John Howard's Big Day Out

Since when did John Howard start scripting the Big Day Out??

Have I only just woken up to the fact that those in power have always manipulated the youth of the day because they are the most dangerous element?

Or were young people actually free to think their own thoughts once, call a spade a spade and call a government jingoistic if that was what they were (or are)?

I certainly thought young people thought their own thoughts. And that Big Day Out was a youth music festival. Full of music by and for young people. Angry. Rebellious. Irreverent. Satirical. TISM! Billy Bragg!

And here we have Big Day Out having to TELL PEOPLE NOT to WEAR THE AUSTRALIAN FLAG!! AND IT NOT WORKING!!!

And since when was Kamahl youth music? and who would ever allow "I Still Call Australia Home" onto the program at a BDO???

If John Howard had scripted the thing he couldn't have done a better job: jingoistic, flag waving, uninspiring, aggressively conservative.

If someone else has scripted it, they've done his work for him.

Stop the world. I've had enough.