Monday 30 October 2023

From the news: on the war in West Asia [Content Warning - links to reports on bigotry/hate, violence including SA & CSA/abuse/war, genocide, language. Reader discretion is advised]

Note: CONTENT WARNING - some of this content is about upsetting, disturbing or triggering events & attitudes. Seek competent help - including professional - if you need it. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that linked articles may contains names and/or images of deceased people. READER CAUTION IS RECOMMENDED! For anyone distressed by anything in this post, or for any other reason considering seeking support, resources are available in Australia here, here, and here. In other nations, you will have to do an Internet search using terms such as “mental health support - <your nation>” (which, for instance, may lead to this, this, and this, in the USA, or this, this, and this, in France [biased towards English-language - my apologies]), or perhaps try https://www.befrienders.org/. 

Reporting on recent and currently ongoing tragic events in this part of West Asia includes the following:

 

 

  • “Hundreds storm Russian airport to protest Israel flight”   https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/world/europe-news/2023/10/30/dagestan-airport-israel   “Russian news reports said people in the crowd were shouting anti-Semitic slogans ... Video on social media showed some in the crowd on the landing field waving Palestinian flags, protesters attempting to overturn a police car and others checking the passports of passengers who had arrived in Makhachkala”   



 


Note: as with other mass murderers, violent extremists crave publicity, so I refuse to give that to them - I will avoid using their names (which is a policy adopted by good law enforcement and media for other mass murderers), and I will not give them the satisfaction of being described with the T word. 

This is explained further in my post at https://politicalmusingsofkayleen.blogspot.com/2023/10/from-news-on-war-in-west-asia-content_25.html, and discussed in part of the following: 

Dr Kaz Ross on Bannon, Gaza, fascists & freedom - Yeah Nah Pasaran!  
“This week we're joined by returning guest Dr Kaz Ross to talk about the far-Right response to the war on Gaza, as well as Melbourne n___s (we hate Melbourne n___s) and the vestiges of the Cooker movement.”
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/yeah-nah-pasaran/id1529396490?i=1000632770640   or at   https://www.3cr.org.au/yeahnahpasaran/episode/dr-kaz-ross-bannon-gaza-fascists-freedom  

My take on events, summarised at the start of this post (no apologies for the repetition), is:

A violent extremist organisation (I will neither give them the publicity of using their name nor describe them as anything but violent extremists) has destroyed themselves, Gaza, and the Palestinians of the Occupied Territories. (And where are they getting their rockets from? Gaza has no industry, so they are coming - and have come, and been hoarded - from somewhere ... )

IMO, Israel has, by falling in to their trap, destroyed any chance of peace in that area of the world for at least the next ¾ of a century. 

However, Jewish people, mostly outside Israel, who objected to falling in to the trap have saved Judaism from a similar opprobrium, and it is those Jewish and Palestinian people who have been working together - including in Israel - have kept the flame of hope alive. 

The move of voters towards authoritarianism - globally - in recent decades  (the last quarter of century is of particular concern) is also a major factor in this and other problems in the world, and the small-mindedness, fear, insularity, selfishness, amathia, and moral & intellectual cowardice & incompetence/ineptness of those voters, and the failures of progressive parties to take those voters with them, must be acknowledged and dealt with. Until we have a world that will not elect people like the 45th president of the USA and that sort of ilk, we do not have a safe world.

 

Assumptions / basis 

In writing this, I have assumed / started from the following: 

  • this blog states quite clearly that it is about political and human rights matters, including lived experience of problems, and thus I will assume readers are reasonable people who have noted the content warning in the post header;

Possible flaws 

Where I can, I will try to highlight possible flaws / issues you should consider:

  • there may be flawed logical arguments in the above: to find out more about such flaws and thinking generally, I recommend Brendan  Myers’ free online course “Clear and Present Thinking”; 
  • I could be wrong - so keep your thinking caps on, and make up your own minds for yourself.

 

If they are of any use of interest, the activism information links from my former news posts are available in this post. 

 

If you appreciated this post, please consider promoting it - there are some links below.

Remember: we need to be more human being rather than human doing, and all misgendering is an act of active transphobia/transmisia that puts trans+ lives at risk.



