I wouldn’t usually do a point-by-point like this, but Andrew Bolt’s retort to Bob Brown today is absolute rot on pretty much every level.
Greens leader Bob Brown demonstrates his unfitness for the position he now holds as the Gillard Government’s navigator and the holder of the balance of power
“The position… as the Gillard Government’s navigator”? I wonder if Bob’s been given some business cards with that title, from the Department of Positions That Don’t Exist. And Adam Bandt is just one of several MPs holding “the balance of power” (stupid concept that is) at the moment.
If the Greens were really “navigating” the Government in this area, for a start we wouldn’t be locking up kids in detention.
First, Iraq was not invaded because I wished it.
Brown didn’t say it was. He said you “stridently” called for it. I thought you took pride in your being influential? Are you saying your calls had no impact at all, that your relentless cheerleading for an invasion in Iraq had no effect whatsoever? Really? Declare it proudly then: I, ANDREW BOLT, AM COMPLETELY INEFFECTUAL. If that’s what you really want to argue.
Second, the toppling of the tyrant Saddam Hussein spared more lives than it cost.
Bolt’s link in that sentence claims, let alone establishes, no such thing.
Third, among the dead at Christmas Islands were Kurds, victims of one of last century’s worst genocides at Halabja and elsewhere (see video) – a genocide carried out on the orders of Saddam, who would be there still had Bob Brown got his way.
Not necessarily. Perhaps the Coalition would’ve come up with a competent plan to topple Saddam without leaving the country in utter chaos afterwards.
Tell the Kurds that removing Saddam was wrong and cost lives.
If the Kurds in question had felt the toppling of Saddam had worked out so well for them, why were they on a boat fleeing the region?
Fourth, Brown claims that the dead off Christmas Island included people who fled as a direct consequence of the liberation of Iraq. He has no evidence for that claim.
POT KETTLE! (#getthis)
Fifth, Brown is upset that I made the call while the “bodies were still in the ocean”. Yes, and? When should I have waited, Bob?
Till the facts were in? Till you knew what had actually happened?
When it no longer mattered to anyone,
To those of us who actually give a damn about the suffering of the people in question, and are not merely using them as a political football, it’ll still matter for a long time yet, Andrew.
and we could ignore what lured these people to their deaths – just as you have ignored what lured up to 170 other boat people to their deaths, too?
Australia not being a war-torn hellhole? I dread to think how Andrew plans to “remedy” that “pull factor”.
Sixth, Brown is a hypocrite. The fires were still burning and we’d counted only a fraction of the dead of Black Saturday when Brown rushed out a press release, falsely claiming the fires were a warning to take political action on global warming.
Ah, he who cries “hypocrite” first wins, does he? As it happens, there’s a much more specific claim of hypocrisy to be made against Bolt, who specifically railed against Brown for daring to reference the bushfires so early, even though Brown wasn’t calling for anyone’s resignation or putting the lives lost on anyone’s head. Oddly enough, Bolt apparently couldn’t find the ABC link when he wrote his original piece, but he’s tracked it down now so readers aren’t directed to his own now-ironic words below:
Preaching over the dead
At least 36 Victorians die in bushfires, and Bob Brown sees on opportunity to preach politics
Why is what Brown did then wrong, but what Bolt did yesterday right?
Seventh, Brown is a moral coward. He lashes out, rather than accepts his share of responsibility for this tragedy. It’s through the weakening of our boat people laws, urged on most stridently by the Greens, that so many people decided to risk their lives again by sailing to Christmas Island. It’s through the weakening of those laws, that up to 200 people now have died in the attempts.
Says you, Bolt. Or maybe it’s the huge increase in refugee numbers around the world, contributed to by invasions in which we’ve been involved. Maybe it’s locating processing centres in remote and dangerous areas (a policy you support).
Also, the present system is not in any way the Greens’ preferred option, which would not involve us locking up kids when we find them, encouraging boats to avoid patrols.
Seven stupid lines that highlight just how little this guy deserves the pulpit from which he preaches.
ELSEWHERE: I think Bolt might be under some pressure back at News. As noted in an update to the TRAGEDY USED post, they’re rewriting events so it seems like Bolt waited till the next day, after others had tastelessly dropped in. Bolt’s swinging wildly at everyone in response – even attacking John Birmingham quite personally (“The self-obsession of such types is so telling”), which seems a bit ungrateful after Birmo honoured Bolt with a heroic cameo in one of his books.
46 Comments
Jeremy – another way to view this is to see AB’s increasing virulence as a defensive gesture. Maybe his position is under threat? Maybe his elders and betters are getting just a bit sick of his ideological ranting which is making enemies for News Limited all over the place?
