DREADPUBLISHING: 'Being Heard' John Heard - Superheroes Ride Again

[UPDATE] Donatella Versace claims that she idolises BXVI's personal secretary, Mons. Georg Gänswein, and launches 'priestly chic' a Milano.

[UPDATE] Another DREADMATE, this time Andrew Norton, argues that 'big government conservatism' is not going to work. He claims that:

"It is not clear what has been gained from increased spending on families. Children add to household expenditure, but people with children have higher average incomes even before income redistribution. Though births have recently trended slightly up, most other family indicators such as divorce rates are stable or, from a social-conservative perspective, worse. A smaller proportion of children are born to married parents now than when Howard first came to office. It is not clear that "modern social conservatism" has been very successful in its own policy terms."

And concludes:

"Worse, bringing families capable of self-reliance into the social security system through family tax benefits widens Labor's welfare constituency, and gives future governments opportunities for social engineering through adding conditions to family payments. Modern social conservatism may not turn out to be so family-friendly."

In light of Bush Administration excesses, I know many US DREADNOUGHTERS worry about these trends as well.

[UPDATE] DREADMATE James Norman on how religious leaders are 'fighting the good fight' and winning the admiration of socially engaged secular types.

:: Update ::

DREADNOUGHT's latest column in The Record newspaper is below.

:: BEING HEARD ‘Superheroes Ride Again’ ::

By John Heard

Lately, I have been watching old episodes of He-Man and She-Ra on cable. As a child, these cartoons were the focus of an almost religious zeal. My sister and I watched them over and over.

However, the cartoons have remained in the Eighties while the little boy who watched them has been touched by the world, shoved it back and developed a thicker, more sarcastic skin. The animation is sloppy, the storylines basic or often laughable and the massively muscled, pink shirt wearing, blond hero (he even has fur-trimmed boots) is more than a little ridiculous, not to mention what many kids and a whole YouTube generation would now describe as pretty ‘ghey’.

There is still, however, a thrilling ethical clarity, a curious authority that underpins the episodes. Most of them actually conclude with a brief, ‘moral’ segment. Sure, the lessons are heavy-handed, but they seem heart-felt. Many transmit timeless truths.

Two examples: He-Man’s warning about accepting gifts, praise or entertainments from strangers, which makes sense no matter how old you are and an extended cartoon essay in She-Ra that encouraged viewers not to be fooled by the glamour of evil. In this latter, an otherwise dedicated servant of a powerful regime was encouraged to take a look for herself, to see how the poor, the weak and the innocent were really being treated by the masters she once conscientiously served and defended.

I wonder how many individuals would continue to support or tolerate certain laws if they were required to witness an abortion firsthand. So many of those who champion or even tacitly accept abortion never actually see how abstract edicts and the rhetoric of ‘choice’ literally obliterate the most vulnerable members of the human family. It is a fact that mothers shown images or videos of abortion are more likely to reject the practice.

In the face of such horrors, it is understandable that one might long for a world where evil is accompanied by arch synthesiser themes or creepy cartoon backdrops. No doubt, clear lines between the good characters and the evil ones would come in handy in contemporary Australia or anywhere else.

Certainly with an issue as disturbing as abortion, a discussion that takes in a multitude of competing, often vicious views, we need a moral device to sort the worthy arguments, and the good fighters, from those who serve darker purposes or masters.

What we need is something that would help make sense of various conundrums like why some feminists, who argue so eloquently about woman’s God-given right to self-determination and freedom are also sometimes the worst offenders against the rights of the innocent unborn?

Similarly, where is the real-life superhero who will ensure that the tiniest children are protected and right order restored?

Perhaps, however, the heroes are around, but less conspicuous. Certainly they appear to be less muscled. Tony Abbott, our Catholic Federal Health Minister, is a good example. Lately he sparked and then steered a more mature, more humane debate about abortion than any this country has seen. He didn’t need fur-trimmed boots.

In another sage development, just last month Centacare, the welfare arm of the Church, was awarded funding from the Commonwealth to help counsel pregnant mothers who are in crisis and might otherwise resort to an abortion.

Behind these changes, these remarkable interventions for life, stands a simple, empowering fact. Any individual can be a superhero.

Like He-Man’s timid pet Cringer, who is transformed by a force he cannot understand into the mighty Battle Cat, ordinary individuals can be vessels, alongside politicians and others of the great and good, for justice. We just need the courage to stand up for the most vulnerable.

For the little boy who found his cartoons so compelling and the young man who returned to them and was re-edified, it is a resonating wonder to recognise in Catholic influence, ideas and efforts something of the light-wielding, justice-restoring power of those childhood heroes. That the power might be greater, hidden yet real in a way that the obvious but fake cartoons cannot emulate is awesome indeed.

Back then I couldn’t wait to join what I thought was the army of light. Now I know where justice raises her banner.

:: The Upshot ::

Cue the synthesisers: our generation rides against the dark.

:: Resources ::

- US researchers discover an 'un-controversial source' of stem-cells that can be harvested from the placenta and amniotic fluid. Vatican official says it is good news.