Open letters are the hissy fits of our times, petulant and tedious expressions of collective outrage. It is also by some considerable measure the laziest form of protest.
In other words, the terminally aggrieved could take to the barricades but that would mean having to walk all the way to the barricades, standing around, feeling uncomfortable and what if it rained? It’s much easier to simply put names to a letter someone else had written in strident agreement with its contents.
There is one particularly egregious example of the open letter that caught my eye last night. It comes from the Columbia Journalism Review and is allegedly an open letter from the American press corps to President-elect Donald Trump.
As if journalists weren’t despised enough by the community, along comes this haughty expression of well … a journalist’s basic job description albeit dripping in sanctimony and self-importance. It even includes the grammatical venal sin of writing ‘you’re’ as ‘your’. Tsk, tsk, tsk.
Full column here.
I thought bail conditions in Victoria had been tightened after the tragic death of Jill Meagher. Why are dangerous criminals roaming the streets?
Why are Australians marching here against Trump? He is the democratically elected leader of another country. It has nothing to do with us. Just imagine if Americans started demonstrating on their streets against one of our leaders. How would we feel? Pathetic hysteria that seems trendy right now.
In any event I don’t think it worries him at all.
People are entitled to protest peacefully for whatever reason. We should never get upset about that.
I guess my thought on the celebrities mouthing off and the demo’s is how many off them got off their backsides and voted in the first place?
I really hope that Trump can walk the walk, don’t like him but our political class needs (as JB would say) it right up em.
Agreed, Tracy. The best form of protest is done at the ballot box and given less than half of eligible voters cast their ballots, protests today in the US are a case of shutting the door after the horse has bolted. Same time, people assembling in peaceful protest for whatever reason is a fundamental right.
Well I would hazard a guess that a fair percentage of the women marching in Australia have absolutely no knowledge whatsoever of life and the electoral politics in the USA. They are going on mob hysteria or what they read in the press. Neither of which are unbiased.
I grant you that if every woman in the marches in the USA had actually voted – and against Trump – they had a cause. Had they done all this before the election they may have had the result they seem to have wanted.
How would you like to be in a two horse race Avon where you won by 3 million yards and were given 2nd place?
Well the Democrats should have made sure their message was strong enough to get more of their voters to get out of bed that day and cast their vote I guess. It’s their system and they should know how to get it to work better for them – not so? No use crying foul after the event.
Let’s face it there are far worse dictators around the world doing terrible things – and I don’t notice mass demonstrations against them in other countries. Pathetic
Yes you are totally correct. It is the ‘college’ system. We have a similar thing here…you can win the most votes (e.g. Beazley, 1996) but that is not good enough. It must transfer into SEATS…our own college system Hee hee!
Agree Bassy. The preference voting here is manipulated. I have always thought it should be first past the post. End of story
AVON:- Why First Past the Post does not work well here in The Land of Oz
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/may-the-least-loathed-win-20100719-10hp1.html?comments=68
And the rules weren’t known to all jockeys?
Exactly Dwight. I just wonder if all of those demonstrators on the streets of America got out of bed to vote that day. If not, they are hypocrites.
When the Portland rioters were being arraigned it was noted that most of them weren’t even registered to vote.
Happens every state election in SA
The SA Libs like one nation have no polices. You must have forgotten about the “Playmander” that kept the Libs in government for 40 years by having a 10-1 rural votes of city votes. the Liberal leader last words before the last election say it all. “If people in South Australia want change, they want a better future, they want to grow our economy then they need to vote Labor tomorrow,” Mr Marshall told a packed press conference.
if you want to complain that clinton won the popular vote but lost the election then complain to those responsible, clinton and her election team.
i believe that as candidate she didn’t spend an hour in Wisconsin, there were reports of a shouting match with Bill because he thought she was not going well with middle class Mid-West catholics and he wanted her to accept an invitation to speak at Notre Dame and she wouldn’t, etc etc.
she won the popular vote by about the margin in California, but lost states she really should have won.
that’s just lousy politics, but then she is a rubbish politician.
It’s called solidarity Yvonne, sympatico if you like.
I would like to think that it could be reciprocal and US citizens would march in in protest if say, Tony Abbott was reinstalled as Prime Minister. In matters of minding your own damn business……………..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3IaKVmkXuk
Most Americans wouldn’t even know where Australia is, JB, let alone who Tony Abbott might be.
Apologies Dwight – not meant in a nasty way, but they are very insular, generally speaking
None taken. We in the great midwest are a long way from foreign climes.
So Trump ranted about putting America and Americans first while standing next to his foreign born wife. And not the first either.
What! American girls not good enough for him. I think I know how Trump is going to make America again. He will sit in the oval office instructing everybody to “get out there and fix it, make this country great again etc, and when they fail to do so he will call a press conference and very publicly “fire” them. “Oh, what a great leader” the people will cry.
Yvonne.
I have it on good authority that the first lady is a spy working for the Kremlin. Donald Trump did not want to run for President, but the Russians and the Deutsche Bank have the goods on him and gave him no choice.
Effectively that irresistibly gorgeous First Lady is the President of the United States. The Russkies initiated “Operation Washington” as early as 1974.
Interesting times ahead.
Trump doesn’t believe in climate change Baptiste now what do you make of that? Coast loves him.
What can I say Trevor, dumb and dumber?
Good on her JB.
Republicans is fine
If you’re a multi-millionaire
Democrats is fair
If all you own is what you wear
Neither of ’em’s really right
Cause neither of ’em care
Frank Zappa – Hot Plate Heaven at the Green Hotel
Frank was a very astute observer/commentator on the American condition.
