This is an interesting notion. Now I am no lawyer, that much is...

This is an interesting notion.

Now I am no lawyer, that much is certain and what is also certain is that no nation can be legally defamed. Or so one may think.

I start this thread as a result of an Indian newspapers online "opinion" piece regarding the tragic death of the little Indian boy in Melbourne.

Read it here http://www.navhindtimes.in/opinions/9402-killing-of-baby-gurshan

Now I hope I am not offending anyone here, and it certainly is not my purpose, but this issue is one that I think is of great public interest and indeed of national interest as it strikes at the heart of our good relations with other nations on this small planet we all inhabit which, by the way, is now even smaller given the technology we now have.

Until a few years ago, I worked in the media and did so for some 30 years. I saw a lot of things. I saw things that most people would not see in 10 life times. I was in Thailand two days after the tsunami and saw hundreds of dead people and body bags. I have seen 7 body bags lined up along a road after a fatal accident. I have seen many crashes that resulted in death. I have seen the result of murder. I can tell you that seeing a body on TV is one thing, but for me at least being at Kow Lak in Thailand was a reality check after 30 years in the business. I now understand the true meaning of the word "gut wrenching". Believe me when I say it does not take long in the tropics for hundreds of bodies to smell like nothing else you could ever imagine.

I mention this because these things make me angry.

Death on a grand scale I have seen and that made me angry.

I have seen the result on parents of the Bali bombing victims and that made me angry. I was banned from going to Indonesia for many years because I dared to make complaint to the Indonesian Ambassador to Australia after the massacre in East Timor not to mention the slaying in cold blood of five defenseless Australian journalists.

I was very angry after the Burmese Generals murdered in cold blood hundreds of protestors who only wanted democracy in their country.

9/11 made me angry. The recent earthquakes in Haiti and in Chile made me angry.

Hmmmmm I can hear you think. This guy is a very angry guy. Take some Prozac and chill out I hear. And you know what - may be you are right.

I suppose the point is; what do we do with that anger and what is the appropriate response?

The written word is a powerful weapon. Some people, be they generals, criminals, political bullies and alike think otherwise. They believe the gun is more powerful than the pen. Perhaps they are right - short term. Pull a trigger, detonate that bomb and you exterminate those who oppose you. But what about the future?

The written word can move mountains. It can, if abused inflame feelings or hurt others. It can change lives sometimes for better, sometimes for worse.

I just leave you with this question. How do you feel after reading that piece {link above} and how should we as a nation or indeed as individuals react?

Have we as Australians been defamed by The Navhind Times "opinion" writer and am I right to be angry?

Food for thought.