Wednesday, September 28, 2005

Racist Slurs - Bullying

Racist slurs, bullying, threatening behaviour, hypocrisy and stupidity are not the preferred traits of our elected politicians. Unfortunately it seems par for the course for some on the religious right of Australian politics.
Well before John Brogden’s ill fated behaviour in Sydney (Australia), leading to his resignation of leader of the opposition in parliament and worse, his executioner, David Clarke had already exposed his own failings.
Clarke, the secretive rabble rouser of the religious right, darling of opus day and all-round head kicker was subject to accusations as far back as December 2004. Accusations of road rage and racists slurs, at the very backdoor of parliament.
A fellow member of the NSW legislative Council (Upper House) and coincidently, fellow Catholic Dr Peter Wong, attempted to raise a road rage incident, in parliament, six months ago.
Dr Wong was prevented, under standing orders, to do so. After a nine-month battle Scarlett Wong, a 22-year-old student, has won the right to have her version of a road rage row with Mr Clarke published in the official record of the NSW Parliament.
In her complaint to the Committee Ms wong charged that Clarke had given a “deliberate incorrect account of events ..."
Ms Wong said she was in her car on Hospital Road (behind Parliament) on December 3 when Mr Clarke suddenly moved his car forward to join the traffic stream and was "almost literally touching my car".
According to Dr Wong’s account Clarke had failed to give way as he was required to under NSW road laws. Ms Wong, a second generation Asian-Australian, shook her head at her passenger and said, "How rude", which prompted Mr Clarke to get out of his car and bang on her window. "I repeated what I said to him. He responded by yelling and shouting, so I wound up my window in fear of agitating him further "As I did this Mr Clarke strode off, and I heard him yelling, 'We do things differently in Australia'," she said.Just to help things along another witness then reprimanded Mr Clarke and then had an argument before the taking a photograph of Mr Clarke's car and numberplate. Clarke has since denied their any racist intent in his language. "It has nothing to do with racism - it has a lot to do with courtesy on our roads. This woman nearly hit me,"
So what are our legislators really thinking when they frame laws? Both the key issues here, road rage and racist language, have been dealt with in the parliament as matter of very serious concern. This concern held by Clarke’s Liberal colleagues as much as the Government.
Clarke was quick to go on the attack against his former leader’s racist comments. But of course, that was merely the ammunition not the primary reason. Clarke is an avowed rightist of the old ‘White Australia Policy’ days. Religion or not he is nothing less than an echo of the countries inglorious past.
Legislations who cannot uphold the laws they help put in place should be stripped of their positions. How can anyone be expected to honour laws which the framers deny themselves?

No comments: