Labor vs Greens, Terrorism, Games and Cheese Quest

[tcpip]

The recent attacks by the Labor Party on the Greens is political suicide. As any strategist should know, when you're in a minority you can't fight a war on two fronts. For years now I have been advocating within the ALP for a real coalition between the two parties. Given a recent decision to preference Family First in the Melbourne by-election, the ALP is, once again, frustrating those who are sympathetic towards them whilst trying to appeal to those who will never support them.

On Sunday gave an address to the Unitarians on Terrorism: A Unitarian-Universalist Response, which emphasised a definition of terrorist that included state and non-state actors, distinguishing between revolutionary action and terrorist action, and offering the proposition that understanding what motivates terrorists provides the possibility of resolving the issue. Particularly impressed by a recent article that points out how unlikely progressive change is without the support of liberal religion.

On Saturday had a visitation from ser_pounce and hathhalla. We continued on our quest to complete the Monty Python cheese-shop sketch with several more ticked off, and played a round of Alpha Animals followed by 221B Baker Street, both fairly average games. Sunday afternoon was another session of Pathfinder Planescape where my character (a were-rat monk) continues on his journey to end up like Master Splinter.

Comments

[17catherines]

Oh, you are kidding me. Again? Why on earth would you do the same stupid thing twice?

(I do think this silly decision making comes out of a certain philosophy I have heard from some Labor party members that Labor basically 'owns' some votes - anything from the left is rightfully theirs, and therefore the Greens are stealing Labor's votes...)

I am sorry to hear this - it must be very frustrating being a left-inclined type in the Labor party these days.

[tcpip]

Well, as I suggested on LJ, they probably think the reward (+ c1-2%) is worth the risk of a FF candidate being elected. But it's not necessary. There is no way that FF would put the Greens before Labor even if Labor put FF last.

Which I think they should do. As a colleague put it quite starkly: "These are the people who want to put us in ovens."

[fluffyblanket.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the helpful links !

[fluffyblanket.livejournal.com]

I remember raisng a few eyebrows at the Central Friends' Meeting House in London when we held meetings of our Federation of Anarcho-Pacifists there .

[fluffyblanket.livejournal.com]

I've just tuned in to Press(UK) . What crap ! It's an Iranian channel and it denounces Saudi Arabia for religious persecution - quite right , but complete hypocrisy coming from them ! I find it extremely difficult in protesting against the patriarchal cruelty of Islam in general without appearing to side with the fascist right . Any ideas ?

[tau-iota-mu-c.livejournal.com]

Of all the potential first preferences, they strike a deal with FF again? What are they smoking? Must cause severe short term memory loss.

[fluffyblanket.livejournal.com]

In your neck of the woods -
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/preston-mosque-in-strife-over-telling-wives-to-share-their-husbands-with-other-women/story-e6frf7kx-1226422997012

[aske.livejournal.com]

I should start paying more attention to what's happening at the Unitarian Church! This coming semester I'll be doing a subject called Terror, Law and War mainly focusing on responses (legal initiatives, military action, torture, etc) to terrorism for my Masters. Looking forward to it.