Mr Curly at World Refugee Day rally, Melbourne 18 June : Melbourne Indymedia

As well as the boat, based on a Leunig cartoon, and used here by Melbourne's Refugee Action Collective with the cartoonist's permission, there were placards with the original cartoon, as well as balloons and a wide range of banners and other visual statements of opposition to the government's treatment of asylum seekers. About a thousand people assembled outside the Museum to hear addresses from, amongst others, Senator Lyn Allison and Bishop Hilton Deakin, before setting off as in previous years, along Gertrude and Brunswick Streets, stopping at the intersection with Johnstone Street for more speeches, before joining the annual multicultural fiesta at Fitzroy Town Hall. Apart from the boat and RAC banner, the march was led by a group of West Papuans with song and dance. Along the route people's responses were generally very positive, with applause and shouts of encouragement, the only exception two men who emerged from a laneway of Gertude Street to shout "Get a job" and "Send 'em all back".

Previous years' WRD events in Melbourne can be revisited at http://au.geocities.com/melbprotest/html/19june05/19june05.html, for 2005, and
http://www.melbourneprotests.bravehost.com/20june04/20june04.html, for 2004.
Other links:
http://www.freewestpapua.com - Free West Papua Campaign (Melbourne)
http://www.multiculturalarts.com.au/ - details of the EMERGE FESTIVAL, 16 June - 1 July 2006, from Multicultural Arts Victoria
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19508141-29277,00.html - report in The Australian online 18 June
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19513480-601,00.html - The Australian 19 June

For more on asylum seekers still in limbo on Lombok - the subject of Melanie Mumford's address, see on this site http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2005/10/98161.php http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2005/10/98387.php and http://www.rac-vic.org/downloads/lombokspeech0CTOBER28.doc

with RAC's Lauren Ireland during the stop in Johnstone Street
http://www.freewestpapua.com - Free West Papua Campaign (Melbourne)

escorted down Napier Street to the Fitzroy Town Hall

...recalling the situation a year ago, and all that had been achieved since then by constant pressure on politicians - the release of long-term detainees and children, for example - but the legislation is still unchanged, and even the present threat of backbench revolt over the proposed changes will not be sufficient to stop them unless there is opposition also in the senate. It was vital to put pressure on especially Victorian Senator Steve Fielding to stand up for families, and he undertook to do before he was elected.

and stall reminding people of another issue that isn't going away
http://www.melbourne.foe.org.au/campaigns/climate/climate.htm

A lot of people never use their initiative
because
no-one ver told them to.

You are an island of dissent in a sea of conformism - well done and lets hope by next year more Papuans are free here to march and celebrate being away from the TNI and out of theose detention centres.

Nice Pictures...
by marcusneofitou@hotmail.com Monday June 19, 2006 at 11:02 PM

Lucky, Melbourne.Indymedia exists, otherwise I wouldn't have seen any evidence that this great event happened!

Even so, Mr Curly can surely not be referred to henceforth as 'guileless' (if he ever could...) - even if you agree whole-heartedly with the cause for which he is being used. In fact, his reputed 'guilelessness' has actually become the engine of the guile with which the image is being used.

Interesting.

ah, another people's march by long-haired soap avoiding hippies, how quaint. I'm sure your future refugee overlords will remember your mindless devotion and will be sure to keep a job open for you,I'm sure'll make a great domestic.

That isn't even Mr Curly, you morons. Mr Curly looks like this.

You people make me fucking sick. The people trafficking business was deadly, it killed hundreds of people before the Howard government put a stop to it, it kills, today, thousands of people around the world while enriching gangsters and corrupt third world officials.

Fucking smug, arrogant, whitebread inner city trash like you would be happy to see people drown if it meant you could continue masturbating your revolting little leftist egos in public. You people are truly, sincerely disgusting.

Bahahaha.... "Loonig" is right.

That character was Vasco Pyjama, not Mr Curly. It's an easy mistake though. Beyond the hype, Leunig is really not a very talented artist and all his characters look the same (except for the duck). That's why despite his far left-wing beliefs, he won't do political satire until the day one of our major politicians is bald with an enormous nose. Then, it's all on.

Anyway, a barbed wire boat would sink, killing all on board. So I'd also be all in favour of preventing it.

"Anyway, a barbed wire boat would sink, killing all on board."

This is a demonstration of the devastating intellect that thought it could sell the world the "promised land" PR campaign.

This is a demonstration of the devastating intellect that thought it could sell the world the "promised land" PR campaign.

