Category: Politics

No stuff-up to defend breaking ‘unjust’ laws. Had to be said.

A few people have said to me Sally McManus had ‘miscalculated’ or ‘stuffed up’ when she said sometimes it is necessary to break laws that are unjust.

Firstly – not one of the people who has said this to me so far is currently a union member themselves.

But more importantly – if people didn’t take so called ‘illegal’ action against unjust policies, projects and systems…. We would still be living as slaves, with no democratic rights, with a sole rich powerful family ruling the roost.

Or for a more current example – ‘illegal’ action was taken by the people who stopped James Price Point, Roe 8, Old Growth Forest Logging, the WA Shark Cull, and who are using their bodies stopping gas fracking and new coal mines.

I was recently arrested and charged while protecting the Beeliar Wetlands myself.

Laws do not define what is ‘right or wrong’.

Laws are just systems put in place to ensure the ‘status quot’ of how society currently operates. Some of those laws have a future in our society, some of those laws should have been left in the past.

Some laws we probably need haven’t even been thought of yet.

Most of our laws are compromise agreements reached between those seeking a better society, and those who were holding the reigns of power in the unfair and unequal societies of the past.

Modern laws are often compromise agreements balancing the influence of lobbying by vested interests – mostly the rich elite – with the influence of democratic power of citizens through elections, activism and non-violent action.

Laws are not infallible. Laws are not stagnant.

Laws are simply a social-contract currently agreed to in order to enable our society to function in an agreed-to manner.

Continue reading No stuff-up to defend breaking ‘unjust’ laws. Had to be said.

Speaking truth to power – on Zaky Mallah, Steve Ciobo & QANDA

Let me preface this by noting my own opposition to offensive violence in all forms; whether committed by soldiers on behalf of governments, individuals or extremist groups.

I strongly oppose the ongoing war in Iraq. I equally oppose violent attacks by extremist religious groups within Iraq. I also oppose violence committed by drunk individuals, and have repeatedly put myself at risk to prevent such violence occurring.

So, to anyone who wants to claim I’m on ‘the terrorists team’, here’s a big up yours (┌∩┐) in advance. I’m not on any ‘terrorist team’ but I’m certainly not joining YOUR team either.

I’m on a team which de-escalates conflicts.

Rather than further isolating at risk people in our society, I want to give them reason to join us.

Only if we break the isolation can we prevent extremist groups radicalising at-risk people. Only if we know who is at-risk, if we build relationships with them, can we help them.

If we fail to achieve that, then no matter how many of our rights we hand over to the intelligence services, we will never feel safe. Continue reading Speaking truth to power – on Zaky Mallah, Steve Ciobo & QANDA

It’s time – Shift the Rock (like Gough).

That classic Gough Whitlam campaign slogan “It’s Time”, is as relevant today in 2015 as it was the day his campaign launched in 1972.

The space for progressive political and economic change is once again widening, after having come under repeated attack by conservatives ever since Gough was dismissed via Double Dissolution in 1975.

At Progress, I attended a workshop called “Moving the Rock – Shifting Power for Sustained Change”, hosted by Sam La Rocca and Holly Hammond. Points raised in that workshop provided some of the key takeaways for me. Particularly, a strong reminder about the value and role of radicals. 

It’s about the intersection of what is ideal and what is ‘politically achievable’. Continue reading It’s time – Shift the Rock (like Gough).

We need each other… (The best words from Progress 2015)

If there’s one thing I took away from #Progress2015, it’s that we need each other.

We need to be actively build deep cross-campaign and inter-community relationships. Our causes are all STRONGLY connected and so are our audiences – but we as individual people are not yet, and we need to be.

So hi, I’m Luke. I run online comms for a union, consult in online comms for several popular hip hop artists and a heap of causes, and have been managing/admin in online communities since IRC in 1996.

I am very interested in the space where online communities and communication meets (positive) real world actions.

I’ve got experience in turning people out to gigs/protests/actions, crowd-sourcing for causes (or to get me to Progress!), obsessively following hashtags with up-to-the-moment live coverage of amazing events overseas when I should be sleeping, developing new friendships//meeting new people online.

Actually, I met many/most of the closest people in my life online before real life: Continue reading We need each other… (The best words from Progress 2015)

Then they fight you… Barnett’s new anti-protest laws

The WA Liberal Party’s vague new anti-protest laws are a legal over-reach which reverse the ‘onus of proof’ and damage the credibility of the entire legal system.

Having lost several pet projects to public opposition, Barnett has moved from ignoring and ridiculing activist to trying outlaw us.

The Criminal Code Amendment (Prevention of Lawful Activity) Bill means any person suspected of preparing to use a ‘thing’ to obstruct a ‘legal activity’, could be locked up for 24 months and face huge fines.

Additionally, people charged under these laws will be forced to pay costs associated with their arrest; violent criminals aren’t even forced to pay that.

But these laws will not stop activists from putting our bodies on the line in defence of what we believe in. We know this means we are having an impact, our strategy and tactics are working. We will continue.

It begs a few questions though: Continue reading Then they fight you… Barnett’s new anti-protest laws