Sounds like a sign of desperation to me.
He is utterly undeserving of any platform to spread such ignorant bile.
Uhh, how about until after the last refugee had finished drowning? Or until, you know, the evidence for your claims were in. All those bleating conservatives claim to care so much about the potential of refugees drowning in leaky boats, but don’t stop to even think about them as people when they actually do drown.
Then again, what else should we expect from a man willing to use a dead baby as a rant against environmentalism?
Thank you AB. You have finally driven me over the edge. I have just written to Bob Brown pledging my support to the Greens from this day on.
NSW elections are coming up – expect a big swing to the Greens (at least my vote anyway).
A 100% swing to the Greens in your micro electorate Angra?
Deziner – ‘All those bleating conservatives claim to care so much about the potential of refugees drowning in leaky boats, but don’t stop to even think about them as people when they actually do drown.’
This bit does my head in, and as a result of the Bolta’s ‘Broadcast Only’ style of writing, it is impossible to engage with. He _seems_ to be advocating compassion by complaining about so many lives lost, and well he should! But his compassion only extends to his ability to score points off this tragedy. There is no avenue to engage and say ‘Yes Andrew, I agree, we should be more compassionate. What other compassionate policies can we enact?’
The cynical part of me suspects that a lot of Conservative, for want of a better word, ‘compassion’ for refugees is a thinly veiled attempt to oppose boat arrivals. Compassion is not their goal, but concern trolling to make sure no one comes here.
mmm… I see Piers is on the AB bandwagon this morning to – I can only assume he has a little more decorum then AB since he took a day to get on (or maybe it was just his day off!). It may be just that I’m a deluded lefty and i didn’t know it, but seriously these guys and their “regulars” really drive me insane – any time i find myself thinking about voting for the libs it is quickly killed off by their spruiking (aka BS- ing)
Re swinging at John Birmingham – For someone who has previously rattled on about the glass jaws of others, AB’s own seems to be the consistency of fairy floss.
Not sure if he’s swung back at Marx’s piece yet – I’d like to see him try that on.
Resign, Bolt.
And everyone who clicks on News Ltd legitimises Bolt’s position.
Murdoch owns the debate.
News Ltd wins and Mr Bolt has once again earned his cash.
Change the foreign ownership laws to either make it illegal for foreigners like Murdoch to own our newspapers or throw it open to all. You know, like a “free market”.
I suggest we all keep encouraging the ABC to drop him. The justifications get ever more desperate. For my part I am just going to see if we can’t get #Andrewboltmustresign trending on twitter
Has the claim about the “weakening of boat laws” bringing the boats ever been supported by its advocates? After all, it does fit nicely into a soundbite.
Well, according to this research (note that ‘applications’ refers to ‘applications for asylum’ which, as is well known in Australia’s case, exceeds arrivals by boat) …
… there is evidence that policy does have an effect, but that same evidence makes requiring Bob Brown to accept his share of responsibility just ludicrous.
One could equally attribute responsibility to Bolt himself, given the fact that he has repeatedly broadcast claims that the changes in policy have made it easier for people seeking asylum to gain entry to Australia, and that the open and public broadcast of dissenting opinion in their countries of origin is a novel concept and they are therefore more likely to act on something that gives them hope. Self-fulfilling prophecy?
Haneef is holding a news conference in Brisbane right now.
“These events do not bode well for Australia’s reputation”.
“Wrongful arrest and detention in 2007″.
“My reputation has been cleared, but damaged by the wrongful claims against me”
And just who was behind this? Kevin Andrews.
And what was AB’s stance? “Most reasonable people will support Howard over Haneef”
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/ugly-debate-brews-20101216-18zkc.html
Grattan has stepped back from the ‘debate’ and taken some perspective on it. It is clearly evident she is having a go at Bolt with commentary such as:
Ultimately we have to remember Bolt and others are like Pro wrestlers. They stand in the ring with the microphone ranting and raving about how they want a fight and how weak their opponent is. We all know it is fake and is a show. Lots of hair pulling, grunting, slapping and foot stomping. Nothing ever comes of it other than entertaining the frothing crowd to pull the dollars in for the boss.
If Andrew was so seriously concerned about the plight of asylum seekers and what happens to them he should be donating his time to help them. But, of course, it is much easier to criticise than to create in such a situation.
Awesome:
http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/look_at_your_own_hands_bob/asc/P80/#3945445
we wouldnt have the problem of labour and the greens if we changed the system of voting, why dont more successfull people have a bigger say? a junkie has an equal vote as a ceo?? this is a disgrace! people should be judged on wealth and education on how much their votes worth, this would keep the greens out!richandproud of kew (Reply)
Fri 17 Dec 10 (08:44am)
No votes for poor people! Or rick junkies, even if they’re highly educated!
