Thursday, November 30, 2006

Apparently we aspire to be our best because of Elizabeth II

Did anyone else see that piece of tripe by Tony Abbott in yesterday's Age?

In a forward to a biography of the Queen, the honorable "I am a good Catholic who can address Catholic groups about politics but shouldn't be judged on my religious views and I had premarital sex and thought I impregnated her before I left her and she adopted the baby out because I was "psychologically unready for parenthood" before I then entered training for the priesthood" Minister for Health and Ageing reckons that:

  • "The monarch has an important symbolic role too as "fountain of justice and honour"; guardian of the integrity of the armed forces and the public service". I thought that was also the role of John (who cares about ministerial responsibility) Howard and respective (who cares about the rule of law) Attorneys General - Silly me;
  • The Monarch stands for "the embodiment of the unity of the Commonwealth of Nations" Personally I'm not so sure that unity is a great thing but it suits Robert Mugabe;
  • She "represents that ideal of duty and service that is always beyond the reach of actual human beings but towards which all should strive";
  • The Queen has lived her life "with grace and charm [and] with a constant and selfless devotion to the service of her far-flung people. Pity you can't say the same about her husband or her children; and
  • While "contemporary intellectuals are republicans almost to a man and woman", the "heart has reasons that reason cannot know". This is a good thing?!?!

I think Tony needs to go back to addressing his church and getting his fellow female MPs so riled up that they act across party lines to defeat him.

Here's hoping you can have a day where you can strive towards the ideal of duty and service which will beyond your actual reach, and of grace and charm with constant and selfless devotion. Or not as you wish.

5 comments:

Food Kitty said...

Oh God, bring me the sackcloth and ashes now.
That man is an insufferable prig.

M said...

she also represents bad eye wear, me thinks. *shudder*

I'm not Craig said...

Does anyone else think that perhaps Tony Abbott is just curious as to how much he can take the piss before we all catch on that he;s been kidding around for years?

Sure, it's possible that the man is serious, but ask yourself which explanation is more likely.

redcap said...

Sadly, IMC, I think the "he's serious" option is the more likely. Dunno about you, but when I have a close look at Parliament, I see stupid people. They're everywhere... and they don't know that they're stupid...

Of course, they're also hypocritical, but I suspect they neither know nor care about that, either.

Ms Batville said...

Mutley - Welcome. Not talking bout your Queen buddy. Our Queen. And that my friend is the essence of the problem. That and the eyewear as M suggests.

As for the Abbott - I do like INC's suggestion that this is all some practical joke. If only. I fear though that he actually believes this tripe (after all he felt that he could be a good priest after committing the sin of premarital sex so methinks he can convince himself of anything).