Jeff Richards Web Diary

Politics from the margins of the Australian Labor Party

Adelaide, South Australia

Please note: I only keep three months worth of commentary on this web space. Those who want to torture themselves a bit more should click this hyperlink

There are two ways of communicating on this web log (blog). You can click the hyperlink 'email this blog's author which is located on the top of the left hand column. On the other hand, if you have some remark about any particular item that I write, you can click the comments hyperlink button which is located beneath every written piece.

I write this stuff because I like writing. Its fun. I am happy that anyone bothers reading it and I am also happy for intelligent conversations about political issues. I don't suffer from the delusion that what I write will change the world. What will change the world is theoretically and historically informed political practice. If you are a responsible human being you should find ways to 'get involved'. You can be conservative, socialist, communist, neo-liberal, anarchist, liberal democrat. You choose your political road... just do it!

Last updated:
6/16/2003; 2:38:40 PM

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Invasion of Iraq

MY FAVORITE LINKS

Please click the hyperlink text below to go there.

Christopher Hitchens: Controversial journalist now scorned by many on the left. He is an impressive thinker with an acidic style. Good exercise for the left wing mind

Counterpunch: Acidic magazine of the left. Very focused on the operations of the Washington elite.

Le Monde Diplomatique: Want the best thinkers on politics in a monthly magazine. Here it is. The very best.

Z-Net: Excellent e-magazine. Full of useful links and articles by journalists of the left.

London Independent: This is a wonderful newspaper. For Iraq coverage I go to the search engine and type 'Robert Fisk' and then, separately 'Patrick Cockburn'

London Review of Books: Want really good essays on politics and literature. Try this

New Left Review: Intellectual flagship of the western left since the early 1960's

John Quiggin: Australia's most intelligent economist and political commentator.

The Nation: Published in New York. This is the American liberal lefts best weekly magazine. It has been around for more than 100 years.

Monthly Review: Intellectual journal of the left from New York. Independent of mind. Read and praised by Albert Einstein (who, like Helen Keller, aka Patty Duke, was a socialist)

Andre Gunder Frank: One of the great socialist scholars. Still alive and doing productive work, principally in the area of international political economy. He has his own well maintained web page.

GO TO MY DIGITAL ARCHIVE: CLICK THIS

Saturday, May 24, 2003

Politics and Religion

The most important conversation in Australian is the Governor General Peter Hollingworth. If ever there was an example of a past returning to haunt a man, this is it. First the scandal of covering up for child molesters in the Anglican Church. Then the accusation that he raped a young woman in the mid 1960’s. Now a repeat performance of blaming a victim for an abuse of power (A 14 year old school girl has an affair with her Anglican school master. The most amazing thing about Hollingworth seems to be his ability to put his foot in his mouth.

I have no affection for this governor general. Compared to William Deanne he is dreadful. When he was a prominent religious figure I regarded him as a socially concerned religious activist. When he was appointed the GG, I saw a different person. He and his wife looked so smug and comfortable in the role, like he deserved it. He seemed and smelled like an English aristocrat.

The worst moment came during the invasion of Iraq. He took himself to be the head cheerleader for Howard. There seemed a begging dog quality about this particular performance. I did not expect the Governor General to take an anti-war stand. I thought that he should have played a conciliatory role in a society that was deeply divided on the issue. He ought to have been a facilitator of a civilised conversation about the issues surrounding this conflict.

Hollingworth should have been a Conservative in the best sense of that word... tradition and continuity; harmony and co-operation among interests in society. Instead he was defeated by his own personal weakness and desire for approval.

Saturday, May 24, 2003

4:08:52 PM comment []

Vitamins and Politics

Today we are in the middle of what is probably the largest recall in Australian history of dietary supplements and non-prescription medications. The therapeutic goods administration has set off a process that is bringing chaos and anxiety among those who consume alternative therapy medications and supplements. They investigated the production process of one the largest manufacturers of non-prescription medications and dietary supplements, Pan Pharmaceuticals and decided that they needed to recall their products. As far as I can understand, the issue is not contamination but uncertain quality control.

I cannot help but think that there is a relation between the timing of the TGA’s recall and the changes to the Medicare system being proposed by the government. Our attention to these changes, which in the long run are a much greater danger to our health than what is occuring with Pan, is constantly being distracted by our fears.

Thursday, May 01, 2003

2:43:54 PM comment []