Teachers accused of anti-US bias
John Garnaut, Geesche Jacobsen and Just Us | 22.08.2005 00:39 | Anti-militarism | Culture | Repression | World
The NSW Teachers Federation condemned costello's comments as "absolute nonsense". Its senior vice-president, Angelo Gavrielatos, said: "The constant denegration of teachers isn't good for the country."
But who owns the problem?
costello: "problems with
American power and
differences in policy
were far outweighed
by benefits."
Since when? And for who?
[file photo's] (Rooters)
AUSTRALIA: The fascist federal treasurer has drawn a rebuke from teachers for warning them against spreading anti-Americanism in schools and suggesting it could mutate into anti-Westernism and terrorist attacks against Australia.
But who owns the problem?
Venturing outside his usual economic territory, peter costello the funny little pastor said many teachers were carrying left-wing ideological baggage from the 1970s.
But nothing about the current state of affairs right pete?
costello: "If your teacher's carrying that bias it tends to get passed on," he said yesterday. "...Anti-Americanism can easily morph into anti-Westernism. Particularly you've seen that with terrorists. They don't really draw distinctions between Americans or Britons or Australians; they just like to hit anybody who they consider to be part of the West."
But if your teacher is telling the truth then that bias has substance and the people who own the problem and the bad habbits ought to fix the problem I would have thought! Something called getting insight into your offending behaviour could actually be a good lesson.
costello's comments followed a lengthy critique of the US-Australia relationship at the Australian American Leadership Dialogue on Saturday night.
The NSW Teachers Federation condemned costello's comments as "absolute nonsense". Its senior vice-president, Angelo Gavrielatos, said: "The constant denegration of teachers isn't good for the country."
US accused of despotism
In his first public speech on foreign policy since becoming treasurer almost 10 years ago, pastor costello, the funny little fellow, acknowledged the existence of problems with American power, such as its success in exporting "distasteful" views on sex and violence through the mass media.
"Unfortunately, America has found it much easier to spread its mass culture than to spread its high principles," he said.
What high principals are those?
Observers said costello had used the speech to inject nuance into the Australia-US relationship, and contrasted it with comments made by some cabinet colleagues.
costello said Australia's regional interests would frequently diverge from America's, as he had made clear in his approaches to international trade, to Indonesia during the Asian economic crisis and more recently to China, when the United States was pushing for it to revalue its currency.
"Australia views this [revaluation] issue through the lens of regional economic stability," he said. "The United States views it in the context of bilateral trade."
costello also contrasted Australia's tolerance of democratic diversity with the utopian values often associated with neoconservatives in the Bush Administration.
"The United States believes it has a 'manifest destiny' to take its view of human rights to the world," he said.
Allan Gyngell, executive director of the Lowy Institute for International Policy, said Mr Costello had "defined Australian policy in the tradition of British empiricism rather than American idealism".
costello said problems with American power and differences in policy were far outweighed by benefits.
"If the world is to have a hegemon, the modern United States is the kind of hegemon we would like to have: democratic, respectful of human rights, with strong and genuine belief in individual liberty," he said.
But Sharon Canty, spokeswoman for the Parents and Citizens Federation, suggested Mr Costello was more interested in media and leadership than policy.
"Evidence of successful education in NSW could be a student's ability to recognise a grab for leadership and media time when they see one," she said.
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More: http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/8848
American power and
differences in policy
were far outweighed
by benefits."
Since when? And for who?
[file photo's] (Rooters)
AUSTRALIA: The fascist federal treasurer has drawn a rebuke from teachers for warning them against spreading anti-Americanism in schools and suggesting it could mutate into anti-Westernism and terrorist attacks against Australia.
But who owns the problem?
Venturing outside his usual economic territory, peter costello the funny little pastor said many teachers were carrying left-wing ideological baggage from the 1970s.
But nothing about the current state of affairs right pete?
costello: "If your teacher's carrying that bias it tends to get passed on," he said yesterday. "...Anti-Americanism can easily morph into anti-Westernism. Particularly you've seen that with terrorists. They don't really draw distinctions between Americans or Britons or Australians; they just like to hit anybody who they consider to be part of the West."
But if your teacher is telling the truth then that bias has substance and the people who own the problem and the bad habbits ought to fix the problem I would have thought! Something called getting insight into your offending behaviour could actually be a good lesson.
costello's comments followed a lengthy critique of the US-Australia relationship at the Australian American Leadership Dialogue on Saturday night.
