Proud of her activism

BY ALISON DELLIT

“I’m not ashamed of my beliefs, nor of my role in organising students to protest against the war on Iraq. It’s those who support the slaughter of Iraqi people who should be ashamed”, Kylie Moon told Green Left Weekly.

Moon is one of the key activists in Books Not Bombs, the group that organised the March 26 national student strike against the war, and she is also the national co-ordinator of the socialist youth organisation Resistance. Since the police attacked the March 26 BNB protest, Resistance and Books Not Bombs have come under fire from NSW Premier Bob Carr and the corporate media.

Carr started the socialist witch-hunt on March 27, arguing that “Marxists” were responsible for “provoking violence” at the protest in order to “recruit youngsters”. Over the next few days, BNB representatives were kept busy refuting these claims on many radio stations, including ABC stations, MMM, 2GB, 2UE, 3AK and 3AR.

While the Daily Telegraph concentrated its fire on raising racist hysteria, it still managed to find some time to condemn “socialist extremists” on March 27. On March 29, the paper followed up with a half-page attack on Resistance, written by Michael Duffy, which it wrongly claimed organised the protest.

Another deceitful article was printed on the front page of the Australian on March 28, written by Patricia Karvales. Karvales accused Books Not Bombs of “targeting” Middle-Eastern students, although Moon told her clearly that that was untrue. Karvales also implied BNB was a Resistance “front”.

“Books Not Bombs gives young people the space to organise against the war”, Moon told GLW. “It’s a group run by young people, to organise young people. We help each other set up groups on our schools and campuses. We’ve organised two of the most energetic, vibrant and loud national days of protest against the war yet.

Moon argued that the attacks on socialists were just a “clumsy” way to break up the united anti-war movement.

“Resistance members, like some members of the Greens, are part of BNB, but most members of BNB are not members of any political organisation — Books Not Bombs is a broad group”, Moon explained. “I’m proud that Resistance helped initiate BNB, but they are not the same organisation.”

“Resistance doesn’t just want to stop this war, we want to stop all wars. Our slogan is 'regime change begins at home‘: we want a system where there is real democracy and people's lives are put first. We’re very up-front about our politics, we welcome all young people who want to join our movement for human liberation.”

Some radio hosts have attacked Moon because of her long history of campaigning for social justice. “I’m committed to fighting all forms of injustice, and encouraging all young people to do so as well. What’s wrong with that?”, Moon replied.

From Green Left Weekly, April 2, 2003.
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