South Park and capitalism
I totally agree with Alison Dellit's article in Cultural Dissent (GLW #344). South Park is an excellent series. With brilliant humour, and satire which could poke your eyes out from the other side of the street.
Yet there is one point which I have to make against the series. It is the fact that a lot of the audience doesn't get the point of the series. Some people, like my 12-year-old sister, only see South Park as a bunch of eight-year-old kids swearing — a kind of glorified fart joke.
I find it very disappointing that younger viewers only watch it for that reason. This is also why a lot of parents don't want their children to watch South Park. My parents held that opinion too. Until they watched the "Christmas Poo" episode.
Now the capitalists have seized the idea and use it as part of their merchandising campaign. You can now get t-shirts, dolls and the recently released South Park album. Which is fairly ironic because the dialogue in South Park satirises the evils of capitalism.
Then again, the same thing happened with The Simpsons a few years ago. The show was a very controversial piece of satire. And within months Bart dolls were appearing. It seems a bit weird to me that the capitalists want to make money out of a series which obviously satirises them.
Warners Bay, NSW
[Abridged.]
Israel
It was reported on ABC radio on December 7 that there has been a 22% increase in anti-Semitism in Australia. This is deplorable. There is no doubt that it stems partly from the many years of intransigence and arrogance on the part of Israel in its dealings with dispossessed Palestinians.
It is clear that Israel's determination to seize more land at any cost is stronger than any desire for peace. Its readiness to break any agreement shows that its word is worthless.
This constitutes a most alarming situation with Israel being not only a nuclear power but well prepared for chemical warfare by the Israel Institute for Biological Research in Nes Ziona near Tel Aviv. Its chemical weapons program is the region's largest.
Only the US can assist in this situation. It needs to discontinue its support for Israel's right-wing government influenced by religious fanatics. Withdrawal of financial support amounting to billions of dollars annually would result in a dramatic reduction in Israeli government intransigence.
The time for any optimism has long since passed, action is urgent and the US must realise the need to concentrate on the threat from Israel that is far greater than that from Iran.
The piece by Mouin Rabbani (GLW, December 2) was invaluable, congratulations. It would only be seen in Australia's best paper!
Henley Beach, SA
[Abridged.]
Right to remain silent
The right to remain silent, the only right of the criminally accused, is under attack and about to be obviated. The crown got dock statements removed, on which the defence had previously relied. Watch The Bill on ABC TV and listen to what will be our new caution soon; it's a long way away from a right to remain silent.
One issue where the ALP is no better than the Coalition is on the issue of so-called "law and order". Win or lose the next state election, the accused will be no better off.
Parramatta prison, crawling with cockroaches, has been re-opened. Any activist can expect to be sent to Parramatta, which is to be for remand and short-term prisoners. I say nothing about the new Silverwater remand prison, as a client of mine died there on 28/12/97.
Affray, a demonstration organiser charge, carries 10 years, and covers any "violent" protest. All that activists should give to police is their name, an address, a date of birth and ask for bail. They should "cooperate" but not make any statement. Notes of unrecorded conversations from a police notebook are admissible, so give no explanation of alleged conduct until you talk to a lawyer.
Political activists may get bail from a peaceful demonstration or for "minor" offences (like bill posting). Where violence is alleged, bail may be a problem — get a good lawyer.
Forget how badly the police behave. Once under arrest it is pointless to protest your innocence — you will be charged. Police are not entitled to detain you without charging you and considering bail.
As yet, you have the right to remain silent, so if you have a "brush with the law" keep your trap shut. Legal Aid will get there for you, in spite of the funding cuts. Contact Prisoners' Legal Service if you are concerned about someone in prison. And be concerned! Our prisons are death traps.
Cardiff, NSW
[Abridged.]