:John: Babet, Community Reformation Action Group (CRAG) said...

"A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through...all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to fear. The traitor is the plague." - Marcus Tullius Cicero

Michael Weitzmann said...

John Babet, I clicked on your website.....if you love the christian god so much how come there are so many quotes from pagan philosophers? You having a bet each way?

Steve Brech said...

Still better than shooting those you disagree with

:John: Babet Community Reformation Action Group (CRAG) said...

Michael W ... If you knew anything about religion you wouldn't have made such a crass remark.

Who are you anyway? Stand up and show yourself!... or are you one of the psychopaths ...the infiltrated cancers hiding behind silent listings-false- changed names... slyly attacking the community body .

Michael Weitzmann said...

No John I'm not, which even the most basic of checks would reveal (or are you only allowed to read the "good" book?) Maybe I don't know much about religion...perhaps you could tell me why a vengeful and jealous desert god would create creatures with free will, then damn them for excersising same. And how he then changed his mind and wanted to save them, but discovered he was powerless to do so without having to get his own son killed? In the immortal words of someone, please explain? At least the old gods made sense on some levels and didn't judge everyone. But you don't have to worry about that, because Jesus loves you, doesn't he John & that makes you better than me doesn't it? Sorry, but if your website was more than a dumping ground for dead conspiracy theories, selected by you to justify your complains against having to obey the laws of the land and paying the rates and taxes that everyone has to pay as part of being in a civilized society, I might have more respect. You even question the authority of the sovereign! If religion is about values and learning eternal truths, then that is fine. However,being forced to be "saved" by the capricious will of some guy with a white beard on a cloud, using the threat of burning in hell as a motivation, is just not on. BTW I think the quote from Cicero is quiet powerful.....it could have been written about the subversive actions of the christian sect, as they festered and multiplied in the body politic of the Roman Empire, couldn't it? If you have not seen the film Agora, I highly recommend it. Cicero would have been truely horrified by what was coming.....and what the church has "achieved" in the subsequent centuries justifies that horror.

Destiny Prophet said...

"You even question the authority of the sovereign!"


As the sovereign apparently rules by 'divine right' I find it strange Michael W. that it's ok to question and ridicule the 'divine' but not the 'right'.

I don't believe in God or the Queen - well not that one anyway - but can respect those who believe in either or both - and while not a Christian I'd happily quote anything I thought was wise in the Bible because wisdom comes from many directions - not just the one I'm heading in.

I quite like the Marcus Tullius Cicero quotation but it's useless these days - just like Animal Farm - because each side takes it to be referring to their opposition, and never notices it's relevance to their own agenda.

Michael Weitzmann said...

Destiny, your post doesn't suprise me as you often find yourself in agreement with our vile blogger "Hillbilly", which is unfortunate as his is a voice of division and invective. I have not questioned the "divine" per se, just a narrow interpretation of it as pushed by scriptual literalists. However, this doesn't make me a moral relativist either.

As for the sovereign ruling by "divine right", I believe that was settled by a little thing called the English Civil War and the execution of King Charles I. Since the resoration, the monarch has ruled by the consent of parliament and the people and is resposible to them not "god". The ceremony of the coronation is just picturesque window dressing.

And "each" side? There is, and should be, only one side, the greater good of the polity, not that of self interested groups within it pushing their own agendas to the detriment of the community as a whole. The Roman Empire fell and so will our civilization if we do not bear this in mind. Look at the beaureacratisation of the Roman Empire under Diocletian and Constantine I, where the employees of the state proliferated. Sound familiar? If the state eventually consumes more resourses than the productive sector can produce,if individual initiative is stiffled and enterprise smothered by excessive state regulation, that state will fall as surely as the Roman Empire.

Destiny Prophet said...

Actually 'divine right' supposedly ended not after the civil war but the Glorious Revolution when William and Mary managed to take the crown, but the English monarchy was based on divine right and 'by the consent of parliament and the people' is just nice wording to allow the supposed chosen ones and their descendants to remain monarchs - after all parliament and the people can't just ask Scarey Spice for example to take over - the Monarch must be descended from the supposedly divinely appointed ones. 'The consent of parliament and the people' was like a truth and reconciliation commission - a way forward, a way to move on without further bloodshed.
As for Rome - this is the first time I've read it fell because of a bloated bureacracy - that may not have helped but things like difficulty in providing the populace with food due to the environmental degradation of nearby land, foreign military misadventures and barbarian invasions all are certainly recognised causes.

