Two letters to The Age

PUBLISHED

Dear Editor,

I have trouble following the difference in the moral standing of a tradie bagging a duck with a shottie, and a surgeon taking a trout with a dry fly.  Nevertheless, I understand and respect the views of those who wish to ban duck hunting.  That is a matter on which reasonable minds may differ, but the case of the government that duck shooting is recreation for the people is dreadful nonsense. 

The leading recreation for the populus of ancient Rome was viewing gladiators at the Colosseum.  It reached its pinnacle with throwing Christians to the lions.  Later in England, hanging, drawing and quartering was a real day out for the masses.  Even under Queen Victoria, there was nothing like an afternoon out at the gallows at Tyburn.  The pick pockets had a picnic among a people entranced.

The possibilities are endless.  What about a hanging at half time at the Grand Final at the MCG to add a different sauce to the Four ‘n Twenty?

Yours truly,

NOT PUBLISHED

Dear Editor,

Australia Day has meant, at best, nothing to me for half my life. 

Other nations celebrate what they call ‘independence’.  We have never become independent of the English Crown, and the opening of a jail is hardly an occasion to celebrate.

The U S and France celebrate their nationhood on sacred days in July.  Each was, they say, the day they seized power from the old regime.  Each was the start of a period of shocking violence and killing and a form of civil war.  Of course, people of colour never got the benefit of all that guff about liberty, equality, and fraternity.

It was the same here after 26 January 1788 – except that here the white people took over under what they now concede were false imperialist pretenses, and more than two centuries later, we are still yet to come to terms with the victims of our most grievous wrongs.

How then can we celebrate such a day? 

Because we as a nation have not owned up or grown up.

Yours truly

Duck shooting – Australia Day