I was recently appointed to the Board of Macquarie University's Centre for Middle Eastern and North African Studies. This was due to a number of board members, and staff at Macquarie, expressing support for my work. I was told they wanted to attract journalists, rather than just academics, to the board.
A fellow board member is Federal Health Minister, Tony Abbott (who, I've been informed, has never actually attended a meeting.)
The following letter of complaint was sent to Abbott by a Liberal party blogger hack. It should be noted that Abbott has no influence or say over the make-up of the board and is not, as stated, a patron:
"To the Honourable Tony Abbott, Member for Warringah.
"I have noted with great concern the recent appointment of journalist Antony Loewenstein as a member of Macquarie University’s Centre for Middle East and North African Studies, and I am writing to you partly in protest.
"While I respect the right of the Centre to conduct its affairs without censorship or arbitrary Government interference in its academic conduct, I do believe that as a Patron of the board, a prominent figure in the Liberal Party, a member for the people of Warringah, and as an Australian - you have a responsibility to censure the boards’ appointment of Mr. Loewenstein.
"Mr. Loewenstein regularly makes highly offensive or simply inflammatory comments, although I recognise that this in itself is little reason to decry his association with the Centre. One particular statement, however, has stuck with me for some time, which will offer you an insight into the ideological nature of this particular journalist:
"The defeat of America and its allies in Iraq is vital to ensure similiar [sic] acts are not carried out again."
"While Loewenstein denies calling for the murder of Australian, and American, soldiers, a defeat of the Howard Government’s aims in Iraq will mean not only a defeat for democracy and human rights, but the strengthening of the terrorist movement in Iraq - at the expense of Western forces serving in the country - something he wants to happen in order to change the direction of Australian foreign policy.
"I would like to point out, again, that I agree with the right of Mr. Loewenstein to make any statements in our free and open society - but it is nonetheless upsetting that this journalist has been given such prominence by the Centre, noting his attitudes as well as his lack of formal qualifications - indeed, while he himself states he worked as a journalist for the Sydney Morning Herald, it has been suggested he merely reviewed books at the paper.
"Furthermore, I would like to remind the Liberal Party that while maintaining power at a Federal level since 1996 and introducing widespread reforms, it has had little achievement in gaining the appointment of either moral conservatives or free-market liberals to prominent positions in Australian academia, or - for that matter- at the ABC and SBS television networks, funded largely by the same tax-payers who have, in droves, supported the Liberal Party and the Howard Government in its elections since (before) 1996. To put it simply, I for one would like to see further returns for my vote, with the Federal Government using its funding power to influence appointments in the academic community, and certainly at the ABC and SBS. For you, Mr. Abbott, to rightly censure Mr. Loewenstein’s appointment, would be an excellent start (or you could try instead to justify it).
"I await your reply, but would be upset to hear the common excuse that ‘diversity’ is required within the ABC, SBS and academic community, and the Liberal Party worries about smothering opposing views, as I believe the current situation goes far beyond a diversity of views, and is no doubt strangling to any individual who would dare support the Howard Government, or share the Liberal Party’s values."
Isn't it healthy to see a Liberal party voter supporting the idea of stacking academic and media boards with cronies? It's just not cricket, this man writes, that such "inflammatory" views are expressed in polite society. Furthermore, calling for the defeat of "Coalition" forces in Iraq has become redundant; circumstances have already seen to it.
A fellow board member is Federal Health Minister, Tony Abbott (who, I've been informed, has never actually attended a meeting.)
The following letter of complaint was sent to Abbott by a Liberal party blogger hack. It should be noted that Abbott has no influence or say over the make-up of the board and is not, as stated, a patron:
"To the Honourable Tony Abbott, Member for Warringah.
"I have noted with great concern the recent appointment of journalist Antony Loewenstein as a member of Macquarie University’s Centre for Middle East and North African Studies, and I am writing to you partly in protest.
