Post No. 497 - Holden out of, and democracy in, Australia

Well, today Holden announced that they will pull out of Australia in about 4 years time ... so ... what does that have to do with spirituality?

A MASSIVE amount - mostly, the opportunities that it creates to care.

Such an announcement creates a massive blow to morale, and - contrary to the Liberal government's claims - is not necessarily going to reduce stress and worry by creating certainty that jobs will be lost some years down the track. Workers AND THEIR FAMILIES now KNOW that they are going to be forced into a period of change, most probably against their will and quite possibly into choices that are not good. As an example, relocating a family to chase jobs causes a MASSIVE loss of social capital - I've known young people ("teenagers") who were getting by as a result of help who, if they'd been forced to relocate would probably have committed suicide before they found a counsellor they could relate to effectively (for counselling, as with many other similar skills, it is not just a case of doing a course and then you can work effectively with absolutely anyone - and anyone who thinks otherwise is an idiot - a dangerously moronic cretin, in fact). Hence, I have sent the following to my local Member of Parliament:

"Dear Member for _,

I was most disturbed to hear today that Holden has announced it will pull out of Australia, and my thoughts go to the workers at Holden and the support industries who will be affected by this. Based on previous experience (e.g., when BHP pulled out of Newcastle), is it possible to assess how many suicides/other mental health problems/family break downs/etc could happen, and thus plan accordingly in terms of the provision of services?

Media commentary has already turned to the issue of retraining workers. I am extremely sceptical of the likely success of that for older workers, or for workers who are oriented to working with their hands, a group who are often completely misunderstood and/or ignored by some, but again, some information may be available from the experience at Newcastle to indicate how many can be retrained successfully, and how many will be "underemployed" (I use this term as the official definition of unemployed is highly questionable) until they go on to a pension - or suffer self harm or the like.

I look forward to your response, and am content to wait for any research/questions in Parliament/etc that may be necessary."

I have also lit candles in my online runic shrines of Fehu (for resources, particularly financial), Uruz (for strength), Thurisaz (for breakthroughs both personal and larger), Ansuz (because people will need all the talking skills they can muster, and that isn't often easy for blue collar workers [6] ), Raidho (because there will metaphorical and literal journeys to be made), Hagalaz (for comfort during times of chaos), Naudhiz (because the need-fire will be very needed!), Eihwaz (for assistance with choosing a direction), Perthro (so the hidden can become known), Sowelu (for wellness), Tiewaz (for courage and social justice), Berkana (for nurturing), Ehwaz (for strength and management loyalty to workers), Mannaz (that the best of individuals and communities can be manifested), and Dagaz (for transformation to a better state, and dealing with mental health issues), with the following message:

"May all those affected, directly and indirectly by the announced future closure of Holden's car manufacturing / assembly factories in Australia, and their families, friends and social networks, be granted the strength, courage, fortitude, calmness, resources INCLUDING FINANCIAL to transition to a healthy, sustainable, rewarding / fulfilling lifestyle that is at least equal and preferably better than their current lifestyle, and all without any increase in loss of homes / evictions, bankruptcies, mental and other health related issues, family break ups or disruption to social capital (i.e. social networks)."

(My ongoing candles on this will be Fehu, Eihwaz, Mannaz and Dagaz.)

All large events - and this one goes beyond the few thousand workers at Holden to the tens of thousands of other jobs affected - are an opportunity to care, which is an argument I have having all the way back to Olympics in the 80s, and more recently about the opportunity created by having lots of communication going through a few servers ...

I have to say that I am also gravely concerned in general about the state of democracy in Australia [3] . In Queensland, the disgraceful Campbell Newman [2] has made a mockery of Parliamentary process with his ill-advised, injudicious and downright foolish laws against bikies / bikers - which have already led to major problems including strip searches. The absurdity of these laws is well illustrated by this: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/09/knit-your-revolt-why-my-tricycle-gang-is-taking-on-queenslands-bikie-laws.

Nationally, the situation isn't much better. The 'Liberal' Party is struggling with the transformation from rabid, slogan-ranting, obfuscating opposition to actually having to form and run a Government and actually do things ... Probably the most clear cut policy they had was to stop asylum seekers, and that had some appallingly stupid ideas, things that hadn't been thought through very well at all, as they were always likely to offend and not be accepted by Indonesia. More concerningly, it is a direct continuation of the politics of fear that the evil John Howard used to great political effect.

Creating fear and demonisation of a helpless minority bear parallels to what happened in Germany in the 30s - although we're unlikely to see see same situation of dozens of large, openly existing and active, private armies. We have had violence, of course - for instance, the Cronulla riots [4] , which I doubted had been properly dealt with, and then I read this showing that others share my view: http://www.theguardian.com/world/postcolonial/2013/dec/11/still-capacity-for-cronulla-riot. My nation, Australia is also, of course, notorious for its "White Australia" policy, which I understand actually influenced the apartheid policy.

In all of this, we do have people arguing for better observance of human rights, particularly the international obligations we have signed up to [5] - and this also happened in Germany in the 30s. Recently, I saw a film about Hans Litten, who subpoenaed Hitler to appear in a court case in the early 30s and grilled Hitler to the extent that Hitler could never bear to hear Litten's name mentioned. (Sadly, Litten was arrested in 1933, sent to a concentration camp, and tortured until he committed suicide. Appallingly, after World War Two, neither the USA nor the USSR would acknowledge Litten as he didn't fit into their Cold War nonsense ... )

We have people who are doing their best along the lines of Litten's attempts (the activist organisation GetUp is particularly good, and the Greens are doing what they can), but who is trying to inspire people to lift their views to the extent that they are spiritually 'bigger' (more BPLF [1]) than any taught racism or fear, and start calmly acknowledge, accept and welcome  asylum seekers? Where is our Gandhi, our JFK, our Nelson Mandela? We had Bob Hawke stand up to Maggie Thatcher at the 1986 special CHOGM to push for economic sanctions, and a few others have been inspiring either in their day or afterwards, but where is our uplifting leader now?