 

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Another activism email: on letting two violent extremists off lightly [Note: Content Warning - links to reports on bigotry/hate, violence. Reader discretion is advised]

Note: CONTENT WARNING - some of this content is about upsetting, disturbing or triggering events & attitudes. Seek competent help - including professional - if you need it. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that linked articles may contains names and/or images of deceased people. READER CAUTION IS RECOMMENDED! For anyone distressed by anything in this post, or for any other reason considering seeking support, resources are available in Australia here, here, and here. In other nations, you will have to do an Internet search using terms such as “mental health support - <your nation>” (which, for instance, may lead to this, this, and this, in the USA, or this, this, and this, in France [biased towards English-language - my apologies]), or perhaps try https://www.befrienders.org/. 

PS - I have subsequently found this in the media: 

This is from an email I have just sent to my state and national MPs. I have edited out some terms to comply with Blogger's policies. 

*** 

I was concerned to read (at https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-27/neo-____-hiker-attack-thomas-sewell-jacob-hersant/103031582) that two neo-____s who had been found guilty of a violent assault on hikers were wished luck by the County Court judge and not given a custodial sentence (one had served six months), after which they made antisemitic and homophobic remarks to the media. This raises doubts, in my opinion, about whether they do in fact constitute good prospects for rehabilitation. 

I wonder whether the judge has been adequately informed by our systems on right wing extremism and hate speech.

One of the radio programmes I listen to but often have reservations about is "Yeah Nah Pasaran" (URL https://www.3cr.org.au/yeahnahpasaran) on 3CR community radio (https://www.3cr.org.au/). However, their most recent programme, available at https://www.3cr.org.au/yeahnahpasaran/episode/dr-kaz-ross-bannon-gaza-fascists-freedom, has some excellent comments about the need for media to have journalists who specialise in right wing extremists so they have proper awareness of the subtleties, nuance and rapid changes of dog whistling, current appropriation & misuse of symbols (and, contrary to the views in that episode, I consider the Victorian government's ban on right wing extremist ideology to be both excellent and essential), and other related matters.

I would support that, and I also consider that our judiciary may also need to be given access to up-to-date information on forms of and trends in extremist and hate speech groups to ensure that decisions are fully informed.

I suspect that, had such been the case, the judge would, at the very least, not have wished these two violent offenders luck, and may have imposed compulsory counselling.

I suspect [our] Police are probably monitoring such trends in extremist groups. Perhaps a summary of key changes could be made available to the judiciary, if it will not compromise future possible court cases? And perhaps briefs from experts in the field of hate speech could be provided - with a similar proviso?

This issue is, in my opinion, of considerable importance to members of the LGBTQIASB+ and Jewish communities.

I also wish to comment on this being the first email I have actually used the term ____ / neo-____. My reason for normally not doing so is as follows (this is taken from one of my blogs, in a post on genocide):

Note: as with other mass murderers, violent extremists crave publicity, so I refuse to give that to them - I will avoid using their names (which is a policy adopted by good law enforcement and media for other mass murderers), and I will not give them the satisfaction of being described with the T word. 

Naming movements or describing them as terrorist is giving them what they want - publicity. This also applies to mass murderers, which is where I got the idea from - see https://theconversation.com/news-media-heeding-call-to-limit-naming-perpetrators-in-mass-shootings-175604 and https://theconversation.com/the-media-need-to-think-twice-about-how-they-portray-mass-shooters-91972.

It doesn't matter that others see this as shaming: the extremists in movements named see it as publicity - much as disliking something on social media often is simply bundled up with likes and counted as an engagement by those advising on search engine optimisation.

Thus I normally only refer to far right extremism etc. I have made an exception in this case as I consider it warranted. I also now consider it important that individuals who are extremist be publicly named so that their work colleagues/employers and others who may come into contact with them are able to take reasonable measures (e.g., avoidance in public situations, warnings about respectful behaviour in the workplace, etc) to protect themselves.

No reply to this email is necessary. I only wish that the views I have put forward be kept in mind, and possibly raised if appropriate circumstances arise.

 

Assumptions / basis 

In writing this, I have assumed / started from the following: 

  • this blog states quite clearly that it is about political and human rights matters, including lived experience of problems, and thus I will assume readers are reasonable people who have noted the content warning in the post header;

Possible flaws 

Where I can, I will try to highlight possible flaws / issues you should consider:

  • there may be flawed logical arguments in the above: to find out more about such flaws and thinking generally, I recommend Brendan  Myers’ free online course “Clear and Present Thinking”; 
  • I could be wrong - so keep your thinking caps on, and make up your own minds for yourself.

