Comments on: Why Clive Hamilton isn’t a leftist – article in The Australian @australian

By: Jayjee

Jayjee — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:17:40 +0000

Congrats for getting an op-ed published! And a very fine argument, too. I’ve had friends who’ve submitted dozens of op-eds without one bait. It is very interesting though how it is The Australian that Leftist putative op-eders would give their left nut/tit to get published in.

By: Arthur

Arthur — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 10:54:00 +0000

Not just a flop, an active incitement to reject his politics. The very few comments from greenies in the thread are also mainly hostile to Clive Hamilton.

BTW here’s some actual poetry from the thread as reminder that real prolie poets are optimists not jaded beaten cynics and can both think and spell:

Deadman :

09 Dec 2009 6:11:39pm

Well, I try to heed the experts who say that I am dumb,
I have monitored the HOGWASH and listened to the SCUM.*
Our progress is the enemy, it seems from what they cry;
if climates change, inventive man will just give up and die.

So how could men survive the worst the weather threw at them
in ages past? Did they just quit and moan a requiem?
The ice-age men and bedouin and cunning Eskimo,
have demonstrated humans can survive both drought and snow.

If all the oceans rise and flood the land whereon we dwell
we’d build more ocean liners and make mountain homes as well.
We’d surely have some time to plan ”a little breathing space”
before supposing climate change must doom the human race.

Environmentalists today who claim they want to be
at one with nature are, in truth, against humanity.
The answer is quite simple for each carbon-hating dunce;
to end their exhalations and to suicide at once.

* acronyms for Hysteria over Global Warming and Suchlike Hooey, and Stupidly Criminal Unscientific Misanthropes

By: Legal Eagle

Legal Eagle — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 01:59:27 +0000

David Mc, that is APPALLING. No other word for it.

By: keza

keza — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 01:21:42 +0000

The comments beneath Clive's article reveal that it was a complete flop, and also that many people really do find him an especially odious person. That would include many who in fact have some sympathy for green ideology. Most of those who find green ideas somewhat appealing are people who genuinely want a better world. Clive is an ideal target because he unashamedly takes these ideas to their logical conclusion.

By: DavidMc

DavidMc — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:52:26 +0000

Clive Hamilton sure is creepy. Check this out from ABC unleashed. It is an open letter to the children of “denialists”.

http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2765351.htm

By: Greens really think they’re Left – we’ve a long way to go at STRANGE TIMES

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 03:34:24 +0000

[...] even though calling Clive Hamilton, (the Greens’ candidate in Higgins), a left-winger is utterly laughable. Rather, left-wing politics has degenerated to such a degree that people who are suspicious of [...]

By: steve owens

steve owens — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 04:36:42 +0000

Patrick you are 100% correct that the anti uranium movement failed in its aims to stop uranium mining. On the other hand I think that the movement deserves better than that it failed. A mass movement was initiated and sustained over a period of years bringing together hundreds of thousands of people over issues such as nuclear waste, nuclear proliferation, aboriginal land rights, civil rights and a questioning of how our society is run and for whom.
At its height the movement stopped mining at Mary Kathleen through its support from the railway union and loading of yellow-cake was halted in Melbourne through the Maritime Union. Support for the Mirarr peoples struggle lead to a victory in stopping the Jabiluka mine.
The movement was strong enough to force the ALP into its 3 mines policy which was to stop any further mines. The ALP ratted on the deal (surprise, surprise) and changed their interpretation to a max of three mines at any one time before dropping the whole anti mine stance.
The anti uranium movement was central to the struggle for civil liberties in Queensland as peaceful anti uranium protesters were subject to police bashings.
The movement was strong enough to force the Fraser government into lying about “our” uranium being used in nuclear weapons.
Yes the struggle was lost but during the struggle hundreds of thousands of people became active to challenge authority over what decisions are made and who makes them.

By: steve owens

steve owens — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 23:36:07 +0000

David its interesting that B.A. Santamaria should be making a come back not only in the Greens but Im lead to believe that the new leader of the Liberal party has B.A. Santamaria as one of his heros.

By: patrick

patrick — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 23:02:23 +0000

I was struck by this from the woman who chaired the meeting, in her closing remarks she said

‘…I was involved with the anti Uranium movement that actually put a stop to most of the Uranium mines in Australia and that was achieved through a massive movement of people talking about it but critically linked with the union movement so I urge people to get involved in our campaign; and on the 14th of December when the receivers make their decision about whether or not there is going to be a Solar Systems Company still alive we’re going to be commenting on that; its going to be our last meeting of the year plus social gathering at the tuku? bar at Melbourne University on the 17th at 6.30…’

I may be wrong on this but I was under the impression that Australia is the worlds largest Uranium exporter! I wonder what a defeat would look like to this crank all these years later? I always though the three mines and being the biggest exporter in the world was just a little bit on the pregnant side.

These people were hysterical about Uranium then and they have continued along the same path ruling out nuclear power even when it becomes economically viable in Australia after the price of coal is sent skywards due to their proposed tax.

By: youngmarxist

youngmarxist — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 14:55:30 +0000

Yep, haters of the modern world who happen to be Catholic. The main one that comes to mind is B.A. Santamaria, who dreamed of creating an Australian peasantry on small farms like those that were given to returned soldiers after WWI.

Conservative Catholics were a big source of dislike of capitalism, which destroyed the Church’s power, without wanting to move to anything more progressive.