Sent the following letter to the Age and a couple of Norwegian newspapers (with slight changes) today Cheers Rod ______________________ Wednesday, 29 August 2001 Dear Editor, The obscenity of Australia's reaction to the situation of the people on the Tamba diminishes us all. Howard, no doubt, believes he has touched on the racist , exclusionist, electorally valuable, nerve that led his beloved "founding fathers" to establish the "white Australia" policy as one of the first acts of the Commonwealth Government. No doubt he is buoyed by the abject silence of the Opposition on the matter, and the silly internet polls and talk back radio nonsense that all too often passes for public debate, and informs the election strategies, its seems, of both major parties. I refuse to believe that Australians are so myopic, so fearful, so barbaric. We have here a boat of 438 people, all of whom were desperate enough to risk all on a disabled, leaky , rotten , boat to escape from their misery, and who were properly and commendably rescued from death by a sensible and ethical Norwegian captain and his crew. Let us all pray that Australia's response doesn't deter other captains from following the same, correct, course in future. Perhaps it may even be Australian sailors in danger? This is not a time to quibble or to run up the flags of future deterent or of ethnic or cultural purity. (Does anyone really imagine that our government's response would be the same if this was a boatload of white Rhodesian farmers?) This is a time to do what morally and humanely must be done. Whatever the "politics" of the situation, 438 men women and children are in a dire situation on the high seas. Every minute that they remain there reduces us all and gravely damages Australia's reputation in the eyes of the rest of the world. Yours sincerely Rod Hagen -- Rod Hagen email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hurstbridge, Victoria, Australia WWW http://www.netspace.net.au/~rodhagen
