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Usman Khawaja, like many, has been deeply affected by the distressing scenes of destruction and suffering since Hamas’ barbaric October 7 attacks on Israel precipitated the current Gazan horror.
Khawaja’s messages on his shoes, in the Palestinian colours of black, white, green and red, are not inflammatory, political rhetoric designed to create division, hatred or animosity. The words, “Freedom is a human right” and “All lives are equal”, are non-partisan, and all-encompassing in their plea for humanity to be humane: for all lives to be respected and valued, be they Palestinian, Gazan, Jewish or Israeli, or any other faith or ethnicity. It’s a message that transcends politics, ideologies and cricket.
Deborah Morrison, Malvern East
Why not a letter in blue?
I noticed the words “all lives are equal” on Usman Khawaja’s shoes were written in green, red and black to represent the deaths of innocent Palestinians in the Gaza war. If he truly believes that statement, why didn’t he also write one of the words in blue to represent the innocent Jewish lives that were lost on October 7 which precipitated this war?
At the very least, why did he not include a single blue letter out of respect for the Jewish women who were raped, mutilated and murdered? Ernie Schwartz, McKinnon
The religion should not matter
All lives surely do matter. Usman Khawaja is not making an outrageous or a political statement whatsoever. What’s the problem with the cricket board? Would the reaction be different if a nominally Christian player did the same? I’m with Usman.
Andrew Barnes, Ringwood
On the calculus of caring
If Usman Khawaja is not political but rather making the point that all lives are equal then perhaps he should have one shoe supporting the poor Gazans losing their homes and lives in conflict and the other supporting the innocent Israeli hostages, including those still being held in inhumane conditions, and innocent Israelis who have had to flee their homes due to incessant bombings. Then I would agree he cares about all human life equally. Judy Joss, Jerusalem
Human rights worldwide need our attention
I find it difficult to understand the reaction to Usman Khawaja’s statement emblazoned on his shoes, “All lives are equal” and “Freedom is a human right”. Surely, most Australians would endorse this message as a way of bringing attention to the massive injustices and breaches of human rights around the world. It is a humanitarian message and should not be politicised. But do many care?
Angela Woolard, Mordialloc
Israel is in an impossible situation
Israel is being called upon to do the impossible: on the one hand, to eliminate Hamas from power in Gaza, and on the other hand, not to harm the civilian communities where Hamas is hiding. No other nation has ever managed to defeat entrenched terrorist infrastructure without exacting a heavy toll on civilians.
If there were a ready solution to this dilemma, Israel would have taken it long ago. It behooves all those calling for a ceasefire to detail their magical solution to dislodging Hamas from power without causing civilian casualties.
Or perhaps Israel is instead being asked to do the impossible and allow a murderous enemy to regroup so that they can fulfil their stated aim of more atrocities at the first available opportunity?
Steven Prawer, Caulfield
FORUM
Please, immunise the kids
When I was in primary school in the early 1950s, there were kids wearing calipers, the result of polio, and kids wearing large hearing aids because their mothers had had rubella in pregnancy. Then in 1969, I was an intern at the Fairfield Infectious Disease Hospital and saw very sick children from a variety of diseases. Now these diseases are very rare – because of immunisation. All people hear of nowadays are the very rare side effects of vaccines such as ″my child had [x] immunisation and suffered [y]“.
The balance between benefit and risk is overwhelmingly tilted to benefit. Please, ensure your children are fully immunised.
Dr Paul Nisselle, Middle Park
Immigration rewards
Like your correspondent (Letters, 14/12), I am also saddened by the cuts in immigration.
At our school’s presentation day this week, the guest speaker was a former student, who had graduated in 2011. He was a refugee from Bhutan, who entered year 10 with very little English and went on to become dux of the school two years later.
He has since studied medicine at two universities and now works as a doctor in regional Australia. By his own words, he is keen to ″give back″ to Australia. A shining example of the benefits of immigration and public education.
