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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/19/culture-wars-sydney-biennale-protest
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Progressives can win the culture wars. Here's how | Progressives can win the culture wars. Here's how |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Australia’s reactionary culture warriors are amateurs compared to their | Australia’s reactionary culture warriors are amateurs compared to their |
| British and American counterparts. Sack the ABC Chairman Jim Spigelman, screams News | British and American counterparts. Sack the ABC Chairman Jim Spigelman, screams News |
| Limited columnist Piers Akerman. Privatise the public broadcaster, shouts the | Limited columnist Piers Akerman. Privatise the public broadcaster, shouts the |
| Institute of Public Affairs (a think-tank that refuses to disclose its funders, though the ABC still allows its spokespeople to appear). Former Liberal party | Institute of Public Affairs (a think-tank that refuses to disclose its funders, though the ABC still allows its spokespeople to appear). Former Liberal party |
| employee Chris Kenny demands respect | employee Chris Kenny demands respect |
| for the military and tweets like a man possessed about #theirABC and its | for the military and tweets like a man possessed about #theirABC and its |
| supposed leftist agenda. | supposed leftist agenda. |
| In Britain and America, where Australia’s brave keyboard warriors find their | In Britain and America, where Australia’s brave keyboard warriors find their |
| ammunition and snarky lines, the daily drumbeat towards a deregulated, | ammunition and snarky lines, the daily drumbeat towards a deregulated, |
| privatised and militarised society continues apace. The commercial interests in | privatised and militarised society continues apace. The commercial interests in |
| neutering competition to this agenda is ignored – who can forget James Murdoch railing against | neutering competition to this agenda is ignored – who can forget James Murdoch railing against |
| the BBC’s “chilling” size and commercial ambitions in 2009, just before his company was engulfed in the | the BBC’s “chilling” size and commercial ambitions in 2009, just before his company was engulfed in the |
| phone-hacking scandal? Yet, despite their massive megaphone, I have long believed that these attacks are the cries of a | phone-hacking scandal? Yet, despite their massive megaphone, I have long believed that these attacks are the cries of a |
| frustrated minority. | frustrated minority. |
| In America an extreme version of the culture | In America an extreme version of the culture |
| wars has life and death consequences. The battle for gay equality and marriage, | wars has life and death consequences. The battle for gay equality and marriage, |
| while not won, is well on the way to being achieved. This is why American Christian | while not won, is well on the way to being achieved. This is why American Christian |
| fundamentalists are looking further afield to fight for the right to | fundamentalists are looking further afield to fight for the right to |
| discriminate according to their twisted reading of the Bible. Witness the | discriminate according to their twisted reading of the Bible. Witness the |
| horrific recent anti-gay laws in Uganda and the clear involvement | horrific recent anti-gay laws in Uganda and the clear involvement |
| of US evangelicals. This is a culture war on a global scale, the logical | of US evangelicals. This is a culture war on a global scale, the logical |
| outcome of a perverse belief that homosexuals should be punished or killed for | outcome of a perverse belief that homosexuals should be punished or killed for |
| their actions. Thankfully, Australia’s | their actions. Thankfully, Australia’s |
| prominent culture warriors aren’t | prominent culture warriors aren’t |
| promoting such outrages. | promoting such outrages. |
| So listen closely. Don’t confuse a loud voice with strength or an aggressive tone with | So listen closely. Don’t confuse a loud voice with strength or an aggressive tone with |
| confidence. Insecurity is the mainstay of ideological culture warriors (see the | confidence. Insecurity is the mainstay of ideological culture warriors (see the |
| hilarious lead opinion | hilarious lead opinion |
| article in the Australian this week about the evil of tattoos, as if a “civilisation collapsing” is occurring because countless men and women enjoy body art. | article in the Australian this week about the evil of tattoos, as if a “civilisation collapsing” is occurring because countless men and women enjoy body art. |
| Seriously). | Seriously). |
| There is no doubt that globalisation | There is no doubt that globalisation |
| has negatively affected | has negatively affected |
