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From: Lorenzo Komboa Ervin komboa@mindspring.com
[Lorenzo Ervin has posted the following message to Leftlink
in response to the announcement of the DSP's anti-censorship
campaign which was posted to the list on Saturday.
While Leftlink is not a discussion list, I am posting this
because people may be interested in Lorenzo's unique perspective
on the issue of free speech in Australia.
If people wish to continue this debate, perhaps they could do so on
Interlink - the NSW Left discussion list moderated by Alister Air -
(Interlink on majordomo@uts.edu.au)
Marg Hutton]
=================
The reality of hypocrisy in this entire free speech debate for fascists
is that these matters are never handled with equanimity, by which I
mean, my right to conduct a speaking tour without government
repression, and her right to build a fascist paramilitary movment,
incluing the Ku Klux Klan in Northern Queensland which has already
attacked several Blackfellas in Mossman, is not the same. But then
the whole thing under capitalism is that the rich, and those in favor
with the ruling class mainstream philosophy have their voices heard
loudest through capitalist mass media, while the most we can say is
that they "maybe" will cover us Blacks or radicals at all, but in an
extreme biased, sensationalistic way presaging an attack by police or
other state agents.
I got tremendous media attention in Australia, but it was designed to
demonize, discredit and destroy me. By contrast, the American media
has decided to cover the whole thing up, as if it never happened.
My case only became a free speech issue when the Australian masses
did not swallow the "national security" propaganda of the state or the
racist hysteria of the mass media, and saw it that way. My own
ability to fight through this wall of lies, break down the government
and corporate arguments, and then erect a defense campaign is why
we triumphed there. No other reason.
Komboa
===============================
At 06:16 PM 8/2/97 -0600, Marpessa Kupendua wrote:
FORWARDED MESSAGE - What do y'all think of this? Reminds
me of Sis. Makani's eloquent argument over the "right" of the Nazis
to have a discussion list. Just because it's a "right" doesn't mean it
should not be struggled against when it contributes to the systematic
oppression and genocide of our people.
================================
[snip]
Council bans on One Nation meetings set dangerous precedent
Anti-political censorship campaign launched
On July 29, the Ipswich City Council effectively banned the use of
council facilities by the racist Pauline Hanson's One Nation party.
The next day Brisbane Lord Mayor Jim Soorley said he fully
supported Ipswich Council's decision and that the Brisbane council would also deny use of its buildings to One Nation.
Ipswich Council said that its decision was made because of concerns
about damage caused by "violent" demonstrations outside One Nation
meetings but Soorley says his ban is motivated by Hanson's racism
and the "division" she is causing in the community.
Like the Howard government's attempt to deport US black activist
Lorenzo Ervin, these decisions are serious attacks on freedom of
political expression and assembly. They set very bad precedents.
Racism can only be defeated politically. This anti-democratic move
does not advance the anti-racist movement which we strongly support
and are actively building. Restricting the access to council facilities
for any political group is political censorship. Censorship merely
drives racist ideas underground and makes them harder to defeat...
Some anti-racist activists are campaigning for the ACT government
and some other local councils to adopt similar policies. It should be
realised that political censorship is more likely to be turned against
anti-racists and the left.
Soorley tried to ban the distribution of Green Left Weekly in
Brisbane's Queen Street Mall in 1993, and in recent correspondence,
ACT Chief Minister Kate Carnell has said that if she banned One
Nation from using ACT government-owned buildings, she would
have to apply the same ban to the DSP which "could also be labelled
an extremist organisation in the minds of many Canberrans".
Anti-racist activists who are opposed to political censorship intend to
put their case to local councils and other government bodies
considering bans on access to public facilities by any political party.
People interested in supporting this campaign should contact Peter
Boyle on XXXXXXXX.
Email: XXXX@peg.apc.org>
Date: Sun, 3 Aug 1997 11:19:55 -0400 (EDT)
Message-ID: 199708032320.JAA15283@yarra.vicnet.net.au
Mailing List: LEFTLINK@vicnet.net.au
[Forwarded message:]
Date: Sat, 2 Aug 1997 13:45:26 +1000 (EST)
To: leftlink@vicnet.net.au
From: owner-leftlink@vicnet.net.au
Subject: LL:Anti-political censorship campaign
Date: August 1, 1997.
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