Date: Fri, 22 Nov 1996 17:54:53 +1000 (EST)
From: Gary MacLennan <g.maclennan-AT-qut.edu.au>
Subject: M-I: Feeling smug 4


This has been a strange but busy month for me.  Marking and all that stuff
and the usual chaos at home.  I did however have a few interesting invites.
Thus  I was asked to play a supporting role at a seminar on Political
Correctness.  A draft of my paper was posted a few weeks ago.  The issue is
very hot in Australia at the mopment because of the so-called race debate.

There were two big speakers. Humphrey Mc queen form the Left (ex-Maoist) and
Gerard Henderson from the Right.  I attended the first part and was on a
panel backing up Mc queen.  He spoke well and gave a fairly good class
analysis of  PC.  I spoke after him and in all modesty I was clearer on the
class question.  I also called the independent member of parliament, Pauline
Hanson, a piece of fascist filth.

whatever she is a fascist or not is actually a matter of some debate.  I am
inclined to say not. But what the hell?  She would not stand out at
Nurembourg.  When I denounced her there was a startle around the room. The
audience -  over a 100 and mainly middle aged and respectable, and the venue
- the Parliamentary buildings.  But I could have given a damn, but I did try
and blend the academic with the polemical.  Not an easy mixture.
Australians are the most moderate people on god's earth and only ever seem
to stir if there is an English shop steward or some other migrant driving
them on.  True.  Absolutely true.

I won't repeat the theme of my speech.  Apart that is to say that I tried to
adapt Raymond Williams' analysis of dominant, residual and emergent cultures
to PC. If I had to do it  over again I would try and weave in some stuff
>from Bloch about fascism and the non-synchronous. (i e. the residual in
Williams' terms).  I finished with a fairly heated denunciation of Hanson as
one with a heart  of darkness, an evil person.  I also said that the debate
would be determined by the economy and that  the ruling class would  not
allow Hanson's racist rhetoric to  destroy their  businesses. "It's the
economy, stupid"

I spoke as a gay man.  No big deal there.  It seemed appropriate and I have
been doing it a lot lately.  Still it must be said that it guarantees that
not many men will come up to you at coffee time and say that they enjoyed
your speech.  Thankfully  women are not as easily intimidated.  The men at
the seminar should also have felt safe. Very safe.  But there is something
about the straight male.  No matter how old and ugly  he may be, he still
feels that he is automatically on object of desire for gays. True.
Absolutely true.

There was though one young guy.  Cute.  He was there to sign for the deaf.
His language was wonderfully expressive and I could not keep my eyes of his
gestures. I would have given a lot to see how he signed my speech.  What  is
the sign for gay?  Alas he made him self scarce with the rest of the
brethren.  Shame.

I missed out on Henderson's speech.  He is Australia's leading right wing
intellectual.  A small man with the typical high pitched voice of many
Australian males. I noticed for some reason or other his bald spot.  

During his speech apparently he referred to me.  He said that he had
believed the Left to be extinct in Australia until he heard my speech and
then he realized that it had emigrated to Brisbane.  He also took up my
point about fascism and the evil that is Hanson.  He said fascism was simply
a term of abuse and that the supporters of Hanson were not evil.  He did
though acknowledge that the economy would determine the outcome of the
debate.  (Another Kautskyite)  Henderson's speech was broadcast nationally
but there was no reference to any of the other speakers. Typical. Absolutely
typical.

The following day I was leaving the campus and crossing in front of
Parliament House.   Coming across the road was a member of parliament.  A
politician no less.  His name is Mick Vievers.  A former football player and
a filthy tory piece of homophobic racist shit.  He has been photographed
kissing Hanson on the front page of the local Murdoch rag, and during the
recent election he made several speeches attacking gays.

I snarled at him, cursed and swore  and said something like "It's a pity a
car wouldn't run you down you scum bag"

He said "I beg your pardon!" and kept repeating this as I crossed the street
swearing some more over my shoulder.  I got to the other side and I heard
the patter of enormous feet behind me.  There was Vievers red in the face
and determined to confront me.   I had my arms full of bags and student
papers and so was defenseless in front of the mother.  I also noticed that
up  close he was built like a brick shit house and was a good ten years
younger than me.  I felt as if I were in the ring with Tyson and Don King
hadn't fixed the fight.

We swore at each other and then for some reason my Irish brain made me say
"Do you want to wrestle Mr. Vievers?".  He said "Nothing would give me
greater pleasure."

My reply was not very witty but was deeply felt.

"Well then you can fuck off."

We exchanged more  pleasantries of a similar nature and then he moved away.
His parting words to me were:

"Get right royally fucked up the ass."

I think that was meant to be an insult.


A close one but I scored it:-

Tory 0  Gary 1

regards

Gary



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