| the economic well-being of the lower and middle classes, just one explanation | the economic well-being of the lower and middle classes, just one explanation |
| for the success of the Tea Party movement. Now Fox News amplifies these grievances, offering a steady diet of stories | for the success of the Tea Party movement. Now Fox News amplifies these grievances, offering a steady diet of stories |
| that leads to many American whites claiming they’re suffering from racism. | that leads to many American whites claiming they’re suffering from racism. |
| The predictability of the attacks, the | The predictability of the attacks, the |
| co-ordinated nature of countless shock-jocks just happening to all agree every | co-ordinated nature of countless shock-jocks just happening to all agree every |
| week that the ABC, climate change, indigenous rights, gay marriage, asylum | week that the ABC, climate change, indigenous rights, gay marriage, asylum |
| seekers or Islam must be abolished, imprisoned, ignored or silenced should be treated | seekers or Islam must be abolished, imprisoned, ignored or silenced should be treated |
| with contempt. Tribalism is the language of the | with contempt. Tribalism is the language of the |
| hour, mates stick with mates, though it was little different | hour, mates stick with mates, though it was little different |
| under the previous Labor regime. Our media class prefers an | under the previous Labor regime. Our media class prefers an |
| insider culture that rewards favouritism. | insider culture that rewards favouritism. |
| And yet the left can’t ignore it, and must find far better strategies to deal with the | And yet the left can’t ignore it, and must find far better strategies to deal with the |
| onslaught. Far too often progressive voices are on the defensive, arguing on | onslaught. Far too often progressive voices are on the defensive, arguing on |
| the terms set by the opposition, guaranteeing a loss. The culture war isn’t just about point scoring or winning an | the terms set by the opposition, guaranteeing a loss. The culture war isn’t just about point scoring or winning an |
| argument but how a society is taught, ordered, shared, viewed and expanded. We | argument but how a society is taught, ordered, shared, viewed and expanded. We |
| have the right to want a country and community that believes in truly equality | have the right to want a country and community that believes in truly equality |
| and free speech for all, whether we’re | and free speech for all, whether we’re |
| Muslim, black, white, anti-Zionist, conservative, green or radical. | Muslim, black, white, anti-Zionist, conservative, green or radical. |
| The hypocrisy of the right’s position – beautifully | The hypocrisy of the right’s position – beautifully |
| articulated by Jon Stewart on The Daily Show last week when he unsurprisingly | articulated by Jon Stewart on The Daily Show last week when he unsurprisingly |
| found Fox News more concerned with | found Fox News more concerned with |
| some poor people abusing the welfare system than corporate government subsidies – must be exposed and a new, more enlightened framing introduced. The Australian | some poor people abusing the welfare system than corporate government subsidies – must be exposed and a new, more enlightened framing introduced. The Australian |
| government and its ideological soulmates across the world like to attack the | government and its ideological soulmates across the world like to attack the |
| culture of entitlement | culture of entitlement |
| of the general population while still happily enriching their mates in business | of the general population while still happily enriching their mates in business |
| with overly generous tax breaks. It’s | with overly generous tax breaks. It’s |
| good to be rich. | good to be rich. |
| A recent case study shows the effectiveness of | A recent case study shows the effectiveness of |
| lo-fi campaigning to address an injustice. Take the controversy over the Sydney | lo-fi campaigning to address an injustice. Take the controversy over the Sydney |
| Biennale and the apoplectic, elite response to artists and asylum seeker | Biennale and the apoplectic, elite response to artists and asylum seeker |
| activists campaigning against the sponsorship of | activists campaigning against the sponsorship of |
| Transfield, a company running offshore detention centres. Most media ran | Transfield, a company running offshore detention centres. Most media ran |
| countless articles all in furious agreement with the idea that the boycott was | countless articles all in furious agreement with the idea that the boycott was |
| misguided. Attorney General George Brandis joined the party | misguided. Attorney General George Brandis joined the party |
| and communications | and communications |
| Minister Malcolm Turnbull | Minister Malcolm Turnbull |
| railed against the boycott (thankfully some in the general public showed more sense | railed against the boycott (thankfully some in the general public showed more sense |
