Costello - BE LIKE US OR GO HOME!!!
February 23, 2006There was a time when I would’ve openly supported Peter Costello. I vividly remember when Pauline Hanson launched her vile racist attacks against Asians (which looks insipidly stupid in hindsight), he objected to her rantings and ravings.
“Before entering a mosque visitors are asked to take off their shoes,” Mr Costello said. “This is a sign of respect. If you have a strong objection to walking in your socks don’t enter the mosque. Before becoming an Australian you will be asked to subscribe to certain values. If you have strong objection to those values don’t come to Australia.”
Of course migrants should embrace Australian values - just about all the migrants I know DO accept Australian values, otherwise they wouldn’t have come here in the first place. The implication in Costello’s attacks are that no migrants will EVER be able to embrace Australian values, therefore they shouldn’t come here in the first place.
It’s interesting how a politician can career from left-wing to far-right wing bigot in only a few short years. Its even more interesting to see how the opposite is true - I thought John Howard’s comments were far more measured and constructive when compared to Costello’s. Costello’s comments were a blanket attack against all migrants, regardless of whether they had embraced Australian culture or not.
As you can tell, I’m pretty disgusted and angry with him. I might disagree with John Howard’s views, but at least I respect them for the measured and forthright way in which he expresses them. I don’t think either Peter Costello or Tony Abbott are yet ready to be Prime Minister. Not attacking all migrants would’ve been a good start.
