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An Editorial of sorts for 2000

History is something of a road map without which it is difficult to see where you've been or where you are heading. Today, this is more true than ever. The forces which now drive our lives are less visible as those in 1914, but may yet prove to be even more devestating. For example:

On June 24, 2000 the World Bank approved a US $160 million loan for a project that will resettle nearly 60,000 ethnic Chinese farmers into a region that is traditionally Tibetan....
(How would you feel if you were Tibetan?) and then..

Thursday, 21 September 2000 UN report: "The annual report of the United Nations Population Fund, estimates that four million women and girls are bought and sold each year, for marriage, prostitution or slavery. The UN says it is a huge world trade in women, which is only growing, an unwanted consequence of globalisation." (An unwanted consequence?)
(You had to be quick to pick up on this story. It was broadcast once only in a 6am Bulletin on ABC Radio.)
 
   

The prospect of life on the 'level playing field' seems to worsen as I get older and I experience great disquiet about it as I approach the time when I must bid ' Adieu'. The wonderful country in which I grew up is alas no more as we head into a game where only the strong can survive, where the only goal is wealth. If you believe in having your own home with a shed out the back, a strong sense of nationalism, chook sheds and vegie gardens and make protest at the process of Globalization, our Prime Minister labels you as Un-Australian and marshalls police forces with batons to deal with your protest. There is even a name for you! Fundamentalist!

But, I will not degrade the name of Anzacs by using this site as a platform on which to beat that particular drum.
I've had my say in "Quo vadis Anzac?"
I will be spending the remainder of my life adding to and maintaining www.anzacs.net so that young Australians (and possibly others) may find it something of a help in chartering their own course through the maze.

By the way, I welcome editorial contributions, so if there is a theme you wish to present here please advise.
See as examples the very thorough medical re-examination of the evidence in the case of the 'Red Baron' by Dr. Geoffrey Miller and the excellent article, " Was he fit to Fly?" first published in the 'Lancet' by Dr. Henning Allmers of Osnabruck, Germany.

The project of bringing to this site a photo of each of the graves at Gallipoli was made impossible by the intervention of the War in Iraq.
Security measures on the internet made it increasingly difficult and finally impossible to communicate with my young associate in Istanbul.

It is because of my great passion for this country, and my feeling of indebtitude towards it that I have lovingly built this site. It is my way of saying ' thank you Australia ' for the lifetime I've spent here..

John Woods
22nd October 2000

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