Let’s Keep Some Perspective

The David Hicks ‘trial’ is finally upon us. This Administration’s criticism of Howard’s handling of this issue to date is already on the record. In short, our government has stood idly by and allowed one of our citizens to be abused and held without charge. The jarring reality is that since December 2001, in excess of 5 years, David Hicks has been imprisoned in virtual solitary confinement in a small mesh-sided cell which is kept lit night and day. He has been periodically subjected to a range of mistreatments, including routine sleep deprivation, random beatings, forced sedation and being IRF’d – slang for attacks perpetrated by a group of US soldiers with an attack dog.

The Australian media though seemed to have laid aside these details for the time being; instead choosing to focus on David’s ‘surprise’ guilty plea at his US military trial yesterday. The Herald didn’t even get to the part about his plea though, running a human interest piece concerning the million dollars he stands to receive for selling his story to the media. Adding to this smorgasbord of wisdom, Barnaby Joyce claimed that Howard should be lauded for his actions: "Without a shadow of doubt, the only reason that this Australian citizen went to the front of the queue is because the prime minister was obviously lobbying for it," while perennial AFP favourite Alexander Downer weighed in with reminders that Hicks has admitted his guilt.

In light of this portrayal by our media and our government, let’s get a couple of things straight:

1. Australia ranks 35^th in the Reporters without Borders freedom of press rankings. We are notably behind Ze Germans, South Korea and Boznia & Herzegovnia. We’re only a couple of places behind that beacon of the Free Press, China. Something to consider when you read your paper in the morning.

2. David Hick’s guilty plea was no surprise. It is the logical end result of sleeping with the lights on for 5 years, only interrupted by your daily beating. If it were me, I would’ve signed my confession years ago. Anything for them to let me out of there.

3. Hick’s deserves a million dollars for his story, it’s the least we could do.

4. Barnaby Joyce is a moron and he shouldn’t be allowed on TV, on the radio, in the newspaper, or outside without adult supervision.

5. The ineffectuality of the Howard/Downer foreign policy team have cost Hicks years of his life – how much is that worth?

Overall, I think it’s a good idea for us all to keep a little perspective. How angry does it make you when your neighbour has a party and keeps you awake all night? Feel a little crappy at work the next day? Multiply that by about 2000 nights, and swap those rowdy neighbours for random beatings - how do you think that’d make you feel? What would you confess to, if you thought it’d get the soldiers who’d been beating you for a few hours to stop, and to take their dog with them?

Guilt and innocence isn’t the debate here. It’s about justice, compassion and human rights. Guantanamo Bay should be shut, Hicks should be sent home, and we should all be very sorry that we ever let it happen in the first place.