There is an incipient violence and militarisation, lack of reflectiveness about ethical reason and a lack of hope in the current debate about the Australian Government's latest venture into indigenous public policy debate. The argument runs, "nothing elses has worked" so that something anything must be done to prevent further sexual violence against indigenous children.
No moral qualification is allowed. We must do something, anything ...
The value of human life is now sacred - it functions as an absolute in this argument and utilitarian arguments about effectiveness are pushed aside as mere quibbles.
Immauel Kant trumps Jeremy Bentham and J S Mill.
What about character ethics?
Should we trust a Government that has shown a willingness to be less than truthful on previous occasions about the fate of children to further its hold on political power?
So much for ethical reflection ...
The language of 'deployment" in support of a national emergency all in a militatry mode - has the creation of an atmosphere in which the agency of those whom we are supposed to be helping is denied - we are tackling a great evil so no limits can be placed on our action.
We are seeking to do good - so how can anyone question us so runs the government account.
A government which had said sorry for the violence and destruction of child hood innocence of a previous policy initiaitve that sought to do good might, just might have been in a stronger position to make a subtantial intervention to deal with real evils with indigenous suport and trust in their ability to learn from mistakes as they proceeded.
