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Post by spikeyred on Nov 7, 2007 16:23:01 GMT 10
  See News Forum (Later perhaps) For more info! |
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Post by LiteraryPiano on Nov 8, 2007 17:50:12 GMT 10
Uploaded onto Alarm blog.
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Post by thingstocome on Nov 24, 2007 14:05:58 GMT 10
As a first time demonstrator, nothing could have better than a gentle introduction to peaceful protesting. Initially I hung back, wary of the crowd mentality and the six police officers watching over the group from behind. I happened to notice a plain-clothes officer with a radio who seemed to be issuing orders at one point. Neither the police nor demonstrators made any moves: everyone seemed well behaved. Upon hearing the speakers discuss the issues related to the banning of the flag on construction sites, I was drawn in to the political and legal discourse of a concerned and like-minded crowd. The music performances were meaningful and inviting. The speakers each presented a range of ideas and issues surrounding the ban. Indeed the people were greatly concerned with what I am also concerned about: the slow ‘water-torture’ method of tyranny. It was pleasing to hear that word used a few times by a variety of presenters, as my ideas seemed right at home. I bought a small Eureka Stockade flag and a couple of badges. It seems like the left are a nice bunch. Overall I found the experience great, the message and meaning was exactly what I've been looking for and the people were good natured. As to it's effectiveness, however, and one criticism arises: not a huge amount of people turned out (and I am aware that my expectations of thousands of conscious citizens revolting was perhaps a bit keen  ). It is worrying however, that the voice of democracy is rather small. Sorry Australia, we can't do all the thinking for you... Anyway, my irrelevant ramblings should end about now. cya ttc P.S. Feel free to post this wherever you want, ie. the blog or whatever, just let me know via pm. Thanks. |
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Post by spikeyred on Nov 25, 2007 16:47:27 GMT 10
Oh mate! I'm sorry I didn't see you! I forgot to look out for you! I was down the front, near the table with some diff unionists I know and my national Secretary\organiser (SP that is). I was wearing my Eureka Flag :-)
Anyway, Things to come's report is fairly accurate. Though on a more personal note I found the actual speakers fairly boring. It's important to have the initial building of the rally with speakers on the issues surrounding, but I didn't think anything particularly important was really said. I enjoyed a Yorta Yorta female elders 'Welcome to country' immensly :-) I always do. But from then on the most militant or reseloute thing that was said was by Dean Mighell, State Secretary of the ETU, who was kicked out of the ALP earlier this year for advocating to vigourisly for his members, which speaks volumes about the incoming ALP governments priorities... Anyway, Dean just said 'Comrades' alot and then said that 'It doesn't matter if the Government bans the flag, because we'll fly it anyway, because it always has been and always will be a rebel flag.'
I'd also like to add to those skeptics of the meaning or relevance of the Eureka flag that all of the speakers put forward the view point that it was not a union flag, but that it was used by unions because of it's connotations. One speaker pointed out the flags value as an internationalist flag, and it's symbology on an international level. Another speaker was at pains to explain that the flag was a flag raised in rebelion and militancy in the fight for justice, liberty, democracy and equality, pointing out many many uses of the flag between 1854 and 2007. A few that I remember were the 1880's shearers strikes in Queensland and the (everyone calls it a fucken moratorium but I call it what it actually was) General Strike in Melbourne during the Vietnam war. There were other examples too.
Like TTC said, not thousands, but 300-400 I would estimate.
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). It is worrying however, that the voice of democracy is rather small. Sorry Australia, we can't do all the thinking for you...