climate protests
Scott Morrison’s imposing and threatening crackdown of protests in Australia is a contradictory, and terrifying one.
Last week, following the climate change protests at the International Mining and Resources Conference in Melbourne, Morrison announced that he was working on legal measures to outlaw the ‘indulgent and selfish practice’ of protest groups that try and stop major resource projects.
Morrison made it clear that his new law would not punish the companies paying limited tax and pushing our quickly and dangerously warming climate to the limit, but instead, he would punish those protesters for speaking out on the issue.
Contradictory, because it completely rejects Morrison’s ‘free speech’ ideology (the special kind of free speech that keeps gays, and now activists, in the firing line). So the story goes like this:
Scott Morrison is an upstanding and loyal soldier when it comes to defending religious freedom.
Free speech is fine when Andrew Bolt draws a cartoon and describes an Aboriginal youth as ‘criminal trash’ and ‘scum’
Free speech is fine when powerful religious groups want to humiliate the LGBTIQ community
Free speech is NOT fine, when it comes to protesting our alarming climate emergency.
And terrifying, because as our climate rapidly rises, alarm bells ring in the ears of the community members, civilians become disenchanted with the political process that continues to invest in coal fired plants, and our climate continues to soar and break world temperatures to date. So, we take to the streets. And ScoMo swiftly pledges to outlaw those fighting against major polluters, arguing they threaten the economy.
This vocal supporter of President Donald Trump and avid Pentecostal Christian believer, driving the importance of faith throughout his short political career, is a very clear threat to our democratic system.
In late 2015, I took part in a protest. I dressed up in a dress, with a protest sign in my pocket and a video camera attached to my collar and snuck into the Australian Mining Prospect Awards in Sydney's Sofitel Wentworth Hotel, to take part in a stunt aimed at drawing attention to the government’s subsidies to the fossil fuel industry. It was a peaceful protest, and I attended a 3 day course prior to learn nonviolent direct action, or civil resistance tactics. My growing concern for a rising climate and mass extinction categorized me as a concerned Australian citizen, and I felt like political leaders weren't listening. So, I ‘took to the streets’.
After I was hit on by a drunk executive mining worker, who grabbed my arm and asked his friend to take a photo of us, a policeman with an aggressive agenda grabbed my other arm, and roughly escorted me out of the building, realizing I was not invited to this event, and understanding that we were drawing negative press towards the mining awards, who donate a lot of money to the Liberal Party.
Gina Rineheart was being recognized with an award for her contribution to the mining sector, as I was told to shut up and escorted out of the room in case this made the news.
I was proud to be standing up for a cause I believe in, and I was proud to be able to speak my mind, without being arrested, and without taking part in something illegal. I didn't even mind that the aggressive policeman had me in a tight and firm grip and was beginning to bruise my scrawny arm. Because I had made a point.
I do, however, remain skeptical that our political leaders are doing much to combat this very alarming and current climate emergency, and I would like, if it's okay by you, Scott, to continue to speak my mind, to those in the mining sector and those in a position of power, even if they are ‘stimulating the economy’.
I remain a concerned citizen.