Chris Peterson, Melbourne
"Howard is trying to silence us, and stop us from organising for our rights", Melbourne Resistance organiser Brianna Pike told Green Left Weekly. "But here in Melbourne, Resistance is throwing ourselves into the broad campaign for social justice and this means getting out on the streets. We are demonstrating that there are still dissenting views out there, and we're getting information out about the attacks and information on how they can be beaten."
Resistance is organising speak-outs every Friday in the Bourke Street mall from 4-6pm. On October 21, a speak-out was held on the ongoing revolt against neoliberalism in Latin America, with a focus on the revolution in Venezuela.
Sean Seymour Jones, a Resistance activist and a participant in the first Australia-Venezuela solidarity brigade held earlier this year, told passers-by: "The fact that people in Venezuela and other parts of Latin America are fighting for and winning better living conditions is an inspiration, in an era when people in Australia, a rich country, are being told they must pay for essential services. Right here in Australia we are being stripped of our rights, but like in Venezuela, if we fight back we can win."
Resistance is organising a speak-out against the Iraq war on November 4 and a speak-out for the rights of young workers on November 11. To get involved, or find out more, phone Melbourne Resistance on (03) 9639 8622 or Brianna on 0439 694 505.
From Green Left Weekly, November 2, 2005.
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