flag burning kits

[rioters bloc]

Proudly Unaustralian - Wanna buy a flag-burning kit?

http://perth.indymedia.org/index.php?actio...arentview=16573 (http://perth.indymedia.org/index.php?action=newswire&parentview=16573)

by brother_x 2006-02-21 3:02 AM +0800

February 18, 2006 - RESISTANCE, the socialist youth organisation wants university students nationwide to buy their flag-burning kits next week to show their distress at the Howard government.

Resistance said the kits, containing an Australian flag, a lighter, a fire-lighting cube and Resistance pamphlets, would be sold at university orientation week for $5 each...
Resistance - as part of its campaign to support freedom of expression and civil liberties - is offering flag burning kits during O-Week activities and beyond.

The kit is inspired by Resistance member Azlan McLennan's recent artwork "Proudly un-Australian", which was censored by police when it was removed illegally from the Trocadero Art Space gallery in Footscray, Melbourne on January 20. The artwork consisted of a deliberately burned Australian flag.

The Flag Burning kit displays the sentiment that many young people today feel, given the Australian government's racist refugee policy; its treatment of Indigenous people; its use of violence against protesters; its support of US foreign policy; and its oppressive military role in the Asia-Pacific.

The kit contains:
1 x Australian Flag
1 x Lighter
1 x Fire Lighting Cube
1 x Resistance Material

The current debate in the media surrounding the burning of the flag seeks to vilify those who utilise their rights to freedom of speech, expression and association. The right to political dissent is an inherent human right, and the burning of the Australian flag symbolises that freedom.

Resistance coordinator for Melbourne, Brianna Pike, said hundreds of the kits will be distributed nationwide.

Major-General Bill Crews, national president of the Returned and Services League, condemned the kits. Maj-Gen Crews said the flag should not be a vehicle for protest or demonstration and burning the flag should be a criminal offence.

"I find it highly offensive. Not just to our members, but to all decent Australians," he said.

A spokesman for Prime Minister John Howard did not immediately respond to queries about the kits, but Mr Howard has previously said it should not be illegal to burn the Australian flag.

"I don't believe you should have a law making it a criminal offence to burn the Australian flag - much in all as I love and revere that flag," Mr Howard said recently.

Trocadero Art Space director Michael Brenner said the artwork removed by police last month was returned to the artist, himself a Resistance member, last week and may be reinstalled at the gallery. Mr Brenner said he supported the flag-burning kits.

"I don't have a problem with it. It is part of their freedom of expression, so yes, I support it. I support freedom of expression," Mr Brenner said.

The group says the kits are a symbolic gesture to support freedom of expression and civil liberties.

A Queensland member of Resistance, Stella Riethmuller, admits the campaign goes much deeper. "There's a whole range of issues that, you know, we think are really urgent, like the occupation of Iraq and, you know, locking up refugees and our continued and ongoing oppression of Aboriginal people," she said.

Ms Riethmuller believes the kits are a symbolic gesture, and doesn't expect people to set the flags alight.

"We're in pretty desperate times... you know, we're taking desperate measures, you know, to promote discussion and activity around these really important issues, and I think young people who are radically inclined and who actually want to create a better world are going to respond to this," said Ms Riethmuller.

She says the flag burning kit is part of joining Resistance - "which costs $5, which actually includes a whole number of other things, so it's actually a really good deal..."

The Federal Education Minister, Julie Bishop, condemned the kits: "I would've thought that people who are intelligent enough to get into university could find a more considered way to make their point, rather than denigrate their country by encouraging people to burn our flag," said the Minister.

Jenny Macklin, Labor's Education spokeswoman, shared a similar sentiment: "Well, I hope nobody takes any notice of this latest activity. We need to make sure that our flag is respected, and we certainly don't want to see these activities on our university campuses."

RSL's Bill Crew says Australia is a "free country and we defend the right for people to peacefully protest, however on this occasion they have chosen to encourage people to burn our flag as a form of protest, and we object most strongly to that approach..."

