Injustice revisited

I have previously written about the injustices perpetuated by the Israeli’s against the Palestinians and particularly those in Gaza. These continue and the recent change of Government in Israel will not, I fear, alter this deplorable situation a great deal. Again this is autocratic governance and tyranny to maintain the status quo, to the ‘benefit’ of the Israelis. Again all in the name of God, (Yahweh) – all above board, apparently, because the Israeli’s use their army to enforce their autocratic rules and because we have been told, by the Israeli’s or course, that the Israeli army is the most moral (and presumably ethical) army in the world.

While I certainly abhor the terror tactics used by Hamas and others of that ilk, I also strongly believe that Israel is wrong to use the methods they do.

Then there is North Korea, Burma, Zimbabwe and of course China, to name but a few of the current countries with dubious records, all tyrannies and in the case of North Korea, Burma and Zimbabwe, basket cases as well.

But there is no need to look far afield. We have injustice at home. The Aborigine has been shockingly treated – the history of abuse (shot, chained and flogged), neglected (health and education) with virtually no representation (the Australian constitution was changed only in 1967 to allow full citizens rights) suffered by the original inhabitants of Australia is appalling. And don’t forget that the Aborigines in Tasmania were exterminated with official sanction. In Tasmania they had survived 12500 years isolation (since the melting of the last ice age inundated Bass Straight) to the 18th Century, but were all dead within about 200 years – how is that for injustice.

Also don’t forget the abuse of women and children in Australia – those who are most vulnerable. The Australian Bureau of Statistics publishes figures measuring the extent of violence (physical and sexual) against women which is quite shocking (the figures do NOT show other forms of abuse – emotional, social, financial etc). Would you believe that 23% of women who have ever been in a long term relationship have experienced violence at some time during the relationship? Or that 42% who had been in a previous relationship had suffered violence from that previous partner? And so it goes on.

Now why? Why would any sensible person want to commit a violent act, of any sort, against someone they purport to love? And someone who, to boot, is weaker and more vulnerable than they are?

I have been looking for any statistics (which I have yet to find - which i will soon) to prove it, but I feel sure that much of this violence is alcohol induced. This of course is a whole new subject of its own – I mean excessive consumption of alcohol.

Alcohol, as with all things, in moderation is ok. But when one drink leads to another and another, and there is a predisposition to anger or violence then the can of worms is exposed and innocent people suffer.

All this injustice, both national and individual, for what – pleasure? An ego trip? Control and/or ‘power’? Human nature is fascinating isn’t it, though sometimes for all the wrong reasons.