Racism arrived with the First Fleet. It’s had time to put down very deep roots.. Continue reading »
Culture and Religion
“I want my tenderness back…Give me back that soft, sacred part of myself that weeps at the corpses of children, so I can Behold the world gently again…” – Caitlin Johnstone Even in difficult times, Compassion is the sustaining ethic for all major faith traditions and underpins civilised living in our democracy. Our various forms Continue reading »
There’s nothing profound about the Biblical quote; variations are embedded in many religions and cultures. So it needs no prophet, seer or conman to make this prediction: After a war like the current one in Gaza has cooled, the survivors will be bent on revenge. The ancient tragedy is underway just next door in Papua, Continue reading »
The statement released by the Prime Minister’s office concerning the visit of Chinese Premier Li Qiang notes that there will be a ‘community event to recognise the significant contributions of the over one million members of the Chinese-Australian community to our nation’s multicultural success story’. But what Chinese-Australians truly desire is to be treated as Continue reading »
Yuan Yang is what migration academics call a “1.5 generation migrant” – meaning she was born in her country of origin and then migrated to another country as a child. She belongs, too, to what Chinese people call jiulinhou – the generation of people born in the 1990s. As a writer, she is interested in Continue reading »
At one of the world’s oldest film festivals, 240 pictures from 50 countries were shown in Russia. Last week the 46th Moscow International Film Festival (MIFF) concluded in Moscow. MIFF was first held in 1935 and is one of the oldest film festivals in the world. Over the years, its winners have included some of Continue reading »
“It’s a bit silly in this day and age but that’s how it is.” Russell Chapman is well-placed to talk about what he’s called the “West of Scotland disease”. That is the continuing bitter rivalry between Rangers, “the Queen’s team”, and Celtic, with its “loyalty to [the church of] Rome”. As a five or six-year-old, Continue reading »
Before attempting an answer, first let us hold the mirror up to obvious signs of our dysfunction. The last few days have spotlighted electronic media, the billionaires who profit from it, and their business model which refuses accountability. Domestic violence has many causes but misogynist treatment of women as objects of male fantasy is standard Continue reading »
We must always condemn violence. There must be no tolerance for brutality, and we must take action to diminish violence whether it is tied to family violence, a chronic lack of support for crucial mental health work or to sectarianism. The stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel on the weekend during his church service, days Continue reading »
You would think that the suffering we are now seeing, including on and after October 7, would also compel international leaders to negotiate a peaceful future. There is no future in hate. In his vibrant State of the Union address the U.S. President, Joe Biden, referenced what he loves about America. This includes the way Continue reading »