Popular perhaps , but not Wise
Professor Passmore, in a great series of Boyer lectures in the 1980's, remarked that the popularity of simple ideas with....( a certain group) .was completely understandable ( he might have said rational| .
We all think we are rational, so whose to decide ?. Let the people, speak I say - The sunshine of exposure ; even the religious in so called secular schools.That way simple quick fix and irrational solutions might be recognised for what they are - that's rational isn't it? debate enables diversity by exposing differences ( rather than hiding them ).
The division of church and state is one of responsibility, not one of complete isolation and insulation. Division at some level, despite the simple ideas of some pedants, is essential to drive and build diversity . There is no disagreement about the desirability of setting some division.
So With a division of church and state responsibility , we can have at least 3 types of schools, instead of simply 2 types, as the rationalist society group seem to think is reasonable. Think about it ! Tis Good to mix and tis good to seperate !
Those in the ABc who play up to what's both popular and reactionary should watch out . While quick fix will suit their ratings,( and keep them in peanuts) it does nothing to build up the ABC's reputation as something other than shocking jockying in some quarters.
esp when Jon feine can't help but self promote his own views - that somehow the seperation of church and state means something simple happens .
The wider debate about exposure of ideas should interest ABC 774 as its a very very important debate not heard much there--Free speech and exposure of ideas is clearly under threat ( The innocent get prosecuted in the State of victoria !) The free speech rally was agreed - simple solutions to exposure of emotive ideas , while popular, was. in the case of the exsiting legislation, reactionary and likely to create more division in our society - not less.
more division in our society - not less Jon
Sunshine not segration Jon - Bernard Shaw would, I feel sure , not be not impressed with the arrogant ignorance of many half baked modern fabians on these complex matters ---He understood good intentions and wrote a book about the dangers of them. He talked about how simple emotive responses reinforce predjudices , maintain ignorance and stifle resolution.
Does ABC hope to bless the country by sitting on the issue; Hoping by praying for peace and canning emotive talk ( like the brack government has ) that it will go away - not waiting for more explosions?
The expectation of more explosions is more rational that praying for peace and playing the popular games that Chamberlain played before the war.
