Resistance
An inspiring week at Occupy Sydney
Saturday, October 29, 2011
See all of Green Left's extensive Occupy coverage here
I joined Resistance just over a month ago and when I heard Sydney would join the Occupy Together movement, I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. From my understanding, Australia wasn’t experiencing even comparable economic conditions to the United States and while I certainly believed our system needs fundamental change I was a little sceptical about the effectiveness of these Occupy movements to say the least.
Together we will occupy
The world is rising up. When we look around the globe we see people in motion. Revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa against brutal dictators, the movements against austerity measures in Europe and Britain, democratic and indigenous revolutions in Latin America, and the Occupy Wall Street protests spreading across the United States. Resistance is in solidarity with all these movements for change.
What these movements have in common is a struggle for a more democratic society and a fight to end corporate control over people's lives. This is a struggle we share in Australia. We’re here for the same reason as everyone else. We’ve had enough — and we think an alternative is possible.
Resistance gears up for climate change, social change conference
Resistance is a co-sponsor of the Climate Change Social Change activist conference in Melbourne over September 30 to October 4. Green Left Weekly asked some Resistance members about their thoughts on this major event.
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Hannah Reardon-Smith, Brisbane
To me, events such as the Climate Change Social Change conference are essential for reigniting my enthusiasm and my energy for the good (but long) fight.
I’m going because I want to add much to my knowledge, get inspired, gain new ideas on the best ways to take action, challenge my perceptions, and surround myself with people that can see the injustice and destruction in the world around us as well as the causes — people who are willing to stand up and speak out.
There is no other event that brings together the two biggest crises of our time — global warming and social crisis. In doing so it highlights that the root cause of both is in fact the same — in Nina Power's words: “Capitalism! Obviously.” — and in order to fight against one we must take up the challenge to fight it all.
Unlike the despair displayed by activists in other movements, socialists are the ones who consistently have concrete answers and inventive ideas about what can be done and how to go about it.
Capitalism is just depressing
There is no denying it, depression is on the rise across the world. The World Health Organisation says depression will be the second largest contributor to the global burden of disease by 2020. For young people this is already the case. Depression leads to about 850,000 deaths every year.
Actions in solidarity with Malaysian socialists
31 activists from Malaysian Socialist Party (PSM), including two juveniles, have been charged under the Section 122 of Penal Code (waging war against the Monarch and trying to revive the communist ideology) and have been remanded for 7 days for practising their freedom of expression.
Malaysian Consulate, 239 George Street, Brisbane
