The quality of Australian Politics keeps getting better
So last night I stumbled across fuckin’ Bernard Gaynor. Mr Gaynor is apparently a nominee for the federal Senate in the forthcoming Australian election, standing on behalf of Bob Katter’s party. While he proudly announces which state he’s from on his bio, I’ll leave it to you to guess where the fuck this ignorant, hypocritical, self-righteous fuck-knuckle hails from based on his own comments:
As a KAP senator I’ll have courage to close borders to those who do not accept Aussie values – burkas are not a sign of tolerance #auspol
— Bernard Gaynor (@BernardGaynor) January 22, 2013
I wouldn’t let a gay person teach my children and I am not afraid to say it #auspol
— Bernard Gaynor (@BernardGaynor) January 23, 2013
I guess among the many, many, many things that Mr Gaynor is ignorant of, he is also unclear on what tolerance is and how it is practised. Although I suppose you could mount a valid argument that an understanding of the meaning of words is a smaller problem when you take into account the fact that the guy’s racist, homophobic, anti-science and running for political office.
*if you guessed Queensland (or as TNA prefers it, properly apostrophied, Queen’sland) then you’re a winner
24/01/2013 at 18:59
The primary duty of charity does not lie in the toleration of false ideas, however sincere they may be, nor in the theoretical or practical indifference towards the errors and vices in which we see our brethren plunged . . . Further, whilst Jesus was kind to sinners and to those who went astray, He did not respect their false ideas, however sincere they might have appeared. He loved them all, but He instructed them in order to convert them and save them.
24/01/2013 at 19:39
So which idea is false by your “holy” reckoning? That Mr Gaynor doesn’t understand the meaning of the word tolerance? That he’s racist? That he’s homophobic? Or that he’s a hypocrite? Unless you’re accusing me of being charitable by not tolerating Mr Gaynor’s racism, homophobia, hypocrisy and difficulties with polysyllabic words?
And actually Jesus didn’t convert anybody to anything. You might want to go read your gospels again. He taught the Torah like a good rabbi, with his wisdom and understanding and insight and whatever else you may care to call it layered in. But he sure as hell didn’t convert anybody to anything.
25/01/2013 at 07:05
I generally think that we get the quality of politician we deserve.
It’s a real dilemma to know how to highlight the inherent racism of various illiterate KAP nominees without also pointing at the inherent racism of the “Captain’s pick” of Nova Peris.
25/01/2013 at 08:58
I didn’t really find it much of a dilemma. When Mr Gaynor is flat out making what are at best, poorly thought out statements supporting a casually racist/homophobic/etc. worldview, it’s pretty simple to highlight that.
I don’t know that I’d class the so-called “captain’s pick” as racist necessarily. Callously exploitative in a cynical attempt to win at all costs, regardless of how badly it subverts the system in place? Definitely.
But trading on the name-recognition and sporting achievements of a former Olympic athlete who’s also an indigenous Australian? That’s just typical political stuntery.
Sadly, I fear that you’re right – we’re getting the quality of politician Queensland deserves.