Socialist Left ally Andrew Crook’s blogging continues to please us on occasion.
Today he claims that Fabian Society meetings this year “are expected to be lively,” an allegation we are sure would be news to its cardigan-wearing, pipe-smoking membership led by above-pictured former Labor minister Race Mathews. :
The Fabian Society battles on, with Evan Thornley’s election as national secretary threatening to inject some much needed extra-parliamentary zeal into their 2009 agenda. The Thornley appointment has met with outrage from some members miffed at his resignation from the Victorian Upper House and meetings this year are expected to be lively. The Fabians’ action plan for 2009 reads like a desperate call for participation — all the right ideas are present and accounted before (including some ahead of the curve thinking on emissions trading). Whether it manages to recreate this impressive line-up of guest speakers remains to be seen.
It is not the first time the Fabians – whose leadership includes Racy Race Mathews and others whose idea of fun is booking lecture theatre and an intriguing sociologist for a few hours of earnest discussion – have been misrepresented. If you are intrigued about Race Mathews – and who isn’t? – please click here to read about him and his role in the “Melbourne Science Fiction Group” (surely a front).
Mel Gibson’s papa Hutton- a loon whose hobbies include Holocaust denial and who makes his occasionally anti-semitic ranting movie-star son look normal – believes the Fabians are controlled by the devil. This is not necessarily considered a reference to Evan Thornley. He claims that Fabian “creeping socialism” is intent on world domination.
VEXNEWS (Archive) 
…and to cap off a bad day for Race, a strident motion he authored that was designed to put in their place the ragtag rebel army of Higgins ALP traitors (Dianne Anderson, Rolf Sorensen, et al) was last night THROWN OUT on its ear by the Good Burghers of the Malvern Labor branch.
the well-intentioned, but clumsily-worded motion (kind of like Race himself, really) was cut to shreds on the floor by none other than guest speaker, Johan Schaeffer – himself a big Race-lover.
Johan pointed out that the motion – which sought to gag anyone leaking information from the official Higgins house journal, The Higgins News (ciculation 269)- was not only wrong-headed but counter-productive; and would only result in it being leaked itself. in a publication like VexNews, no doubt.
in the end, the members threw out Race’s muddled motion and passed a more tightly-worded motion of their own, condemning treacherous types (like Anderson & Sorensen) who white-ant Labor candidates at election time. which is kinda Dianne & Rolf’s MO.
Fascinating. I’m going to light my pipe.
If only Race was still heavily involved, we miss him – but he took a well-earned rest a couple of years ago.
Meanwhile we are happy to fill a Trades Hall room with 60-70 people each First Wednesday for the type of policy discussion they mostly can’t get anywhere else.
As for the 4000 who attended the Fabian’s Trial of John Howard, if you missed it we still have copies of the DVD and Max Gillies, Gerry Connolly, Rod Quantock, Julian Burnside (who isn’t threatening to give up his day job!) Rachel Doyle and over 50 performers and technical volunteers for the very low price of $15. What a welcome catharis it was for Melbournites!(vicevents@fabian.org.au)
Rolf’s head often looks like it will explode when hev gets fired up. Is he related to Barnaby Joyce as he seems to have the same problem
Do you have to bring your own cardigan and pipe?
Yes you do. Thinking inside a tank can get quite chilly.
The only reason I’m a member of the Fabians is because I enjoy the sacrificing of the goat at each meeting.
Diane Anderson would never join the Fabians. Nor would her accolades.
Why? They wouldn’t vote for her in Higgins.
Diane has been away a long time. But watch her when she comes back. She’ll give her former love interest Race Mathews a run for his money.
re anonymous post,, do you not mean “accolytes” instead of accolades… moot point I guess, but ,,,,
I would like to offer accolades to my acolytes.
…wheel out the goat, god damn it.
..let’s sacrifice the goat to some dark Fabian god….yeahhhhh
Keep off the pickled onions, and curried egg sandwiches when you go down into the tank to think. It is heady enough with the pipe smoke and odours of camphor and napthalene. Anyway, the old boys are windy enough with their oratory.
The League of Rights has argued for many years that the Fabian Society is a subversive organisation. It even provided “proof” during the period of the Hawke government that the policy of that government on greenhouse gas emissions was not pandering to the Greens as most of the popular media thought. It was the adoption of a policy carefully considered and adopted at a Fabian Society conference.
Come on, this is Protocols stuff. A lot of people believe it though.
“As for the 4000 who attended the Fabian’s Trial of John Howard, if you missed it…”
You can’t make this stuff up — it just defies parody. Assuming it’s true. 4,000 people with no decent life and time on their hands. That’s the problem with the left: it’s not what they’re in favour or what they intend to do. It’s about the enemy. No wonder Fabians are a bunch of ineffective, time-wasting losers.
Imagine if someone on the right suggested having a mock trial of Rudd. They be laughed out of the joint.
Did everyone’s pipe go out following Walter’s comment?