Burn, Flag, Burn!!! Socialists selling flag-burning kits

What is a decent Australia today?

With a war criminal at the helm?

War crimes against humanity?

Scapegoats for government pleasure?

Draconian laws?

No work choices?

etc

I could go on forever!

But just burn the flag it is an offence to all decent Australian's not to!

Burn baby burn, until we get back our human rights and dignity the Australian flag is a sin!

"I don't have a problem with it. It is part of their freedom of
expression, so yes, I support it. I support freedom of expression," Mr
Brenner said.

http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2006/02/106488_comment.php#106560

http://adelaide.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/10140

Now we all know that Books Not Bombs/Reistance gutted the anti-war movement in 2003. Now we're seeing all the gains since being eroded by the supid fuckwits in the DSP leadership. As usual the public is overwhelmingly opposed to racism but they are also opposed to the futility of burning the Australian flag. Just as most Australians were opposed to the war but also to the way that the BNB demonstrations were handled.

Thanks to the Reistance/DSP fucks Howard will win the battle and racism againt ethnic communities will increase.

So when you think of buying a flag burning kit - remember these funds are going to agent-provocateurs funded by ASIO.

everyone on the left will now suffer a set back thanks to the oppurtunist policies of the DSP 

Go away moron you're on the wrong channel!

Resistance burning for freedom...

In the current climate of the attacks on civil liberties and the "war
on terror" Resistance believes burning 'the flag' is your democratic
right to express contempt for what it represents.

As part of Resistance's year of 'seditious activity' we'll be
extending this democratic right with our flag burning kit and in
solidarity with the artist and Resistance member Azlan Mclennan whose
artwork "proudly unaustralian" which was recently illegally
confiscated from a gallery in Footscray by police.  Azlan stated: "The
flag burning symbolises the locally and internationally deplored
treatment by the Australian government of its indigenous peoples,
asylum seekers, its industrial relations and education reforms, US
collaboration in the attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan and the
incitement against Muslim and Arab populations at home and abroad.
These acts are compounded by Howard's denial that there is no
underlying racist sentiment in Australia, following the racial
tensions in Sydney in December."

Even Prime Minister John Howard, whose government has led some of
worst attacks on our civil liberties in Australian history, was forced
to agree that despite his opposition to the act, burning the flag was
part of our "free speech." Meanwhile, the new "Anti-Terrorism: Bill
has extended the number of seditious offences and doubled prison
sentences for perpetrators. More importantly, it gives the federal
government the legal power to prosecute peaceful activists who are
against the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan, or unionist leaders who
are fighting for their right to organise, or whoever is on the growing
target list in the government's "war on terror" now ominously named
the "long war."

The need for young people to resist in Australia today has never been
so great; we no longer have the time to think about building a more
humane society, we have to act now in world ravaged by war,
environmental destruction, racism, sexism, homophobia and extreme
poverty. Resistance, a democratic youth organisation, offers the
chance for young people to get together and help build a better world,
for it is only when ordinary people unite can this better world be
realised. In the words of the Latin American revolutionary, Ernesto
"Che" Guevara "When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty!"

Now's the time to burn the flag!For immediate release 17/2/06

Flag burning kit.

Resistance as part of its campaign to support freedom of _expression
and civil liberties is offering flag burning kits during O-Week
activities and beyond.

The kit is inspired by Resistance member Azlan McLennan's recent
artwork "Proudly un-Australian", which was censored by police when it
was removed illegally from its Footscray gallery.

The Flag Burning kit displays the sentiment that many young people
today feel, given the Australian government's racist refugee policy;
its treatment of Indigenous people; its use of violence against
protesters; its support of US foreign policy; and its oppressive
military role in the Asia-Pacific.

The kit contains:

1 x Australian Flag

1 x Lighter

1 x Fire Lighting Cube

1 x Resistance Material

The current debate in the media surrounding the burning of the flag
seeks to vilify those who utilise their rights to freedom of speech,
_expression and association. The right to political dissent is an
inherent human right, and the burning of the Australian flag
symbolises that freedom.