"While I respect the right of the Centre to conduct its affairs without censorship or arbitrary Government interference in its academic conduct, I do believe that as a Patron of the board, a prominent figure in the Liberal Party, a member for the people of Warringah, and as an Australian - you have a responsibility to censure the boards’ appointment of Mr. Loewenstein.
"Mr. Loewenstein regularly makes highly offensive or simply inflammatory comments, although I recognise that this in itself is little reason to decry his association with the Centre. One particular statement, however, has stuck with me for some time, which will offer you an insight into the ideological nature of this particular journalist:
"The defeat of America and its allies in Iraq is vital to ensure similiar [sic] acts are not carried out again."
"While Loewenstein denies calling for the murder of Australian, and American, soldiers, a defeat of the Howard Government’s aims in Iraq will mean not only a defeat for democracy and human rights, but the strengthening of the terrorist movement in Iraq - at the expense of Western forces serving in the country - something he wants to happen in order to change the direction of Australian foreign policy.
"I would like to point out, again, that I agree with the right of Mr. Loewenstein to make any statements in our free and open society - but it is nonetheless upsetting that this journalist has been given such prominence by the Centre, noting his attitudes as well as his lack of formal qualifications - indeed, while he himself states he worked as a journalist for the Sydney Morning Herald, it has been suggested he merely reviewed books at the paper.
"Furthermore, I would like to remind the Liberal Party that while maintaining power at a Federal level since 1996 and introducing widespread reforms, it has had little achievement in gaining the appointment of either moral conservatives or free-market liberals to prominent positions in Australian academia, or - for that matter- at the ABC and SBS television networks, funded largely by the same tax-payers who have, in droves, supported the Liberal Party and the Howard Government in its elections since (before) 1996. To put it simply, I for one would like to see further returns for my vote, with the Federal Government using its funding power to influence appointments in the academic community, and certainly at the ABC and SBS. For you, Mr. Abbott, to rightly censure Mr. Loewenstein’s appointment, would be an excellent start (or you could try instead to justify it).
"I await your reply, but would be upset to hear the common excuse that ‘diversity’ is required within the ABC, SBS and academic community, and the Liberal Party worries about smothering opposing views, as I believe the current situation goes far beyond a diversity of views, and is no doubt strangling to any individual who would dare support the Howard Government, or share the Liberal Party’s values."
Isn't it healthy to see a Liberal party voter supporting the idea of stacking academic and media boards with cronies? It's just not cricket, this man writes, that such "inflammatory" views are expressed in polite society. Furthermore, calling for the defeat of "Coalition" forces in Iraq has become redundant; circumstances have already seen to it.
19 Comments:
I'd say his issue is with you being an inflammatory hack incapable of seeing beyond your own prejudices.
Just a guess.
It is not a matter of allowing him his say, but allowing it at the expence of the public.
AL
Not only have you upset a Cabinet Minister but somebody who's also to the right of Pauline Hanson (who he had locked up).
Onya Antony.
Let me shake your hand.
Pete
No need for a lengthy post. Ibrahamav and anthony summarised my points well.
I would add:
I’m told James smacked you lot down on the difference between censor and censure sometime last year. If you didn’t learn anything from his posts, that’s too bad...
On the other hand, you could also be on the completely wrong track for pissing off people this badly.
You must subscribe to the 'If everyone's against it, it must be right' school of thought.
Thanks.
The 'muppets' are mostly frustrated and powerless commentators with access to the web. May they continue!
Thanks for that, DBO.
Perhaps it's just me, but I always thought that a journalist actually had to leave his office, speak to people, get a sense of what other people are saying, and yes, monitor the centres of power. My forthcoming book is evidence of that, as my second book will be too. This blog is an entirely different beast.
This definition of journalism, sadly, doesn't apply to many 'journalists' in this country.
What's so hilarious is that as my work reaches more people - and I receive many emails of support - the attacks just seem to increase. It's a yawn, and usually best ignored.
Nice try. And I wish I could.
