For the last four years I have been involved in a 'war' against the Tasmanian and Australian Federal Government. I have many reasons for doing this, some are listed below:
* our water is being poisoned by aerial spraying performed by multinational forestry corporations; * our native forests have been almost completely decimated by multinational forestry corporations; * codes of practice and laws relating to human and environmental protection have not been enforced; * our native animals are being systematically poisoned by multinational corporations; * new and unwanted technologies, such as genetically modified food, have been foisted upon the local population against our will - again by multinational corporations; * I and my family have been denied access to decent medical care for a very protracted period of time due to the arrogance of 'learned' medical professionals; * representatives of the respective Governments and multinational corporations have repeatedly lied in the media (and at other venues) to enforce the unwanted status quo; * corporate interests have been placed in key positions of power in our governments; * 'public consultation' processes have been a repeated sham, with local citenzry subjected to the repeated abuses of power being denied representation on policy panels in favour of the perpetrators of injustice; * I have been sacked from my job for speaking out against the breaches of labour awards (and human-rights and equal-opportunity provisions) perpetrated by the Australian Federal Government; * I have been verbally abused by police and jailed for commiting NO crime.
The signs have been out there in our ordinary 'everyday lives' that our Governments and corporations are out of control. I know for sure that the repeated pleadings of thousands of Australians against the above injustices have gone repeatedly on deaf ears. For a quarter of a decade I have not voted for either of the two major parties (Liberal and Labour) yet they have been repeatedly returned to office. Only recently have I discovered that about 25% of the population have been similarly disenfranchised.
Here in Tasmania many are struggling to find a reason to continue to live in this State. Jobs have gone and our beautiful environment destroyed. Yet, from experience, I know the corruption is nationwide and international.
Many people have long given up the struggle for social justice because they have had their 'lack of power' reinforced and mirrored back to them by those that take power from them.
This morning I had an argument with my husband when he stated that he was 'powerless'. I threw the words of Ghandi back at him: "Strength of numbers is the delight of the timid. The valiant in spirit glory in fighting alone."
Last night I received an abusive, unkind email from someone I had a deal of respect for until now.
Now that our corrupt Governments are leading us to war I plead with others to examine exactly what and who we are fighting for and who and what we are fighting against. Think about that very seriously. Much of our enemy is truly coming from within.
Kind regards Brenda Rosser