Teaching Under Howard: realisation #1 in a series
That offering students a critique of ‘multiculturalism’ and ‘reconciliation’ policies are now somewhat redundant.
At least under J-Ho we can call a spade a spade, i.e. ‘neocolonial race laws’.
8/12/2007
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‘we can call a spade a spade’
A passing reference to the Meaghan Morris incident?
In all seriousness, this is an important point. I’m sure it’s a real slap in the face to the pro-Keating crowd, as well.
Comment by adam — 8/12/2007 @ 9:35 pm
I’m assuming you mean the former are, as it turns out to those who might not have got it before, the same thing.
And yes - agreed about the Keating fans. But I never understood why it wasn’t always obvious - mandatory internment of undocumented migrants being introduced under Keating, not to mention the Native Title laws, which were crap before Howard …
Comment by s0metim3s — 8/12/2007 @ 9:42 pm
That’s how I see it, yes. Certain underlying continuities were never really challenged to begin with. Other things that have emerged post-Whitlam have been taken to their ‘natural’ conclusion under Howard.
Comment by adam — 8/13/2007 @ 8:42 am
http://youtube.com/watch?v=g29sE23U8Es
This was broadcast, I think, around 2000 - . The remark about ‘If the economy keeps growing and unemployment falls …’ seems rather prescient for marking what seemed to be a turning point but, as the sketch makes clear, was not really so much.
Comment by s0metim3s — 8/13/2007 @ 10:53 am
My sentiments exactly … I guess it wasn\’t always obvious because \’multiculturalism\’ and \’reconciliation\’ was able to speak to \’the soft left\’ (what Mabel Moraña calls \’la izquierda letrada\’ - the lettered left!) AND \’the hard right\’ … certain \’national emergencies\’ speak a bit less to the soft left and a bit more to the hard right?
Adam - what was the MM incident?
Comment by ana — 8/13/2007 @ 12:02 pm
Morris was shouted down after using that particular expression - ‘call a spade a spade’ - in an academic paper in the US. Late ’80s I think. The expression was misread as advocating ‘plain speaking’ re: African-Americans.
Comment by adam — 8/13/2007 @ 12:22 pm