Depends how much you pay me to write good things about Israel. Then I may consider it.
My bank details are...
DBO - are you aware of Blair's day job? And his CV? It's patently obvious he's a "real journalist".
addamo - the nature of Loewenstein's "arguments" do not befit conventional rebutting - mainly because it is Loewenstein who refuses to answer his critics. He merely posts a link to some (more often than not) ideologically driven article. Ant seldom - if ever - posts his own content. Then it's easy - he just leaves the commentariat to scrap over someone else's opinions. Maybe, if we're lucky, Ant will pop into the thread, to blithely tell those refuting the article to "enjoy your delusions", only to disappear again in a cloud of self-righteousness.
How is this advancing an argument, and how can you possibly claim that he goes unanswered?
I believe that Blair is the news editor of The Bulletin. I seem to remember reading that he's also wrote for and edited Time, and been editor-in-chief of Sports Illustrated.
I'm sorry, but anyone who claims Blair isn't a journalist is an ignorant, presumptuous moron.
By the way, DBO - cluck cluck cluck.
Heh. Close. However, no longer can they squawk "he's a shill for Kerry Packer!"
Addamo - that's not the point. The point is he never puts forward his own case - he just relies on someone else's work, then rounds off with some flippant remark, presumably to indicate a level of understanding that is frequently proven to be superficial when events start unfolding. His utter unwillingness to flesh out his postings with even the barest hint of rationale adds further weight to the impression of a mind with a superficial understanding of events.
You cannot be accused of not being willing to engage or not knowing your subject matter - sometimes you don't want to discuss. Sometimes I don't, either. You probably know the feeling - you just can't be bothered, but you could if you wanted to. I have never got this impression from Antony, because I have never seen him get down and dirty in a thread and start defending his position. Does he have one, or is he just riding the intellectual coat tails of the Magnificent Three - Pilger, Chomsky, Fisk?
PS. I have had disagreements with Tim Blair in the thread before, and he's been willing to have it out with me. Tim's also a lot more careful than Antony regarding what he posts - thus he is significantly more impervious to criticism on specifics.
Hehe! DBO is using the frightfully clever tactic of turning my words against me in an ironic fashion! Brilliant! Who ever would have thought of it?
Interesting how you figure that an editor (who is more often than not a very senior journalist) is in fact *not* a journalist.
I can't blame TB for concentrating on the lighter side of things. He probably wades through enough heavy prose in his position as news editor of Australia's leading news and current affairs magazine. Jesus, DBO. Are you trying to sound cognitively dissonant or do you enjoy painting yourself into a semantic corner?
Well, if that's the case one wonders why the lefties waste their time posting there.
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Hrm. What "honour" would I desire more?
1) Coming 10th in some lame blog comp whose judging panel was peopled by a bunch of hacks supporting themselves on Govt arts payola (read lefties, or at least "progressives")
2) Writing the most popular blog in Australia
Real tough one there.
And if you truly can't see much difference (beyond politics) between TB's blog and Loewenstein's , I truly wonder whether you've spent any time at Blair's at all.
No: they just think your positions are idiotic. The culture at Blair's is different - Blair and the commentariat are generally pisstakers. So when some overly sincere lefty comes in with the objective of setting everyone straight (mostly utilising the same old tired arguments, I might add), they tend to get laughed out of the room. It's funniest when they start getting all hot under the collar and throw a tanty.
DBO - so you reckon having the most popular blog in Australia counts for nothing, but WOW, coming tenth (or even first) in some shitty blog comp with a left-leaning judging panel is sooo much more indicative?
Before you give me the Neighbours rationale about how popularity doesn't necessarily equal quality - let me point out that the average blogger is a rather more discerning and mentally capable individual than the average citizen. A blog popularity rating has a much stronger correlation to quality (though it is not always right, it must be said - take Webdiary as an example) than, say, TV ratings.
I know what I'd prefer to use as a barometer of quality.
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