language and pres

ent McGuinness's

arguments in better

sequence.

But this was not the

preserve of lesser

intellects, though

the McGuinness in

tellect was used in

support of increas

ingly unsustainable

positions.

There was no better

example than his

opposing Sir Roland

Wilson's stolen gen

erations report.

Even if it were ad

mitted that ``stolen

generations'' is an

emotional, evoca

tive term that

weights the argu

ment, that the re

moval policy was

designed with the

best Christian, pa

ternalistic motives;

that there were in

numerable cases

where removal was

justified; that there

were cases of un

justifiable removals

done with honour

able motives, you

would still be left

with wrenching

cases which led to

cruel suffering.

It would require

metaphorical blind

ness not to concede

that, or adopting a

contrary position

for the sake of being

contrarian.

It was the position

McGuinness adopt

ed, or charitably, he

had just become

blind.

Whatever his pos

ition, there were al

ways compen

sations.

A favourite was his

passing reference to

then Science Minis

ter Barry Jones as

the only joke in the

Federal Parlia

ment.

No evidence was ad

duced in support of

this description.

There didn't need to

be: the Intellect had

spoken.

The tragedy at the

end was that the

intellect was only in

support of the voice.