Thousands march to End the Lies : Melbourne Indymedia

Bilal Cleland from the Islamic Council of Victoria told the rally that the socially conservative Family First party was a front for religious bigots responsible for spreading racism. "Islamophobia is the new racism, a new racism being used by religious bigots and neo-Nazis," he said. "We've seen an attempt by the conservatives to set up a stooge party like Family First, with its fundamental Taliban-style Christianity being funded to try and snatch seats from the Greens and Democrats in the Senate."

The crowd Melbourne heard from several other speakers including Greens Senate Candidate David Risstrom, David Spratt and Margarita Windisch from the Victorian Peace Network, Rob Wesley-Smith from Timor Sea Justice Campaign.

The rally marched through the city streets before ending back at the State Library for some live music from the Dili Allstars. The Greens, the Democrats and Socialist Alliance were all well represented. Other banners seen included Muslims for Peace, Unitarian Church, Lesbian and Gay Solidarity and quite a few home made banners.

In Sydney several thousand people rallied and marched through the streets. The rally heard from Andrew Wilkie, former ONA officer who went public challenging the Howard Government on the lies told to justify the invasion of Iraq. Wilkie is standing as a Greens candidate against Prime Minister John Howard in the seat of Bennelong. The rally also heard from author Thomas Keneally who said "When I get lied to as a citizen, I feel very alone, and today I feel there are others who feel like me - alone. Truth lies bleeding and isolated on the steps of our Parliament."
See Photos:
http://www.moz.net.nz/photo/2004/10/03-endthelies/

High above the streets of Sydney sky-writers attempted to emblazon "Not Happy John" on the Sydney sky but struggled with high winds disrupting the message.

According to the corporate media several hundred people rallied and marched in Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane.
In Adelaide spokesperson, Leigh Hughes, said "What's common to all these different issues is one thing, the Coalition Government has done pretty bad things in all these areas. But also they lied about all these things as well. I think it's about getting those issues out and reminding people that when the election time comes, do we really want this lying Government."

A report on Adelaide Indymedia said 300 people marched, although corporate media reports put the figure as 700.
http://www.adelaide.indymedia.org.au/newswire/display/7196/index.php

Corporate News reports:
news.com.au: http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,10958393%255E2,00.html
SMH: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/10/03/1096741891293.html
The Age: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/10/03/1096741892793.html
ABC Canberra: http://www.abc.net.au/act/news/200410/s1212184.htm

Watch for independent news reports on:
http://sydney.indymedia.org
http://perth.indymedia.org
http://adelaide.indymedia.org
http://brisbane.indymedia.org

To the tune Frere Jacque

Johny Howard x3
tells big lies x3
what are we to do x3
give him the shove x3

thousands are also planning to march next Saturday.

to the polls.

all day.

all over Australia, not just in Fed Square.

no speeches by self-appointed 'important people'.

no songs.

no drums.

no painted banners.

just pencils and paper.

REAL people power.

fancy bilal cleeland calling Family First religious bigots...what a friggin joke..does he really believe that because the gays..socialists..unionist..arty farty academics.. and other despots fall for the islamic trick.that the majority of Australians are as naive...??btw..these same despots never seem to denounce the very obvious islamic atrocities..These above mentioned despots are as dangerous and destructive to peace and harmony as muslims are..

HOSTAGE TAKERS ’DISCREDIT AIMS OF ISLAM’
6.9.2004. 03:22:09

The Islamic Council of Victoria has condemned the hostage takers who have killed hundreds of children and teachers at a school in Southern Russia, and says their actions must not be confused with the aims of Islam.

A spokesman for the Council Bilal Cleland says any attempt by Chechen rebels to use Islam to defend their actions are condemned by the Council and Victoria's Islamic religion leaders, the Board of Imams.

But Mr Cleland says the Council notes with dismay that the political crisis in Chechnya seems to be escalating and is calling on leaders on all sides to redouble their efforts to end the conflict.