Brianna Pike, Resistance co-ordinator for Melbourne said, "In the
coming period, we are going to need to fight to maintain our basic
right to dissent, to protest and to condemn our government's actions
loudly and visibly. Far from shutting ourselves into a militarised
state of fear, Australians should be demanding "our" government engage
with the world in ways, which increase equality and decrease
starvation, poverty and political oppression."

Resistance will not be silenced by the new so called "anti-terror"
legislation that seeks to criminalise dissent and anti war activities.

For more information please contact:

Resistance, Socialist Youth Organisation on 03 9639 8633 
or Brianna Pike directly on 0439 694 505

http://www.resistance.org.au/        http://www.greenleft.org.au/

The late Bill Hicks, brilliant US comic and angry social critic (once
described as "Noam Chomsky with dick jokes") on flag burning.  (The UK
version of Hick's biography "American Screem" features a photo of
Hicks ont he Letterman show lighting a cigarette with a burning US
flag - in response to the furore over the issue at the time - the US
version used a different photo...)

'Flag burning really brought out peoples true colours. People were
like "Hey, buddy, my dad died for that flag." Well, that's weird
'cause i bought mine.'

* * *

"No one, and I repeat no one, has ever died for a flag. They might've
died for freedom..."

* * *

Did you watch the flag burning thing? Wasn't that great man? Boy
everybody showed their true colours then didn't they?....Scary...
People just flipped, they reacted like The Supreme Court approved of
flag burning, know what I mean?

" Does that mean we have to burn our flags?.. They said that we
ha-"... NO NO NO NO NO NO, they didn't say that. They said that if
someone wanted to burn a flag, he perhaps doesn't need to go to jail
for a year...Pretty harsh on their part huh?

"They said we should bur-".... They didn't say that, they didn't say
that, they didn't say that

"Does that mean I have to go and -"....NO NO NO NO NO NO NO... Listen,
read , think, calm down, relax, SHUT THE FUCK UP

"Well I don't get it..I don't wanna burn my flag"....THEN DOOOOOOOOOOON'T.

People snapped, they were like "Hey buddy, my dad died for that flag"

"Really?...I bought mine...They sell 'em in K-Mart..."

"yeah..He died in Korea for that flag"

"Wow, what a coincidence. Mine was made in Korea... the world is THAT
big man..."

No-one, and I repeat NO-ONE has ever died for a flag. A flag is a
piece of cloth, they might have died for freedom, which, by the way,
is the freedom to....Burn the.. fucking flag you see??..Burning the
flag doesn't make freedom go away, it's kinda like Free-dom ok?..ok.

And they've had 4 cases in this country's 200 year history, so it's
not that big an issue. One of the hotter smokescreens they've put down
the pipe. I don't wanna burn a flag, but what business is it of mine
if you do?

Is it my business if someone wants to..Is it?...NO

Is it my business what other people read or watch on TV? NO IT'S
NOT...THANK YOU

You see, when we talk these things through, it becomes a little
clearer doesn't it? That's called logic and it'll help us all evolve
and get on the fucking spaceships and get outta here.

I've posted an mp3 of that  Bill Hicks flag burning bit. 

Resistance's year of dickhead yobbish behaviour is starting at the orientation weeks. Burn A flag girls and boys! that will get Howard really quaking in his boots.
I mean if I were John Howard a bunch of spotty 19-YO semester one socialists burning paper flags and firelighters would certainly make me think twice about the treatment of refugees, the war in iraq and attacking IR laws! SO resistance kiddies if you are concerned about the big issues help the grown-up activists build a united movement which will defeat Howard - Or become involved in an act of middle class delinquency with a bunch of toffs in Che t-shirts, and keep Johnny in power for the next few years!

troll go away and let people make up their own minds about their reaction to crimes against humanity.

Burn the fu**ing flag! Throw shoes! Throw shit at them and express yourself because it's your right to do so.

