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Rap and the politics of sexism

By Sujatha Fernandes The 1995 Million Man March, initiated by black nationalist leader Louis Farrakhan, which promoted the need for black men to take responsibility for their lives and families, left many, including black leader Angela Davis,

'How are we meant to survive?'

Cuts to unemployment benefits, called Newstart Allowance, took effect from July 1. Those in share accommodation receive only two-thirds of the maximum rate for rent assistance; for many people this means a cut in income of as much as $32 a week — a

Driving women out of the work force

By Jennifer Thompson John Howard's July 10 comments to Sydney radio interviewer Alan Jones, supporting a "homemaker's allowance" to encourage women to drop out of the labour force have been linked to a "white picket fence" view of Australia and

Paradise lost

By Anthony Brown In October 1995, Brisbane indigenous health worker Noritta Morseu-Diop went to Tahiti, the chief island of French Polynesia, along with five other Aboriginal people. They went to protest at the resumption of French nuclear

Environmentalists in Russia fight old growth logging

By Renfrey Clarke MOSCOW — "Greenpeace and our 'greens' have become toys in the hands of powerful forces blocking the implementation of economic reforms ..." That was how Karelia, the government newspaper of the Karelian Republic in north-west

Passionate and intriguing lives

Vita and VirginiaWritten by Eileen Atkins, directed by Richard CottrellWith Ruth Cracknell and Jennifer HaganSydney Theatre CompanyThe Playhouse, Sydney Opera House from July 26 Vita Sackville-West and Virginia Woolf, two of England's most intriguing

Art arises from the mud

By Bronwen Beechey MELBOURNE — In a city where arts festivals seem to run continuously, a bit of controversy helps to ensure that yours won't go unnoticed. The 5th Melbourne Uni Arts Festival, MUDfest (July 30-August 17), is in this enviable

Tax management aims to cut conditions

Tax management aims to cut conditions By Chris Slee Australian Taxation Office (ATO) management has begun an attack on both the working conditions of its employees and their right to union representation. Management's approach to a new

Another fatal shooting by Victorian police

Another fatal shooting by Victorian police By Sean Lennon MELBOURNE — Yet another person has been shot dead by Victorian police, after they were called to a domestic dispute on July 17 and the victim allegedly attacked police with a

The rich legacy of a US revolutionary

Building the Revolutionary Party: An introduction to James P. CannonNew Course Publications, 1997100pp., $7.95 Review by Pip Hinman Full-time revolutionaries are mostly stereotyped as being narrow and dogmatic. But to read anything of James P.

Government blocks age of consent reform

By Marina Cameron In early July, the federal government announced that it will not support moves to equalise age of consent laws for heterosexual and homosexual young people. Laws differ widely across the states at present. The age of consent

Immigrants forced into slavery in New York

By Barry Sheppard At midnight on July 19, four immigrants from Mexico went to the local police station in the Jackson Heights area of New York City with a three-page letter in Spanish. Nervous, they left without showing the letter to the police.