Letters to the Editor
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Disgusted!
I was disgusted by your editorial decision to publish Fernando Munoz Bernal's 'Personal Perspective' on Xinjiang. Having travelled the length of Xinjiang in 2014, I can attest to the largely pacific state of the Uighurs despite the massive Han transmigration at that time, which Bernal fails to mention.
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Proposed cuts at ACU threaten work on Safe AI
Like Paul Collins, I am surprised to see that Australian Catholic University is proposing to disestablish its prestigious institute of philosophy and make redundancies that target philosophy, theology, medieval studies, and political science.
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ACU and Post-Modern Epistemology
The view that the Humanities have discredited themselves by the adoption of epistemological theories and language incomprehensible to some is a hoary and unhelpfully generalised allegation that overlooks both the function of those disciplines as interpreters of our society - which is itself "post-modern" - and hence, the necessity of educating the population to understand and reflect upon itself through that culture, and also the nature of all human progress over millennia that necessarily depends upon questioning what we believe we know and correcting inevitably imperfect, and often erroneous, knowledge. Such a complaint easily sounds reactionary and conservative.
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Enough is enough. Free Julian Assange.
Over the past years I have become increasingly concerned that the Australian Government has allowed the Assange case to drift in the hope, presumably, that the Australian electorate will tire of the subject of Julian Assange, the way most news bites vanish into the ether.
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Expenditure priorities: AUKUS subs versus climate
Does the secret ONI climate report indicate Labor cannot afford to pay for both AUKUS and climate mitigation?
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Why Labor is hiding the ONI climate report
Why Labor is hiding the ONI climate report
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It’s time for urgent lifestyle changes
The Boomers generation established enjoyable, but unsustainable, lifestyles. These need to change. Now.
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Ending native forest logging is a trump card
Tanya Plibersek could put an end to native forest logging. If she did, Australia would achieve it's 2030 emissions target almost overnight.
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A BIG THANK YOU to Gregory Andrews.
Pearls & Irritations is a TRULY INDEPENDENT Media Platform. THANK YOU! Please help save Australia's international standing and reputation.
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WHAT A NATION!
IS THIS WHAT THEY CALL 'A BULL IN A CHINA SHOP'?
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“Fascist” Politics?
It is entirely understandable that we should be concerned both about the effects of politicising and socially constraining gender identity and roles upon the people affected, and about the risk of government and elements of society being corrupted by what we somewhat superficially characterise as "fascist" - or reactionary conservative - ideologies. What is absent here, however, is any deeper analysis of why such tendencies hold such embedded importance in some of our societies, why some societies are more vulnerable here than others, and what the underlying appeal is? Why those people are not disposed towards other visions of society?
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The Voice: my perspective
I agree with Abul Rizvi, in that the Dog Whistle politics are far too involved.
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Missing the Point
The problem is the political system; the politicians are just the result.
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Why we need an Earth System Treaty
There are many daily challenges that keep us from thinking about the really, really big challenges now facing us, future generations and our planet. We need to create a small space where these big challenges and their solutions can be discussed, digested and hopefully acted on.
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Forest policy missing in action
Like Peter Sainsbury, I am deeply frustrated by the distinct lack of action to protect our forests and prevent bushfires.
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It’s simple mathematics
Simple mathematics shows how the government's obsession with growth underlies its failure to adequately tackle climate change.
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Avoiding scandalous commitments of “Forceposture”
Submarine argument, a straw man, to avoid Public discussion of "The Force Posture" agreement, and concomitant loss of Australian Sovereignty.
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If the Democrats had principles
It's the Same Old, Same Old. If a principled newer party wins enough votes to worry an unprincipled Old Party and bucks the status quo, the good-ole party calls the real democrats traitors or trolls. Not really as simple as that, though, is it, Bob? In the US, the undemocratic first-past-the-post electoral system denies smaller players a chance. Green v, progressive voters sign up to only vote for Greens and progressive independents. Otherwise, they don't sign up or vote at all. Hard for the ALP to grasp this but we're different in Australia.
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Myanmar: No basis for armed Western intervention
I was initially shocked to read an article on Pearls and Irrationals which is asking for a Ukraine type intervention in Myanmar. The authors to me seem to me to be essentially Neo-conservatives. I assume that the article only included as there so little published about Myanmar and there needs to be more discussion. The situation is in fact not really like Ukraine. The West is funding and supporting a violent insurgency, but Myanmar has not been invaded nor is part of NATO.
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Concentrate on the people, not the Opposition
Anthony Albanese should concentrate on what his supporters want, not try to outwit or outmaneuver the opposition.
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“Their minds are not clear” – the late Evan Whitton
“Their minds are not clear” – the late great Evan Whitton!
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Australians be aware
I have been for some time reading Pearls and irritations and alarmed at what I read and how unaware my fellow Australians are .
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Aukus suffers badly from the democratic deficit
Marcus Strom’s article ties in with a key issue I have just raised with the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties.
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The Language of War
According to today's news media PM Anthony Albanese is doubling down on the AUKUS pact at the ALP's National Conference. He's reported to be fighting off an attempt to have references to nuclear-powered submarines struck from Labor's platform. Many hope the democratic voice and power of the ALP membership prevails. AUKUS was a deal with the U.S. and Britain made by Morrison's Liberals but the Federal Labor Government has taken it as its own, promoting the language of war for months - especially in public statements by Minister for Defence, Richard Marles, and Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy.
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Devastating reef reality
Although it was sobering reading, I thank Imogen Zethoven for outlining the Great Barrier Reef’s devastating reality.
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The PRC suffers from homelessness too
The PRC is currently suffering from homelessness, making it hard to grasp the point of this article.
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Let us not forget Julian Assange
Along with AUKUS and Palestine, Julian Assange seems to also be a silent topic.
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Mythical Nazification of Ukraine
Chris Hermann (Letters, Aug 3) is disturbed that I referred in my article on Crimea (3 August) to Russian propaganda banging on about “mythical Nazis in Kyiv”.
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Richard Marles’ repeated use of “seamless”
Richard Marles' seamless transfer of sovereignty.
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‘No’ supporters not all white supremacists
While the moral imperatives for the Yes case are strong, and the No case morally bankrupt, we cannot conclude that most Australians are necessarily white supremacists.
