Australian support for David Hicks

[Yitzi_K]

Am I the only one appalled and disgusted by the way this man is being feted by the Australian public? He's somehow become a celebrity here, particularly for the liberal left, due to the attitude of 'America = bad, opponent of America = good'. Never mind that this is a person who voluntarily undertook Al-qaeda training camps in order to take up arms against Australia soldiers, never mind that he called Osama bin-Laden a 'lovely brother' and celebrated the deaths of thousands during 9/11, never mind his prideful boasting about being ready to perpetuate Jihad against Australia, never mind his anti-semitic ravings, because of some alleged abuse by the Americans he's suddenly an Australian hero.

The Age, in particular appear to have adopted him as a cause célèbre, a stick with which to bash the evil, colonialist Americans, (and let's not forget getting a few jabs in against that awful John Howard).

It's utterly abhorrent that not only are Australians happy to have him back in the country, he's being rewarded for his terrorist behaviour with book deals (even being nominated for awards) and TV appearances.

I don't know the legal particulars of his case, so I can't comment on those. But there is no doubt at all about the activities he engaged in prior to his capture; those facts are undisputed. That being the case, his treatment here is unbelievable, and a giant slap in the face to the members of Australia's armed forces, who have to see someone who fought against them turned into a hero.

This evil man is laughing all the way to the bank as he watches the gullible society that he despises hang onto his every word, and support him unquestioningly against those who would actually like to see him punished for his actions. And no, the punishment he has received thus far is not enough, especially not now that he is actually profiting from selling his story. The man should have been shot by the Americans the moment they laid eyes on his evil, terrorist ass.

[Lasercookie]

I don't consider him a hero. He might have done some very bad stuff, but I don't believe anybody deserves to be treated inhumanely as was the situation in Guantanamo. I believe that he should have spent most of his sentence in an Australian prison instead of a U.S. detention camp.

Also: I find the celebration of these kind of things is very odd. I agree that he is a criminal and should not be celebrated for what he did. Just like how bin Laden didn't deserve the celebration that was shown on the news of the streets of New York etc. David Hicks doesn't deserve celebration and he definitely didn't deserve his rights as a human being to be violated.

[Camo]

I don't consider him a hero. He might have done some very bad stuff, but I don't believe anybody deserves to be treated inhumanely as was the situation in Guantanamo. I believe that he should have spent most of his sentence in an Australian prison instead of a U.S. detention camp.

Also: I find the celebration of these kind of things is very odd. I agree that he is a criminal and should not be celebrated for what he did. Just like how bin Laden didn't deserve the celebration that was shown on the news of the streets of New York etc. David Hicks doesn't deserve celebration and he definitely didn't deserve his rights as a human being to be violated.

He shouldn't have been sent there, but still should have been punished for such training.

[Lasercookie]

He shouldn't have been sent there, but still should have been punished for such training.

Yeah, like I said, an Australian prison would have been more appropriate.

[Camo]

He shouldn't have been sent there, but still should have been punished for such training.

Yeah, like I said, an Australian prison would have been more appropriate.

I guess America just has the view they are the father of all less economic and populated countries. Hey we are dealing with terror so back off, kinda thing.

[Yitzi_K]

They are the ones that caught him...

[enwiabe]

Yitzi, get ready for this, because you won't hear this often from me, but you're 100% correct. And he's a hero by accident, because America fucked up his handling. He became the posterboy for the Guantanamo bay/American mistreatment and torture of prisoners scandal. All they had to do was send him back to Australia and let -us- deal with him under our terror laws and his name would never have been known by more than a handful of people.

Now this worthless sack of shit, who wants to see all of us dead gets a soapbox wherever he goes after being a most disgusting and shit human being.