Well it will be interesting to see if Trump lives up to his promises to fix that won’t it?
Try as I might I can’t get this out of my head:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUz9j0sTiXE
I see Shaun Marsh had a great knock in the Big Bash tonight to earn him man of the match.
This follows Matthew Wade’s man of the match One Day century, and they with Renshaw, Hanscomb and Lyon are in the squad for India.
The common denominater was Dismayed bagging each as not deserving of a baggy green. Come on mate, have a go at me, I might get a call up for North Perth after 40 years on the sidelines.
Adam Zampa did himself no favours mouthing off about his non-selection…wots up with these blokes? They need to keep their mouths closed. Maxwell’s mouth has cost him as well. Young players need to go to school on this. I never recall players of years back whingeing about non-selection on TV and in the papers. I like what Boof said…anybody can play for Australia…all they have to do is score enough runs and take enough wickets.
Bassman. Zampa was the best ODI blowler for Australia in 2016. They are taking s. O’Keefe because he will bowl defensively and keep things tight as Zampa can. Swepson probably wont play and should have stayed in Australia and played Shield. Jon Holland has not even heard from the selectors since coming home from Sri Lanka having played the last 2 tests and taking a lot of wickets in the shield cricket before the BBL. Darren Lehman spoke out in his early years and took a decade to play for Australia so too J. Siddons and Brad Hodge, Stuart Law. Maxwell told the truth and was penalised. I think the selectors have made some very strange selections but that is the Hohns way. Form and performance don’t seem to count when he is head of selection.
I know all that and agree with you BUT he will only injure his chances. Sadly, many have missed out in past years when their figures were the best. Someone needs to have a talk with him or as Chapelli has said ‘give him a good spanking’.
More egg on my face…Zampa killed em tonite…great slower ball.
I was going to say he’s playing tonight. I don’t recall him having a go at the selectors either.
I saw it on TV in an interview…will try and search.
You continue to embarrass yourself Lou. 1 score all summer and you have S.Marsh next to Bradman and beside Voges. Wade dropped catches and missed stumping’s in the last ODI. Renshaw will be shown up in India. Ashley Mallet, Chappelli and a few others have already noted his flawed footwork. At the time of selection I said Handscombe was the only one who probably deserves his chance and to date he has made the most of it. I don’t need to have ago at you, you make yourself look ridiculous every time you comment even more so on cricket.
How many stumping did Wade miss last night, to many to count. Bies? lost count.
Dwight:
Must say I was quite surprised at the religious flavour of the ceremony. I had not realised that Americans were still so ”Christian” – although the rabbi put in a word too.
Yvonne – Most Americans identify as Christians, depending on the poll you accept – 70-80 percent.
But then I saw a recent survey by LifeWay Research claiming most American Christians are heretics – they all have a Bible in the home but it stays on the mantle piece as a “lucky rabbit’s foot” next to the urn with grandpa’s ashes.
As they say – “go figure”.-
Just like most Indonesian muslims are animist. Never hurts to ‘refine’ your concepts of what your religion really is.
“If English was good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for me!”
Yep. One of the most religious countries in the west. 51% of Americans go to church regularly. 76% claim an affiliation (70% Christian). 88% believe in God. The US’s official motto is “In God We Trust”.
I don’t believe that a committed atheist could get elected POTUS–probably for a long time yet.
Sam Moore did a lovely rendition of God Bless America at the inauguration.
Zvrerev – Nadal.
What an awesome match. Zvrerev is only 18 and fought it all the way. Despite suffering severe cramp in the fifth, he stuck it out. Our little prima donnas would have limped off blaming trainers and anyone else in the firing line.
No tantrums, no obscenities from this youngster. And Nadal – always the gentleman. This is how the game is played. Makes Kyrgios look like a complete idiot.
Stunning Yvonne that young Zverev a champion of the future he’s only 19yo now!
Yes he’s looking good HB. Only issue is with a young body like that taking such a hammering on that surface. Needs careful handling. He needs to develop those muscles over time. But it was a great match and hopefully we’ll see a lot more of him. I think he may well have beaten Nadal if he hadn’t succumbed to cramps.
Just reading sad cases of cities closing down in jobs in America under Obama like Detroit city car manufacturing hit hard. Middle class America will benefit while the elite bludges shut down with many in the cities voted against Trump .Seems he targeted those ignored by Democrats in the country for votes.
I will cast my opinion in 12 months on success or failure , but will not cop hate bias . Americans voted for change to have a better successful America on the jobs front and not want cities like Detroit closed down with health failures.
.
NONSENSE……Obama successfully took the USA through the GFC. Trump has inherited an econoy much much stronger than the mess Bush left him. Yes there is debt but that is because Obama was STILL fighting Bush’s 3 wars, the rise of ISIS due to Bush as well as paying off the massive tax cuts he gave to the super rich.
&
Private Sector Job Creation:-George Bush minus 462,000…he LOST jobs. Obama 2009-16-14million new jobs.
Unemployment:- Bush INHERITED 4.2% on election. He takes unemployment up to 7.9%. Obama takes it down from Bush’s 7.9%, successfully takes USA through the GFC and leaves with unemployment at 4.7%. Company Profits:- Bush-$671b. Obama-$1.6Trillion.
Sorry, they do. A scoop or slant of journalists. I would have thought a nod to alcohol would have been made.
For what it’s worth, some collective nouns:
A worship of writers.
A shrivel of critics.
They don’t have one for journalists.
A jail cell of journalists.