Newcastle student election
I've just discovered your article, "Students outraged by Newcastle Uni election decision", by Melody Coutman & Alison Dellit.
Articles such as this have broken my faith in 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ as a reliable source of information. I was even asked to submit a testimonial for the 400th edition of 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳, but now when the issues are close to home, I see it is propaganda disguised as news.
Where do you writers get lines like "Both candidates have expressed the opinion that Robson received significantly more votes than Thompson" from? What a fabrication! I never said that Peter received significantly more votes. I said that if he was ahead, it was because he was cheating.
The five dollar rule does not mean that candidates have to "conceal ... [their] political affiliation". It means that for the four days of the election you have to express your affiliations or lack of them without props and other paraphernalia. This is meant to put independents on the same level as party people.
And as for assertions like "Students at Newcastle University ... have been outraged by the decision". Have they really? I went to the meeting called to protest the decision and there were about six people, all but one from Resistance. The sole non-Resistance member was Sam Russell, who was campaigning for Peter and who wrote the protest posters.
Am I correct in suspecting that the co-author of this article, Alison Delitt, is a resistance member from Newcastle Uni who was campaigning for Peter?
How low 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ has sunk.
A lonely accuracy in the article is the quoting of my claim that, "Studying history gives a clearer view of life than spouting ideology".
Matthew Thompson
Newcastle NSW
Nader and unions
Workers On Line (10 Nov), voice of the NSW Labor Council, pontificated that Ralph Nader "pinched" votes that should have gone to Al Gore.
Only one third of the eligible US population actually vote because they do not see a solution among either the Republicans or the Democrats.
Exit polls in the US show that half of those voting for Nader would not have voted otherwise. Nader was attracting new votes rather than stealing them.
Nader ran a campaign that condemned corporate greed and supported economic justice which spoke to disenfranchised layers more than either high profile candidate. Nader opposed free trade and won support from some of those activated by Seattle and the growing anti-corporate movement. Nader was the only candidate to condemn Israel's violence against Palestinian people
Nader pointed out that the Democrats have betrayed unions because they don't propose to strengthen labour laws. Nader condemned union officials for not asking their members before donating $54 million to the Democrats.
WOL could have provided a more balanced view for Australian unionists or is it so blinkered by its own allegiance to the Australian version of the Democrats, the ALP, to seriously examine a radical pro-worker, pro-community alternative?
Melanie Sjoberg
Randwick NSW
[Abridged.]
No to Newman!
Prime Minister Howard wants to make Senator Jocelyn Newman the next Governor-General of Australia. Senator Newman is not suitable for this position.
The role of Governor-General should be one which seeks to unite Australians. Senator Newman, as Minister for Family and Community Services, has been one of the more divisive ministers in what is arguably one of the most divisive of federal governments we have had in Australia. She has consistently stuck the boot into those Australians who are least able to defend themselves.
We must head Howard's move to make her Governor-General off at the pass! I say "No to Newman" as Australia's next Governor-General.
Bob Holderness-Roddam
Charles Perkins
The old Jacobite song "Will ye no' come back again?" was originally written for Charles Stuart after the Scots' horrendous defeat at Culloden in 1746 by the English forces, when Charles finally fled to France — as usual, the rich escaped, and the ordinary soldiers were left to face torture and death.
Its beautiful poignant melody is peculiarly appropriate today as we mourn the untimely death of another and more worthy Charles — Charles Perkins. The first verse reads: "Will ye no' come back again?/ Will ye no' come back again?/ Better lo'ed [loved] ye canna be/ Will ye no' come back again?"
Another Jacobite song asks boldly "Wha wouldna fecht for Charlie?" (who wouldn't fight for Charlie) — who wouldn't, indeed, for the brave and passionate Mr Perkins?
Rosemary Evans
St Kilda Vic
James Baldwin
As a regular reader of Brandon Astor Jones' warm and insightful columns in the 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly, I read his letter "Hell First" in the issue dated November 1. I was impressed that you raise issues of bigotry on the basis of homosexuality by marginalised North Americans. In this case with reference to the writer James Baldwin. A writer whose novels Giovanni's Room and Go Tell It on the Mountain I read in my early twenties because they were recommended to me by a gay who was impressed with this gay writer's perspective.
Something that did concern me in his letter, however, was to read that since there was not "a hint of Baldwin's sexuality" in the African American encyclopaedia you felt "that is as it should be". Surely when people, who identify with two marginalised 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ of a society, excel and break stereotypes, their dual identity should be acknowledged.
It would have disappointed me to read about James Baldwin in a gay publication but not to learn that he was an African North American. It is an opportunity for members of both minorities to question their prejudices and empathise with others who experience discrimination. Hence, an opportunity to see that many other people are marginalised and involved in a struggle for equality.
Each year in Australia, the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival is celebrated by hundreds of thousands of people. It is a celebration of diversity and a protest against discrimination along with imposed invisibility.
In the Mardi Gras Festival famous Australians are celebrated for their achievements. In recent years, these people have included the photographer and actor William Yang (a sixth generation Chinese Australian), and famous dance choreographers who are Aboriginal (one of whom opened the festival in 1998). The success of their attempts to break down racist stereotypes is dependent on their openly speaking out about their ethnic identities. I believe "this is as it should be".
Sean D'Arcy
Cabramatta NSW
May Day
In Australia and many other countries, May Day has faded and is now far from being a massive demonstration of workers' strength and unity. The need for it is clearly not less; it is greater.
Our problems are great and they are many and we have a long tradition of militancy. We need May Day to be declared a public holiday. It could easily replace the farcical Queens' birthday.
There are hard times here for the unemployed and the underemployed, wages are cut as prices rise, pensions are inadequate and much damage is being done by the GST. Typically the National Australia Bank will declare record profits and close another 100 branches.
An immediate target should be to achieve a gigantic May Day next year and it must be declared a public holiday so that people can take part actively or as spectators without being penalised by the loss of a day's pay.
Can it be achieved? Of course it can. It exists now in Queensland and the Northern Territory, and must include the whole of Australia.
Many thousands marching and sightseeing will provide a stimulating and effective reminder of our great strength.
Norman Taylor
Henley Beach SA
[Abridged.]