  And so John Howard thinks our primary school kiddies should spend less time playing marbles and more time, gazing in awe at a proud Australian flag blowing in the breeze.
Now - such ideas are drearily familiar and will no doubt be applauded by those who think we'd be far better off if we were more like Americans - whereby we could blindly, blandly cheer our righteous goodness as if it was a virtue owned by us alone. And of course we could watch out for those who who might glance or sneer at the flag or not look at all and have them sent to the principal.
He would then hand out detention or send the treacherous nippers to Woomera. And to make it even more insidious; downright creepy even is that Mr Howard has said that schools which do not fly the flag will not receive their share of federal education funding. What a nasty piece of work he is. Behind that blank Rotary Club President expression lies an absolute schemer - a blamer, a dobber and now the offerer of sly bribes.
Thank God for cartoonists like Bill Leak in the Australian (June 28) who can expose such cynicism. He has portrayed a gruesome near nude foursome of Ruddock, Costello, Howard and a typically fishnetted Downer, clutching a bath towel size Australian flag around them. As a red faced Howard explains "It's our last refuge. " Indeed it is - the fucking scoundrel. Talk about dishonouring one's country... 
