On September 21 the federal government released a Radicalisation Awareness Kit. The kit consists of a 32-page booklet that links environmental activism, “alternative music” and terrorism. Most prominently the case study of a young woman named Karen has been shared widely on social media. While Karen’s story starts off excitingly enough with university politics, direct action to protect the environment and alternative music, sadly in the end Karen sells out her activist ideals and joins an NGO. The case study was met with the scorn it deserved, prompting many parodies of Karen’s story.
Resistance: Young Socialist Alliance National Co-Convener Mia Sanders said: “It’s a joke that this government thinks listening to certain kinds of music or working for an NGO is radical extremism. Resistance seeks to work with young activists to the find the most effective ways of challenging out-of-touch governments like the current one. What we need are more high school students, university students and young people in general standing up to challenge the government’s agenda of environmental destruction and human rights abuses.”
In response Resistance: Young Socialist Alliance is offering a Radicalisation Kit to young activists. For $10 recipients of the kit will gain membership of Resistance: Young Socialist Alliance as well as an introductory subscription to Green Left Weekly. High school students are offered the same kit for only $5.
Sanders said: “It’s our hope this will encourage more young people to join an explicitly activist youth organisation. We’re also encouraging young people to attend the Radical Ideas Conference taking place in Sydney over December 4 to 6. It will be a weekend of discussion, debate and ideas for radical change.”
If you’d like to get your hands on a radicalisation kit please get in contact with your local branch of Socialist Alliance here.
You can find out more about the Radical Ideas Conference and see the full program here.
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