The President vs David Hicks - 2007/02/20 15:07 Just a li'l note to say that this doco, which was referred to in another thread, is on SBS tonight at 10pm. Do yourself a favour...
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aaron Admin
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Re:The President vs David Hicks - 2007/02/20 21:02 Oh, I missed this thread before! Excellent! Yes, I second this, make sure you see it, it's wonderful. And great stimulation after Dancing With The Stars!
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colourbox Platinum Boarder
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Re:The President vs David Hicks - 2007/02/20 21:44 Hi Terra
thanks for the reminder. I wanted to catch this doco.
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colourbox Platinum Boarder
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Re:The President vs David Hicks - 2007/02/21 00:38 Thank you Terra.
I watched it. I am now as angry as I have ever been, re the david hicks situation.
In some respects, I hate Australia. I hate what it has come to mean, I hate what it has come to represent. I hate that fact that we can go happily along with our Australian lives, while others suffer. I am really hating being an Australian right at this very moment.
Fuck Australia and it's Australian values. Because what are these values?
I really don't know what these values are anymore, if I ever did.
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Cathy Junior Boarder
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Re:The President vs David Hicks - 2007/02/21 19:51 I just happened to notice that this show was on last night and thought I'd watch it for the simple reason that I honesty hadn't been paying much attention to the David Hicks story over the years and I thought it was about time I learnt. And so I sat down to watch this documentary.
I can not think of a better way for this film to have been made. Following Hicks' story through the eyes of his father (along with his Mother, past friends and acquaintances, etc) gave the perfect insight as to what happened. The film left me distressed, upset, and angry.
The way David's father Terry sets out to first try and see his son, and then decides to follow the trail David left through letters he sent home to his family, is incredibly moving. I think it was at about the point where Terry went to Afghanistan that I found myself with tears running down my cheeks as he read his son's letter pleading in his own way for them to provide the opposite side of the debate that was constantly playing on his mind.
And then you've got the scenes from Guantanamo Bay (both of the inmates and the interview with one of the head US Soldiers there) intertwined with President Bush's speeches. If I hear the words 'intelligence' or 'global war on terror' again I just may scream.
Don't even get me started on John Howard's stance on the David Hicks situation.
As hard as it was to sometimes watch, I'm very happy I sat down to watch this documentary and if there's anyone who hasn't seen it, it's well worth looking out for. Hearing the story told by his parents view brings to light the key issue in the story. That David Hicks and the others at Gauntanamo Bay are being held in a US torture camp with absolutely no rights, without the US Government even convicting them of anything. As the mother pleads in the film, why are they keeping him there? If they have any damning evidence against him, why can't they just tell them what he's done?
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aaron Admin
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Re:The President vs David Hicks - 2007/02/21 20:36 Cath,
What a wonderful post to read! It's so great that you took the time to acquaint yourself with a relevant social issue. And it's so wonderful to know that the screening of such material truly has that affect, rather than merely preaching to the converted. I totally understand your distress - it's distressing, of course - but regardless, though it seems vaguely a strange thing to say after your post, that was a lovely thing to read!! If you know what I mean!!
THE MIC 