Every bit of dissent goes along way to tell the truth about the devil!

We won't respect those who do not deserve it!

Because they're war criminals who commit crimes against humanity.

Now get a grip cop! Troll!

Go back to ASIO and tell them other trolls what to expect!

it's a lousy flag, too british. Disrespects 1 million Irish who died in the great famine. Great alternative was on the back of smh in stay in touch back in January with a boomerang, alot on stickers in Perth apparently.

Another idea suggested by an Indigenous colleague was southern cross but the british ensign replaced with the Aboriginal flag black red yellow in the top left corner. That would be groovy too.

Despite being too busy, I don't really hate that much. Nor do I really believe in the ultra orthodox free speech, meaning without responsibility as per the USA paradigm, BUT i would never agree with criminal or legal penalties for someone burning the flag as long as it was their own property or by consent.

And the idea someone should go to gaol for 3 months for accepting a flag stolen by someone else, and burning it on top of an RSL, looks really disturbing legal over reaction to me. Send a young hot head to "crime university" for 3 months for essentially a political act, no doubt insulting, juvenile, irresponsible, quite stupid, but not really doing much damage, is itself courting real social disaster down the track, and that speaking as an ex lawyer. What will that fellow be when inevitably he returns to the street we all share?

One does not have to be a bleeding "softy" as Police Minister Scully says to shake ones head at the dangers of disproportionate punishment. Sixty Minutes last night doesn't change my point of view either, especially the hateful expression of revenge seeking by Peter Debnam Opposition leader. He was upstaged by a young surfie who called for mutual forgiveness.

Wow that young bloke understands moral courage.

What a foolish foolish decision by that magistrate, even more so in light of PM Howard pointing out its not even a crime to so burn (as distinct from theft, damage another's property). Cost? Say $50 and and a REASONABLE penalty.

One needs to be careful of the Menzies driven patriotic tub thumping of the 1950's. He mainstreamed the current version of the flag, and he needed the political nationalism to cover up his selling of pig iron to Japan pre WW2 (like wheat bribes to Saddam) AND he rejection by the voters for the ALP's John Curtin in the middle of WW2.

So the Menzies adoption of the British Australian flag looks mostly a joke on our emerging independence and a shallow politicians PR gambit.

In short, no need for true patriots to get too misty eyed or too loyal to this anachronistic, stale, dishonest, disrespectful, misleading, class based, oppressive flag symbol.

Someone pointed out that, by charging $5 for something worth probably $2, Resistance are turning into right little capitalists.

So what are you complaining about? Cop! Funny they never you out! Shit!

Student leftism has gone too far. Australian flag should not be desecrated like this it makes me sick to think my peers are doing this in the name of 'free speech'. Do something better with your time like raise money for starving kids in Africa rather then cause trouble. real shame.

Have Resistance not grown out of theirs? If I was a non-aligned member of the Socialist Alliance I'd be telling them to pull their heads in. They seem to have the knack for playing right into the hands of the ruling class. They're either foolish or opportunistic or both. I don't imagine Resistance are about to increase their membership or gain any credos with a stunt like this.

The timing couldn't have been better though, what with images in our homes of extremists burning Danish flags and the recent Cronulla race-riots, did they think that the average Aussie would jump at the opportunity to waste a fiver for similar privilege? As if Uni students have spare cash for such shite anyway!!

No doubt the cops had no right to remove the flag from the gallery and I agree that the nationalism in this country is becoming increasingly vile. However, Resistance and whomever supports such undergrad activism should ask themselves what it has achieved. Other than making socialists look like the radicals the Right portay us as I'd say NOT VERY MUCH!!!

Resistance, as part of the Socialist Alliance, may want to think about the consequences of their actions. In building a united front against capitalism, socialist organisations need to win over the working masses to our position. If anyone wants tell me how burning the (colonial) Australian flag, achieves this I'd be happy to learn something new.

Down with Capitalism!