Correspondence
CORRESPONDENCE Rictal Robertson considers a "parvenu's attack" on Mr. Rob- where until its "apathetic" citizens decide write of the promise of Australia's future Being a Midwestern Republican who...
...which slaughtered the indigenous Aborigine in Australian intellectual life...
...Would that the Bonn government were as opinions but my own...
...otherwise...
...Johnson ically that Australia, as a nation, will go no- author who will have enough "vision" to Wiesbaden, Germany THE AMERICAN SPECTATOR APRIL 1988 7...
...It may surprise him the continuation and advancement of a and is implicit in The Fatal Shore...
...William McGurn ("Australia inally hailed from Elkhorn, Wisconsin...
...whom are also evangelicals and fundamen- the borders of the United Kingdom and the to the future, whatever it may hold...
...He drop a third off the phone bill of an elderly entanglements of his Christian Broadcast- While the bicentennary of English settle- states: ". . . both men unconsciously dem- lady who failed to cradle her telephone after ing Network, and his experiments in faith- ment in Australia may be an auspicious oc- onstrate the streak of immaturity that runs a call to Kenya (TAS, "The Continuing healing...
...To prefer surdity is, and should be, tolerated in economic advancement...
...for Willkie—actually, my father's vote, cratic institutions of the "free world" plus, sort of incessant political agitation I suspect We are graced with a supply of candi- which got thrust into the ballot box along at no extra cost, an enviable climate, a re- Messrs...
...phone company horror stories abound, are I chosen to recount allegations about the Turns 200: A Special Review of Robert Mr...
...If this is intellectually im- nothing of value to steal, the culprits had To be sure, a presumptuous errand...
...Rob- ed them personally to rebuild the City of With this realization—this new con- Elizabeth Bay, Australia ertson (I understand that was his preferred Man...
...Owen's writing equally to the middle-aged and elder- going, it is true that a nation that has over the planet or launch World War III...
...am seldom able to vouch for anybody's where they are going (I found my way to there is much more of it in the future...
...The character—namely, a lack of national direc- mature, then let us toast immaturity of the dialed Japan on the phone and left the re-methods of the licensed social sciences ex- tion and identity...
...Crisis," January 1988...
...Shore) when they call a spade a shovel...
...Born from this realization was a clear First, the apathy of the ordinary Australian be ascribed to those who "hold their cause bucking up I need, now that I've ambled wish that the way to go for Australia was is a theme that dominates The Australians to be the will of God," but, rather, on those into my sixth decade...
...If there is any hysteria Mr...
...I Actually, it is not just Pat Robertson him- have a general idea about where they are sions are for soothsayers and gin drinkers...
...Terrill and Hughes would favor dates, all of them, who should be a part of with an all-day sucker...
...McGurn obviously does not understand out...
...God is a better judge of character sciousness as many Australians have retitle for the campaign) strikes me as a credit than that...
...Anyone who —Harry E. Johnson to forge its way in a huge and inhospitable wades through the books in question is not Batavia, Illinois land, could have problems coming to terms likely to confuse the pimply vulgarity of Put Billy on the Barbie with its identity...
...The family was forced ceed my competence and credulity, and I rectly assume that Australians do not know freshness, clarity, and a good read, that to sell the house to pay the phone bill...
...Australians do not await an —Nancy Ann Holtz dazzlingly clear...
...Johnson) tralians are struggling with who they are blem that this basic proposition can be conAbsurdity is, and should be, tolerated in one must insist that intolerance be granted and therefore do not know where they are strued as synonymous with a plan "to take the young, and I admire Mr...
...in Midwestern Republicanism, it should not of youthful vitality in my words...
...The lady lucked What Mr...
...quixotic) I resent that parvenu's attack on sonites get the notion that God has anoint- tion had closely tied their fortunes to...
...It was, and still is, to the extent that such apathy represents an one to another is essential, but to "put up the young...
...Not only does he incor- intellectual type and hope, for the sake of ceiver off the hook...
...ism (and in deference to Mr...
...he believes is a fatal flaw in the Australian and writing style...
...Johnson generously discovers traces wanted to forever insulate their society be the only two substantial issues raised...
...McGurn's piece, despite prophet, he should not give up his day job citizens...
...Wayne M-L Burns fellow Republican Pat Robertson...
...A belief in the strength and will to perpetway he says it, that I was a mature Midwest- —many of whom are identifiably evangeli- The elections of a Labor government in uate and improve an already prosperous em Republican when he was doing little cals and fundamentalists—who annoy the Australia in 1972 jolted many Australians society, married with an affable and historyellow numbers in his didies, or more likely, Republicans of the Middle West—many of into realizing that there was a world outside ically determined people, is, I think, a ticket Pampers...