I'll tell you what then Einstein. Let's pit your barbed wire canoe, up against Noah's Ark and see who sinks first. Jewish intellect ain't got nothing on you...

quote:
==============
I'll tell you what then Einstein
==============

Letters to the New York Times
December 4, 1948

New Palestine Party
Visit of Menachem Begin and Aims of Political Movement Discussed

TO THE EDITORS OF THE NEW YORK TIMES:

Among the most disturbing political phenomena of our times is the emergence in the newly created state of Israel of the “Freedom Party” (Tnuat Haherut), a political party closely akin in its organization, methods, political philosophy and social appeal to the Nazi and Fascist parties. It was formed out of the membership and following of the former Irgun Zvai Leumi, a terrorist, right-wing, chauvinist organization in Palestine.

The current visit of Menachem Begin, leader of this party, to the United States is obviously calculated to give the impression of American support for his party in the coming Israeli elections, and to cement political ties with conservative Zionist elements in the United States. Several Americans of national repute have lent their names to welcome his visit. It is inconceivable that those who oppose fascism throughout the world, if correctly informed as to Mr. Begin’s political record and perspectives, could add their names and support to the movement he represents.

Before irreparable damage is done by way of financial contributions, public manifestations in Begin’s behalf, and the creation in Palestine of the impression that a large segment of America supports Fascist elements in Israel, the American public must be informed as to the record and objectives of Mr. Begin and his movement.

The public avowals of Begin’s party are no guide whatever to its actual character. Today they speak of freedom, democracy and anti-imperialism, whereas until recently they openly preached the doctrine of the Fascist state. It is in its actions that the terrorist party betrays its real character; from its past actions we can judge what it may be expected to do in the future.

Attack on Arab Village

A shocking example was their behavior in the Arab village of Deir Yassin. This village, off the main roads and surrounded by Jewish lands, had taken no part in the war, and had even fought off Arab bands who wanted to use the village as their base. On April 9 (THE NEW YORK TIMES), terrorist bands attacked this peaceful village, which was not a military objective in the fighting, killed most of its inhabitants — 240 men, women, and children — and kept a few of them alive to parade as captives through the streets of Jerusalem. Most of the Jewish community was horrified at the deed, and the Jewish Agency sent a telegram of apology to King Abdullah of Trans-Jordan. But the terrorists, far from being ashamed of their act, were proud of this massacre, publicized it widely, and invited all the foreign correspondents present in the country to view the heaped corpses and the general havoc at Deir Yassin.

The Deir Yassin incident exemplifies the character and actions of the Freedom Party.

Within the Jewish community they have preached an admixture of ultranationalism, religious mysticism, and racial superiority. Like other Fascist parties they have been used to break strikes, and have themselves pressed for the destruction of free trade unions. In their stead they have proposed corporate unions on the Italian Fascist model.

During the last years of sporadic anti-British violence, the IZL and Stern groups inaugurated a reign of terror in the Palestine Jewish community. Teachers were beaten up for speaking against them, adults were shot for not letting their children join them. By gangster methods, beatings, window-smashing, and wide-spread robberies, the terrorists intimidated the population and exacted a heavy tribute.

The people of the Freedom Party have had no part in the constructive achievements in Palestine. They have reclaimed no land, built no settlements, and only detracted from the Jewish defense activity. Their much-publicized immigration endeavors were minute, and devoted mainly to bringing in Fascist compatriots.

Discrepancies Seen

The discrepancies between the bold claims now being made by Begin and his party, and their record of past performance in Palestine bear the imprint of no ordinary political party. This is the unmistakable stamp of a Fascist party for whom terrorism (against Jews, Arabs, and British alike), and misrepresentation are means, and a “Leader State” is the goal.

In the light of the foregoing considerations, it is imperative that the truth about Mr. Begin and his movement be made known in this country. It is all the more tragic that the top leadership of American Zionism has refused to campaign against Begin’s efforts, or even to expose to its own constituents the dangers to Israel from support to Begin.

The undersigned therefore take this means of publicly presenting a few salient facts concerning Begin and his party; and of urging all concerned not to support this latest manifestation of fascism.

(signed)

Isidore Abramowitz, Hannah Arendt, Abraham Brick, Rabbi Jessurun Cardozo, Albert Einstein, Herman Eisen, M.D., Hayim Fineman, M. Gallen, M.D., H.H. Harris, Zelig S. Harris, Sidney Hook, Fred Karush, Bruria Kaufman, Irma L. Lindheim, Nachman Maisel, Symour Melman, Myer D. Mendelson, M.D., Harry M. Orlinsky, Samuel Pitlick, Fritz Rohrlich, Louis P. Rocker, Ruth Sager, Itzhak Sankowsky, I.J. Schoenberg, Samuel Shuman, M. Znger, Irma Wolpe, Stefan Wolpe

New York, Dec. 2, 1948
--------------------------------------------
http://www.globalwebpost.com/farooqm/study_res/einstein/nyt_letter.html

You were going to tell Einstein something.

Did this perchance concern the nazi cult of y'sra'el that Einstein described, naziboy?