Johnny says - "improve your manners! ... Please"

John Howard yesterday, echoing comments made by the NSW Chief Justice, claimed Australia's manners are deteriorating, and this, according to the PM, has got to stop!

The fact is, this is probably true. I have noticed significant changes in how people interact with each other over the last few years. While Howard focuses on the use of offensive language, putting the blame largely on the television networks for airing programs that use "vulgarisms", I think it is the context in which such language is used that is really important.

So we say "F#%$" a little more than we used to. So what ? Sure, its perhaps not a word we want to hear being worked into every sentence, but the increasing use of the word itself is not what should be concerning us. Rather, Howard should be far more concerned about the deteriorating reputation of Australians being a fair and tolerant people. This form of much more serious rudeness that is increasingly becoming evident in Australian culture, is the real problem. The blame for this cannot be placed on the media networks alone, for a large chunk of the blame must be squarely aimed at the Howard government, for fostering a climate of intolerance and fear, which inevitably leads to a territorial mentality, where each is out to protect their own. The Cronulla riots are perhaps the most illustrative example of this, but also the smaller, day-to-day examples of blatant racism that continue to invade our once proud culture of tolerance and acceptance.

And anyway, I find it a bit rich that Johnny can ask us all to say please and thankyou more often, when he can't even say "sorry" to indigenous Australians!