As someone who came to Queensland well after the Bjelke-Petersen era Michael, let me explain the animosity of those of us who lived here then to the LNP and the Moaning Hat - both LNP and KAP retain politicians and officials who sustained Joh in power. Under Joh homosexuals like myself were bashed by the politicised and corrupt police, not because we'd broken a law but because we were homosexual. Illegal brothels, casinos, drug rings etc flourished under the protection, patronage and management of police and National and Liberal ministers. You might remember the police commissioner and some ministers ended up in jail for it. Cancer spared Russ Hinze a conviction and Luke Shaw was instrumental in Joh himself not being convicted.
Joh and the then members of the LNP managed to perpetuate a ridiculous myth of Queensland as an economic miracle while we endured the worst hospitals, schools and roads in the country. Meanwhile visiting dignitaries like fellow vote riggers the Ceausescu's of Romania were feted lavishly. Like the Ceausescu's Joh locked up protestors.
I should have mentioned there were some good roads - like the very nice one the government built as far as the gateway to John Bjelke-Petersen's new property - and not a metre bloody further.

The residents of Yarrabah needed a written pass from the white manager before they could leave the place and if they found work away from there and were permitted to move to it, they then needed a written permission to return on family visits. Need I go on?

When we hear echo's of Bjelke-Petersen in his political descendants, our ears prick up, and we remember what happened in this place before. Those of us who stayed here because it's our home and we hoped for better governance one day, will be forever vigilant that these bastards don't take us back there.

nomooremike said...

@ Weitzmann ..

"There is, and should be, only one side, the greater good of the polity, not that of self interested groups within it pushing their own agendas to the detriment of the community as a whole."

And yet you're not only an apologist for such a group, but you volunteer to help one of them to get elected.

Everyone, apart from people like you, know what Mackenzie is all about, and King, so when you splutter and rant on here as though you were some benevolent deity, we laugh at you.

Michael Weitzmann said...

Guys, be wary of following the lead of the Hillbilly blog. It will turn against anyone who disagrees with it. Whilst I respect everyones right to be different and have their opinion heard, this blog feeds off resentment, hatred and envy and only increases the level of division in the community. It has refered to you Michael as:
"Michael Moore the castrated lamb". If this is representative of the type of political discourse you would like to see more of, then I am sad for you. The viciousness on display will eventually turn in on itself.

As for "interest groups", well I support those who come CLOSEST to supporting:
- Individual resposibility
- Small Government
- Lower regulation
- Lower taxes, lower spending
- Debt reduction
- Cohesive society
- Free enterprise (less red tape)
- Encouragement of the productive sector
- Equality of all before the law
- Respect for tradition

If you find these ideals worthy of but laughter, go ahead. It will be interesting to see who, without them, will be laughing when our society continues to trend onwards, a la Greece.

Destiny Prophet said...

Michael W - obviously I was wrong to think you an LNP voter then.

All the things you accuse Hillbilly of were started by the main focus and the subsidiary focuses of his blog in the most foul unrelenting campaign of lies and slander ever seen in Cairns - Hillbilly at least displays a sense of irony and humour - something your side never did.

I notice you are no longer disposed towards answering the points others make in their rebuttals of you - painted into a corner are we? - or too ignorant of Queensland history to continue?

And how pathetic is your little dob in - you don't think Michael Moore would have seen that?

Pathetic child in need of friends. "If I'm nice to the bullies, they might leave me alone and pick on the other fags." It don't work - remember those words.

nomooremike said...

Michael Weitzmann was banned from the Hillbilly Blog for being abusive to someone who disagreed with him, they weren't abusive to him.

The remark about Mike was made with regards to the damage done to him by the Alan Blake affair.

Weitzmann is a ring-in, and sucking up to this blog author will get him nowhere.


PS: Mike, that cursed "Captcha" will lose you posters, and is totally unnecessary, you have to refresh sometimes a dozen times to get one that is readable.

Michael Weitzmann said...

Dear Destiny,
Actually, I was responding to Michael Moore's post and the points he made there. Having read your last post, I was not inclined to respond to it as you are obviously a very hurt and damaged individual. People so damaged will never forgive or acknowledge that times change. I will not change your mind and I'm not here to discuss the past but rather the future. But now, as I have ignored your plaintive wails about the "evils" of the past, you have descided to lash out at me.

Well Destiny, as you rightly point out, I was not around in Cairns when these "outrages" were perpetrated on you. However, I have been other places & I can assure you a conservative government is not about to send us back to the "Joh" era. Anymore than labor will take you back to the Whitlam era. And by the way, if you find what Hillbilly has to say humorous then that says a lot about your sense of humour.

Further, obviously Michael Moore is on top of what other blogs say about him, I use it as an example of what Hillbilly will do to those who don't toe his line - as an example to other readers.

As for "picking" on things, I'd like to think that you might "pick" on my ideas, rather than me personally. I am disapointed that you have choosen to do the latter, because you are clearly an intelligent person, but if all you think about is the vision of a resurrected Sir Joh and are so scared of it that you feel the need to lash out at any perceived "echo" of any aspect of his outlook, then please, go and bother someone else because that is the last thing I am interested in. But if you would care to address the issues in my point to Michael, such as small government, less red tape, lower spending etc. as above, go ahead.

