Northern Territory News -- Editorial
by Brett De Vine (May 16, 2002)

Fools and Democracy

"French philosopher Voltaire famously wrote: I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

Note by NAP - "I detest what you write, but I would give my life to make it possible for you to continue to write." --- Voltaire, letter (1770) [This seems to be the closest thing Voltaire ever actually said to the statement often attributed to him: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." Those words were used by S.G. Tallentyre in The Friends of Voltaire (1906) to paraphrase Voltaire's reaction to the condemnation of Helvetius's De l'esprit ( On the Mind ).] http://www.holysmoke.org/sdhok/voltaire.htm

Voltaire is one of my heroes, there was no prohibition against marijuana in the 18th Century. Had there been, Voltaire would have protested its absurdity.

That would have been superfluous "I disapprove of what you say..." covers that point adequately. Stick to editing your journalistic hacks, Brett.

That the Editor of an advertising-driven rag that promulgates repression through misinformation and censorship, would even invoke Voltaire, is an insult to his free-thinking legacy.

NAP have never provoked the NT Police. In fact, your suggestion that we could, reflects very badly on the professionalism of the NT Police.

Your opinion of our actions is meaningless, given your Editorship of a newspaper which is a laughing-stock in Australian journalistic circles.

The NT News coverage of the Dili massacre and East Timor in general, was a disgusting episode, one that still continues. For over a quarter of a century, the NT News has condoned genocide, torture and rape in East Timor.

NAP paid for the Longgrasser's rally. Food, sound-system, etc...and Gary Meyerhoff (NAP's Co-cordinator) drove the NAP-hired mini-bus around Darwin, to pick up homeless Aboriginal people.

NAP is supported by PARIAH, People Against Racism In Aboriginal Homelands, the Longgrasser's Association and Kujuk (Longgrasser's newspaper).

"News" (noun) -- New information about specific and timely events.

Dr Bill Day, the doyen of activism on behalf of Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory, had this to say about my previous article:
Deconstructing the NT News (Part 1).

"Mick you are exposing the nature of the Labour "alternative" in a very thorough way."

I value Bill's opinion highly.

"In short, this lot have had their say."

The dictatorial aspects of this declaration and the 'Editor's' belief that he has some right to dictate the mode and extent of our actions is totally unacceptable. It may be an opinion piece, but it is one that will be read by thousands of Territorians who rely on the NT News for 'factual and unbiased' reporting. This is not.

The Editor of the NT News has misinformed the Public, as well as denigrating, politically isolating and threatening NAP and PARIAH members with censorship.

"As Voltaire said, there is a fundamental right to protest; it is the backbone of democracy. Civilisation has moved forward because so-called unreasonable people have stood up and fought for justice. And in certain circumstances it is even admirable to break the law to combat unjust laws."

"But the invasion of Parliament was not an act of bravery in aid of a noble cause. It was an offensive stunt carried out by middle-class liberals posturing as the collective conscience of Territorians."

No. The "invasion" of Parliament was offensive to "middle-class liberals" such as yourself. It is very amusing to hear Marxist terminology being used by a 'bourgeois lackey'.

'Street kids', Aboriginal people and an ex-Builder's Labourer's Federation organizer are "middle-class liberals?"

What are you? A working-class hero? Do you see us at your cocktail parties Brett?
I know the difference between an Acrow prop and a transom, do you?

Cowardly? Risking violence and imprisonment for our beliefs?

You are hiding behind and profiting from, your position as a a lackey, to one of the most powerful and ruthless media magnates on this planet.

Maybe you should read the NT News polls and appreciate that because of the demonization of (non-alcoholic) drug users -- people fear being associated with drug law reform. In part because of the unsympathetic coverage by the NT News.

"Of course, there is a case for decriminalising marijuana. But this is not what the protesters are about. They want all drug laws scrapped."

"The idea is absurd; anyone with even the slightest knowledge of how hard drugs are damaging society would condemn this anarchic approach as dangerous nonsense."

No. We want drug programmes in place that will help people deal with drug abuse and remove the need for the crimes associated with feeding their habits. A move that would see the criminals dealing heavy drugs disenfranchised, instead of being empowered by Labor's pending drug laws.

"One of the primary aims of TUF is the promotion of the health and human rights of people who use currently illicit substances. TUF recognises the devastating impact of the War on Drugs (WOD) which manifests itself in the imprisonment and deaths of many drug users and the devastating impact of blood borne viruses such as hepatitis C and HIV/AIDS. TUF is dedicated to fundamental reform of the current approach to substance ingestion. We advocate: the legalisation of personal drug use recognition of substance ingestion as a social issue and not just a health or legal issue a reality-based education campaign for the community to counter the misinformation arising from the war on drugs To this end, TUF is involved in national and international networks working towards the end of the war on drugs."

From the Top End Users Forum, a group that NAP Coordinator and Cofounder Gary Meyerhoff was associated with, prior to mobilizing NAP.

England and many other countries have moved away from the repressive drug laws being enacted by the NT ALP. In short, because they do not work.

It is a feature of right-wing political parties to ignore this obvious point, in their quest to attract the populist vote (from a deliberately misinformed electorate) and to increase already undemocratic Police powers.

"Unfortunately, the price of democracy is having to put up with fools."

Given the violence of the government-fostered NT Police response to NAP and PARIAH members, the refusal of the NT ALP to answer our queries and the NT News misinformation and censorship, it is clear that the Editor's definition of democracy does not apply to the Northern Territory.

Unfortunately, under this undemocratic political duopoly we must put up with fools.

Voltaire: "Essentially, he rejected everything irrational and incomprehensible and called upon his contemporaries to act against intolerance, tyranny, and superstition. His morality was founded on a belief in freedom of thought and respect for all individuals, and he maintained that literature should be useful and concerned with the problems of the day." http://www.holysmoke.org/sdhok/voltaire.htm

Their Morals and Us

by 'ex drug user' May 25 '02 (response to article on Melbourne indy)

Great to see the attack on the gutter press. They are full of crap and will not understand Voltaire, "'kin frog ".

I took a hard drug, loads of it. Regular visitor to hospital and cells. Almost dead caused others injuries, mainly not physical but some of them. I can still get my drug, its totally legal. Yup its grog.

The war on drugs has everything to do with the hustlers stopping two bit pushers taking over the turf, already won and legitimised by society which the grog companies think is theirs. Some of them probably think it's a god given right.

Aren't there millions of people who get just a little bit merry on their substance. Aren't there times when it just takes away the feeling that something should be done about things.

All power to you up there. You are inspiration for my children. I'll explain to them the nature of the spivs who write blind and blinding words for the masses.

"The ruling ideas in society are the ideas of the ruling class."

"About your face a web of lies is woven."