Social justice at Big Day Out : Melbourne Indymedia

Social justice groups took part in Melbourne’s Big Day Out http://www.bigdayout.com music festival this past weekend to promote an antiwar and an anti-corporate media message under the banner of the ‘Axis of Justice’.

Axis of Justice http://www.axisofjustice.org is a is non-profit organization formed by Tom Morello of Audioslave and Serj Tankian of System of a Down. Its purpose is to bring together musicians, fans of music, and grassroots political organizations to fight for social justice together. System of a Down played the main stage late in the afternoon with a blistering set, and were able to secure a space for social groups in the chill out zone earlier in the day. Amongst the seeming chaos of the Big Day out, (7 stages all in close proximity, with everything from drum n bass, to comedy to soul) it provided a place for grassroots activism, information sharing, and general chit chat amongst punters and social activists.

The groups who went along from Melbourne included, Food not Bombs, Melbourne Indymedia, and Disobedience. There was a definite anti-war flavour to much of the information, books and t-shirts given away or sold. The day providing an opportunity to communicate with a broader audience, who are often not well informed about social justice issues owing to the disinformation of the corporate media . All groups managed to raise some much needed cash, get lots of leaflets handed out, and even have some fun dancing to the likes of System of a Down, Kid Koala, and The Chemical Brothers.

Hopefully, there will be more of such co-operative days which mix music, counter culture and a passion for social justice, to come.

http://disobedience.nomasters.org
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/7729/fnbpage.htm
http://www.melbourne.indymedia.org