Trying To Get Politicians To Listen.

Hola mi amigos.
I thought you may be interested in a letter I sent to one of the Redcliffe by-elections' candidates, Mr Len Thomas - Independent For Redcliffe. Here goes -

Hello Len. I must say that after reading the views of the various candidates, I was in agreement with yours the most. Which, I must say, surprised me. (I won't explain that).
I have one major issue at the moment, which most people seem to be glossing over. VLAD. If it were as simple as just repealing them it would be easy. But it's not. The expensive smear campaign against bikers, instigated by the Newman Government, has Redcliffe citizens jumping at ghosts. They can say in the media that VLAD is used to get rid of dangerous gangs, but the truth of the matter is that most people can't tell the difference between one biker and the next. So far, since the campaign started, I have been spat at by passing motorists, almost run off the road on five different occasions, have had abuse yelled at me by pedestrians and car drivers as well as being given the finger a lot. Now, you might say that those are ok stats for an area the size of Brisbane, unfortunately they all happened between North Lakes and Redcliffe.
I am a 49yo Ulysses member who obeys the road laws, and I am tired of being treated like pond scum by members of my own community who have taken it upon themselves to ostracize me because I ride a motorcycle.
The damage to bikers reputations is irreparable. It doesn't even seem to matter that hundreds of us go on charity drives every month. Donating our time and money to disadvantaged individuals and community projects. Positive public awareness of who we are and what we do needs to be stepped up. Please help stop this vicious discrimination. 

We are bikers. Help us, as we have helped many of you. 

Sincerely, Guy.

And his reply -

Hello Guy, I feel your pain. When elected, I will fight beside Peter Wellington to have the laws written and enforced fairly. Further, I will work to have the reputations of all bikers restored. Criminals should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Innocent people should be protected by the law. That is the Australian way. That is justice. That is what I believe in and will fight for.

Not really the sort of reply I was after, but it's a start. At least I may have made an impression on this one.
Time will tell. (B.T.W. Len is an ex copper. That's why I was surprised)

Hasta Mañana. Dr Smiley.

Vote 1 - Freedom From Tyranny.

Hello fellow plebeians.

We have a crisis in Queensland. No, it's not water shortages or bush fires or anything quite so mundane. This is a man made crisis, and I do mean MAN. One man in particular, Campbell Newman. While many know him as The Queensland Premier, I know him simply as, that conservative bastard with a Napoleon complex. Yes, you read it correctly. Many may think I am merely a citizen with a gripe. A left wing prick with nothing better to do than sit around and bitch about the rightfully elected representatives of our state. Yes, in many respects you may be right. What you may not know about me is that I am a BIKER. I am a tattooed, beard wearing, foul mouthed, loud motorcycle riding, wanker. 

This is me.

I think I heard a few brains shut down just now. For those that didn't go off to watch people embarrass themselves on YouTube, I will finish my story. Yes, I am those things. I can even be a total wanker at times. Can't we all? I am also a lot more than that. I am a concerned member of my community. I involve myself in what matters to my neighbors, like looking after their pets while they are on holiday and community watch. (The man 2 doors up said to me recently that crime in our little area is non-existent since I moved here). I participate in charity events. I also worry about what affects all our lives here. Which is ultimately why I first started paying attention to politics. I looked outside myself, really looked closely at my neighborhood. What I saw surprised me.

I live in, what can only be described as a working class, blue collar area. People here are poor, really poor. Many people had to sell their houses cheaply, just to pay off the mortgage that was slowly strangling them. Now, some actually rent the same house from the investor (who earns a 15-20% return) that bought it from them. That is truly sad. If they are lucky, one person in the house has a good job. Even so, with an average 2 adults and 3 children they are struggling just to keep their heads above water. Electricity, rent, food, clothing and petrol prices are all skyrocketing, while wages stay relatively stagnant. They are without hope of a better life and merely go through the motions day after day. There is no light at the end of the tunnel. It is utterly disheartening.

I then looked at our supposed community leaders. People who don't even live here, don't talk to the locals except in a superficial way. They have no idea what it means to live amongst this constant heart-wrenching depression. To be our elected Government representative means, owning your own business, sending your kids to a private school, living in an affluent area, driving a new car and owning your own home. These people are mentally incapable of understanding what it is like to be down and out, so how the hell are they able to represent us? I took it upon myself to have a chat with them, to try and educate them a little. It did not work. I actually think they were amused by me. At least that was the impression I got from them. Suffice to say nothing has changed around here apart from becoming worse. People are losing their jobs. The cost of living is going up and the public is growing very angry.

Which, of course brings me (finally) to Campbell Newman. This man simply doesn't care about ordinary people. He never sees them so they don't exist. He lives in an ivory tower, completely divorced from the concerns of everyday Queenslanders. He is not out of touch, no. Because you can't touch something that doesn't exist. He lives in a world where raiding the kids' money box to buy food doesn't happen. But, where fine dining, sunset cruises, Saturday theatre and a Sunday golf game with the Attorney General, are the norm. How can this man say, in all honesty, that he represents the people? It's just not true. He is the duly elected Premier, that is true. Unfortunately he was elected on a platform built of lies and deceit. Here is where many would provide evidence to support their words. I, on the other hand will simply say. Take my word for it. I do not lie, not now, nor will I ever. I used to, when I was a kid. Many of us did. Suffice to say that I learned the truth to be a far more powerful weapon when dealing with people. Most people don't like the truth, it can be painful. If you're still skeptical, which you're entitled to be, go look the facts up for yourself like I did. Don't be so fucking lazy.

This is Mr Newman.

(I am way more attractive)

I really don't know how to finish this tirade off, except to say.... Campbell Newman and all his cohorts are misleading you. They are taking your hard earned tax dollars and pissing them away. Where is the promised drop in the cost of living? What is this enormous expenditure of public money called the VLAD laws? Why don't those promised 200 jobs per day start appearing? What is a conveyancing lawyer doing holding the position of Attorney General? Why, why, why, what, what, what? You sir, are an incompetent buffoon, masquerading as a Government Official. You're personal agendas have no business here. You are put there to serve OUR needs, NOT your own, not your partys' and most certainly not your twisted view of what is right. Resign while you still have a shred of humanity left, or is too late for that?

The people are angry Campbell. The people are coming Campbell. You've squandered our patience. Your time is over!

If you are like me, if you care about Queensland, be at Emma Miller Place in Brisbane CBD, on 26th January 2014, at 11am. (at the intersection of Roma, Albert and Turbot Sts).

See you there. Guy.