The RSL believes the Federal Government should be doing more to stop such unpatriotic displays, but Julie Bishop maintains no matter how offensive flag burning is, the Government won't legislate against it.

Bishop said "It is an offence in some countries, but I would not like to legislate to make martyrs of people who try to outrage others by burning our flag," she said to the ABC.

"Our country's renowned for its freedoms, we have a right to freedom of speech, a right to express ourselves, but of course with every right comes a responsibility, and that responsibility is not to offend others and denigrate our country in this way."

[Ian]

This is the stupidest thing ever.

Do they even read the books they sell? They should read that Camejo book they sell, I think this is an example of an attempt to attract only the already radicalised, do they seriously expect this to appeal to anyone who isn't already exposed to radical politics

[Freigemachten]

I'm confused, why do you need a kit? other than to raise funds, and to have a count (which really could just be done by the scorched remains) of how many people dissent, I don't see a reason to buy a kit.

[Goatse]

Make up a kit for the United Kingdom and I'll buy it.

[Seong]

The artwork consisted of a deliberately burned Australian flag.

Now THAT makes me proud to be 'Australian!' :D

[Ian]

I'm sure thousands of people have done that supposed piece of 'art', it's pretty lame

[ComradeOm]

We have to buy a kit to burn flags now? Capitalist scum :lol:

[Scars]

Anyone is so stupid that they have to buy a kit in order to burn a flag I don't trust. They'll probably set themselves on fire.

And why the hell do you need a firelighter or lighter fluid? Flags are generally synthetic, thus burn (well, more kind melt) incredibly easily anyhow.

[drain.you]

We have to buy a kit to burn flags now? Capitalist scum
lmao. Reminds me of that quote about how the capitalists will sell us the rope we need to hang them.

Not sure why we need a 'kit' to burn flags. Think I might go on a flag burning rampage when the world cup is on but I would just light them up from whereever they hang :D

[BillHicks]

While I understand and support the right to burn any flag, you need to be smart about it and know when to pick your spots lest it not reek of the same spectacle as Bush with a Flight Jacket on.

Under no circumstances should it be done on federal property, nor in the presence of veterans or current enlisted soldiers unless they are already with you. While you may not agree with why they went over to (insert place here) to risk their then young lives, the fact of the matter is that, as two very good friends of mine who serve the Canadian armed forces have said, every soldier who has ever suited up and gone into war or combat has taken up a gun into to one day put it down. They may not have risked their lives defending freedom or the nation as is the rhetoric, but they nonetheless did risk their lives by virtue of wearing the uniform, and more often than not not necessarily on a voluntary basis. I tend to imagine if someone were to burn a pre-WWII Italian flag in front of my grandfather. He was 15 when he found himself picked up and sent to Ethiopia killing many dark skinned folks for Mussolini and was gleefully accepting of that post at the time because farming was no longer supporting the family and with enlistment he could be guaranteed that his younger brothers and sisters and mother would be cared for in terms of sustenance, especially after his youngest (at the time infant) brother was made deaf and mute because of lack of access to healthcare in their village. People engage in very deplorable things for very good reasons. To burn that flag in front of him would just seem very unfair because it ignores the private histories of war and combat while paintbrushing everyone who ever took part in them.

So again, flag burning is not something that should be done easily or on a whim. It doesn't matter the flag for each symbol no matter the insidioous intent and output it represents has private histories which deserve some respect. The concept of the soldier as mindless drone insults all involved. Just keep this in mind the next time you see someone pulling a zippo lighter out of their coat pocket.

[BOZG]

That is plain idiotic.

[Hiero]

Originally posted by [email protected] 6 2006, 11:21 PM
That is plain idiotic.
You and Ian are obviously fascist.

[Iroquois Xavier]

You know what makes me laugh? how america gets so touchy when somebody burns their flag. It isnt their flag, its the person who burnt it! :lol:

for example:

flagburner- "haha! im burning your flag dumb yank"

what i'd say...

"NO YOUR BURNING YOUR OWN FLAG, YOU BOUGHT IT YOU DUMBASS!"

