Last week was ‘made’ by the article ‘Fearing the zealot behind the facade’ written by Mungo MacCallum (Echo, October 9). In this article Mungo offers sound research and analysis of the dangers to come should the unconscious Abbott obtain power. The times that we are now experiencing are merely a precursor to what is to come!
Misogyny and sexism are likely to become entrenched in social policies. Thus the oppressive clock is turned back many, many decades.
How are we to describe the current state of our claimed democratic civil society? It is not possible to whitewash the entrenched misogyny and sexism that is surfacing in our parliament and further perpetuated by shock-jocks such as Alan Jones. More to the point we all need to remind ourselves of the enormous human struggle that has historically occurred to address sexism, misogyny, racism, homophobia, ageism, the rights required to be able-bodied etc.
Right-minded people do understand what human rights mean. A civil society does not ‘just happen’. It takes hard work to create the social spaces for evolving consciousness. The struggle never ends but it is worth it if we are to overcome human/ecological oppression.
Thank you, Mungo, and thanks to The Echo for keeping that discourse operative.
Jo Faith
Newtown
