Comments on: If they were super athletes, they’d be in

By: kath lockett

kath lockett — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:40:43 +0000

Complementary protection sounds about as useful as the procedure those poor women are trying to escape. Much like Guantanamo Bay equates to Holiday Resort.

By: Dave Bath

Dave Bath — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 06:23:06 +0000

Helen. The “ouchiness” of my prev comment would probably give the Minister an idea of what, for these women, he can either condemn them to, or save them from. He probably thinks “circumcision is a doddle”. (Mind you, I think male circumcision should be classified as an “intimate piercing”, where even a parent cannot authorize it for a minor without a good reason supported by doctors.)

Have you got a more accurate analogous treatment to give the minister a better idea? (And I forgot to mention, no antiseptic or analgesic afterwards)

By: armagny

armagny — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 04:52:04 +0000

I would have thought, even being legalistic, that if this ‘tradition’ is a fixed part of membership of a certain social group or religion (or a sub strand of such) that they, by saying ‘we don’t want to be mutilated and therefore reject your beliefs’, become people being victimised for their membership of a social group or religion.

Anyway, not to let legal wankery get in the way, there are plenty of discretionary powers with which they can be kept here.

By: Kevin Rennie

Kevin Rennie — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:03:42 +0000

Post at Global Voices on Australian views: Australia: Kenyan women refused refugee status

By: Helen

Helen — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:58:01 +0000

Ouch!

By: Dave Bath

Dave Bath — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:54:26 +0000

Dear Minister,

Enclosed is an electric pencil sharpener. It’s an old one I’ve dug from the back of the garage, so the cutting edges are a bit rusty. Stick your dick in it, turn it on. Without anaesthetic. Oh? The very idea is traumatic and offensive, let alone the actuality?

At least Haneef got out in one piece.

Unkind regards,
N.E. Bodywithheartorbrain

By: Deborah

Deborah — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:10:02 +0000

I think you’re being too polite about our Minister of Immigration. His inability to recognise the evil that is being done to these women, because they are women, appalls me.

There’s a line in the second verse of the Australian national anthem: For those who come across the sea, we’ve boundless plains to share, or something like that. Unless you are poor, black, and female, it seems. (Or poor and black or brown or non-white of any description.)

Fucking fuckers, I say.