ON THE WALLABY- 11th June 2006

"Always stand on principle, even if you stand alone.": - John Quincy Adams - (1767-1848) 6th US President.

GUANTANOMO BAY, DAVID HICKS AND AUSTRALIAN PRINCIPLE

I have no doubt that President Adams, who’s quotation heads this bulletin, would hang his head in shame at what “his” America has become and through that also, what our Australia is becoming .

I cannot find it in me anywhere to find any sympathy or empathy with President Bush and his cohorts for his creation and maintenance of Guantanamo Bay and the Australian Governments treatment, or lack thereof, of David Hicks is nothing short of deplorable.

Yes, we in the “free world” do face a terrorism threat. That is undeniable but I would also ask my readers in Australia and America (take naote of the very much misnamed P.A.T.R.I.O.T Act) to think about what freedoms, in the name of ”the terrorist threat” , they have lost also.

Guantanamo Bay was supposedly for the “worst of the worst” and yet the UK Government has had the courage, and the will, to “give the bird” to President Bush and have the British prisoners released.

Today we learn that three inmates have committed suicide and over 40 have tried.

There will be those amongst us who say "so what" and in answer I would ask "have we not then stooped to the same level as those we are fighting" and have ANY of these men yet been found guilty?

Put simply, Tony Blair has shown courage in taking his actions and showing respect for British citizens whereas John Howard, as the David Hicks example shows only too well ( to say nothing of Claudia Rau and others) has shown none.

When so many eminent legal minds across the world have pilloried the American actions and attitude and our Government has remained mute, surely that tells us something?

What has happened top the Aussie mantra of “a fair go” for all?

Yessir, John Quincy Adams would be hard pressed to find anyone to stand with him in today’s American political landscape.

The reality is also that a whole lot (read most) of Australian politicians would be “missing in action” as well and that I find enormously saddening.

Carpe diem

Tony

Tony Fountain

Professional Speaker, auctioneer and author

Sydney NSW Australia

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