But there was no way I was prepared for the thrashing he took in the election, especially after the demonstrations in the streets by thousands of Australians, in response to the manner of his dismissal.

So I could not help myself the next day from going around to the home of the parents of a mate of mine, who I knew to be strong Laborites, and rubbing it in.

It was only years later that I realised what a threat to democracy Whitlam’s dismissal was, that people other than the main protagonists had their fingerprints all over it and how ruthless sections of the Australian media could be.

While Whitlam had faults as big as his frame he also had virtues to match, especially when it came to his hopes for a better Australia.

So when some commentators unleashed their bile on him last week, I decided to use this column to defend him; if for no other reason than I despise bullies, with a deep loathing.

As part of my research for the column I sought out one of my favourite reference works, Time Of Hope, Australia 1966-72 by Donald Horne, which describes the period of social fermentation leading up to Whitlam’s brief reign.

But then, over the weekend, I experienced a different sort of hope, a hope far more relevant to our community than the bickering of politicians, the twisting of facts by commentators and the power plays behind the political scenes.

I have always been involved with the Border Relay for Life but for some reason I felt the need to be more committed to this year’s event and so registered to be a participant.

Because I was closer to the action this year, as part of The Border Mail team — and I use the term team in the truest sense — it was only natural that I had an epiphany as to how intensely focused on hope this great community event is.

And not just on hope for the survival for cancer sufferers but in other relevant senses of the word as well.

The Border Mail tent had people coming and going all day but at about dusk 30 or so employees and their families sat down and had dinner together.

Most of them have very little to do with each other outside work so it was quite uplifting to see people from different sections of the organisation — along with their spouses and families — socialising with each other.

Facilitated, no doubt, by the atmosphere the organisers have been able to create over the years.

The Hope Ceremony on Saturday night — which included presentations raw in their emotions, the Hope Lanterns and the lap of the oval, led by Scots School piper James Ring — was incredibly moving.

The ceremony ran — or walked — side by side with a terrific atmosphere all weekend of fun and friendliness, with lots of people camping out, stalls selling all sorts of goods to raise money for the cause, an innovative bloke standing outside one tent and giving high fives to participants and performances from some of our community’s top musos.

And helped in no small way by celebrity broadcasters from 105.7 The River.

Journos are generally labelled as cynics but one of our scribblers said he was knocked out by the atmosphere.

“I can’t believe how many people are here, across so many generations, and there is no tension at all,” he said.

Relay for Life head honcho Carl Friedlieb reckons the event is all about the Border coming together and uniting for one common cause — and I reckon he’s spot on.

A love-in is probably not the right description, but calling it Albury-Wodonga’s Woodstock for All Ages is pretty close to the mark.