grodscorp@grods.com
I have to credit Ant Rogenous for bringing this story to my attention after he burst into the GrodsThink record last night straight off the tram, mX clutched in sweaty palms, eyes wide open, exclaiming that he’d found the most awesome-est letter ever to be published in Australia’s least newsey newspaper. After the GrodsThink record we all slapped our foreheads and cursed our stupidity for not discussing the letter so I’ll take this opportunity to steal Ant’s thunder and publish it. Why is it an awesome letter? Well, besides from the most appallingly discriminatory views on disenfranchising Australians, the author says it. He actually says it.
DIVERSITY HAS ONE MAIN LANGUAGE
After visiting the Victorian Electoral Commission website I was appalled at all the non-English support there.
Australia is an English-speaking country — the end.
If people are going to become citizens and then vote, at the very, very least they should be able to speak our language sufficiently to understand the issues.
If we have to convert everything to Somali or whatever, we are allowing people to vote who have not even made the most basic commitment to this country.
There are 20 languages on the site, and I know that each only provides a superficial overview, but I wonder why?
I don’t want anyone, regardless of citizenship status, voting if they can’t speak English well enough to understand the issues.
I’m appalled that people who are not sufficiently committed to Australia to learn English are forced to vote.
I love Australia’s multiculturalism.
SOME OF MY BEST FRIENDS ARE not of Anglo-Saxon stock, and we are about where the US was 200 years ago — a great developing country finding its way with people from all over the world forming its core.
But at that core is a fundamental issue — the language. The US has given up the fight and 48 of the 50 states now produce almost everything in both English and Spanish.
Learning English should be free and mandatory.
People come here expecting that they’ll be able to continue their lives exactly as they were. It’s not that simple and we shouldn’t be making it that easy for them.
– Steve, Melbourne
GrodsThink Ep.31 (16/9/08)
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 10:29 am #Ant Rogenous
I nearly choked on my Authorised Ticket Inspector when I read that letter.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 10:32 am #Jeremy
I’m hoping they’ll publish my reply.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 10:33 am #Magic Bellybutton
OMG.
Just … O. M. G.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 11:02 am #EC
What MBB said.
& OMG again.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 11:42 am #Wah
Steve of Melbourne is one of those people I hope gets a perpetual stomach upset and is in constant cramping pain while trying to cope with the discomfort of heavily soiled incontinence pads.
I hate every fucking cell in your stupid ignorant fucktard body - red and white. You cunt!
I note Steve, how of all the hundreds of ethnic groups in Australia who the government provides translation services for you had to mention Somalis - not Greeks and Italians who have been here for 40 fucking years and still need their kids to provide basic English translation at parties just to fucking say hello.
Filthy stinking fucktarts like you bullshit on about assimilation, yet here you are condemning a service that allows our newest immigrants to take part in our democracy - that many of their friends and family were killed fighting for in their own country. Not that you give a shit do you Steve? What’s a few less blacks to you?
Maybe instead African bashing, you fuck, you should have a go at those of “Anglo-Saxon stock”, the ones you obviously consider to be of the highest class, to get off their fucking apathetic arses and vote with some enthusiasm and, God forbid, a bit of knowledge beyond the musings of Andrew fucking Bolt.
MX should be ashamed of itself for giving you the time of day - and for all those who agree with you and will feel the need to put pen to paper to support your shitful views I feel sick to think I breath the same putrid air as you all.
Go and get your guts fucked you stupid petty racist cunt!
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 11:44 am #Jeremy
Screw my reply, I want to see MX reprint Wah’s!
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 11:56 am #Bron
I second Jeremy’s idea. Wah’s letter to be published, PLEASE!
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 12:10 pm #albi
Many ‘aussies’ can speak the language, but can’t read or write. Should they not be allowed to vote as well, Steve?
PS - some of my best friends are bigots.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 12:17 pm #Ant Rogenous
“Go and get your guts fucked” is far and away the quote of 2008 so far.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 12:17 pm #Magic Bellybutton
Wah for PM!
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 12:26 pm #The Editor
I reckon mX should give Wah a regular column where he responds to readers’ letters.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 12:28 pm #Magic Bellybutton
Anyone remember Keith the Moravian Swearing Bear that was on JJJ back in the Mikey and Helen days? Wah reminds me of him. He’s the Keith for the mX set.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 12:37 pm #Bron
Yeah, that’s a good idea, Ed. And he could also tell all those sick lovey-dovey letters to fuck off. You know, the peeps who write drivel like this:
To the hottie with the tattooed arm that gets off at St Leonards, I’d like to see what other ink you are hiding. — Sally, Wentworthville
Or this:
To the tall blonde gal with leopard print, high heels and a backpack on platform 5 at Town Hall: I’ve got a serious case of jungle fever for you. — V, Sydney
Or this:
To the sexy painter boy who sleeps with the sunnies on, from Woy Woy to Strathfield, you can dip your paint brush in my paint tin any day. — Canvas girl, Gosford
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 12:50 pm #keri
I’d like to see, if an English comprehension test was set up as part of the registering to vote process, how many “Anglo-Saxons” would fail.
Retard.
Besides which, understanding English doesn’t necessarily equate with understanding the issues.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 12:55 pm #John Surname
As Steve so eloquently shows.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 1:57 pm #Bron
Steve of Melbourne’s letter reminded me of this American version of “Speak Engleesh” bigotry.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 2:21 pm #Ant Rogenous
That’s gold, Bron.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 2:24 pm #Bron
What’s even funnier is she underlined the word that wasn’t spelled properly. Idiot.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 2:26 pm #Bron
Or is that “spelt”?