 

If they are of any use of interest, the activism information links from my former news posts are available in this post. 

 

If you appreciated this post, please consider promoting it - there are some links below.

Remember: we need to be more human being rather than human doing, and all misgendering is an act of active transphobia/transmisia that puts trans+ lives at risk.



 

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Saturday 28 October 2023

Some thoughts on journalism [Note: Content Warning - links to reports on bigotry/hate, violence/abuse/war. Reader discretion is advised]

Note: CONTENT WARNING - some of this content is about upsetting, disturbing or triggering events & attitudes. Seek competent help - including professional - if you need it. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that linked articles may contains names and/or images of deceased people. READER CAUTION IS RECOMMENDED! For anyone distressed by anything in this post, or for any other reason considering seeking support, resources are available in Australia here, here, and here. In other nations, you will have to do an Internet search using terms such as “mental health support - <your nation>” (which, for instance, may lead to this, this, and this, in the USA, or this, this, and this, in France [biased towards English-language - my apologies]), or perhaps try https://www.befrienders.org/. 

One of the most important duties of journalists is to provide reporting from areas that citizens cannot get to - for example, reporting from the field of war. This can counter government ... well, government propaganda - or, at the very least, the sort of deception that was infamously shown during the Vietnam/American (depending on your side) war, as was made clear by the exposé of the Pentagon Papers. 

An example of that sort of reporting is the following: 

This sort of reporting, however, can be limited by the limitations on access that journalists experience - as was notable and notorious during the Iraq War. 

That sort of limitation can, to some extent, be overcome by another important type of journalism: analysis, commentary and oversight. 

An excellent example of that sort of reporting is: 

Another example of the contrasts between two styles of journalism is in episode 8 of the 1998 HBO Series “From the Earth to the Moon”, where: 

  • a young hotshot reporter goes to some lengths that are unsettling to the older journos to obtain human interest aspects of the Apollo 13 mission, while 
  • the older journos insist that oversight and context, including technical facts, are important.

They are both right ... and both wrong: it is the two together that comprise the sort of accurate information flow that modern democracies need. 

And that is where modern journalism becomes so problematic, because of the bias of platforms such as the notorious Murdoch press, and the incompetence of the press council and programmes commenting on the performance of the media (especially regarding trans+ issues, where they seem to have regressed to the 1950s or 40s). 

What is the solution? 

I don’t know ... ideally, a good independent platform (The Guardian in Australia meets that, largely, but in the UK has transphobic aspects - other independent media in Australia are good, but lack market penetration).

A government or official service would be inherently suspect ... The Conversation is a good option, and is getting more market penetration, but on its own is not enough ... 

Something like the Royal Commission into the Murdoch media that many people (including myself) are advocating for could help ... 

Whatever is done regarding the media, improving critical thinking in citizens is crucial - and that, unfortunately, can ONLY be done effectively by improving Emotional Intelligence as well, including the willingness to change personally ... 

If anyone is interested, there is a good online resource on what journalism should be at https://www.thenewsmanual.net/.

 

Assumptions / basis 

In writing this, I have assumed / started from the following: 

  • this blog states quite clearly that it is about political and human rights matters, including lived experience of problems, and thus I will assume readers are reasonable people who have noted the content warning in the post header;

Possible flaws 

Where I can, I will try to highlight possible flaws / issues you should consider:

  • there may be flawed logical arguments in the above: to find out more about such flaws and thinking generally, I recommend Brendan  Myers’ free online course “Clear and Present Thinking”; 
  • I could be wrong - so keep your thinking caps on, and make up your own minds for yourself.

 

If they are of any use of interest, the activism information links from my former news posts are available in this post. 

 

If you appreciated this post, please consider promoting it - there are some links below.

Remember: we need to be more human being rather than human doing, and all misgendering is an act of active transphobia/transmisia that puts trans+ lives at risk.


