Opinion
We can’t help but compare the horrors of the world to our own when we look at the violence that is happening around the globe.
The sight of soldiers gathering at borders, riots caused by violence against race, freedom, and self-determination are all signs of growing global unrest.
It is becoming increasingly clear that all the wealth that we have slaved for and pushed into large piles in the hope that others would manage it better, could be at risk of being destroyed like microbes in a drought.
Is there any hope?
Look across the Pacific to see what is happening to the United States of America. The evidence of growing world disorder becomes more alarming.
Why not look at the USA! Scott Morrison, who restored our ties to that conglomeration by signing a new nuke deal, but more importantly, we share a national pride, a stubborn passion about freedom. Both new settlers to these countries created a space out of nature that offered enough challenges to keep people working together, and not against each other.
Something happened in the USA, not Australia or Canada next door, and it set the young nation on an unforgiving course. It was gunfire, decorated in militia colours and worshiped. British masters were defeated by Muskets. Volunteer soldiers were sniping behind stone walls. Benjamin Franklin, a master diplomat, convinced the French to complete the task.
Three decades later, the war against the British hierarchy was again fought. The victory for the USA brought a great deal of optimism and that smug confidence and power. To defend this position, more guns were needed. An industry was created to supply the demand.
This national pride and sense o individual power crept into young people, encouraging stoic individualism. Guns were always used to defend them. Made in America.
The next war Liberty fought was against her own. It was a result of jealousy and hatred towards those who had and those who didn’t. Racism was at its core in that fight, and the anger generated by killings and unjust bruteties simmered for as many generations as those stories were shared.
Cormac McCarthy, a modern writer, used that hate and violence in his prose to write popular prose. Trump must have consulted these books often to stay away from the Mexicans and to praise the Proud Boys who would be right at home with a south-bound scalping party.
In civil war America, the line of hatred followed latitude. However, today, the chances of striking one of the many angry cells – which are fuelled by anxiety – is so slim that it’s almost impossible to catch COVID.
Despite the election, there has been no change in the United States. Red and blue, Yankee and Confederate: There is no way to mend this century. If I were a punting man, I would bet the worst is yet.
In the meantime, Downunder…
Unity through adversity, a hallmark of the Australian way to live, is a hallmark of the Australian way. Here, the spoken word is more persuasive then a gun and neighbors share stories of kindness.
It’s Christmastime in the land that has sun and rain. For a long time, Australians have been able to defend their community against the wrath of nature’s ire through bush fires and drought. There is no place on this continent where the dark pall of human hatred and distrust is even a shadow of nature’s wrath.
It is very fortunate that the rain, wind and fire, as well as fire and fury, dominate down under. This allows Australia’s good people to work together in common cause.
This way, our environment encourages random acts of kindness.
What can you possibly say?
This was evident in the Christmas bushfires that occurred two years ago. Paddocks were scorched, and cattle had their sale – into a depressed market.
A B-double load hay of hay was a welcome relief for one family. However, it was not clear why it arrived so quickly after the disaster. The gift of feed came from an interstate family, who had been helped through a similar circumstance 25 years before. The kindness was repaid.
The story was similar all along the firefront, with neighbours helping neighbors not only during the fight, but also long after, when trauma played in the minds of victims.
These acts of generosity are part and parcel of the true tradition in human story telling.
Everyday Australians did the most kind thing by sending all the precious guns to their furnace. Who would have known that the Liberal government made the decision to act, and who would have predicted that the outcome would be so satisfying? Despite the belief that crime is declining, we see a steady decline in crime in our country.
Australian farmers have had the opportunity to work together, despite the dangers of bushfires and bare fields. Long may friendship last.
While it is true that criminals are the only ones who have guns, most of those blokes shoot at one another. If every victim of a crime could have a gun, there would be collateral destruction all around the district. We would then be discussing hate, not co-operation or unity.
People distrust those in authority, even though they are being looked after well. Their cries for attention are a sign of a population being duped and manipulated by forces for evil who want to convince people to believe the worst and live in fear. I’m not joking, there are many who consider this reporter a Polyanna. But I believe what you see and there is more goodness than evil.
Conspiracy theorists from Australia have a well-respected voice that suggests that we aren’t being managed well. However, sickness and death remain so far away that we need to search for evidence of impending disaster abroad.
People don’t want people to believe in goodness because they are trained to look for evil. This is what television drama tells us, but in Australia we can do more.
Where do you start? Random acts of kindness can be done in fair or foul weather.
More reading:
Integration of data from the farm comes to fruition
Global beef producers demand trade reform
AdBlue supplies get a boost
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