PS - Are you admitting to attempting to bully me??? I'm civil because that is the way I am, but nice try. I'm not pathetic, I don't feel threatened and I don't need your friendship. Not sure what your lashing out says about you though....but try to keep smiling :-)

Michael Weitzmann said...

Dear Nomooremike, Actually, I was banned from the Hillbilly Blog under the pretext of abuse. The most abusive part of my text was refering to a previous poster as "lying". Ok, perhaps it was too strong but ironically this phrase was in the only part of my post that was made available for others to read.

The real reason I was banned was because, in my post, I gave "Hillbilly" advice to the effect: why don't you post some articles on Sno Boneau's CMC findings after all the things you've (i.e. "Hillbilly")had to say about him. Such advice did not go down well, hence my being banned and "Hillbilly's" rant about HIM setting the agenda. BWT I'm not sucking up to anyone, just referencing facts for others so they can see how "Hillbilly" will turn on those not 100% supportive of his point of view.

I notice the person behind "Hilbilly" has been descibed as "a pathological liar" with "unknown motivations" in other threads and I fully concur with that point of view.
I might be a "ring in" as you elegantly put it (funny how the sort of people who bang on about "inclusiveness" and "diversity" can come right out with terms like this when threatened!!!), but YOU should do some research.

Destiny Prophet said...

I've made my points - although addressed to him, none were intended for Michael W - some people are only of value as a conduit. :)

nomooremike said...

- Individual resposibility [sic]
- Small Government
- Lower regulation
- Lower taxes, lower spending
- Debt reduction
- Cohesive society
- Free enterprise (less red tape)
- Encouragement of the productive sector
- Equality of all before the law
- Respect for tradition


Platitudes, all of them, where are the details?

Michael Weitzmann said...

Destiny, your latest post is short on detail and long on arrogance....

nomooremike said...

@ Weitzmann

Talk about the kettle calling the pot black ... where are YOUR details, why do you never answer questions about policy?

You're all mouth, a ring-in, no substance.

Destiny Prophet said...

True Michael W - because when the going got too tough - you who previously dissected every word just bailed - you set yourself up as judge and jury of what was relevant, answered questions I never asked and ignored my points completely.
Obviously you are a lost cause, but it was an opportunity to remind other people of the excesses of a regime whose minions still occupy positions of power in the LNP so that when they are elected people will see the warning signs.

You were very nice to me in earlier encounters young Michael, because I explained my position politely, which I continued to do until you impolitely began ignoring my points and simply rubbishing me. 'Hurt and damaged' resonates - it's a phrase religious conservatives often use to belittle homosexuals to suggest their thoughts are less worthy because of some hurt they've suffered. Where'd you pick up that phrase and tactic?

Is that enough detail? I prefer to be succinct but some people need every little detail explained. And if you think arrogant is a hurtful epithet think again - who of us is not arrogant who publishes our political views and thinks them important enough to take up other people's time?

I will now allow you the last word as I have a very busy week ahead of me and am hoping, probably in vain, for two days of sunshine when I visit glorious Hervey Bay tomorrow and return to one of the best regional museums in Queensland. (Just had to get in a plug for somewhere else I love)

CBD Warrior said...

The Weitzmann complaints about the Hillbilly blog don't ring true. Plenty of contrary opinions in the comment sections (and it attracts heavy commenting from a wide range of opinions).

It seems Weitzmann waded in there like here and began hammering his right-wing opinions while abusing people. He had plenty of these right-wing opinions published prior to his ban - and the Hillbilly noted for everyone the ban, and why. Full transparency there.

Then he tries the juvenile 'divide and conquer' technique, pitting Michael Moore against the Hillbilly blogger. Both provide useful and necessary info to the community. Divide and conquer doesn't work with thinking people Mr. Weitzmann.

Bryan Law said...

CBD Warrior, hiding behind the rest of the cowards on Hillbilly Hack said recently:

"I was always confused as to how such a lefty, the married Bryan Law, could be such a woman hating fanatic. Then I spotted Margaret Pastorius. 'Nuff said."

Slimy piece of shit. Hillbilly hack suits you (may even be you).

Destiny Prophet said...

I don't agree with Bryan about a lot, but I do on this - the comment about Margaret is disgusting.

KitchenSlut said...

Hey Bryan! Is that similar to other cowards like Gavin King who refuse on social media anybody who doesn't support and block them?

Bryan Law said...

The difference, Mr Slut (or can I call you Kitchen?), is that Gavin posts under his own name. Hillbilly Hack and his cowardly supporters all seek refuge in anonymity - from which they behave in the most vile way. Do you know who the filthy Mr Hack is? Could you tell me please, I'd like to have a little chat.