The Homicidal Urges

Julie Bishop doesn't believe that one in three overseas students obtain an Australian university degree despite poor English language skills.

Maybe she should ask the people who've taught them. For example, moi.

In fact, I would say that the one in three figure is an underestimate.

Bishop knows damn well that these students pay their way to get in. Therefore basic knowledge of English, let alone proficiency in it, is not the university's highest priority. Funny, if State governments were responsible for tertiary education, she'd be the first one condemning this "sorry state of affairs."

My god, I despise hypocrisy.

Don't get me wrong. I am not of the opinion that potential migrants should have to take language tests. However, if one is going to a country to study there, I think they should at least have a good grounding in that country's main language and improve their language skills while they are in that country.

Hold on to your hats, boys and boyettes. A trip down memory lane regarding my politics.

I read that protesters at the G20 summit today have turned feral.

I remember when I was a Trotskyite, a member of Socialist Alternative, barricading buildings, marching, chanting. I remember blockading the North Ltd building in St Kilda Rd with a whole group of socialists, hippies, Aboriginal activists and the like, and vandalising the building when we heard that the traditional leader of the Jabiluka area had been found guilty for trespassing on her own land. At least, I think that's what happened. It was so long ago and I was consuming so many illicit substances at the time that I can't be sure of the details.

Now? No, I'm not like that. You'll not find me holding a placard, or beating bongos and flinging my dreads over my shoulder.

"What do we want?" "Fuckin' everything!" "When do we want it??" "Now!!!! Actually, no. We wanted it fuckin' YESTERDAY!!!!!"

No. I shudder at how naïve I was back then. And I wonder to myself, how much of this protest and the violence is being perpetrated by a small group of wankers who just want to destroy something, how much have the media outlets beaten it up, what are the cops doing to the protesters that we won't hear about. Most of all, I wonder, what the hell is the point?

Not that I think protest is necessarily a bad thing. In spirit I agreed with the marches against the Workplace reforms. I marched years ago with the East Timor crowd and I still think that it achieved something, even though East Timor is a basket case nowadays. But now? It's the converted preaching to the converted, to the disgust of the opposed. Especially when riot police are involved. It was like that with S11, and from then on every big summit or event.

And what are they talking about in that building that's so enraged people? As far as I understand, this meeting is basically about the state of the global economy. This includes, at least at this particular meeting, topics such as climate change and energy distribution. Not to mention the state of some of the world's poorest countries that are being propped up in terms of aid by some of the wealthiest. In other words, some fairly important topics. So I really see no point in this form of protesting. I really don't think these protesters, at least the majority of them, have any idea of what they're actually protesting about. Sad, really, that they're expending so much energy.

Yes, as I have said before, I have leftist leanings. I also realise that not very much is accomplished by protesting at the fact that the meeting is taking place. If you disagree with something that's happening in the meeting, lobby the relevant groups. Write letters. Form interest groups and research rather than scream with vitriol, take out ads in the paper, inform people why you're angry. Don't just converge on the place and use your agenda to cause chaos. It's counter-productive and absolutely meaningless.

Ah. The way I used to be. Even angrier than I am now, misdirecting that anger towards any cause that pissed off the Trotskyists and their dream of a workers' utopia.

Memories.