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Issue No. 127 | 08 March 2002 |
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Power Plays
Interview: Still Flying Women: Suffrage or Suffering Industrial: No Coco Pops For Brenda Unions: Back to the Heartland Activists: Getting to the Point International: Push Polling Economics: Debt Defaulters Poetry: Those Were the Days Review: Black Hawk Dud Satire: Fox-Lew Launch Rescue Bid for Beta Video
The Soapbox The Locker Room Week in Review Tool Shed
 How to Beat the BanksCollins Goes Cahill
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The Soapbox Love Thy Neighbour
*************** As a union organiser I learnt to seek out the natural leader on the job. The person who would challenge unfairness and give leadership to their workmates by giving them insight about what was really going on. You also knew that the union on the job was only as strong as the most uninformed members. Accordingly I congratulate Labour Council on its campaign to challenge racism in the work place. Our news is dominated by politicians and shock jocks who constantly reduce complex issues to goodies and baddies in double quick time. At the same time, people are encouraged to look up to sporting heroes. celebrities, beautiful people, business high flyers and look down on casualties of the system, the unemployed as well as particular ethnic groups from time to time, trade unionists and, now, refugees. There is a sharp difference in how we treat people at different ends of the spectrum. Look at the Treasury. It loses four billion dollars punting on the currency. Warships come in at hundreds of millions of dollars above budget and that news battles to make page one and the government says it is not their fault. After the election, the same government has been exposed in a conspiracy to scapegoat refugees as dangerous aliens. The government won its War and Order election with the help of Mr Reith. The deaf, dumb and devious Defence Minister who says that he did not 'tell 'his best friend, John Howard, in a non core sort of way. Well we want another vote. We want people to vote with their feet on Palm Sunday, 24 March. Like the proverbial shop steward, we must take a stand and lead our people in voting with their feet. It will be a silent march, led by respected elders of our community, including trade union elders based on compassion for refugees, peace and justice. We also condemn terrorism by any, person or group or government. We assert war is not an option. International conflicts should be resolved through the United Nations. And national and international courts should be used to bring terrorists to justice. In conformity with our campaign in the eighties for nuclear disarmament we oppose any nuclear arms race and Australia's role in the nuclear cycle. Finally, everyone should show compassion for refugees. Jesus asked "How can you love God when you hate your neighbour.?" The Judeo Christian ethic prescribes obligations to provide food and shelter for the stranger who shares our humanity and origin. Moslems are dismayed at the ignorant abuse of their religion and racist attacks on them. The socialist challenges the exploitation of the refugee, and the denial of social justice. A socialist wants a cooperative society based on mutual aid. The Humanist will participate because the refugee is denied equality and autonomy. And all of us can be involved in solidarity, in the longer march until poverty, racism, environmental destruction and inequality are eliminated. The first step will be the rally with excellent speakers, at 12 noon, on 24 March in Belmore Park. I invite you to be there.
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