Please note the new link to Lawrence Lessig’s Blog.

He’s an amazing activist and works in the field of intellectual property and digital democracy – adore him.

Fox hunting ban forced through – World – www.theage.com.au: “Britain outlawed fox hunting in England and Wales today as elected legislators won a dramatic standoff with the House of Lords to ban a popular country sport despised by many urbanites.”

Further my earlier comments on the rise of right wing grass roots mobilisation this case would seem to provide further proof.

I’m being a little presumptuous in assuming that fox-hunting is a right wing pursuit. However I think it is reasonable to assume if for no other reason than that the Tories have sworn to withdraw the law should they get re-elected.

Events such as 400,000 pro-hunting protesters marching on London in 2002 and “in September, five hunting enthusiasts stormed onto the House of Commons floor as lawmakers debated the ban. Some 10,000 protesters massed outside Parliament that day and some clashed with police in riot gear. Opponents of the ban have vowed to defy it.”

Moreover ‘Anticipating the Commons decision, John Jackson, chairman of the pro-hunting Countryside Alliance, said hunters would not cooperate with a ban and said “true civil disobedience is now on the horizon”.’

Aren’t these the same people who describe protesters as ‘hooligans?’ Aren’t these people turning to somewhat violent action and yet are critical of non-violent protest.

I think I’m onto something here.

Provocation ‘no defence’ for murder – National – www.theage.com.au: “The Victorian government was today urged to abolish the defence of provocation and change laws on self-defence in murder trials.”

The official reason given for this is that it is not a legit excuse. However I think this is particularly good because the defence was sexist. Firstly, it’s a very ‘male’ response: ‘I couldn’t help it, I was just so angry.’ It is important to remember that to murder someone is to do so with the intention of killing them.

Moreover, these sorts of killings tend to be a little more ‘spontaneous’. In other words the victim tends to die of something like strangling which, if a woman tried to do, they would most likely be over powered if they were trying to kill a man.

In addition, where a woman has been tormented and abused over a period of time and then, being unable to leave for what ever reason and chooses to end the cycle of abuse by killing this person (usually a husband and often in their sleep) then ‘provocation’ is not a defence because it is not done ‘in a fit of rage’. I’m not saying it is right to kill anyone but I am saying that in these cases some leniency should be afforded.

Creation theory gets boost – National – www.theage.com.au: “Schools should teach the biblical creation story alongside evolutionary theory, Family First chairman Peter Harris said yesterday.”

I shudder to think.

AlterNet: Election 2004: Learning from the Winners: “The reality, which progressives need to face if they wish to turn the tide, is that the right wing has simply done a better job than anyone else of organizing from the grassroots up. This isn’t because their ideas are more popular or palatable – they aren’t – but because the right has been serious and strategic in its commitment to winning and wielding power.”

This sentiment is becoming increasingly common and when “progressives” (I much prefer Left) such as my self read it, it really rings a bell for us. But there seems to be a contradiction here (or maybe it isn’t and that’s the missing link). What is being talked about sounds like a highly democratic, grass-roots mobilisation. Surely this is the territory of the Left. So why is it the right that is mobilising it so effectively? Say what you will about the sinister undertones and selling people something that actually harms them – they are effective and have an agenda that is just as legitimate as the left’s. They are working from all levels from Andrew Bolt, to George Pell, to the Institute for Public Affairs, to grass roots organisations which ensures that every section of society is covered.

A lot has been said about the factionalism and internal divisions in the left. No doubt this has been an issue and why the Global Justice Movement is such a great hope as it has managed to unify a lot of these voices. But Australia has no serious Global Justice Movement and in the west the movement is far from a mass movement.

Does the blame lie with the “progressive” party’s failure to provide a real opposition? Somewhat, but it is more than that. The right is also quite divided and factional but these sorts of campaigns are, by their nature, reasonably decentralised. Is this just a hang over from the centralist nature of the “progressive” parties? Surely grassroots mobilisation has always been a key tactic of the left, even the old left when you take into consideration union organisations and organising on the shop room floor.

It is disillusionment, apathy and contempt that keeps the left from realistically mobilising on this level? Perhaps this is a factor.

The reality is that there is no one factor. The bamboozlement lies in the fact that we are mobilising on a grass roots level daily and world wide. I can’t help but feel that there is not enough consciousness about the political nature of this and we are all to sensitive to put forward an agenda. Is this an ethical choice? Not sure. Should we be a little more Machiavellian about this? Probably. What ever the case is, the lesson is not to over analysis this phenomenon (however there is a role for this) but to get out there and mobilise. We’ve got 3 or 4 years to go and a lot of work will need to be done in the mean time.

NEWS.com.au | Woman murdered in Myer store (November 17, 2004): “‘You know, you think the worst, you think perhaps (it was a) terrorist attack or some crazy person,’”

Of course it was a terrorist attack – what else could it have been? A fucking car back fires and it’s a terrorist attack.

I sometimes wonder what to do about Andrew Bolt. I could reprint his article here and point out the lies/untruths. I could do a detailed analysis of his work and point out the countless inconsistencies. There are a lot of things I could do including the thing I do most – ignore him.

But when you read something like his latest article you think back to that time when you were writing an essay, or even the less formal blog post, and how, despite an overwhelming temptation, you don’t go making those wild accusations that you can’t back up (even if you have strong suspicions.) Bolt obviously values a good yarn and outlandish claims over truth and integrity. His editor is obviously also far more concerned with sensationalism rather than fact – then again, it’s the Herald Sun.

Does anyone take him seriously? I have a feeling his disinformation is more penetrating than any thinking person would like to admit.

Some related and interesting comments on the reporting of the events at Fallujah can be found at: A live toad every morning

1000 views.

Thank you for your support.

Tough jail laws on work safety – National – www.theage.com.au – These laws have been a long time in that making and are certainly quite necessary. It could shape up to be an interesting battle between the federal government’s IR reforms and higher levels of accountability in Victoria.

More on the increased need for resistance now that both conservative emperors have returned to power.Workers World Nov. 11, 2004: Let’s make it four mour years of resistance

Please note that I have blogged this using Firefox’s “Blog this” feature. Just another reason to download this superior browser.

Last night Tezza said to me “MaDhAtTeR really wants to meet you, she wants to know who this Subcomadante is.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. What is the crazy blog thing anyway, some sort of meeting agency? It is how I meet Tezza, and last night someone else said that Tezza and I would make a great couple. Crazy stuff.