From a recent email by the Minister for Defence, the Hon. Brendan Nelson:
THE "ANGRY" MAN AND THE "POSTER GIRL"
A number of Australian artists recently came forward to explain why they would not perform for our troops in Iraq (FF: Shame!). As artists and as Australians, it is of course their right to express their views and decide where and when they want to perform (FF: They wouldn't have that right in pre-liberation Iraq).
However, I agree with Angry Anderson when he said, in a recent radio interview with Charles Woolley, that performing in Iraq is about supporting our troops, not making a political stance.
Angry was one of a number of artists who generously spent last Christmas and New Year in Iraq as part of the Tour de Force concert tour. In his interview last week, Angry said that while he was in Iraq, he was struck by the amount of support the Americans and English appeared to get from their populations at home.
One of the best messages of support for our personnel that I have seen or heard was delivered by Beccy Cole, one of Angry’s fellow Tour de Force performers. Having been to Iraq but then, unfortunately, encountering negative reaction from a fan for having gone, she penned Poster Girl (Wrong Side of the World) – a fantastic song that recently went to Number 1 on the Country charts:
"...Well pardon me if I believe I haven’t got it wrong.
And before you turn your back on me I’ll sing you one more song.
Coz I shook hands with a digger, on the wrong side of the world.
With a wife at home who holds her breath and brand new baby girl.
And the digger fights for freedom, in a job that must be done.
And I let go of his hand so proud to be Australian.
And if unlike me you feel no pride at all.
Then go ahead and take me off your wall.
Coz I’d prefer to be a poster girl, on the wrong side of the world."
If you would like to make Angry happy and send a message of support to the "wrong side of the world", you can do so here.
(ends)
Hear hear!
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