It makes me question if I am ignorant

Considering some of your recent posts, the answer to that question is relatively easy to work out.

There is something in what Keithy has said.  Howard's father did belong to some radical right wing party - they had a few members back then as well.  I just can't remember the name.

At the time of reading the article it made me think that Howard would have had a very rigid upbringing and it would account for the sort of man he is today.

The name of the political party John Howard's father allegedly belonged to - and this was in print  until recently - was the "New Guard" .

In the early 1930s a fascist group, the ‘New Guard’ boasted tens of thousands of members. They were convinced that Jack Lang’s New South Wales Labor Government heralded the beginning of a slide into communism. The New Guard’s members were armed and ready at a moment’s notice to mount a coup. Launching a campaign against unions, they turned the streets of Sydney into a battleground in 1931. Despite this, the group is these days best remembered for the somewhat comical ‘unofficial opening’ of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which saw Francis De Groot charge forward on horseback and slash the ribbon before Premier Lang could do so.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR ANDREW MOORE, HISTORIAN: It was indubitably the most significant fascist group of 20th-century Australia.

IAN SHAW, TERRORISM COMMENTATOR: 50,000 card-carrying members, paid-up members, and probably double that in supporters.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR ANDREW MOORE: They turned the streets of Sydney into a battlefield in late 1931 and 1932.

IAN SHAW: The New Guard had access to...to a lot of weapons. They had a commitment to maintaining a particular viewpoint and, I think, had the left reacted, we could've seen real political violence in Australia on a scale that we haven't seen and I hope we never see.

It emerged against the backdrop of the Great Depression, a time of great economic dislocation. And there was also the problem in NSW of the emergence of an apparently radical Labor government under the charge of the so-called 'Big Fella', Jack Lang. The election of Lang represented their worst dreams starting to come true.

Challenge it if you want - who cares IQ?  My point was that at the time of reading an article about Howard's father's alleged involvement in this political group - it was easy to understand where Howard got his extreme right views from - particularly his anti-union stance.

This is how  REAL  Aussies  welcome John Howard .


"Warm welcome for PM in remote community   August 28, 2007 12:56pm

PRIME Minister John Howard was greeted with applause and a warm handshake when he arrived in the remote Northern Territory Aboriginal community of Hermannsburg today.

The 700-strong community, 150km west of the desert town of Alice Springs, is the first indigenous community the Prime Minister has visited since announcing his unprecedented intervention in the Northern Territory nine weeks ago.

Concerns with land tenure and the scrapping of Aboriginal work for the dole were expected to be high on the local council's agenda when Mr Howard held talks with them today.

Walking into the council building this morning, Mr Howard was welcomed by applauding locals.

Following the meeting, Mr Howard will tour the local health clinic, school, store and women's cultural centre before having a barbecue with the community.

Unlike many communities and high profile Aboriginal leaders who oppose Mr Howards's radical and sweeping indigenous reforms, the people of Hermannsburg - the first community to receive health checks for their children - have been open to most of the changes.

But they oppose abolishing the permit system which controls the access of non-indigenous people onto Aboriginal land and the dismantling of Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP), which provides an economic lifeline to bush communities. "


http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,22320537-5003402,00.html

He says Ind -pple must join mainstream..so what real help will they receive to do that i wonder..?

Thats a sad article mantra...

We have been reduced to beggars in our own country. Any dissenting voice is ignored by a government that selects "yes" people to promote its own agenda, and the select few are tragically held out as the voice of Aborigines.

One of the YES people is Noel Pearson..he speaks out on behelf of Ind pple, but I fear as he just gives a nod to everything Governments wants, he certainly does not represent them in any way. Pearson only takes care of his paypacket.

Id like to see how 'national black voice' initiative manifests itself. They are quite right..they have to take action.

...and all who support him!

Sprintcyclist wrote on Sep 2^nd, 2007 at 3:32pm:

The kids will never understand why you supported the breaking of the NPT!