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 2:30 pm #keri
Reminds me of when I had a notice board on my bedroom door and my brother wrote “Keri is elitrite” on it.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 2:41 pm #Krypto
you know a couple of years back I was in the NT, nursing some of the indigenous elders there in a purpose built aged care facility.
There were people there who had never seen a white person until well into their adult hood.
A lot of them never learned the english language, they spoke their own dialect, as people there have done for 40 000 years or so.
I wonder how “Steve of Melbourne” would go down pitching that line there?
I dare say he’d need treatment for a depressed skull fracture after being slapped upside the head with a nulla-nulla.
He certainly would if I had anything to do with it.
Keri, lots of people have relatives like that, it’s nothing to be embarrased about, good on you for keeping him at home, a lot of people just dump them in institutions, it’s very sad.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 2:43 pm #keri
Funny thing is, he’s quite accomplished. He’s an excellent sportsman, an executive at the age of 23 without a University degree and earns more than I do.
He just couldn’t spell until he started working in an office.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 2:47 pm #Krypto
they call them savants I think Kerri.
You know, like Rain Man.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 2:48 pm #keri
At least the savants can spell my damn name right!
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 2:54 pm #Krypto
oh you’re going to quibble about a double “r”?
OK fine, be a sook.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 2:55 pm #Bron
Hahahaha….
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 2:56 pm #keri
It’s pedantry, not sookiness.
Got that, Krrypto?
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 2:58 pm #Krypto
yeah yeah, you try thinking people are talking about you whenever the Kyoto protocol is mentioned.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 3:00 pm #keri
At least you don’t share a moniker with Stokes, Packer and Kennerley.
Oh, and my step-sister is called Kerri as well. As is my cousin Cerys.
And we all get called Ke.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 3:01 pm #Krypto
actually Krrypto is kind of cool, but you have to roll the “r”
KrrrrrRRRrrrrrrypto……the amazing (or at least marginally above average)
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 3:02 pm #keri
If you say that out loud and roll the r’s, it sounds like you’ve turned into a cat.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 3:02 pm #Krypto
I’m not qute sure how to break it to you, “krypto” is actually a pseudonym.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 3:04 pm #Krypto
my real name is Walter P Smythe, I’m the banker from “deal or no deal”.
Oh and FYI, Andrew O’Keefe is a MAJOR coke fiend…MAJOR.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 3:04 pm #keri
You’re kidding me?
I suppose next you’ll be telling me Ed’s first name isn’t “The” and Surname isn’t Surnames Surname?
Oh, that was a fun sentence!
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 3:23 pm #Magic Bellybutton
But funnily enough, my real name IS Magic Bellybutton. So many people are very suprised when they find out.
The people who know me IRL actually only know me by my pseudonym. You guys should feel privilaged.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 3:36 pm #Krypto
Keri, I wonder if that savant would put the apostrophy in the right place when denoting ownership for a proper noun?
MBB does that mean you’re a blogger DISGUISED as an anonymous blogger?
I’m already confused.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 3:37 pm #keri
Ah, in Surname’s?
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 3:49 pm #Bron
My real name is Bron. My middle name is Bron. And my last name is Bron.
Just call me Bron Bron Bron.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 3:51 pm #Krypto
can I abbreviate it to Brons?
Keri I owed you one from your pulling me up about the superfluous “r”.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 3:52 pm #keri
Fair enough!
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 3:59 pm #Bron
Brons? No. Gloriously Sexy Madame Bron would do.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 4:52 pm #Krypto
how is THAT an abbreviation?
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 6:20 pm #magic bellybutton
MBB does that mean you’re a blogger DISGUISED as an anonymous blogger
Maybe. I’m not sure. Let me ask myself and I’ll get back to you.
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 9:53 pm #Zombie Mao
My real name is Brendan Nelson
Wednesday 11 June 2008, 9:59 pm #Krypto
let’s all bash Zombie Mao!!!
Thursday 12 June 2008, 9:39 am #John Surname
I’m calling Bron “Cubed” from now on.
Thursday 12 June 2008, 9:40 am #Bron
Very clever, Surname.
Thursday 12 June 2008, 11:12 am #Wah
My real name is Martin Bryant - the gave me a computer here in Rusdon and I use it to blog when I’m not insterting razor blades up my anus.
Thursday 12 June 2008, 10:04 pm #Jeremy
Call me Grods, Ringwood.
Thursday 12 June 2008, 10:42 pm #John Surname
I do hope your realise what grods are.
Thursday 12 June 2008, 11:18 pm #Jeremy
This website.
I don’t care what other meaning Ed may have associated with the word.
Friday 13 June 2008, 11:25 am #Krypto
hey Wah, you don’t also blog on a site called “the midnight sun” do you?
Saturday 14 June 2008, 2:28 pm #People Power Granny
We citizens in the USA have some hard choices ahead of us when we go to vote in the 2008 General Elections. In my post tonight at —– —– I discuss many of the numbers associated with the major issues on my radar screen. Let me know what issues get you riled, and vote in my poll.
Edited by The Editor: Go whore your blog elsewhere.
Saturday 14 June 2008, 11:59 pm #Krypto
Yo Ed, bitch slap that blog ‘ho.
Pimp her wide ass to ‘da curb.
Monday 16 June 2008, 10:18 am #John Surname
Krypto, you got chops. We should talk.