An Australia Day 2012 Reflection - The Andrew Bolt political trial

There is a great deal to say about the 2011 trial of outspoken Conservative journalist and commentator Andrew Bolt who was brought before the courts for hurting the feelings of a bunch of people who insist that they are Aboriginal - or the now more favoured 'indigenous'. On the other hand, there is little I should say because the trial's outcome showed that the dominant political class can act, and will act, to punish and eliminate dissent from views about 'indigenous' people they don't sanction. They have the class legislation and they have the judiciary to enforce their will. They will not hesitate to take a sledge hammer to crack a walnut.

Andrew Bolt had used some mildly facetious language to make his point, which was at bottom the questioning of the status of people who you would not know were indigenous unless they told you. Bolt was merely expressing an opinion widely held by a great mass of Australians who for decades have looked with bemusement on the handling of the 'Aboriginal question'. Unfettered by class legislation one would surely come to the conclusion that 'indigenous' denoted political class rather than race, judging by the people who brought the charges of vilification against Bolt.

Bolt was found guilty as charged. Along the way he had to suffer the linking of his views to the Nazis' views about the Jewish race. A more cynical manipulative smear in the circumstances, I would find hard to concoct. It's like a gang of thugs kicking the crap of someone questioning their vandalism.

Geoff Clark, one time high functionary in Aboriginal politics but now utterly discredited in the eyes of most Australians, issued from the court absurdly clad in an animal skin and with his white face painted. He said something to the effect that people will hesitate to criticise his political class. Indeed. Several others followed Bolt out of court calling him evil and scum.

Today on Australia day a group of indigenous people from the 'Aboriginal tent embassy' in Canberra yelled abuse at the Prime Minister and Tony Abbott while they were attending a medals ceremony. The protest turned violent forcing the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition to flee amid violent scuffles.

This morning on ABC Breakfast a member of the tent embassy was asked what he thought about Australia Day. He thought nothing about it. He and his mates in the tent embassy were only concerned with regaining sovereignty over their nations. I have often wondered where the European ancestry fits into the scheme of things in the minds of these embassy representatives, none of whom, as far as I am aware, are full blood. Only a full blood Aboriginal, surely, can talk sensibly about regaining his sovereignty - if it is there to regain.

Prime Minister Gillard and Tony Abbott in scuffle with tent embassy protestors

Comment: gerard@gerardcharleswilson.com