The new terrorist laws - including the Sedition legislation, which directly
attacks freedom of speech and has very worrying implications (like seven
years' prison) for artists who speak out and criticise the government, was
rammed through the Senate last night, with a gag on debate to prevent any
amendments. So it is now law. Our wonderful democracy at work.
The only protection against the misuse of the Sedition Laws is Phil
Ruddock's assertion that it won't happen. Ha. Hard to trust Mr Ruddock,
especially when you remember that Jews were interned by the Nazis under a
19C piece of German legislation allegedly for the "protection of aliens".
Anyway, below John Kinsella's response. Also check out Jasmine Chan's Open
Letter to John Howard At
http://jtchan.blogspot.com/2005/11/on-sedition-act.html on her wonderful
blog Endpapers (Jasmine is a Melbourne theatre writer and she's writing the
most incredible diary of her current trip to South America).
A black day, guys. This is the most far reaching change to our laws for 50
years. And it's not even the lead story in the papers.
All best
A
------ Forwarded Message
From: John Kinsella <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wed, 02 Nov 2005 16:55:32 -0500
To: Alison Croggon <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re:
Resent-From: Alison Croggon <[log in to unmask]>
Resent-To: Alison Croggon <[log in to unmask]>
Resent-Date: Wed, 07 Dec 2005 09:26:34 +1100
Letter to Mr Howard: On Sedition
Mr Howard
for the sake of the nation
you must jail me immediately:
I am a pacifist and opposed to armies.
I speak out against the military. I encourage
desertion. I encourage retreat
from the recruitment offices.
This is sedition.
Mr Howard
for the sake of the nation
you must jail me immediately:
I am a vegan and opposed to the slaughter of animals.
I speak out against the meat industry. I encourage
vegetable-eating. I encourage boycotts
of vivisecting cosmetic companies.
This is sedition.
Mr Howard
for the sake of the nation
you must jail me immediately:
I am an anarchist and am against big government.
I speak out against bureaucracy. I encourage
small community living. I encourage independent
thinking and self-determination.
This is sedition.
Mr Howard
for the sake of the nation
you must jail me immediately:
I am a supporter of indigenous land-rights.
I speak out against theft. I encourage
the return of land and I encourage apology
and compensation for all that's been stolen.
This is sedition.
Mr Howard
for the sake of the nation
you must jail me immediately:
I am on the side of the refugees.
I am against bigotry. I encourage
pluralistic societies. I encourage Asian
migration and believe one religion is as good as another.
This is sedition.
Mr Howard
for the sake of the nation
you must jail me immediately:
your way of life is not my way of life.
Your Australia is not my Australia. I speak
of Australia's shame publicly, I speak of
it when travelling the world.
This is treason.
John Kinsella
------ End of Forwarded Message
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