The AFP have been shown to be incompetent and driven by politics. Their evidence exhibited ‘a litany of errors’.
Haneef is now negotiating compensation for the false claims made against him.
Well done Howard and Andrews and the AFP! (Irony, BTW)
“Not sure if he’s swung back at Marx’s piece yet – I’d like to see him try that on.”
I think john’s more than a match for bolta too. I’m looking forward to the response. I don’t always agree with mr b, but he’s got a gift with words …
The banner headline is today’s Australian reads: “Tragedy forces review of ALP’s asylum stance”. By contrast, the headline in The Canberra Times reads: “Gillard resists tragedy inquiry”. Funny that.
News Ltd is obviously freaking out, being excluded from Wikileaks. All their editorial crawling last week has had no payoff, and the scoops keep going to Fairfax.
Chris Mitchell’s head is exploding, Bolt is barking mad, Akerman wallows in his own slime, Dennis Shanahan is off with the fairies, Greg Sheridan is a complete nong, Paul Kelly has disappeared up his own fundament, and so it goes.
News Ltd is desperate to own this maritime tragedy, whatever it takes.
For someone who likes to dish the abuse out to all and sundry who don’t agree absolutely with him, Andrew Bolt seems remarkably thin-skinned.
Oh dear. He’s so right! He’s absolutely nailed the average Greens demographic!
Oh…wait…
Bellistner
“For someone who likes to dish the abuse out to all and sundry who don’t agree absolutely with him, Andrew Bolt seems remarkably thin-skinned”
Try to remember that his opponents are bullies.
The Guardian says it all:
“If 30 Australians drowned in Sydney Harbour it would be a national tragedy. But when 30 or more refugees drown off the Australian coast, it is a political question. Not that Australia has a refugee problem. Last year just 5,500 people sought asylum – less than 2% of the migrant intake. Yet Australia does have a dismal public life largely bereft of courage or humanity, and it has created a national myth that now poisons all sides of politics. “
and Andrew Bolt cements the dismal situation with every enthusiastic blog.
Bolt’s points 3 and 4 are condradictory or at best internally inconsistent.
Halabja happenned in March 1988. I don’t think Kurds fleeing now were doing anything other than fleeing as a consequence of the liberation. Which Bolt disputes in point 4 -
Except Bolt’s previous point that the Asylum seekers included Kurds, from Iraq, fleeing many years after the liberation.
Included but not limited to Iranians.
accepts his share of responsibility for this tragedy. It’s through the weakening of our boat people laws, urged on most stridently by the Greens,
The Greens URGED THIS!!!! How outrageous!
I wonder if he knows who VOTED FOR it? Can you imagine what he would write if the Greens had held the balance of power at the time?
But sucked in to bolt, as pointed out here, his tone is definitely approaching shrill, while the rest of us are winding down for a bit of christmas cheer.
Tis the season to be jolly and all that and no amount of money or support from the idiot commenter’s at his site or pats on the head from evil masters could ever convince me to do what he does. What a price to pay.
BTW didn’t the High Court rule that the Pacific Solution was illegal? Makes a mockery of those who claim the ALP weakened the law when the law wasn’t legal.
Why am I expecting logic from the readers of the Hun, I should know better.
birminghams anticipated #bolticide piece. As they say in rap music circles, shots fired!!!!!
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/blogs/blunt-instrument/the-bloodclot-that-is-andrew-bolt/20101217-190ez.html
Gillard is squirming on TV now.. Wikileaks is “grossly irresponsible” but there has been “no breach of Australian law”.
She looks so embarrassed.
no doubt Bolt will assail Birminghams “abusive” tone, but its a forceful piece indeed, dont know if forceful really equates to abuse, as some forcefulness is so very needed with stubborn heads like Bolt.
Angra – That is the issue with a knee-jerk reaction.. It sometimes results with you ending up with your foot in your own mouth.
I’ve never seen her so weak or uncertain.
Blog Wars with Birmo.
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/blogs/blunt-instrument/the-bloodclot-that-is-andrew-bolt/20101217-190ez.html
Angra – the irreconcilable conflict between the relative freedom of the powerless and the driving instructions for those in power?
I think mr falafel has sent bolta’s blog into meltdown.
It’s not responding at all right now. I wonder if it’s all the winged monkeys trying to be first to report the bad thing the bad man said?
If the Greens hadn’t tried to push the gay marriage issue, none of this would have happened. It’s the slippery slope YET AGAIN!
