Fed: So America is not just Disney - and so what?

AAP General News (Australia)
12-07-2001
Fed: So America is not just Disney - and so what?

By Judy Smart

BRISBANE, Dec 7 AAP - Human rights advocate Phillip Adams today ridiculed an investigation
into alleged anti-American racial comments he made in a newspaper column.

The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) wrote to The Australian newspaper
late last month regarding an American citizen's complaint about Mr Adams' column on October
6.

The column condemned Australia's support of the US in the war on terror.

"I'm guilty as charged. I dared to suggest America isn't Disneyland, that there's a
dark side to its moon," Mr Adams said today.

"It (the investigation) is a dreadful waste of time.

"If you want racial vilification, listen to Philip Ruddock and the Prime Minister and
their views on asylum seekers."

The complaint criticised Mr Adams' reference to the nation's "madness".

Mr Adams wrote in the newspaper: "Confusing itself with the sanitised representations
in Disney theme parks, the US fails to see that it has always been among the most violent
nations on earth.

"If Australia is to be a true friend of the American people, we must try to rein them
in, not urge them on.

"The US has to learn that its worst enemy is the US."

The writer and ABC journalist hasn't officially responded to the commission, saying
today he was too busy fighting for human rights through his campaign for asylum seekers
in detention centres.

Australian Council for Civil Liberties president Terry O'Gorman said he feared the
investigation would scare other journalists into self-censorship.

"I don't think Phillip would, but I think other journalists, as a result, might feel
the need to self censor," he said.

"To have someone taken to court because they challenge some historical fact is wrong."

Mr O'Gorman used Muslims as an example minority group in saying: "If there is a case
for ongoing vilification laws, and I question whether there is, they should be narrowed
to prevent outright harassment of Muslim women, for example, in the street.

"Vilification laws should not prevent there being public criticism of Muslims. That
would be interfering with freedom of speech.

"Current vilification laws are being used to hinder freedom of expression."

Mr O'Gorman said Australians' rights to freedom of speech were at risk in the current
emotion-charged climate after the September 11 terrorist attacks.

The HREOC would not comment, except to say it was normal procedure to write to a person
who becomes the subject of a complaint.

It has no power to impose penalties even if complaints are found to be substantiated.

AAP jcs/sc/tb/sb

KEYWORD: ADAMS

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