Shakespeare wrote "What's in a name? A rose by any other name smells just as sweet". and for a while I believed him; but there is the old saying about giving a dog a bad name and I realised how very important semantics can be. Particularly if you are trying to convey an idea.

Take the phrase "let's legalise abortion" for instance. it implies that to legalise abortion is to completely endorse it and so a great many people are not at all comfortable with that idea.

Put it into perspective and say "let's allow personal freedom of choice" and we get a whole new slant on the issue.

Take the current war in Yugoslavia. We keep hearing about the Croats and the Serbs killing Muslims. What if we told it the way it is and said "the Christians are killing the Muslims"? Ethnic cleansing is a euphemism for religious cleansing. either way it is based on bigotry, prejudice and ungodliness. We observers of this ungodliness have ourselves to learn that violence is not the way to combat evil. I am sad to see that Bill Clinton has not yet learned this. Still, I live in great expectations. We Australians should take a neutral stand.

While I'm thinking of Australia, I'd like to look at issues that are taking place here. First of all, that we will become a republican state is inevitable. It may or may not come at the turn of this century, but it will come. Forget about calling it a republic and use the term 'Commonwealth of Australia' which indicates that we keep our affection for England but put our first loyalty to our own country and the Government that we elect. Further the expensive post of Governor General will become redundant, so we would be very unskilful if we were to allow this post to be filled by a 'Head of State'. We need such a costly figure-head like a hole in the head! Rebel against this old conditioned thinking. Put an end to this 'jobs for the boys' rort.

Talking about rebelling, isn't it about time that the judges of our courts were made accountable for their decisions? The American system is much to be desired. Each district has its own court and the judges are elected by the people for a term of office. If their judgments are wise they will be re-elected for another term. This way we will have far fewer victims of the law.

The stupidities of the 'new age' reactionaries among judges, doctors, lawyers and local councillors cannot go on unchecked without what the Buddhists call 'vipaka', a sort of physical backlash. If the government does not take into urgent consideration the way it is 'big brothering' the average Australian it will have to handle a civil disobedience that will rock its very foundations. As long as that civil disobedience is non-violent, I'm all for it.