"We are very concerned that children were taken hostage, that this is a violation of the most basic Islamic principles and a violation of human rights. But we would also like to emphasise that the tactics taken by the Putin Government in Chechnya, and the tactics used by the Putin Government in ending the hostage taking were also disastrous."

SOURCE: Radio News

Democracy is more than showing up every three years to put in a vote.

Democracy is more than what is best for the marginal seats.

Democracy is more than what appeals most to the swinging voters.

Democracy is more than the issues debated on the 'great debate'.

Democracy is more than a slogan, a logo and an extra child payment.

What happened on the streets was real people power, a real way to get the important issues out in the public domain rather than constrain the debate to marginal ideas for marginal people in marginal seats. Rallies work: history has proved this time and time again.

going to the polls, real people power? Yeah, thats why 100yrs of democracy in Oz has given us peace, full employment, dignity for the old and sick, careful stewardship of our childrens inheritance..
..oh thats right, all these dreams are just around the corner, 'jam tomorrow', just about to be delivered by our selfless leaders and the wisdom of the market.

ha ha, ha ha. I laugh cos it hurts, that these old lies still fool so many.

"Rallies work: history has proved this time and time again".

Er...you mean like the rallies conducted against sending our troops to Iraq?

Like student rallies against changes to to HECS arrangements?

Like rallies against mandatory detention for asylum seekers?

Like rallies against changes to Medicare funding?

Like rallies for Aboriginal reconcliliation?

Yeah, I see what you mean.

All outstanding successes which have achieved tangible results.

Time and time again.

the difficulty with rallies is that, by and large, they are attended by those who don't necessarily express the views of most people. They're committed and probably nice people in the main, but they're the 'squeaky wheel'.

there are exceptions. the walks for Aboriginal Reconciliation of 2001 and February 2003's huge anti-Iraq War march attracted participants from across the social spectrum. Mums, Dads, aunties uncluies, kids, people from all walks of life, both genders and many races and ethinic groups.

most protests, however, don't. they involve the 'usual suspects' who regularly turn out to protests. Look at posted photographs from these events and you'll see what I mean.

and the politicians know this. You might say that democracy isn't just about voting on election day. But it's the only time we get to actually change something.

an hour after a protest is over, the street returns to normal and the world keeps turning. A day after an elction, and the entire government of Australia could be changed.

and THAT's real action. Whether you like it or not.

Recipe for destruction.
ingredients supplied

Real power is in the hands of those who produce.
Production can only be achieved through burning and destruction.
Profits are for today
pollution is for tomorrow.
Democracy allows us to support the power that shares the most with us…
consumerism has surplus to spare.

We are the consumer...prepare to be consumed.

Cooking time 150 years...please set the table... dinners nearly ready.

You are starting to be annoying. BTW where is that article you were writing on Angola? That actually sounded interesting...

Let me clarify, history began more than 3 years ago, history is also not limited to democratic developments around this country. The United States, arguably the most democratically free country on this earth, whilst the indoctrination system their is a lot stronger, a lot of hard activism has paid off.

Civil and voting rights for African-Americans and women - MASSIVE achievements. Couldn't of happened if people didn't take to the street and get behind history's icons and create massive public awareness on these issues.

Workers rights, the 40 hour week, sick and annual leave - all massive achievements due to long hard hours of activism at rallies by those EVIL EVIL unions - hope you don't take for granted the four paid weeks off each year you get to spend with your family. It didn't happen by accident. Or if you are unfortunate to have an medical problem and be out of work, you will be glad that society doesn't let you rot in the gutters. Thankfully there is a safety net to get you back on your feet again. If a family member has a stroke and is left permanently disabled - there is a system there to help. Again massive achievements by unions, workers, common people coming together rallying for the common good. It didn't happen by accident.

What you have quoted are recent events in history. The Iraq rallies have worked - why else is the government on the back foot? A government wouldn't have to change its position to the population about its reasons for pre-emptive invasion and occupation if society was completed indoctrinated by the original lies about the WMD's or Osama Bin Laden for that matter.

