"Justice Kirby said most lawyers opposed the death penalty because the law was fallible, the death penalty had an insignificant impact on murder rates, and it brutalised the state that carried it out. "When we deny [fundamental human rights] we diminish ourselves. We become part of the violence world,". Sydney Morning Herald Tuesday 7th October.

A Judge from the High Court of Australia spoke yesterday about the implications of the death penalty sentences given to those Indonesian citizens convicted for the Bali bombings a year ago. Apparentely 56% of Australians support the death penalty for acts of 'terrorism' (What that word actually means today is another issue). It seems a spiral of violence is developing in many parts of the world today where the cause and effect are being lumped together in a blurred sequence of reaction and manipulated emotions. I read a list of the names of those Australians killed in the Sari Club and Paddy's Bar bombings (88 of them) and it was pretty shocking to see the names of places I have been as being the home towns and suburbs of those murdered. My sister is married to an Indonesian and he was on his way to the Sari club when he was delayed and avoided the bombing. My sister had only left Bali the day before. That the proximity of this violent act has stunned so many so much shows just how insulated we are to the motivations which drive those who do such things. Yesterday a 29 year old female lawyer blew herself up in a restaurant in Hiafa (home of a friend of mine also), killing herself and 19 others, wounding many. The restaurant was owned by Arab Israelies. This violence is not going away, they are not the acts of insane people, as violence builds on both sides (those of the public- military, judicial, civil authorities- and those of the non-public- 'terrorists'- spheres) it becomes more and more a viable choice to contribute towards the growing economy of violence.
Mahatma Ghandi said that an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind............Even in the land of his birth the bombs explode in shopping centres, religious halls and bus stations............As a techno tune I encountered a long time ago burned into my affected brain (summer 1993-4) "A Great man once said love your enemies....Do good to those who curse you...Be kind to those who hate you......" Got any E's??????
Speaking of which congratulations goes to Australia; named by the United Nations 2003 global report into AFS (Amphetamine-Type Substances) as the worlds number one consumer of MDMA and MDA , with a decent 2.9% of the population admitting to researchers to having taken the drug......It produces sensations of empathy and extream emotional bonding, so I've been told...perhaps someone should think about flooding the occupied territories, West Bank, and Gaza Strip with disco biscuits..You know the score!!!!!