An open letter to the Prime Minister of Australia, The Hon Kevin Rudd MP.

11 March 2009

Dear Prime Minister

Re: “Shit Storm”

Last week I wrote to you asking you about our children’s future, the previous week I asked you about your Emissions Trading Scheme, the week before that I asked about your ‘Sorry’ speech, the previous week to that was a couple of questions about the Summit and the week before that I asked if you thought you have done a good job since taking over the role from your predecessor.  You have not done me the courtesy of replying to any of my emails, which is disappointing.

I also sent you an earlier email (on the 27th January) and I have also written to the Treasurer and the Minister for Health.  They too, have not done me the courtesy of a response.

Does the government ever respond to the people they purport to represent?

On television on the weekend you are quoted as saying

"That means temporary borrowings. People have to understand that because there's going to be the usual political shit storm, sorry, political storm."

I, as an ordinary Australian, expect our politicians, particularly our Prime Minister, to use appropriate language when speaking in public.  What anyone does privately (and I am led to believe you use most intemperate language privately Mr Rudd) is their business.

Every word uttered in public by an elected representative is public business.  If spoken on national television with an audience numbered in the millions it had best be considered, temperate and prudent.  The speaker has no way of knowing who the audience is and who may be offended by the use of profanity.

The use of the word ‘shit’ to describe anything could be considered offensive by many in the community and therefore is unforgivable from someone purporting to be a leader.

The use of the word ‘shit’ to describe the way our democracy works will be considered unforgivable by most Australians.

Using expletives for no good reason (and some may ask when is there ever a good reason Mr Rudd) is generally symptomatic of a limited vocabulary, using an expletive like ‘shit’ in public indicates a lack of respect for a mixed audience (and television has a mixed audience) and using expletives without thought illustrates a lack of self control.

And for a politician to use an expletive like ‘shit’ to describe the storm of politicking which will accompany most policy announcement as part of the process of debate expected in a healthy democracy demonstrates an arrogant intolerance of such debate.

Mr Prime Minister;

1/  How do you think the public feels about the office of Prime Minister when hearing the office holder swearing on national television?

2/  How do you think a parent may feel, in a household where epithets are frowned upon, hearing the nation’s leader using profanity without consideration for others on national television?

3/  Would you be comfortable knowing that, say, the nation’s educators used such words to describe Australia’s democracy?

4/  Is your family embarrassed hearing you say ‘shit’ on national television or are they used to hearing profanity from you?

5/  Should you consider developing your vocabulary, your self control and your tolerance so you do not utter such words without thinking of the consequences?

I am a concerned Australian citizen.  There are exactly 95 weeks until the end of 2010 by which time we should have had an election to determine who the Prime Minister of Australia will be for the next three years.

I plan on writing a letter each week.  I look forward to seeing your responses.  I trust that you will respond to my earlier emails and this one before too long.

Regards

(signed)

Owner

Political Animal Australia
www.polanimal.com

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11 March 2009  6.31 am

Thank you for your message to the Prime Minister.