Cory's Crazies

Speaking of neocon and Christian Zionist crazies in the US context, be it known that right-wing Australian politics can more than hold its own in the lunacy stakes.

Take Cory Bernadi's Australian Conservatives, for example. Founded in 2017 after its founder broke away from the Liberal Party, its website proclaims that:

"The values, customs, conventions, and norms of the Judeo-Christian tradition are the foundation for western culture and provide the appropriate framework to inform and guide a free society. Without adherence to these enduring structures and an associated rejection of moral relativism, society induces its decay." (Civil Society, conservatives.org.au/our_principles)

Now talk of a 'Judeo-Christian tradition' invariably masks an Islamophobic agenda. Needless to say, the Australian Conservatives do not disappoint in this respect. Queen Esther may be all the rage among US Christian Zionist crazies, but the Australian Democrats are a tad more modern, if the fifteenth century can be called 'modern' that is. Read on:

"On this day, 29 May in 1453, Constantinople (now Istanbul) - the seat of the Byzantine Christian Empire and the surviving offshoot of the Roman Empire - fell to the invading Islamic Ottoman Turks after a bloody battle and siege that lasted 53 days... The fall of Constantinople was a massive blow to Christendom and Europe, having served as the chief bulwark against (and lightning rod for) the waves of Islamic expansion over the preceding centuries. Constantinople's sacking allowed the Islamic Ottoman Turk armies to advance north and west, deep into Christian Europe... The Islamic surge into Europe was first seriously resisted in the Siege of Vienna in 1529. The Battle at the Gates of Vienna on 11-12 September 1683 began the long decline of this last Islamic Caliphate, which was wound up soon after WWI... " (Fall of Constantinople, conservatives.org.au/fall_of_constantinople)

And what, exactly, are red-blooded, Judeo-Christian Conservatives supposed to do about the fall of Constantinople to the "Islamic" hordes? Why, gird their loins for the coming "Islamic surge" of course. Here's how:

"Mourn/commiserate the fall of Constantinople and the Islamic takeover of its heritage by:

*visiting a cathedral (or church) in your vicinity
*watching a film featuring the ancient city, such as:
  o the James Bond films Sky Fall, The World is Not Enough or From Russia With Love
  o Taken 2
  o The International, or
  o Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
*reading up on the Byzantine Roman and Christian Empire, or some famous fictional works commemorating the Orient Express which once ran from Europe's north to Constantinople (eg Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express or Graham Greene's Stamboul Train) and/or
*sharing this Action Plan post on social media with family, friends and those proud of their Western Christian civilisation and values." (ibid)

Hmm... Now I don't know about you, but if I were Cory Bernardi, and I really wanted to do justice to the gravity of the occasion, I would've added a few extra items to the to-do list for May 29. For example:

*donning sackcloth and ashes
*wailing
*gnashing your teeth
*flagellating yourself
*all of the above