Afghanistan was a perfect example, first it was Osama Bin Laden, then when he couldn't be found, it was the Taliban and their human rights abuses, then it was women's rights (of all things - a thing the left championed for YEARS through out this world). Then onto Iraq, it was those stockpiles of WMD's, then it was the so-called liberation due to Saddam's human rights records - I suppose this is why we welcomed with open arms Chinese President Hu when he delivered his speech in parliament. Anyway, these points aside, the government has to keep changing its position because awareness is being generated through the rallies and the organisation of those who have opposed the undemocratic decision this government has taken - a success, not a complete success - the troops are still there - but a success by the measurement that conditions are being created in such that it makes the idea of troop withdrawal a political sensible idea. People slowly are waking up to the lies, however, the Herald Sun and other corporate press continue to do an effective job of indoctrinating people - so you know progress happens slowly and the tangible benefits take a while to see. You can't change the power structures of politics, but you can change the operating environments for politicians to operate within. I almost fell off my chair in hysterics when I was reading the Australian Financial Review and their was a massive heading saying something along the lines of 'Howard aiming for Green vote' - what a joke, but never-the-less the point is made. Rallies and activism work.

Looking at your other examples: HECS, asylum seekers, Medicare, Aboriginal reconciliation.

Surging support for the Greens hasn't happened by accident. All those so called 'hippie' tree protesters have obviously made a huge difference, if the main stream political parties are now using Tassie's forests as a last week election issue - these are massive achievements by the conservation movement in this country and is the work of huge achievements in public awareness generation.

As a point of commentary, of course, Howard, on the back-foot and gone for the direct economic rationalist appeal, which is short sighted and talks about worker's jobs saying Latham is a sell out to these people. Laughably is this why Howard wants to keep individual contracting on workers- for his love of the working classes? Or is this the usual act of a politician who receives massive donations from the logging industry? If anything Howard is selling out this planet - this is a far greater crime to the common good. Besides, anyone who has read the book 'Natural Capitalism' knows the Green energy movement is a massive trillion dollar industry of the future - the challenge is breaking the economic monopoly of the current oil giants and the massive influence they have with Opec and the US congress. So again, this logging industry is not an example of the 'free' market operates rather an example of a planned economy supported by the so called neo-Liberal economists who all receive massive donations - all laughable really - if the market was really left to decide Green energy would be an astronomical business to be in.

Anyway moving back onto the argument: History doesn't occur overnight, and nor to the tangible benefits. Needless to say HECS increases, asylum seekers and Medicare are issues that are in a lot of minds at this election and arguable have led to the surging support for the Greens - again this didn't happen by accident.

I assume the argument you have put forward, is trying to debunk my original statement, by asking for immediate tangible outcomes as a result of the activism. Unfortunately this is short-sighted and a historical ill-informed argument to make. Awareness creation is the purpose of rallies, so the more the young Libs come to the rallies and stir-up trouble, the better, the more coverage on television the rallies are likely to get. Regardless of how the media immediately shape these events through their reporting, over time it has a long-lasting awareness creation generating effect - it makes issues capable of being discussed in the public domain similar to the way advertising works. Consequently this is a success by any rally organiser's standard - time and time again.

"Rallies work: history has proved this time and time again".

like the ones about the Vietnam war

and the children's and workers' rallies that brought down apartheid

and the rallies that stopped segregation

and the rallies that brought the vote for women

and the strikes that brought equal pay

and the uprising that threw the French out of Algeria

... and the British out of India

and the rallies that sank Soharto and the Indonesian junta

and the demonstrations that brought down Pinochet's fascists

ant the rallies that sunk Marcos in the Philippines

and the rallies that legalised abortion

and the garment workers demonstration that started the Russian revolution...

and the rallies by that finished the Argentinian generals

and the rallies that got asbestos banned

and the green bans that were rallies

and the marches for land rights, because there is land rights in some places

and the riot at stonewall

and the marches that stopped the Klan

and the marches that stopped conscription

and the marces that saved the Franklin

and the blockade that closed Jabiluka

and the MUA picket that saved our unions

and the many many rallies that mobilise activists, teach people about the issue, and keep our movement alive against the exploitation of the rich and the repression of their their governments.