tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1462488453822156883.post2604299563584821866..comments2024-03-29T04:12:15.091+11:00Comments on loon pond: In which the pond ends up back in the days of Bunterism ...Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1462488453822156883.post-31019957958464909712018-07-16T16:14:25.182+10:002018-07-16T16:14:25.182+10:00Ah yes, there's no problem with befriending th...Ah yes, there's no problem with befriending those who, albeit with a charming eccentricity or two, become just as we are (as clearly illustrated by Mr Richards). The waves of immigrants into America being an obvious example of the power of assimilation via "working their way up" (to be replaced at the bottom by the next wave from somewhere else).<br /><br />Australia started down the 'assimilation' route (look up how many immigrant women learned to be 'Australian' from the Women's Weekly in days of yore) but has kinda crossed over into a type of colonial multiculturalism over time - but never with a vote on it or any related matter. Like Brexit, might get the wrong answer.<br /><br />Our sufiest Sufi though, really seems to be the "I'm here, you can raise the drawbridge now" kind of refugee/immigrant. And I think we have one or three of those about.GrueBleennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1462488453822156883.post-59022852511192714632018-07-16T15:41:38.405+10:002018-07-16T15:41:38.405+10:00In defence of the work of Frank Richards, apart fr...In defence of the work of Frank Richards, apart from his particular spin on aspects of English grammar Jamset Ram Singh was at least always presented as highly intelligent and capable; indeed, he was one of the "Famous Five" of particularly admirable, heroic lads in Bunter's Form. He was certainly much less of a caricature than, say, the American student Fisher T Fish. Bunter's casual racism was generally used to indicate his own ignorance and stupidity, and HJRS treated it with a polite contempt that went right over Bunter's head. Unfortunately, judging from his collected thoughts Sherry Sufi seems to be much more of a Bunter and less of a Nabob.<br /><br />It's intriguing to speculate on what became of Bunter when he finally left school. I can't help but suspect that he eventually rose to giddy heights in a Conservative Government - Foreign Minister, perhaps?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1462488453822156883.post-75731823152590404032018-07-16T14:37:27.929+10:002018-07-16T14:37:27.929+10:00Oh how extraordinarily apropos and fortuitously ti...Oh how extraordinarily apropos and fortuitously timely. I'd just finished reading this fascinating thesis:<br />https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2018/07/theres-a-distrubing-reason-europe-has-stayed-so-peaceful-for-so-long/<br /><br />Read all about how moving people en masse across borders was much superior to diaspora or even just targetted emigration. But then, think a little about what happened to Australia post WWII.<br /><br />Notwithstanding, the sufiest Sufi rambled on thuswise: "<i>The first multicultural experiment failed for all equally. No societal framework can sustain itself for long if it ends up becoming a laboratory of conflicted loyalties.</i>"<br /><br />Is this guy so totally ignorant and misguided that he's never heard of the United States of America ? Has he no idea at all about the waves of immigrants through Ellis Island (about 12 million from 1892 to 1954) ? Has he never heard of:<br /><br /><i>Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,<br />With conquering limbs astride from land to land;<br />Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand<br />A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame<br />Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name<br />Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand<br />Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command<br />The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.<br />“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she<br />With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,<br />Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,<br />The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.<br />Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,<br />I lift my lamp beside the golden door!</i>”<br /><br />Sheesh, there's just no remedy for blind, willful ignorance and stupidity is there. What would we do with them all if they couldn't find a home in Murdoch's dens of Wingnut Welfare ?<br /><br />Hmmm. Now on 21 May 2018, the ABC has that Sufi "quit as the chair of the WA Liberals' policy committee", but on 15 July 2018, the Australian has Sufi as "chairman of the WA Liberal Party's policy committee". Oh yes, definitely yet another reptile who is both A and Not-A equating to zero.<br />GrueBleennoreply@blogger.com