[Julian Shaw]

I have to say that I find these Independent Media web sites that have sprung up around the world as anything other than "Independent" in their views. They are almost entirely dominated by the ultra-left wing. While I understand a lot of the frustrations they have they basically seem to be against anything official, and I mean anything! The question is where does it all fit together? How can you have a society when you are against everything? It's just developing a culture where people think it's cool to criticise the government but never come up with any useful policy ideas.

For example http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/sheffield/ is my local Indy media web page. It's full of stuff which is all true but very one sided. Trust me - this is not what it's like in Sheffield! Sheffield people have a lot of other more local concerns that they have to deal with - crime, poverty, bad housing, ethnic tensions, poor public transport, dog crap everywhere, etc. But if it's not trendy or doesn't have a certain amount of directed anger attached to it then it doesn't make the news.

Sadly Jeff you might be right that it's best to have someone with experience in power (despite their unfortunate policies) rather than have people on board who are just going to come out with useless dogma and nothing constructive. However some would argue that's what the conservatives do anyway. It's such a shame there isn't an organised, constructive left, rather than the shambles we have at the moment - then the conservatives really wouldn't be able to get away with what they get away with now!

Dave - bit of a silly comment. Who wouldn't prefer Howard or Bush to Hussein? At least people can vote them out if they have enough sense to.

Here's a question - if PG were labor leader would he push the party further to the left? Or to guarantee success must Labor always remain towards the centre - like the UKs "New Labour"? I can't believe in his heart that PG has really gone soft on the issues he used to believe in. But to make it in the party he has to either toe the line or get a significant number of party members to start thinking like him. It will be interesting to see if there becomes a "Garrett-ite" group within the party.

Julian

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: David Schultz 
  To: powderworks at cs-lists.cs.colorado.edu 
  Sent: Thursday, October 14, 2004 6:51 PM
  Subject: RE: [Powderworks] NMOC: Funeral of fair Australia


  Gotta say, I read Jeff's comments and thought "Yes!"

  Anyone who who would rather still have Hussein as a world leader instead of Howard (or Bush) is an idiot.
  As is anyone who puts their website in umpteen languages because they're more interested in currying favour with that oh-so-cultured European elite, than of making a rational argument to their fellow countrymen.

  back to lurking,
  Dave

  Jeff and Jane Scott <jscott at iinet.net.au> wrote:
    > From: Felipe Castillo
    >
    > About the victory of the conservatives...
    >
    > http://www.indymedia.org/es/2004/10/112114.shtml
    >


    How about actually accepting the result that people voted for, instead
    of whinging about it?

    One thing's for sure, I'd rather have John Howard running the country
    than the sort of people who write these websites.


    jeff...

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  -----
  David Schultz
  Sainte-Julie né Ottawa

  "Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action." 
  -Benjamin Disraeli
  -----


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