Well, in the meantime, I'll light more candles - in Tyr, for every Australian to have courage, understanding and perspective to rise above racism / sexism including challenging it when a witness, and also in Kenaz,  Ansuz and Eihwaz.

When I started planning this post I was going to research quite a few links (I'll still read quite a few), but now will only give the following link for now: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/10/asylum-seekers-former-chief-justice-condemns-politicians-approach

And now, time for the Hope, Peace, Love and Prosperity Ritual.


PS I will also be clearing all negative units that could interfere, hinder or block the accomplishment of these goals - including things like discarnate, earthbound entities who are influencing people towards more hard line attitudes or lack f awareness (social blindness!). 




[3] As I flippantly said to my partner when she asked what I writing about, democracy had last been reported scurrying through Bourke Street a couple of years ago ...

[4] We have had other notable experiences of violence as well - the Hilton Bombing, assassinations, the sniping attack on a picnic party in World War One, the Eureka Stockade / Rebellion, the Irish riots, attacks on Chinese and the wars and mass murders committed against the indigenous people of this land.

[5] After the appalling Tampa affair, I would be embarrassed to ask for assistance if I got in to trouble while cruising overseas.  

[6] I know blue collar workers who are quite fluent, but the OVERWHELMING MAJORITY ARE NOT - and whether that is due to lack of education or opportunity is IRRELEVANT. Acknowledge and deal with the reality! Help them as they are, not as you wish them to be!!!


[1] BPLF = Balanced Positive (spiritual) Light Forces. See here and here for more on this.

[2] Please see here and my post "The Death of Wikipedia" for the reasons I now recommend caution when using Wikipedia. I'm also exploring use of h2g2, although that doesn't appear to be as extensive (h2g2 is intended - rather engagingly - to be the Earth edition of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"). 

Love, light, hugs and blessings

Gnwmythr 
(pronounced "new-MYTH-ear"; ... aka Bellatrix Lux?)

My "blogiography" (list of all posts - currently not up to date) is here.  

I started this blog to cover karmic regression-rescue (see here and here), and it grew ...  See here for my group mind project, here and here for my "pagans for peace" project (and join me at 9 PM on Sunday, wherever you are, to meditate for peace), and here for my bindrune kit-bag.

• One size does NOT fit all. 
• Gnwmythr's Stropping Strap: Occam's Razor only works if  the simplest solution is actually recognised as being the simplest, rather than the one that best fits one's bigotries being labelled 'simplest'.
• May the world of commerce and business be recognised to be a servant, not a master, of the lives of people.
• Ban the dream interpretation industry! 
• A home is for living in, not feeling, becoming or being rich or a “better” class than others.
• Housework is for ensuring a home is comfortable to live in, not competing to outdo or belittle others.
• Like fire to the physical, emotions to the soul make a good servant, and a bad master. 
• "Following the crowd" is not "going with the flow".
• Armageddon is alive and well and happening right now: it is a battle between the indolence of "I only ..." and/or "I just ..." and/or "Everyone knows ... " and/or "they can ..." and what Bruce Schneier [2] calls "security theatre" on one side, and perspicacity and the understanding that the means shape the end on the other. Indolence vs. perspicacity, and expediency vs. honour.
• The means shape the end.  
• Sometimes you just can't argue with a biped that is armed with a sharp stick, a thick head and not too much in the way of grunts.
• As words can kill, the right to freedom of speech comes with a DUTY to be as well-informed, objective and balanced as you can be.
• My favourite action movie of all time is "Gandhi", although I've recently come across "Invictus" and might put that one in to that category. However, I loathe the stereotypical action movie - and, for similar reasons, I loathe many dramas, which are often emotionally violent, more so in some cases than many war films.

Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger [people]. JOHN F. KENNEDY (who was quoting 19th century Episcopal Bishop Phillips Brooks)

Jesus loves you.  Odin wants you to grow up. (Facebook meme, according to John Beckett)

Females, get over 'cute'. Get competent. Get trained. Get capable. Get over 'cute'. And those of you who are called Patty and Debby and Suzy, get over that. Because we use those names to infantalise females – we keep females in their 'little girl' state by the names we use for them. Get over it. If you want to be taken seriously, get serious. JANE ELLIOTT 

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good [people] to do nothing. (based on writing by) EDMUND BURKE

"The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them." EINSTEIN

We didn't inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we only borrowed it from our children ANTOINE DE SAINT-EXUPÉRY

Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar; it is not haphazard and superficial. It comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

Those whom we cannot stand are usually those who we cannot understand P.K.SHAW

Few men are willing to brave the disapproval of their fellows, the censure of their colleagues, and the wrath of their society. Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence. Yet it is the one essential, vital quality for those who seek to change a world which yields most painfully to change." SENATOR ROBERT F. KENNEDY (US Attorney General 1966 Speech) 

Too much and too long, we seem to have surrendered community excellence and community values in the mere accumulation of material things. Our gross national product ... if we should judge America by that -- counts air pollution and cigarette advertising, and ambulances to clear our highways of carnage. ... Yet the gross national product does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education, or the joy of their play. It does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages; the intelligence of our public debate or the integrity of our public officials. It measures neither our wit nor our courage; neither our wisdom nor our learning; neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country; it measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile." ROBERT F. KENNEDY 1968

Tags: discrimination, economy, racism, society,

First published: Wodansdagr, 11th December, 2013

Last edited: Friday, 13th December, 2013 (added postscript)