The NSW Teachers Federation condemned costello's comments as "absolute nonsense". Its senior vice-president, Angelo Gavrielatos, said: "The constant denegration of teachers isn't good for the country."
US accused of despotism
In his first public speech on foreign policy since becoming treasurer almost 10 years ago, pastor costello, the funny little fellow, acknowledged the existence of problems with American power, such as its success in exporting "distasteful" views on sex and violence through the mass media.
"Unfortunately, America has found it much easier to spread its mass culture than to spread its high principles," he said.
What high principals are those?
Observers said costello had used the speech to inject nuance into the Australia-US relationship, and contrasted it with comments made by some cabinet colleagues.
costello said Australia's regional interests would frequently diverge from America's, as he had made clear in his approaches to international trade, to Indonesia during the Asian economic crisis and more recently to China, when the United States was pushing for it to revalue its currency.
"Australia views this [revaluation] issue through the lens of regional economic stability," he said. "The United States views it in the context of bilateral trade."
costello also contrasted Australia's tolerance of democratic diversity with the utopian values often associated with neoconservatives in the Bush Administration.
"The United States believes it has a 'manifest destiny' to take its view of human rights to the world," he said.
Allan Gyngell, executive director of the Lowy Institute for International Policy, said Mr Costello had "defined Australian policy in the tradition of British empiricism rather than American idealism".
costello said problems with American power and differences in policy were far outweighed by benefits.
"If the world is to have a hegemon, the modern United States is the kind of hegemon we would like to have: democratic, respectful of human rights, with strong and genuine belief in individual liberty," he said.
But Sharon Canty, spokeswoman for the Parents and Citizens Federation, suggested Mr Costello was more interested in media and leadership than policy.
"Evidence of successful education in NSW could be a student's ability to recognise a grab for leadership and media time when they see one," she said.
Related:
THOUSANDS of protesters to take over Circular Quay
The protest's organisers have said activists are planning marches, a flotilla near the busy ferry terminal and banner drops from city buildings and Sydney Harbour Bridge. It will conclude with a rally in the Opera House forecourt.
More:
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/8915 The Terrorism of ASIO Laws
Wanda Fish asks Australian Senators to reject Howard's proposal to strengthen laws that already erode our basic legal rights. This legislation has the potential to turn ASIO agents into terrorists who can kidnap and detain innocent Australians simply because they "might know something".
More:
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/8912 190 to destroy and 200 to re-build Afghanistan?
So he calls remarkable progress sending 190 militants off to wage war against all the free and democratic people in Afghanistan? I think that is a remarkable statement. I mean what would he have said if there weren't any problems and he had to send troops just to rebuild after the Taliban regime was overthrown in 2002. Fantastic!
More:
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/8904 Mercy for murderers
Every family member of a 'victim' must feel this way. So when you think of the innocent victims in Bali then also think of the innocent victims in Iraq and Afghanistan the very reason for Bali.
More:
http://www.geocities.com/publik16/archive05/2005c54.html The Kids of Guantanamo Bay
This was false when Lt. Cdr. Burfeind made the statement, and it remains false today. There are apparently nine juveniles in Guantanamo Bay, with five who have been released. To the best of our information (although this is not confirmed), none of these children is being held in Camp Iguana, and we know that some are being held in Camp V, which is the most onerous of the camps, with treatment that is shameful for adults, let alone children.
More:
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/8903 HICKS: Not a Happy Birthday!
'It is time for the Australian Government to request David Hicks' repatriation, before it is too late,' Mrs Obeid added.
More:
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/8862 Two Million Imprisoned = Too Many
On August 13, thousands of people are expected to march in D.C. against rising mass imprisonment in the U.S.
More:
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/8861 World Tribunal on Iraq : Final Declaration of the Jury of Conscience
DECLARATION OF THE JURY OF CONSCIENCE
WORLD TRIBUNAL ON IRAQ - ISTANBUL 23rd - 27th JUNE 2005
In February 2003, weeks before an illegal war was initiated against Iraq, millions of people protested in the streets of the world. That call went unheeded. No international institution had the courage or conscience to stand up to the threat of aggression of the US and UK governments. No one could stop them. It is two years later now. Iraq has been invaded, occupied, and devastated. The attack on Iraq is an attack on justice, on liberty, on our safety, on our future, on us all. We, people of conscience, decided to stand up. We formed the World Tribunal on Iraq (WTI) to demand justice and a peaceful future.
More:
http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/8848
John Garnaut, Geesche Jacobsen and Just Us
e-mail:
gkable@hotmail.com
Homepage:
http://www.geocities.com/publik16/news2
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