RSA Daily

For atheists, rationalists and secular humanists in Australia

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Good morning ,

Have you noticed? It seems to be acceptable now for politicians at the top of their popularity to step down. Jacinda Adhern, Nicola Sturgeon, now Mark McGowan. One could be cynical and say that it's just because they were seeing the writing on the wall and wanted to go out on a high. Or, more charitably, one could say the example of female politicians not being so ego-driven is having a positive effect. 

There's a few other politicians whose decision to retire I would welcome ... Erdogan comes to mind. Putin, Xi Jinping, Orban. Others?

Lead stories

The good news in this story is that our courts ruled to defend freedom of speech: "The court ruled the university’s academics were permitted to express their views under the banner of intellectual freedom even if they were “deeply offensive and insensitive”.

British comedic genius at its intelligent best, defending freedom of speech and railing against political correctness. As Stephen Fry says towards the end, "It's time for this toxic, binary, zero-sum madness to stop before we destroy ourselves ... one of the greatest human failings is to prefer to be right than to be effective."

Reading this by former RSA vice president Jonathan Meddings actually pricked my conscience. When was the last time I phoned my local MP? Ashamed to say I couldn't remember.

Other stories of interest

PwC stands down nine partners amid widening tax scandal

And what about the other three of the Big Four?

Lidia Thorpe to lodge racism complaint against Greens party

Will the Greens learn that there is something to be said for selection on merit rather than identity?

EU-Turkey tensions set to continue after Erdogan's victory

With Erdogan's win, Turkish voters have chosen religious authoritarianism over secularism. Can't see them joining the EU now. My hearts bleeds.

Got a comment on any of these stories? 

Write to me at president@rationalist.com.au

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