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From the news on: the climate crisis [Note: Content Warning - links to reports on the climate crisis and associated outcomes/issues. Reader discretion is advised]

Note: CONTENT WARNING - some of this content is about upsetting, disturbing or triggering events & attitudes. Seek competent help - including professional - if you need it. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that linked articles may contains names and/or images of deceased people. READER CAUTION IS RECOMMENDED! For anyone distressed by anything in this post, or for any other reason considering seeking support, resources are available in Australia here, here, and here. In other nations, you will have to do an Internet search using terms such as “mental health support - <your nation>” (which, for instance, may lead to this, this, and this, in the USA, or this, this, and this, in France [biased towards English-language - my apologies]), or perhaps try https://www.befrienders.org/. 

From this week’s news on the climate crisis:


 

From my links for activism post to aid any activism  you may decide to do on any/all of these:

 

Assumptions / basis 

In writing this, I have assumed / started from the following: 

  • this blog states quite clearly that it is about political and human rights matters, including lived experience of problems, and thus I will assume readers are reasonable people who have noted the content warning in the post header;

Possible flaws 

Where I can, I will try to highlight possible flaws / issues you should consider:

  • there may be flawed logical arguments in the above: to find out more about such flaws and thinking generally, I recommend Brendan  Myers’ free online course “Clear and Present Thinking”; 
  • I could be wrong - so keep your thinking caps on, and make up your own minds for yourself.

 

If they are of any use of interest, the activism information links from my former news posts are available in this post. 

 

If you appreciated this post, please consider promoting it - there are some links below.

Remember: we need to be more human being rather than human doing, and all misgendering is an act of active transphobia/transmisia that puts trans+ lives at risk.



 

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From the news on: human rights [Note: Content Warning - links to reports on bigotry/hate, violence/abuse. Reader discretion is advised]

Note: CONTENT WARNING - some of this content is about upsetting, disturbing or triggering events & attitudes. Seek competent help - including professional - if you need it. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that linked articles may contains names and/or images of deceased people. READER CAUTION IS RECOMMENDED! For anyone distressed by anything in this post, or for any other reason considering seeking support, resources are available in Australia here, here, and here. In other nations, you will have to do an Internet search using terms such as “mental health support - <your nation>” (which, for instance, may lead to this, this, and this, in the USA, or this, this, and this, in France [biased towards English-language - my apologies]), or perhaps try https://www.befrienders.org/. 

Some human rights articles from recent news (note: I may continue to add links for a few days, possibly up to a week, after these are published): 



 

  • Employment Assistance Fund (EAF)   https://www.jobaccess.gov.au/employment-assistance-fund-eaf   “The EAF gives financial help to eligible people with disability and mental health conditions and employers to buy work related modifications, equipment, Auslan services and workplace assistance and support services. The EAF is available to eligible people with disability who are about to start a job, are self-employed or who are currently working. It is also available to people with disability who need Auslan assistance or special work equipment to look for and prepare for a job.”   



  • a The Guardian exclusive:   “Australian federal police tested controversial facial recognition search engine, FOI documents reveal”   https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/oct/24/australian-federal-police-afp-pimeyes-facial-recognition-facecheck-id-search-engine-platform   “Under questioning from Greens senator David Shoebridge in Senate estimates on Monday night, the AFP said that it is now aware that the platform may have been tested for operational purposes on around 10 occasions ... The AFP is “reviewing all use of the platform, and making sure that does not occur again” ... It appears leadership was not aware of these uses until Guardian Australia’s FOI request.   “Pimeyes.com is a particularly dangerous facial recognition tool … and has been repeatedly criticised for enabling unlawful surveillance and stalking,” Shoebridge said, noting the tool is based in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia.”   

 

 

 

 

 

 

From my links for activism post to aid any activism you may decide to do on any/all of these:

 

Assumptions / basis 

In writing this, I have assumed / started from the following: 

  • this blog states quite clearly that it is about political and human rights matters, including lived experience of problems, and thus I will assume readers are reasonable people who have noted the content warning in the post header;

Possible flaws 

Where I can, I will try to highlight possible flaws / issues you should consider:

  • there may be flawed logical arguments in the above: to find out more about such flaws and thinking generally, I recommend Brendan  Myers’ free online course “Clear and Present Thinking”; 
  • I could be wrong - so keep your thinking caps on, and make up your own minds for yourself.

 

If they are of any use of interest, the activism information links from my former news posts are available in this post. 

 

If you appreciated this post, please consider promoting it - there are some links below.

Remember: we need to be more human being rather than human doing, and all misgendering is an act of active transphobia/transmisia that puts trans+ lives at risk.


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