What is the World Coming To?

Well, back to politics.
(And personally, I see this as a positive sign, my renewed interest in the world outside my own head).

So, an Indonesian newspaper has published a satirical cartoon depicting John Howard and Alexander Downer as slavering dingoes 'mounting each other'.
Now, to be fair, Mr Howard has basically replied to the media's hysteria with the very Aussie 'get over it'.
Up my way, however, local news stations were appalled at the evil Indonesian media's bad taste and political shortsightedness in depicting our national treasures in such an unflattering light.
Ignoring the entire issue surrounding the cartoon - the Papua New Guineans and their refugee visas, the withdrawal of ambassadors, even the long-running historical issues of 'oh sorry we couldn't help you with that little Indonesian invasion last Century, Mr Hawke was busy, and if you find our missing journalist please send him home'.

According to the ABC online...
"In relation to the cartoons, well I've been in this game a long time, if I got offended about cartoons golly, heavens above, give us a break,"Mr Howard said.
Mr Downer says the cartoon is tasteless.
He says people can choose to publish tasteless and grotesque cartoons in a free society

Now, don't quote me on this, but isn't one of the Western world's biggest complaints about Indonesia the continued evidence of empire building, a trend towards dictatorships and...ohmiGod...even CENSORSHIP!
And here we are condemning a newspaper for printing (gasp gasp) distasteful political commentary in the form of a CARTOON!
What would Larry Flynt say, really.

And let's remember, there are no actual laws to protect free speech in Australia - just conventions, which many heretofore unnamed media barons have done their best to circumvent.
(Long live the Goanna?)

My least-favourite lecturer at Uni taught me, what I now believe is, the most valuable lesson I ever learned.
Free speech means even the wankers get a say...and let's face it, they're always the first ones to pull up the soapbox.
(And yes, I am not unaware of the irony of me writing this - but, please, let's move on)

So, what's the world coming to if Aussies are upset at someone taking a poke at the pollies?
The Indonesians aren't saying anything we haven't said a million times, about our own politicians - not to mention theirs, and the rulers of every other nation on Earth - so, this is really a wonderful step towards multicultural understanding.
(Ask ME about Indonesia's role as the world's last empire-builders and you'll hear much worse language than dingo-rooter).

The upside of this whole issue is that Australia and Indonesia now, agree on something.
The avenues of communication are now, finally, open...
Let's reopen trade, we can bitch about the Yanks together, it's all good.

And what I REALLY want is to find a site with this damn cartoon on it.
Someone send me a link!
And where are the Chinese cartoons, the Bosnian commentaries, the Haiti satires?
What's the big fucking deal?
In what may be, to date, Mr Howard's most profound public statement to date - golly, heavens above, give us a break!