It’s been a while since I’ve read more pompous and self righteous prose than that recently addressed via email by Mark Bahnisch(Lavartus Prodeo) and Ken Parish (Club Troppo) to the embattled Graham Young at On Line Opinion.
by Mademoiselle Lavender lou via flickr
The former can be seen here, the latter at Club Troppo.
I note that one of their major grievances appears to be that this affair has become public. Both blogs have cut Young loose since Christopher Pearson revealed the incipient scandal in the Australian last weekend.
So why do Lavartus Prodeo and Club Troppo object to what is most decidedly a matter of public interest, being put before the public?
Using phrases that are painfully typical of all attempts at middle class repression, they conclude that none of it is in the public interest, even though it raises questions of freedom of speech, religious freedom of speech, moderating across the board, the right to publish opposing opinions, corporate censorship, and much more.
Why on earth would these two blogs seek to keep these matters out of the public domain, and to silence public discussion?
Indeed, so strongly do they or their supporters feel that they have even attacked a comment I left at the Drum, and the Drum itself for publishing my comment.
What? Nobody is allowed to disagree, even on the ABC site, with these self proclaimed authority figures?
Thanks for telling the public it’s none of our concern, chaps. The public really loves people like you telling us what is and isn’t in our interests.
As my headline implies, it is precisely when eruptions such as these occur that an opportunity for public discussion about important matters presents itself.
There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in, chaps. That’s how the light gets in.
How sad that Bahnisch and Parish have attempted to smother public debate, and instead avail themselves of the opportunity to strut the high moral ground.
And how moral is it to dump a colleague at the first sign of trouble? Young has never had complaints such as these made against him before in years of publishing a vast array of opinion.
Ring the bells that still can ring, forget your perfect offering, there is a crack, a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in…L Cohen via Emerson
BTW
Re the anti discrimination option:
Mikey Bear, who is Greg Storer’s partner, left the following reply on the blog when I asked the anti discrimination question (before I knew the Victorian legislation):
“Why must they go to via an anti-discrimination path? That’s ludicrous. A letter to the advertisers proved far simpler, effective and expedient.”
So I guess that means we had better resign ourselves to global corporations deciding what we’ll read in the blogosphere.
As Andrew Bartlett points out on his blog, two of the most rabid columnists in Australia run blogs with vile commentary in the mainstream media, and no corporations ever pull their advertising because of them.
No Place For Sheep 
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