Bolt still said the Bakhtiyaris were from Pakistan after Paul McGeough found them in Afghanistan and showed the ID that we had obtained for them from the Afghan authorities.
{Snip}
I really think ol’ Bolty is starting to lose the plot. At the very least, it should be clear to nearly everyone now that there is no level to which he will not stoop for a few revenue-raising page hits.
He seems to think his brief is to promote hatred, intolerance and division in the community. {Snip}
Stand by next month for the annual woe-is-me pity-rally post in which he goes on about how much flak he’s copped in the last 12 months and whether he can bear to go on.
Why is Bob Brown sending letters to peoples employers asking for them to be sacked because of things they write?
Is there a chance that he will write to my boss if I write somthing he doesn’t like?
Will he write to yours?
Regarding s*xy’s piece @36 “Is there a chance that he will write to my boss if I write somthing he doesn’t like? Will he write to yours?”
Brilliant. This has got to be Jeremy pretending to be some brainless berk illustrating the logical fallacy of the ‘slippery slope’.
Very subtle. Excellent.
Because the left does not believe in the right to freedom of expression or opinion.
Sorry, unless its theirs.
Or PipBoy could it be because there are limits to free speech and lines that should never be crossed? As Andrew Bolt has called for the resignation of a number of people including Bob Brown it would seem that for anyone to complain when they return the favor is somewhat hypocritical is it not?
The professional idiot loves freedom of expression and the right to free speech. The right to demand the PM’s resignation, the right to slander Bob Brown and Julia Gillard as murderers with “blood on their hands”
But watch him throw a tanty when someone has the audacity to use their own right to freedom of expression to criticise him, particularly if they dare to use his own slimy tactics against him.
When Bolt accuses Brown of having Kurdish “blood on his hands” because of his opposition to the war, Pip calls it “freedom of expression”.
But when Brown applies Bolt’s own logic to him, and accuses HIM of having “blood on his hands” because of his support for the war, suddenly Pip is concerned about Leftist attacks on freedom of expression.
When Bolt claims the PM is personally responsible for this tragedy, says she has “blood on her hands” and calls for her resignation, Pip calls it “freedom of expression”.
But when Brown applies Bolts own logic to him, and demands his resignation (Bolt does have blood on his hands after all, by his own standards) not surprisingly Pip sees more Leftist plots attacking freedom of expression.
The problem is that the Right does believe in freedom of expression and opinion, as long as its THEIRS.
(Nice to see the apprentice idiot is still hard at work trying to justify this loathsome, shabby little man.)
Duncan: apprentice idiot…nice fit. May I borrow it? Mind you, it’s not unique to PiqBoy: most of the Randian wingnuts who haunt these fora look to their master’s (very seldom mistresses) nod with the rapt attention of puppies. Slainte.
There is a fundamental flaw in your paper. You make the assumption that Bolt is writing for the purpose of being read by sane people who have a capacity to think.
Bolt’s captive audience rarely present an argument that strays from the line he promotes and then by a few who constantly rub at their insecurities. For the most part, his sycophants lack that capacity to construct original argument and are content to pay homage to Bolt as some sort of Aryan Messiah who has the key and where with all to protect Australia from an invasion of dark skinned aboriginals from another continent.
His stock in trade is controversy. I am doubtful any one could truly believe most of the garbage he puts to print other than to get a rise. Although he gets two million page impressions through a poorly designed blog format more than anything else, his true support is demonstrated with the ratings of the daily radio program he participates in, next to none.
LOL. And then the next guy disagrees, then the next guy disagrees. It’s just a perpetual circle that suites your argument fine.
The difference is – crystaline clear – that Brown is a pretty famous politician, and Bolt is opinion writer 99% of the population has never heard of.
What is Brown doing wasting his time writing letters about Bolt? If you can’t see the distinction here, you truly are a dolt.
Oh Dingbat – Really, is Ayn Rand the only author they have at that hospital you stay? Perhaps a benz or two and a pat from your nurse might cheer you up!
Pip
Now you are saying that Bob Brown shouldn’t be writing to editors on issues he feels strongly about, because of course the Herald Sun is always inviting him to write columns. So having failed in your first argument now you try another, so just lets be clear, every citizen is entitled to write to the editor of the Herald Sun but NOT Bob because he is so important.
BTW I think you will find Duncan is talking about John Birmingham’s Brisbane Times Post, you see Bob Brown isn’t the only one who thinks this was beyond the pale.
As to wasting time it seems you who has a good handle on that one, You haven’t made much sense so far.
Bot has spent years and scores of columns attacking Bob Brown/The Greens/Labor/Progressives. It’s about time Brown started to give him some of his own back. Long way to go before he gets even though.