the anti-carbon tax rally made me angry. not because it happened – power to anyone who wants to protest – but because the leader of the opposition, tony abbott, took part. he has every right to of course, but the rally appeared to have more than its fair share of extremists groups sporting placards that were cruel and sexist.
it’s easy – and pretty unimaginative – to criticise politicians. it’s even easier – and even more unimaginative – to say things are getting worse. but the rally really worried me as it seemed to justify both these statements. federal australian politics has always been feisty but at the moment it appears to be sliding downwards, becoming unacceptably divisive.
i can’t pretend to like tony abbott. his machiavellian approach to things like the rally appears to be underpinned by a belief that his world view is completely and morally right. i worry that he just doesn’t see, feel or experience the grey. the problem with this is that it’s the ability to see the grey and let it influence you that stops extremism, prevents us from forcing our views onto others and opens our hearts to real compassion.
there are many things i would like our politicians to do but top of the list for me is for the opposition to have the courage to elect a leader who sees the grey.
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