Student resistance to racism: 'We've only just begun'
By Marina Carman
Young people in their overwhelming majority reject racism and Pauline Hanson's One Nation party. This was the message, loud and clear, from the July 24 national secondary school walkout.
Ten thousand young people from hundreds of schools across the country walked out to join anti-racism demonstrations in a show of anger, strength and unity.
"And this is only the beginning of our campaign", said Resistance's national coordinator, Sean Healy. Resistance has called another series of demonstrations against One Nation on August 28, this time to involve not only secondary students, but also university and TAFE students, and young workers and unemployed.
The massive turnout on July 24 vindicated Resistance's decision to call the walkout in spite of howls of protest from education departments, some school administrators, the radio talk-shows and the two major parties. The protests showed that young people can not only think for themselves, they're willing to act on their ideas.
From Sydney, Wendy Robertson reports that 4000 students from 75 identified high schools in the greater Sydney region demonstrated their opposition to the racist policies of Hanson and One Nation.
Students gathered at points around the city, including at Manly and at Parramatta where more than 50 students from schools as far west as Penrith met to travel together to the city for the march.
Some students risked expulsion to attend the rally. Students from several high schools told Resistance that they were forced to jump the fence because their school principal had locked the gates. Other schools, however, decided the rally was in the spirit of the school's philosophy and organised contingents to attend.
While the state education department condemned the rally and insisted that students who attended be treated as truants, Resistance's rally call was supported by the Federation of Parents and Citizens Associations of NSW and the school principals' association. Resistance also received support from Deputy Lord Mayor Henry Tsang, who has offered free use of Sydney Town Hall for future Resistance-organised anti-racism events.
Speakers at the Sydney rally included high-school student and Resistance member Danny Fairfax, who explained that "racism is born through our capitalist system, dedicated to the division of the working class", and another Resistance member Becky Fariall-Lee, who spoke about the history of racism here: "Australia has been racist since Captain Cook first set foot in this country".
Resistance high-school activist Kieran Barley commented on the idea that students are being manipulated by "alternative lifestyle" adults: "The massive show of support by students around Sydney proves that we have an independent voice and that we can organise against Hanson independently."
Students also condemned the Liberals for diverting people's anger at government policies into blaming young people, Aborigines and migrants. They also argued that Labor's opposition is inadequate — calling on people to "accept" different cultures and races does not deal with the causes of racism, was the way one protester put it.
Chris and Tate from Canberra High School report that 1000 students demonstrated in Canberra. Students from more than 20 schools attended the rally, and the deputy principals of the private Canberra Grammar Schools — boys and girls — officially allowed their students to attend.
Following the rally, students marched to the Immigration Review Tribunal where speakers expressed their outrage at racism. During the march students chanted, "Always was, always will be Aboriginal land", and "Migrants are welcome, racists are not", while banking up a kilometre of traffic behind them.
Resistance high-school activist Jordie Collins said, "Today's rally was a huge success. This is not about brainwashing, as Hanson accuses us. This is about young people actively voicing their opinion about racism."
From Hobart, Samara Tynan and Amelia Jones report that despite concerted "official" opposition, 500 students from approximately 12 secondary schools joined the walkout there.
In the days prior to the rally, principals at several schools sent letters to parents opposing students' participation in political actions, in particular the walkout and rally. Others threatened students with detention if they participated. The principal of Lambert High threatened to expel one student, despite the student's mother supporting his involvement in the action.
As the rally was gathering at Parliament Lawns, secondary students chalked colourful anti-racist slogans on the pavement. At the megaphone, dozens of students expressed their anger at One Nation's racism, sole mother-bashing and anti-youth politics.
Justin Randall reports from Wollongong that more than 500 secondary students from at least 10 schools walked out to join the largest demonstration in the city since the 1995 anti-nuclear tests rallies. Issues such as youth rights, land rights, women's rights and the Jabiluka mine were also canvassed alongside the issue of racism.
Leaving from Crown Street Mall, the enthusiastic crowd marched through the city streets chanting and being joined along the way by more protesters. Around 20 students spoke in an "open microphone" forum, attracting much attention both passers-by and local media, before winding up the action with a banner painting in the city mall.
From Melbourne, Jacquie Moon and Jo Williams report that the rally, organised by Students Against Racism, attracted around 3000 students. High-school students from more than 50 schools across Victoria energetically challenged racism, chanting "Migrants are welcome, racists are not".
As more and more people joined the demonstration in the city centre, speakers from high schools, the Jabiluka Action Group, WIKed Women and Resistance spoke out against the anti-youth and racist policies of One Nation and against Howard's attacks on native title. The rally then marched to the Liberal Party headquarters.
The rally was lively and political, the students determined to smash the myth that it was nothing more than a chance to wag school.
