In Australia, where I presently live, the biggest problem is how men treat women. There are many good things about Australia, but this is a national disgrace. The Australian men have an international reputation for abusive treatment of women; and that makes Australian men look like creeps. Why is this so? Most likely because the first white people in Australia were violent criminals, and violent criminals aren't known for being gentlemen. And what Australian men need to be told is this: Do you really want violent criminals telling you what it means to be a man? Do you really want violent criminals shaping your way of life? Do you really believe that violent criminals deserve to define your country and speak for you? I have of course been saying just that. And – surprise surprise – there are any number of Australian men howling for my blood and that of the Australian woman who married me. I want to change the behavior of Australian men. I want to teach them a better way to have man-woman relationships. Since my daughter is growing up here, I owe it to her as much as I owe it to any number of good Australian women I have known. Particularly, I want them to reduce in their culture the influence of violent criminals and influence it toward better behavior and better values. Well what about your home country – Russia? I militantly rejected the “traditional” Russian brutality and misogyny ever since I was a little child. Instead I took after the better Russian influences – the poets, writers and intellectuals who also fought this “tradition.” I have nothing to do with the barbaric behavior of “traditional” Russian men; I have fought it. And I am now fighting similar behavior by many men in Australia. Nor am I responsible for American “political correctness.” I likewise fought it ever since I knew what it was. The women I do respect – smart, strong, successful women both in Russia and in America – have all rejected “political correctness” and said that feminism in America has gone too far. Whereas in Australia, it has not gone far enough, and we see a culture of horrible abuse of women. I do not only preach these better ways. I also practice them. When my former wife left me to be with another man, I did not threaten to kill her, nor did I try to take away my daughter. Instead I have maintained a good relationship with her. And now my daughter benefits from the attention of two loving parents. Australian men think that they have guts; and many do. They need to have the guts to undo wrong influences in their culture. They need to have the guts to break from the habits of violent criminals who have been formative to their culture and cultivate wiser ways. They need to have the guts to reject the “tradition” of violent criminals. And they need to have the guts to stand strong in face of people whose attitudes have been shaped by violent criminals and affirm and practice gentlemanly behavior. This will solve the biggest thing that is wrong with Australia – which country, in other respects, is one of the best places in the world. It will improve the lot of Australian women, and it will improve the character of Australian men. It will make Australian men look better in the eyes of the world and earn international respect. It will create better family existence for their children. And it will allow the people of Australia to break free from the ways of violent criminals and create a wiser and nobler culture. https://sites.google.com/site/ilyashambatthought
