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Farcical Democracy in Howard’s Australia
by fish Tuesday, Sep 4 2007, 5:41pm
international / social/political / commentary

Something is drastically wrong with Australia! The arrival last night of President Bush’s travelling circus in Sydney for the APEC leaders summit aptly demonstrated that ‘anti-terrorist’ laws introduced by the Howard government are being utilised against local populations – some have argued the draconian ‘new sweeping terrorist laws’ were originally intended for precisely that purpose!

Howard and Bush -- Proven war crinimals
Howard and Bush -- Proven war crinimals

The fascist Premier of NSW, Morris ‘il Duce’ Iemma (remember him at the next state election) has introduced water cannon and the most severe and aggressive policing tactics the State has experienced since colonial times. To label Iemma’s tactics and ideology ‘regressive’ would be an understatement. I remind Australia that hundreds of thousands of citizens marched through the streets of Melbourne and Sydney protesting the war in Vietnam without the need for draconian police state tactics. The voice of the people was heard and in accordance with the will of the majority, Australia's involvement in the war ceased – a classic example of a healthy democracy in action. In stark contrast today, the people are stopped and wars continue!

Whenever minority interests exercise control over majorities draconian tactics are necessarily utilised, as has been dramatically demonstrated in Sydney. The city is shamed and the people are outraged by the clearly EXCESSIVE use of police and other extreme security measures.

The impact these negative tactics are having on Australian society cannot be immediately appreciated; however, the population will no doubt make its sentiments known at the next State and Federal election. I can assure the ‘authorities’ that ALL Australians regardless of whether they reside in Sydney, will not easily forget the appalling Sydney APEC experience. The entire nation has been shamed!

Election time offers the people a means by which they are able to remove all traces of Morris Iemma and his fascists and John Howard and his conservatives – a return to Australian values is now imperative!

Buried deep in the collective unconscious of the nation are bitter memories of military and police state oppression from the colonial period. Australians have a natural aversion to police ‘shackles’ and oppressive criminal regimes, as our history clearly records. Resentments buried deep in the Oz psyche have been awakened by the APEC experience in Sydney; only the future knows the full implications of arousing the spirit that fought oppression in the past. Aussies fought hard and long to free themselves from colonial shackles and exploitative colonial rule; I doubt modern Australians are likely to accept the role of stigmatised ‘convicts’ and slaves without a fight.

A complete inversion of Australian values has occurred in Sydney – do not allow this infection to spread! The people have always prevailed in Australia and will no doubt correct what they perceive as an affront to the culture and the egalitarian spirit. The spirit of every fighting Australian, past, present and future demands we defend our nation from the malevolent forces that threaten it with the installation of additional U.S. military bases. The U.S. is determined to utilise Australia as a military attack platform in its fight against China some time in the future. The consequences are plain, we become a nuclear target!

Today, Sydney is witnessing a NATIONAL TRAVESTY! Restore Australian pride and respect – demonstrate with the full force of our history and passion against tyrants, murderers, thieves and polluters. Stop Bush and everything he represents -- restore freedom and democracy to Australia.

Bush and Howard are liars, murderers and thieves – criminals! The appalling reality of an illegal, pre-emptive military invasion based on lies and numerous other deceptions has resulted in a civilian holocaust -- hardly a “success” or “job” well done. The instant the first innocent child died is the instant the Iraq war was MORALLY LOST – there is no honour in fighting illegal wars of resource appropriation.

Protest activity occurs when social institutions have failed to adequately deal with a social crisis. It should not be forgotten that protest activity is by nature antagonistic to the state, especially morally bankrupt states. It would be the height of absurdity if a morally bankrupt state required protesters to behave according to its dictates, would it not?

The LAW can be proven an ASS when confronted with throngs of peaceful protesters in its courts arrested for opposing a morally degenerate CRIMINAL government REGARDLESS of whether any summary offences or other trivial social misdemeanours have occurred. The weight of the MORAL issue prevails and makes a mockery of the LAW when it attempts to imprison a person for ‘J-walking’ committed during the rescue of a pedestrian’s life.

In short, when morality demands that action be taken against reprehensible or criminal government, obtaining that government’s permission to take such action becomes ridiculous!

The Sydney police have shrewdly utilised the courts to obstruct what would have been a powerful protest; police seem to have tactically subverted a major planned event in Sydney. The obedience of protest organisers at this stage is quite astonishing and needs to be questioned, as it appears the police have their measure. This is most likely the result of too close a relationship with what should be the opposition! Plan an event and go for it; some ‘J-walking’ laws may be broken by protesters but it’s the ‘baby’ that is important not the ‘water and suds.’

It should not be forgotten that PROTEST activity is a wake-up call to society and that regulatory ‘authorities’ represent the State not the people. In instances where the State/government is the problem it becomes ludicrous to engage in any PRE-PROTEST gamesmanship with institutions of State.

Everything comes at a price, there are people paying the ultimate price with their lives as I write – what good can be achieved against malevolent forces without paying a price a of some sort? We should ALL be satisfied that the fight is for final (moral) victory!

The Law is always cognisant of the social context and the social dynamics affecting an issue. When a legal decision involves a minor offence at the cost of compromising social morality, it becomes plain the courts decide in favour of the moral outcome. It is a matter of how much weight can be brought to bear and how a case decision may instigate wider social outrage or unrest thereby creating the much-desired (by some) flow-on effect!


 
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