To: John Howard, Prime Minister of Australia:
How interesting that, in reacting today to Mark Latham's election as Labor leader, you chose to reflect snidely on the legacy of Gough Whitlam. When Mr Whitlam was usurped, and Australia's slow march into modernity was stalled, we slumped back towards the dark ages of monarchism, privilege, racism, and arrogance - to the kinds of attitudes that constipated Menzies championed, and that your government has revived with lamentable pomposityand craven appeal to the decrepit breed of presumptuously old-moneyed and duplicitously new-moneyed Australians. These, and your mob, are people whom Mr Latham is right to describe as "arselickers." It's telling, isn't it, that even the snivellers who led the Liberal Party in the coup against Whitlam have come to appear enlightened by comparison with your mob of soulless crawlers, and have denounced your government's racist programs, and begudging ones, and ones that feather the beds of your privileged, ratbag backers?
Your presuming even to breathe the name of Whitlam is ludicrous. Compared with him you have been so inconsequential in advancing Australia. Do you imagine your legacy will be a tenth of his? And perhaps Mark Latham , as muddled as he may be now, will prove to have not just principles, but also something of the wit and vision of, say, Paul Keating - and surely you recall how reduced you looked when he was done with you.
Sincerely.