http://www.thepunch.com.au/author-bios/julian-burnside/ A living national treasure, Melbourne barrister Julian Burnside is a prominent human rights advocate. The former President of Liberty Victoria, he has acted pro bono in many human rights cases particularly concerning the treatment of refugees. He is passionately involved in the arts and is the chair of Fortyfive Downstairs, a not for profit arts and performance venue in Melbourne. He has written several books. en Copyright 2012 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/lest-we-forget-our-nations-values-in-asylum-seeker-debate/ It is one of the most resonant phrases in our national mythology: “Lest we forget”. On November 11 each year and on Anzac day we say it or think it. But forgetting lies at the heart of this country. We have constructed a myth about ourselves which cannot survive unless we forget some painful truths. A veil of comforting amnesia protects our vanity and the comfortable dream we have conjured for ourselves. Since John Howard saw the votes to be had by appropriating some of Pauline Hanson’s racism, boat people have been tagged “illegals”. Howard won the 2001 election on it; Abbott persists in it. Gillard and Bowen go along with it, hesitating between decency and victory, but for their troubles are likely to be denied both. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Julian Burnside) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/lest-we-forget-our-nations-values-in-asylum-seeker-debate/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/lest-we-forget-our-nations-values-in-asylum-seeker-debate/#item6622 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 19:50:02 +0000 Julian Burnside | Author bios | The Punch