Resistance to racism: a statement of dissent
The following statement was adopted at the 27th national conference
of the socialist youth organisation Resistance, held in Melbourne, July
11-13.
Secondary students across the country will stage a walkout and rally
against One Nation and racism on July 24 [July 28 in Brisbane]. A few days
before One Nation takes its seats in the Queensland parliament, we will
be taking a stand against the rise of this racist party, as well as the
scapegoating and far right-wing policies it has brought with it.
One Nation's 11 parliamentary seats are those that John Howard told
us they would never win. He told us that if we ignored the rise of this
party, as well as the racist lies it is based on, it would just go away.
We cannot let this happen again. We have to act now.
One Nation likes to think it has the answers, but nothing could be further
from the truth. It tells us that the solutions to unemployment and insecurity
lie in blaming others, migrants and Aborigines. But who retrenched 30,000
public servants, who cut off the dole to under-18s, who massively raised
the cost of higher education? It is the government and big business who
have made us suffer, profiting from the increasing inequality. To blame
Aborigines and migrants is merely to blame those who are suffering even
more.
As well as different racial groups, One Nation also blames young people
as a whole for a wide range of society's problems. The solutions to crime
and unemployment that One Nation promises are more young people thrown
into the prison system, the reintroduction of the cane in schools and compulsory
national service for all school leavers. These policies not only take us
back 50 years, they take away our fundamental human rights as well.
We have to demand an end to the scapegoating and racism. It is essential
that our voices against One Nation are heard. The national walkout and
rallies give secondary students the chance to strongly state that we reject
the idea of One Nation being a legitimate alternative to the major parties,
as well as rejecting the racist lies on which One Nation is founded.
Too often we are told we shouldn't have a political opinion, that we
should not speak out. When we do, they say we have been “manipulated”;
when we take action over what we believe in, they say we should only be
interested in our school work.
But the reality is that, while we may not have many rights in this society,
we do have the right to speak out. And as long as mainstream opposition
to One Nation continues to be so weak, we not only have the right but also
the duty to make our voices heard, to start a campaign against racism in
this country and to begin to fight for justice.
Young people are angry with the racist lies and want to live in a country
that has real justice for Aboriginal people and migrants. We may have no
vote, and society often tries to deny us a voice, but we intend to vote
with our feet and speak with our own voices before the members of One Nation
are sworn into the Queensland parliament.
We call on all secondary students to participate with us in the walkouts
and the rallies. Together we must stand against the rise of One Nation.
Together we must declare: no to One Nation and no to racism.
[For more information about the national walkout and rallies, contact
the Resistance Centre nearest you.]