[bird brain]

you chat so much shit :wub:

[Iroquois Xavier]

Originally posted by bird [email protected] 6 2006, 02:06 PM
you chat so much shit :wub:
coming from homphobe of the year... :angry:

[Niall]

Originally posted by [email protected] 5 2006, 11:38 PM
While I understand and support the right to burn any flag, you need to be smart about it and know when to pick your spots lest it not reek of the same spectacle as Bush with a Flight Jacket on.

Under no circumstances should it be done on federal property, nor in the presence of veterans or current enlisted soldiers unless they are already with you. While you may not agree with why they went over to (insert place here) to risk their then young lives, the fact of the matter is that, as two very good friends of mine who serve the Canadian armed forces have said, every soldier who has ever suited up and gone into war or combat has taken up a gun into to one day put it down. They may not have risked their lives defending freedom or the nation as is the rhetoric, but they nonetheless did risk their lives by virtue of wearing the uniform, and more often than not not necessarily on a voluntary basis. I tend to imagine if someone were to burn a pre-WWII Italian flag in front of my grandfather. He was 15 when he found himself picked up and sent to Ethiopia killing many dark skinned folks for Mussolini and was gleefully accepting of that post at the time because farming was no longer supporting the family and with enlistment he could be guaranteed that his younger brothers and sisters and mother would be cared for in terms of sustenance, especially after his youngest (at the time infant) brother was made deaf and mute because of lack of access to healthcare in their village. People engage in very deplorable things for very good reasons. To burn that flag in front of him would just seem very unfair because it ignores the private histories of war and combat while paintbrushing everyone who ever took part in them.

So again, flag burning is not something that should be done easily or on a whim. It doesn't matter the flag for each symbol no matter the insidioous intent and output it represents has private histories which deserve some respect. The concept of the soldier as mindless drone insults all involved. Just keep this in mind the next time you see someone pulling a zippo lighter out of their coat pocket.
why not on federal propety

[Iroquois Xavier]

burning flags is fun, especially when its a stupid flag. like the Union Jack.

[RaiseYourVoice]

I agree with burning flags but do it for the right motives. many kids do it for fun or out of pure aggression. If you burn flags it should go along with a message. have 10 people carry posters with a message and you can burn a flag to make it more impressive whatever. burning a flag itself isnt a real statement...
And about the argument about buying a flag.... you bought a computer to chat with people about communism on the internet so stfu. you cannot in a capitalist society live without spending money.. its simply impossible.
Theres only the decission where to spend money on, and spending it on an organisied protest is imo way better than going to McDonals and buying a burger, buying new shoes, buying computer games, buying DvDs, buying flowers etc.
If you dont want to spend money on your fight for communisn cause its not communist to spend money, than you are either unemployed or you spend lots of money on other things or you sit your ass on a lot of money on your bank account. which all in fact isn really helping the revolution.

The flag kit as described in the article is a simbolic act, its symbolic protest against the government and its directed against certain actions. so i think it really is a good and clever campaign and to be supported

[Ian]

I didn't see anyone from this organisation on my campus.

[foreverfaded]

you bought a computer to chat with people about communism on the internet so stfu.

i use a local public library when i get on a computer.

[Commie Rat]

agreed this is stupid. i have better things to spend my $5 on.

[chebol]

You have to remember that this was organised in response to the confiscation (illegally) by police of an artwork, in a climate of increased attacks on civil liberties, increased racism and dog-whistle politics by the country's right-wing governments. It is a matter of freedom of speech. The idea was not to simply burn the flag for it's own sake (although many would gladly do so), but, yes, was a political statement. One which, it might be argued, was successful.

If anyone is in Sydney on Saturday, Azlan, the artist responsible for the original "offensive" artwork will be at a Resistance meeting on "The Art of Sedition". Phone 9690 1977 for details.

Ian, what's your campus?

[rioters bloc]

i saw the posters for that around uni chebol!

if only i was free.

[apathy maybe]

I bought one. They are crap. But I'm going to burn it one of these days.