I was sent a link to this when I signed an internet petition about the injustice of mandatory detention. Refugeeguarantee.com.au.

It bothers me that Australia has come so far from the days in the seventies when we welcomed boat people. The fact that an issue like this barely rates a mention, makes me despair for the heart of the nation.

Perspective

I am finding myself surprised at both ends of the spectrum at the
results of my experiments in awareness. It is amazing how many of the
things that I do I do out of unconscious habit. And also, how even
knowing that, I continue to do it. Is this the nature of humans or
not? I guess it would have to be not, because clearly somepeople are
able to maintain awareness and are able to be extremely effective.
Even in non-awareness, the difference between someone who does
something (anything) well and someone who does it poorly is enormous.
If one person can do it well, surely anyone can. How much of my life
do I spend asleep. Missing opportunities to communicate with my
family and others I meet, being distracted from what is important.
Letting negative thoughts, foods, excesses of any type invade my mind
or my body. It is funny, even this message, I really started typing
just so that I could add something to this blog. How important is it
really? I find it a useful way of channeling my thoughts but does it
do me (or anyone else) any good? Who knows. I doubt that anyone else
ever reads it. If that is true, then it must be for me, I think I do
get something out of this because it focuses my thoughts and forces me
to be more disciplined (only a little bit). However, I think I
unconsciously hope that I am going to touch someone by my writings and
reach out to their heart. But I don't think I really want to do that
to make anyone else feel good, only to massage my own ego.
Now I find myself reviewing this to decide whether it is worth
publishing, (and trying to find where to make a new paragraph, because
I have been told that this is too long for a paragraph).