SHOULD DISLOYALTY BE OVERLOOKED? – By Joe Van Langenberg (Introduced by Des Kelly)

This is something that I feel everyone SHOULD read.

Joe is an excellent writer, as well as a good friend.

I am proud to present this particular article, and, with his permission, will feature “More from Joe”, the way to go, if one wishes to peruse the Queen’s English, as it should be written. He ends this fine article, mentioning a Bob Dylan Song, and as usual, especially for the many thousands of eLanka readers, here is Bob, himself, singing the song, Blowing in the Wind.

Desmond Kelly

Editor-In-Chief eLanka

SHOULD DISLOYALTY BE OVERLOOKED? – By Joe Van Langenberg

Australian prime Minister Scott Morrison, in consultation with his team of national security advisors, have finally and sagaciously decided to crack the whip on those surreptitiously making their way out of the country to war-ravaged Syria, to fight alongside the so-called Islamic State, a much-feared killing machine (led by one of the most ruthless terrorist leaders of all time Abu Bakr al-Bagdadi) , for the sole purpose of causing death to innocent people, destroying property on a monumental scale, while simultaneously waging a protracted vendetta on the democratic way of life; not to mention radicalizing and coercing non-Muslims to accept Sharia Law and brainwashing them with their twisted ideological beliefs.

Hitherto, there have been around 200 Australians who have joined the said organization, though some political watchdogs reckon the statistics could be just the tip of the iceberg. Some of the ISIS recruits including Hoda Sharrouf, the 16-year-old daughter of Australia’s most infamous terrorist Khaled Sharrouf who was eliminated sometime back and who now remains in one of Syria’s refugee camps, has been pleading to return to Australia. She says that she is concerned for her siblings who are supposedly living in abject misery.

Like Hoda Sharoof there are many more, together with innocent children caught up in a vicious cycle and used as pawns on the chessboard of treachery, by their moronic parents in search of a non-existent Utopia and who have been promised a mythical Paradise in their next life. Mr Morrison has since had a change of heart, pledging to facilitate the safe return of the children in conjunction with Red Cross and other aid agencies. Nonetheless he has categorically ruled out sending any political negotiators to any of the violence-prone flash points. Australia happens to be one of the luckiest countries in the world, where opportunities abound and those fleeing persecution are allowed to breathe the air of freedom without let or hindrance. To live therein, isn’t an entitlement, but a unique privilege. Australia is also a nation steeped in the pristine values of tolerance, compassion. empathy and generosity; which means there’s no discrimination on the basis of racial bias and sexual orientation.

Everyone gets a fair shake of the sauce bottle, so to speak. However, should anyone gullible enough to get sucked into the cesspool of ISIS’ skulduggery, suddenly claims to have grown a conscience and wishes to make amends, the transgressors who virtually sell their birthright by spitting in the face of the very country which extricated them from the doldrums of despair, don’t deserve to be given a second chance. The Prime Minister and his Attorney General Christian Porter, must be commended for drawing a line in the sand, by stating that those who join ISIS will not be accepted back into the country under any circumstances; except for the children as stated above. Federal Labour Leader Bill Shorten has demonstrated his willingness to be on the same page, by extending bi-partisan support. And for this, he must be given a massive pat on the back. Australia’s borders, her territorial integrity and flawless sovereignty must be protected and ensured in their totality.

It boggles the mind in no small measure, to note that, those who have been given a safe haven have no qualms in biting the hand which feeds them. It’s actually so sad to say the very least. Which then begs some pertinent questions: Do people of that collective mind set deserve a second chance? Will they be susceptible to rehabilitation? And more importantly, should and can, disloyalty be overlooked?

At this point in time, there doesn’t seem to be any answers. In the words of famed balladier Bob Dylan; ”The answer my friend is blowing in the wind, the answer is blowing in the wind”.