Resistance to racism: a statement of dissent
The following statement was adopted at the 27th national conference of the socialist youth organisation Resistance, held in Melbourne, July 11-13.Ìý
Secondary students across the country will stage a walkout and rally against One Nation and racism on July 24 [July 28 in Brisbane]. A few days before One Nation takes its seats in the Queensland parliament, we will be taking a stand against the rise of this racist party, as well as the scapegoating and far right-wing policies it has brought with it.
One Nation's 11 parliamentary seats are those that John Howard told us they would never win. He told us that if we ignored the rise of this party, as well as the racist lies it is based on, it would just go away. We cannot let this happen again. We have to act now.
One Nation likes to think it has the answers, but nothing could be further from the truth. It tells us that the solutions to unemployment and insecurity lie in blaming others, migrants and Aborigines. But who retrenched 30,000 public servants, who cut off the dole to under-18s, who massively raised the cost of higher education? It is the government and big business who have made us suffer, profiting from the increasing inequality. To blame Aborigines and migrants is merely to blame those who are suffering even more.
As well as different racial groups, One Nation also blames young people as a whole for a wide range of society's problems. The solutions to crime and unemployment that One Nation promises are more young people thrown into the prison system, the reintroduction of the cane in schools and compulsory national service for all school leavers. These policies not only take us back 50 years, they take away our fundamental human rights as well.
We have to demand an end to the scapegoating and racism. It is essential that our voices against One Nation are heard. The national walkout and rallies give secondary students the chance to strongly state that we reject the idea of One Nation being a legitimate alternative to the major parties, as well as rejecting the racist lies on which One Nation is founded.
Too often we are told we shouldn't have a political opinion, that we should not speak out. When we do, they say we have been “manipulated”; when we take action over what we believe in, they say we should only be interested in our school work.
But the reality is that, while we may not have many rights in this society, we do have the right to speak out. And as long as mainstream opposition to One Nation continues to be so weak, we not only have the right but also the duty to make our voices heard, to start a campaign against racism in this country and to begin to fight for justice.
Young people are angry with the racist lies and want to live in a country that has real justice for Aboriginal people and migrants. We may have no vote, and society often tries to deny us a voice, but we intend to vote with our feet and speak with our own voices before the members of One Nation are sworn into the Queensland parliament.
We call on all secondary students to participate with us in the walkouts and the rallies. Together we must stand against the rise of One Nation. Together we must declare: no to One Nation and no to racism.
[For more information about the national walkout and rallies, contact the Resistance Centre nearest you.]