Craig Jory, Albury, NSW
Dutton’s followers
Your correspondent (Letters, 14/12) says that Peter Dutton doesn’t speak for him when he demanded an apology for the cancellation of a planned Australia Day function in London in January. That may be so, but Dutton certainly speaks for the 61 per cent of Australians who voted No in the recent referendum.
Greg Hardy, Upper Ferntree Gully
At least, it’s a step
Realistically, no outcome from the COP28 Climate Conference in Dubai was ever going to phase out fossil fuels. But the unanimous decision to transition from fossil fuels, which sounds very much like ″phase-down″, is the best we could have hoped for.
Here again, we must not sacrifice the good for the perfect. This is the first time fossil fuels have been addressed in any of the previous 27 final statements at these COP conferences.
However slowly, it’s still a step in the right direction. The world is watching the transition.
Nick Toovey, Beaumaris
Tomorrow, we fry . . .
It should now be clear that during the next quarter century or so, we are likely to witness one of two scenarios.
Optimistically, the efforts of the world in developing and installing renewable energy will accelerate and be increasingly successful, reducing its cost of supply well below the point at which any fossil fuel can compete anywhere.
Alternatively, we’ll all fry.
Under either scenario, the demand for fossil fuels will be effectively zero.
Faced with this future, is it any surprise that the fossil-fuel mega producers – whether oil-rich or coal rich – will do their utmost to extract and sell at current prices as much as they possibly can? Not fools, they know there is a strong probability that the “valuable” reserves they are sitting on today will be worthless in the foreseeable and not-too-distant future.
Regrettably, that makes the second scenario the most likely of the two.
Ronald Burnstein, Heidelberg
Just more words
COP28 has delivered a carefully hedged conclusion that fossil fuels must eventually be withdrawn from the energy mix and replaced by clean-energy sources. Yet there was no sense of urgency and no enforceable commitment, just more pious aspirations.
The prospect is for more fossil fuels being produced and burnt, much of this sourced from Australia. The world’s emissions will continue to rise, the planet will continue to heat up and another COP will be organised. Just who are we trying to fool here?
Peter Barry, Marysville
Window is closing
At COP28, the world finally committed to “transition away” from fossil fuels (“Fossil fuel phase-out sticking point at talks”, 14/12). As the climate envoy from the Marshall Islands and other devastated island states noted, however, this language is not nearly adequate to drive the urgent emissions reductions required to hold warming below
1.5 degrees. Once again, to achieve consensus, creative ambiguity was included in the final COP text.
Disappointingly, like previous summits, COP28 demonstrated that it is petro-states with vested interests in fossil-fuel profits holding the rest of the world back from a healthier, clean energy future. The narrative must change. As we’ve seen with the rapid uptake of cars in the early
20th century and the rise of the mobile phone and now AI, humanity has great capacity to innovate and find solutions.
The window to achieve the Paris summit goal is closing.
Strong leadership and collective will are vital to truly close the door on the fossil-fuel era.
Amy Hiller, Kew
Here comes the sun
We should triple the use of nuclear energy but only its advanced version – nuclear fusion. Fortunately, we have access to a reliable fusion reactor, which is likely to last another 5 billion years. It is safely situated
150 million kilometres away.
It is called the sun.
Kishor Dabke, Mount Waverley
Decision to save lives
When the news is often doom and gloom, the decision of the federal, state and territory ministers for industrial relations and workplace safety to ban engineered stone provides a bright light.
The decision will save the lives of workers and is worthy of congratulations particularly because it is a world-first and can be used as inspiration and a model for other countries.
The unions, community groups and relevant governments deserve recognition and thanks from all workers and their families.
How unfortunate it took so long for asbestos to be banned.
Dianne Foggo, inaugural chair,
Victorian Asbestos Eradication Agency
Drum to be missed
The Drum will be sadly missed in my circle of acquaintances for its in-depth discussion and the opportunity for Australians from diverse backgrounds to have a voice. Most importantly, it stood out as informative because the audience were not subjected to any current or recent politicians and their ability to avoid answering questions.
Please ABC, duplicate these philosophies in any replacement program.