There was a huge cheer as Resistance announced the next nationwide demonstration on August 28.
Aimee Lipscombe, a high-school student, Resistance member and co-chair of the rally, said: "It's so inspiring to see that so many young people are mobilising to fight the racism of One Nation. We need to continue to fight, continue to stand up and say that young people aren't being brainwashed and that we can think for ourselves."
From Newcastle, Alison Dellit reports that 150 high-school students rallied and an estimated 300 walked out of class. Students came from as far away as Cardiff, travelling for 40 minutes to attend the demonstration.
Resistance member Tamie Meem chaired a vibrant speak-out in the middle of the Hunter Street Mall before the crowd marched to Civic Park to paint a "postcard" to Hanson on calico.
Broadmeadow High student Brendan Gosling, referring to Hanson's support for compulsory national service, told the crowd, "I can't imagine anything worse than being forced to go and kill people because Pauline Hanson tells me to".
In Adelaide, Jo Ellis reports that the electric atmosphere generated by the 500 protesters there surprised even the organisers. Young people, for the first time able to have their say, condemned racism and asserted the right to speak out. Inspired by the rally, 30 or 40 people spontaneously took to the microphone.
Secondary student Arrow Tong said about the rally, "I saw so many barriers crumbling as we realised our voice actually would be heard, and make a difference".
One school, Adelaide High, threatened to suspend students who joined the protest, even those who had their parents' permission. Dozens of Adelaide High students and others vowed to stand up against this undemocratic stance and many joined Resistance as the best way to fight this injustice.
From Perth, Trisha Reimers reports that 500 students from 20 schools, many defying teachers, principals and parents, gathered at the rally carrying anti-racist banners and placards.
Students from Perth Modern High School described how their principal made PA announcements for three consecutive days condemning the walkout and arguing that students should not attend "a stupid rally for Aborigines".
In contrast, one of the biggest contingents was from Methodist Ladies College, an exclusive private school, where a number of teachers encouraged students to attend the protest. One teacher and a few parents also decided to attend the rally to show their support for the students' actions.
Protesters marched down a busy city mall to loud cheers, applause and thumbs up from bystanders. They stopped at a hotel where Howard was scheduled to address a Chinese Chamber of Commerce meeting.
One student commented: "It would be easy for us to sit back and take it — to listen to our parents and our teachers and just concentrate on our homework. But young people are smarter than we're ever given credit for. We know things need to be changed. I think it's really important that young people help change the world, and that's why I want to get involved and stay active, not just around racism, but around everything that's not fair in this society."
Resistance has also heard that in Goulburn 50 students and supporters rallied in the centre of town to oppose racism, just a fortnight after Hanson held a meeting in the town.
In Queensland, anti-racist students are walking out this Tuesday (July 28), the day that the 11 One Nation MPs take their seats in Queensland parliament.
The nationwide walkout and rallies provoked enormous controversy in the media, with right-wing commentators and talk-show hosts fuelling anti-youth prejudices and indulging in red-baiting.
Radio 2UE's Mike Carlton quoted from Resistance's web page the organisation's support for Cuba and ridiculed its belief that society can (and should) be changed. John Laws devoted his program to trying to find out where Resistance got its money.
2UE's Stan Zamenek threatened that "any child of mine who wanted to go to such a protest would get the most enormous kick up the back-side". His on-air comments about the student protesters and his abuse of young people who rang in to support the activists was so vile (he called them "turds" and "half-wits") that 20 Resistance members held a protest sit-in at the 2UE offices in St Leonards during his program.
A particularly controversial issue in the media coverage was Resistance's socialist politics, leading to accusations that the student protesters were "manipulated and ill-informed kids" being used by "communists". Sydney's Daily Telegraph ran a photo of several protest organisers in front of a photograph of Russian revolutionary Vladimir Lenin. The ABC's 7.30 Report ran a positive story about how, after decades of inactivity, young socialists are on the march in Australia once again.
One Nation Queensland MP Sean Nelson spent his 15 minutes of fame on national radio howling about "communists poisoning the minds of our children". This refrain was picked up by David Oldfield and Hanson herself, who both railed about how "dangerous" Resistance was to "our society" and how it was plotting "militant anarchy".
Resistance responded quickly to such accusations. "You know the worth of an organisation by who its enemies are", said Healy. "We're happy that we've made One Nation so worried that it's whipping up reds-under-the-beds hysteria."
Resistance high-school member and one of the Sydney walkout organisers Lara Thoms said: "It's quite right that we're socialists, we don't hide it, we're proud of it. In fact, for us, you get rid of racism by getting rid of the capitalist society that it justifies. And that begins with people joining organisations like Resistance — which is what they're all really worried about."