...Hence, what Mr...
...Rob- where until its "apathetic" citizens decide write of the promise of Australia's future Being a Midwestern Republican who hap- ertson seems to me a fairly accurate descrip- what sort of country they want to live in...
...McGurn also gets upset with Terrill stirred by your editor's tale of the Bonn sometimes reverend gentleman's military Hughes's The Fatal Shore and Ross Terrill's (The Australians) and Hughes (The Fatal government's compassionate decision to service in Korea, the financial and political The Australians...
...But TAS caught me the United States without too much diffi- If Mr...
...mocracy I believe it threatens the future of of candidates none of whom are likely to intolerance...
...ability, but if he is representative of ly who practice absurdity, knowingly or sprung from the loins of a penal colony So, too, with the charge of immaturity Midwestern Republicans, count me out...
...This journal was founded deemed that to strive for preservation and indifference to the fundamental principles with" the others is to come a little closer to scourge that meretricious notion, and advancement of such a society is in itself that sustain Australia as a Western-style deto the Jesse Jackson campaign and a slate I see no reason to give up principled an honorable and desirable goal...
...the Robert- conservative governments in the island na- alone...
...Johnson misunderstands is Australian authors, it is not, I suggest, an Mr...
...plagues which the Australian people letter, I'll confine myself to what appear to in any circumstance...
...But this is no more of a those pages with a "fresh" and "offhand" I was amazed to read some of the abject problem for many Australians who are style...
...Although who believe that God has no will, or that that I, still berompered, cast my first vote society that offers its citizens all the demo- apathy would be infinitely preferable to the there is no God...
...Exactly the from...
...One German family arrived home after that my purpose was to estimate how and apt occasion for Mr...
...Or, Mr...
...suspect, from what he has to say, and the self but his more obstreperous campaigners headed and where their society is going...
...Johnson should im- lication under the byline of your correspon- be somewhat ashamed to say that they orig- We reader residents of Germany, where agine the umbrage he might have taken, had dent, Mr...
...McGurn is also aiming to be a hard on terrorists as it is on its own honest in an unguarded moment when, thanks to culty to read Mr...
...McGurn to present a the Australian character if he is bothered a three-week vacation to find that thieves why Midwestern Republicans regard their vacuous and specious diatribe against what by Terrill and Hughes's offhand manner had broken into the house...
...Burns's largely ad hominem think he would not serve his country well in the narrow demand of political action...
...Having found presidential candidates as they seem to do...
...Kent Owen replies: garble on the persona and reported prob- comfortable about who they are than, for It grieves me that this is the thanks I get lems of the Australian nation which ap- example, the Californian who is proud to for treating Pat Robertson with Judeo- peared in the January edition of your pub- be a Californian, even though she or he may More German Horrors Christian charity...
...It is a measure of the prodo much for the Republic...
...What's wrong isn't religious con- ferred to it—was a clear image of nations to our party and, despite his "rictal grin" viction, but the dogmatic certitude that the which were ridden with violence, social and William McGurn replies: and belief in God, there is no reason to broad imperatives of faith can be realized economic squalor, and useless chest beat- Regarding Mr...
...Viin Mid-America," TAS, February 1988...
...Much of this has to do with sheer United States, countries that until then, McGurn, can people now live on visions behalf of Jack Kemp (recognized as, indeed, hubris: Where do so many of...
...Let the readers judge for themselves...
...McGurn's assertion that Aus- those freedoms...
...Although my support is, and will be, on talists...
...instead of just coming to terms with its past pens to believe in God, I must take umbrage tion of why the great majority of Midwest- While the 16 million inhabitants of Aus- and present...
...strictly secular revelation, it all was made Continental Airlines), but he also waxes lyr- as a journalist...
...the planet or launch World War III, they yoke, Australia has made it this far...
...laxed way of life, and a comparatively class- the sort that has found a ready home in the government when the melee is over, should All the same, I cannot agree that "ab- less society with opportunity for social and left wing of the Australian Labor party—they choose to accept roles in it...
...Kent Owen that em Republicans—most but certainly not tralia have no immediate plans to take over politicians, and the British and imperial purports to speak for me ("The Republicans all—don't and won't support the Virginian...
...In fairness, to avoid age- As for Mr...
...Despite flood, drought, fire, with the article by your Mr...
...casion to review books by two expatriate through Australian intellectual life today...
Vol. 21 • April 1988 • No. 4
