I concur whole-heartedly with his sentiments – yes, not only do I sympathise with Vietnam veterans, I could palpably feel their disappointment.

To be disagreed with is one thing, to be treated like lepers is a different kettle of fish altogether.

I was a student at Sydney University in the 1960s.

The atmosphere was highly charged with emotion those days, students fervently demonstrated against the government’s decision to send troops to Vietnam.

As a young man, yours truly’s sympathy was with most of the students ie against the decision of the government of the day.

However, I must emphasise it was the decision of the government I disagreed with, not the troops – neither the regular army nor the conscripts.

This is a point I’ll keep pointing out again and again: in this democratic country we have freedom of speech. We are lucky to have the right to air our view, to have opinions.

However any right goes with an obligation, a responsibility that your speech or opinion does not adversely affect other people’s right or freedom.

Donald Trump recently criticised Hillary Clinton for attacking his many views that she found politically incorrect and racist.

In fact, there are many people who are of the opinion that political correctness and racism are being overused. Some even suggest we should dilute or do away with certain laws pertaining to political correctness and racism.

Well, what is the big deal? For many decades terms such as “wogs”, “chings”, “dagos” etc have been used for certain peoples and “they never hurt anybody”.

Well of course it would not hurt – unless you are on the receiving end.

Unlike usage in a small circle of mates, when used in wider audience, especially in the media, it is the connotation that hurts.

A name-calling is not just a simple description of who or what you are. It is a pigeon-holing, labelling that puts you in a certain basket, usually a very undesirable one.

When people call you black, Catholic, Moslem, dole-bludger, non-taxpayer etc they put an invisible barrier around you from which you can’t escape.

They push you to one corner or to an outer fringe. They disenfranchise, alienate or ostracise you.

You are one of “them” not one of “us”. It is not about your opinion, not about what you do, it is simply about who you happen to be (“Iraqi”, “illegal immigrant” etc).

“We don’t want you here,” they say – and notice how they say “we” rather than “I don’t want you here”. It is already a consensus.

The inference is that you are not as holy as “me” although they would say “us”.

We are proud of who we are and we pre-judge you as being second rate. Yes, dear readers, misplaced pride does go hand in hand with prejudice.

In our relaxation class, we do Analyse, Assess whatever Arises in our Awareness.

With careful appraisal we will be better able to Appreciate that arising Awareness (thought).

Then we can Acknowledge and therefore Accept what comes to our Awareness.

It is only then, when we have an Affirmative clarity, that we can Act or Address it Accordingly with an Appropriate Action. 

Editor’s note: Dennis Booth’s name was inadvertently left off his column (right) last Tuesday. Give me a break! is a weekly column by Dennis Booth. Last week’s column was titled “So green” and was about the incredible greenness of the countryside observed on recent travels. 

“The low points of all this rain we have had, is the effect it has on the roads,” he said. “I think it highlights the need for us all to be very aware of not only driving carefully on roads after a lot of rain but warning others who you may know who could be travelling over the same roads.”