Unmasked: Robert McLelland was Osama bin Laden's Gardener

I think I can speak for the branch on this one, when I express a little bewilderment at the furore over McLelland's comments on the death penalty today. The attack by Howard and his henchman (rapidly becoming shorthand for Alexander Downer) was swift and the media were only too willing to play along.

Soft on terror or strong on human rights?

The suggestion that the timing was insensitive is understandable if arguable. That it was impolitic I suppose is obvious. However, it was undeniably principled and totally consistent with the stated policy of both the Labor and Liberal parties. If anything, it's the Liberals who should be ashamed by McLelland's speech. Howard's hypocrisy is more tangible than usual on this issue, condemning the death penalty when it's convenient (Nguyen) and playing along when it's popular (terrorists).

I'll take any excuse to quote H.L. Mencken:

The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all.

Certainly the Bali bombers are scoundrels and will not be missed by many over here. But that's the true test of a principled policy. If our policy is to oppose the death penalty except for people we really hate, then I don't think that's much of a policy at all.