Students join the fight against the system
By Sarah Peart
Last week, more than 350 university students around the country joined the socialist youth organisation Resistance during orientation weeks. Angry about the injustices caused by the capitalist "profit rules" system, students from many backgrounds signed up.
Many students joined Resistance to be involved in the defence of native title and to help build actions and demonstrations against the attacks on Aboriginal land rights by the Howard government.
The planned Jabiluka uranium mine in Kakadu National Park is an issue many students feel strongly about and want to take a stand against.
Resistance is an anti-sexist organisation and is involved in building International Women's Day. Many young women and men joined because they were angry at the recent attacks on abortion in WA.
Sean Healy, Resistance's national coordinator, commented to Green Left Weekly about the number of people who have joined: "Contrary to claims by various 'historians' that capitalism is the end of history, and despite the attempts of governments around the world to shove the ideology of economic rationalism down our throats, young people are angry at the way the system operates. They want to say 'no' to things like racism, sexism, environmental destruction and Third World poverty.
"Students want to discuss the ideas of Karl Marx and talk about the possibilities socialism can offer. Throughout history it has been young people at the forefront of struggles against the injustices of the system, and today is no exception."