Tuesday 6 January 2009

No surprise

I don't know why we should be surprised by such things...but news that John Howard will receive the US Medal of Freedom from outgoing President Bush seems some what indecent.
You could think that David Hicks doesn't really have the right to complain, but Mohammed Hanif certainly does. The Captain of the "Tampa" could be forgiven for being outraged, anyone who has been interned on Christmas Island, or Nauru could certainly make the case for being annoyed.
Perhaps, more importantly, any indigenous Australian who had to suffer the bitter stubborness of an arrogant little man who, despite his desire to be seen as an international statesman, could not be seen to utter one little word of apology...well they could eb rightly outraged.
But it rather gives the lie to the quality of such awards.
I always feel disappointed with our national honours to see that so many of those who are given AC and AM are already rewarded with power and wealth, one hope this year it may be different...but it probably won't

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Grace didn't see out the week.

Stephan Clark said...

Cryptic...but this could mean many things
1. I am not gracious to JH... true I have found ti difficult for some time to see him as anything other than a political opportunist. The victim of his own hubris.
2. The Gaza situation. There is always a deep sadness about the sort of gross abuse that is war (on both sides)
3. On a smaller scale our life fritters the grace away so easily, I guess the call to the spiritual person is to try and hang on to this and to recognise it in our midst. The message of Chgristmas

Anonymous said...

Well said.

SouthOzBloke said...

I've become more and more jaded ever since I started seeing sportsmen being awarded Australian of the Year for being good athletes instead of people who have been doing good deeds selflessy for their fellow Aussies.
And now JH getting a medal from GWB. I couldn't agree more with your sentiments.