| and Transfield remains in the sights of ethical | and Transfield remains in the sights of ethical |
| campaigners). | campaigners). |
| This was a classic misfire from the critics and | This was a classic misfire from the critics and |
| an unqualified success by the boycotters. Culture | an unqualified success by the boycotters. Culture |
| warriors, of the faux-left and right, damned the campaign for not achieving the | warriors, of the faux-left and right, damned the campaign for not achieving the |
| abolition of offshore processing. That was never the goal, but rather to | abolition of offshore processing. That was never the goal, but rather to |
| highlight the supply chain complicity of companies, such as Transfield (and across | highlight the supply chain complicity of companies, such as Transfield (and across |
| the arts by Santos and Crown Resorts Foundation, | the arts by Santos and Crown Resorts Foundation, |
| amongst others) who claim to be good corporate citizens and then bleat when | amongst others) who claim to be good corporate citizens and then bleat when |
| challenged on their role in prolonging refugee (plus gambling or climate | challenged on their role in prolonging refugee (plus gambling or climate |
| change) misery. The boycott is the start of a conversation, not the end of it. Moral practices matter and apparently it takes | change) misery. The boycott is the start of a conversation, not the end of it. Moral practices matter and apparently it takes |
| non-politicians and non-journalists to point this out. | non-politicians and non-journalists to point this out. |
| The boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) | The boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) |
| campaign against Israel is growing globally | campaign against Israel is growing globally |
| for precisely the same reason, despite false accusations of anti-Semitism, | for precisely the same reason, despite false accusations of anti-Semitism, |
| because citizens are refusing to accept a brutal and illegal Israeli occupation | because citizens are refusing to accept a brutal and illegal Israeli occupation |
| of Palestine and BDS is a legitimate and non-violent | of Palestine and BDS is a legitimate and non-violent |
| to resist. Likewise the Biennale boycott. Two campaigns that refuse to cave to | to resist. Likewise the Biennale boycott. Two campaigns that refuse to cave to |
| cultural gatekeepers who prefer to operate within the system rather than | cultural gatekeepers who prefer to operate within the system rather than |
| acting to challenge the toxic nexus between culture, corporatism and human | acting to challenge the toxic nexus between culture, corporatism and human |
| rights. | rights. |
| The culture wars aren’t solely about intellectual issues, fought between competing elites, | The culture wars aren’t solely about intellectual issues, fought between competing elites, |
| but the effect of business and government policy on people’s lives. This is why most culture warriors | but the effect of business and government policy on people’s lives. This is why most culture warriors |
| prefer pontificating from the safety of their embedded, well paid bubbles. | prefer pontificating from the safety of their embedded, well paid bubbles. |
| People are suffering, in Afghanistan, on Manus Island or under the Northern | People are suffering, in Afghanistan, on Manus Island or under the Northern |
| Territory Intervention, while shock-jocks express outrage over the | |
| latest confected scandal. | latest confected scandal. |
| It’s | It’s |
| necessary to include a wide variety of voices in public discussions - the BBC news presenter John Humphrys recently accused his broadcaster | necessary to include a wide variety of voices in public discussions - the BBC news presenter John Humphrys recently accused his broadcaster |
| of ignoring more skeptical views on the EU and immigration though the BBC’s pro-government stances | of ignoring more skeptical views on the EU and immigration though the BBC’s pro-government stances |
| are clear - and the ABC could undoubtedly have far more challenging | are clear - and the ABC could undoubtedly have far more challenging |
| perspectives across the political spectrum. | perspectives across the political spectrum. |
| We have to fight the tendency to ignore these | We have to fight the tendency to ignore these |
| battles because they’re too hard or | battles because they’re too hard or |
| tiresome; a more just and transparent world depends on us engaged in these | tiresome; a more just and transparent world depends on us engaged in these |
| arguments and gaining support from ordinary people because without them we’re merely arguing with each other. | arguments and gaining support from ordinary people because without them we’re merely arguing with each other. |