It disappoints me how anti-racism protestors show up to every event of hers. I think she's a nutcase and a racist but she was democratically elected and deserves the same level of respect as her counterparts.

I dont know about that to be honest. Politicans are protested against all the time. We've had people camp on the lawn of parliament.

She was elected yes, but that does not mean she gets a free pass on here views. She has as much capacity to respond to her criticisms with well thought out rebuttals.

I dont know about that to be honest. Politicans are protested against all the time. We've had people camp on the lawn of parliament.

She was elected yes, but that does not mean she gets a free pass on here views. She has as much capacity to respond to her criticisms with well thought out rebuttals.

Quite. Unfortunately, this principle can be applied to Western reaction to Islam, also. It's unsurprising that the Western country which is suffering the most has one of the most disgraceful colonial pasts out of all European nations. Not even 60 years ago, Algerians, for example, would be clobbered over the head and thrown into the Seine. To this day, marginalisation of French Muslims (even just persons of north African origin in France) is prevalent. That's what really acts as a catalyst for radicalisation. People feel victimised by society and turn to... guess who? Those who pretend to feel their pain. Radical preachers.

I can think of a less distressing analogy which illustrates the problem very well. On another thread it was suggested that some Greeks wholeheartedly support Greece over Australia because, when they were children, they were bullied at school by their Anglo-Saxon-Celtic classmates on account of their ethnicity. For this reason, they, understandably, had no attachment to Australia and chose to appropriate that for which they were marginalised; Greece. Obviously, I hope it's not so bad for Greeks in Australia these days and they feel the right to be as Australian as anybody else. The point is that this same social phenomenon, in a vastly more macabre fashion, compels Muslims in Europe to turn to the dark side.

You're absolutely right that there's no reasoning with some of these people. Unfortunately, short of embarking on some kind of highly-efficient campaign of ethnic cleansing (which, needless to say, cannot be done), Western Europe just needs to accept this and find ways of coping with this problem. So it becomes a question of striking a balance between tolerance and toughness in order to minimise radicalisation.

In much the same way that the spread of Wahhabism has only been fostered in the Middle-East by Shia oppression of Sunnis, the same is happening for extremists in the West.

The more marginalisation -> the greater number of people who can't be reasoned with.

Extremists love to hear the Pauline Hanson rhetoric.

Sorry, poorly worded. Anti-racism protestors show up wherever there is a peaceful protest held by groups that do not support their world view.

When these ferals show up there is always violence.

So bloody close


Automatic recount but I hope it's correct [-o<

That is insanely close!

What are the rules for re-count? Does it have to be within a certain amount of votes?

@Q&A Hanson comes off as incredibly cringey and ignorant with regards to terrorism, it's a pity there wasnt someone with a bit more knowledge to argue anything other than that its The wests fault for not intregreting muslims. She seemed a lot more confident and knowledge when talking about economics, although i know fuck all about that.

Yep, under 100 equals a re-count (which is happening now).

-PB

The only thing I would add - in regards particularly to pollies like Donald Trump and Pauline Hanson, the more feral protesters that turn up, the more media images they get looking like they are under siege, the more popular they get!

The basis of their politics is a massive persecution complex and victim mentality.

Every time they are "victimised" it actually reinforces their world view. Violent protestors are actually helping to fulfil their delusions.

So well done protesters.... you played yourself!

@Q&A Hanson comes off as incredibly cringey and ignorant with regards to terrorism, it's a pity there wasnt someone with a bit more knowledge to argue anything other than that its The wests fault for not intregreting muslims. She seemed a lot more confident and knowledge when talking about economics, although i know fuck all about that.

This.

You can agree with her message or not, but it's indestructible that she's an incredibly poor public speaker. Her movement needs someone like a Farage/Wilders who can properly articulate the message and successfully deal with the emotional blackmail.

Edited by 433: 19/7/2016 03:59:26 PM

With all due respect, she is just as incompetent when it comes to economics, as she is with everything else.

She knows nothing. Her policies would do huge damage, and that is an over-estimation to call them "policies", rather than brain farts.

Edited by AzzaMarch: 19/7/2016 04:25:39 PM

Politics is a job where competence in anything in particular is not required.

In fact the current Labor leader has never had a job outside of the Union movement. He hasn't ever run a business, even though he has an MBA (whoop de doo). At least Hanson has run a small business and would have infinite more experience than Shorten in the small business economy.

Most politicians are lawyers, making them good at public speaking (even though Shorten has been re-citing from pre-written focus group speeches). Their problem- bar Shorten-is not the well-practiced delivery, but the content.

Hanson isn't that bad. Her cut through is actually pretty effective as she speaks in plain English rather than typical mealy mouthed obfuscation most polies well drilled in. I actually think her idea that there be a royal commission into Islam has merit , but then again there's hundreds of things that merit a Royal commission that will never see the light for day.

Hanson is popular because she is one of a few who are brave enough to shine a light on the dark side of Islam, and though many may be in denial and/or afraid Islam definitely has a dark side.

Edited by rusty: 19/7/2016 07:26:57 PM

People like to think in terms of 'black and white' and generally dislike nuanced and deep thinking around complicated issues.

Pauline doesn't do nuance and for those that dislike that and prefer the former she strikes a chord.

Can I ask this question - why is "plain speaking" more important than actual policies.

Don't people care about the actual policies that get implemented? Or just that the person talking "sounds like a regular person".

Personally, I couldn't care less how much of a public speaker someone is. Coming across well on camera, or "likeable" bears no relation to competence on policy issues....

The way most pollies speak seems to give off the appearance that they're skirting issues rather than tackling them head on.

Pauline gets traction because she speaks to people normally rather than using 'political' language.

The way most pollies speak seems to give off the appearance that they're skirting issues rather than tackling them head on.

Pauline gets traction because she speaks to people normally rather than using 'political' language.

That's the thing though - if you watch any interviews she has, she is just as evasive, and obfuscating as any politician. She is just less smooth at it.

I mean, sometimes she struggles to actually explain what her policies are.

If you compare her to other right wing populists overseas, I just don't get her popularity. She isn't a good demagogue, she isn't charismatic, she isn't funny. She doesn't seem to have a magnetic personality.

I fear for our political discourse if the populist right does produce someone who is engaging and/or charismatic.