No, Mister Rees, I expect you to die
In the story, Kemal Atatürk, prototypical pre-Turkish patriot and butcher, ordered the conscript troops defending Gallipoli from the invaders to die, in order that other troops might take their places.
Paul Howes, ex-Trotskyist turned Murdoch editorialist of the AWU, reads from the same songsheet.
The scorched-earth press conference of Thursday morning, when Mr Rees said any challenger would be a “puppet of Eddie Obeid and Joe Tripodi”, was condemned by AWU national secretary Paul Howes as “a great disservice to his party”.
“The good news of that press conference is it sealed his [Rees’s] fate,” he added.
We’re only beginning to see this meme; that assertiveness and honesty in defence of a Premiership is traitorous in the Left, while shadowy maneouvring is admirable and correct in the Right. It’s not a disservice to the Party, you see, while in the absence of any particular crisis or policy dispute, to do the numbers and knock off a Premier. It’s a disservice to the Party for that Premier not to be a member of the NSW Centre Unity faction.
Left of the NSW Labor Party! You are not asked to fight. You are asked to be dutifully and uncomplaningly stabbed for no particular reason in order that the Right may enjoy purposeless hegemony.
FDB wrote:
[first line edited out, please whinge to editor –LH]
It could have been my imagination, but sitting drinking and waiting for soundcheck the other night at the Excelsior, there was a palpable feeling of ruin. Like the whole state is slowly turning to shit, and the gold spraypaint ain’t cutting it no more.
Could have just been the Nickelback playing behind the bar of course.
Liam wrote:
Things are pretty good from where I sit, FDB.
But maybe that’s just ‘cause I’m getting stuck into the brandavino while Sweetheart pulls another cappucino…
FDB wrote:
To be fair, I did manage to think of a few other good Sydney bands. And at the place I went for lunch Saturday, the serving lass didn’t seem to think wearing a miniskirt was incompatible with smiling and flirting. It was good to see her.
Liam wrote:
Not that they’re a Sydney band, but the atmosphere’s perfect for the current Stategeist.
FDB wrote:
Shit, that’s right. They started out eating crows.
Well, I guess that’s the end of my brief career as the new Glenn A Baker.
Post new comment