Insanity in individuals is something rare - but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule.

This story nearly made me bite my pen in half this morning when I read it:

Senators take aim at ABC and SBS from The Age.

So Liberal senators have attacked SBS because they think it has a "pro-Arab" bias, shows smut (oh hello, like it's not affectionately called "Soccer Before Sex" for a reason, you fools! It's ALWAYS been like this) and doesn't label terrorist organisations clearly. Because the viewers in Australia obviously have no brains and can't identify terrorist organisations unless there's a huge sign next to them with a pointy arrow and flashing neon letters that say "Here Be Terrorists."

Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells from New South Wales also claims George Negus expressed "pro-Arab" sentiments and that SBS sides with David Hicks. Personally, I can't say that I've noticed this in my years of SBS watching, but maybe I'm such a frightful Leftie greenie-fondling pinko commie that it's all totally shot over my head.

Diversity of thought and opinions and the expressions thereof is a vital part of democracy and democratic process. Not allowing others to express their opinions, even if they differ from our own, is disgusting. Sharing these opinions allows us to learn, debate, discuss, explore or expose.

People watch SBS and ABC because they know that they'll receive a far more intelligent presentation with far greater depth about matters of national and international significance than the absolute tripe paraded around as "current affairs" on other channels (unless you truly consider Trev shirking his childcare payments or cellulite-curing koala-skin gloves to be internationally vital).

I'm scared by the Liberal party's constant efforts to shut up whoever disagrees with them. Sure we're not Iran or whatever where expressing an opinion is likely to make things rather unpleasant for you, but these sort of things are truly not steps in the right direction. Unless these same senators are calling up Channel 7, 9 and 10 directors to face questioning over their handling of matters that has been less than objective, we have something to worry about, because it would appear to not be something based on fairness within the media.

Everything that appears in EVERY media has a bias of some kind, because as humans we lack the ability to be entirely objective about things, no matter how hard we try. People can agree or disagree with the thoughts presented by others and make up their own minds about matters, though.

It's bad enough with the "new editorial policies" being placed on the ABC, whose board has been stacked, which I'm sure makes Gerrad Henderson smile and make languid cyclic motions as he sleeps and has such happy dreams about it. I know we don't have freedom of speach as part of our constitution here in Australia, but by not allowing alternative views, we diminish ourselves as a nation.