Jenny Callaghan, Hawthorn
Cultural vandalism
The Drum has become a blessed refuge from partisan brawls for my household.
Most of its guests have deep lived experience of particular issues, and thoughtful responses to other panel members.
The excellent presenters have managed to facilitate respectful discussions, often in very difficult areas, while other panel shows produce unproductive shouting matches or cosy chats among journalists. Cancelling this show is cultural vandalism.
Caroline Williamson, Brunswick
An asset removed
The Drum has been such an asset for the ABC. At 6pm, I could count on a range of opinions from skilled people, and good discussion on the issues of the moment. It is not Canberra-centric, or capital city-centric. There is cross pollination as a person skilled in one area thinks on a different area. It is not heated, there is genuine discussion. It has been an elevating program. The ABC’s decision is quite devastating.
Barbara Darvall, Caulfield North
A garden of delight
I agree with your correspondent (Letters, 14/12), The Drum is a tranquil pool of sanity in a maelstrom of political and media mendacity and abrasion. To paraphrase poet Minnie Aumonier, when the world wearies and society fails, there’s always The Drum. Like the garden, it is our refuge from the madness of the world and a renewal of hope that there are people who understand the root cause of the problems that ail us, and are able to offer experience-based solutions.
Please ABC, it’s not too late to change your mind. It’s our ABC, remember.
John Mosig, Kew
Vote applauded
As an Ahmadi Muslim, I welcome Australia’s vote at the United Nations General Assembly in favour of a humanitarian ceasefire. I also welcome the prime minister’s joint statement with leaders from Canada and New Zealand which recognises the responsibilities of both sides in establishing peace and highlights possible barriers to peace including the detention of innocent Israeli hostages, as well as the forcible displacement of Palestinians, re-occupation of Gaza, and settlements.
Khizar Rana, Hyde Park, SA
Gift possibilities
A simple remedy for Shona Hendley (Comment, 13/12) if she doesn’t want miscellaneous gifts from her students. Rather than increasing landfill, what about talking to her students well before Christmas about the desirability of choosing a cause that means something to each student and their families and ask them to make a donation. Oxfam, MSF, RSPCA and UNHCR are only a few possibilities.
Juliet Flesch, Kew
Can the Cans
Where is this place called Cans which is experiencing a cyclone?
How does the perfectly straightforward pronunciation of the city of Cairns become so mangled, and soon becomes almost commonplace? Stop it.
Bette Erskine, Port Melbourne
AND ANOTHER THING
War
I don’t know much about cricket, but go Usman Khawaja, with his shoes for peace and humanity.
Anne Sgro, Coburg North
The purpose of the players’ uniform is to unite them into a team. They should not be individual billboards.
Merryn Boan, Brighton
I would support Usman Khawaja wearing one shoe with slogans supporting Palestinians provided he wore slogans denouncing Hamas on the other.
Les Aisen, Elsternwick
Bravo Australia. Voting for a ceasefire and not blindly following the United States for once.
Mary Fenelon, Doncaster East
Most people who watch sport do so to get a break from the problems of the world so Usman Khawaja please leave your marked shoes in your cricket bag.
Paul Miller, Albury
If there is no ceasefire in Gaza, only the ideology of Hamas will remain.
Malcolm McDonald, Burwood
Years ago, we only heard of the wars through newspapers and radio. I wonder if we have become desensitised by the continual television footage.
Susan Munday, Bentleigh East
Furthermore
Have I noticed the words ″amazing″ and ″actually″ being overused? I have, absolutely.
Lindsay Zoch, Mildura
Accepting the dangers in using engineered stone, where is the logic in giving a grace period for its continued use?
Peter Randles, Pascoe Vale South
With the demise of The Drum, the ABC has promised Australian content instead, so no more Midsomer Murders repeats. Please.
Brian Cullen, Carlton North
Thank goodness we have a government that can balance the budget, pay off debt and even have a surplus.
Ross Hosking, Blackwood, SA
Hooray, Ross Gittins is back. Please Ross, can you run for parliament? I will vote for you.
Joan Lococo, Greenvale
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