POLITICS, POETRY & SATIRE
This Friday and Saturday, public protests will be held in Brisbane against the Israeli attack on Gaza.
At 5pm on Friday January 9th there will be a roadside vigil at Brisbane Square, across George St from the top of the Queen St Mall in the city – click here for a Google Map.
And on Saturday January 10 at 12.30pm there will be a rally at Queens Park, on the corner of Elizabeth and George St in the city – click here for a Google Map. The rally will be followed by a march through the city.
CNN video now unavailable.
Airburst bombs shower target areas with many bomblets. In built up areas they kill indiscriminately.
The reporter quotes a Norwegian doctor working in Gaza saying there’s been an increase in casualties coming into his hospital since the beginning of Israel’s abominable incursion. 30% of the casualties are women and children.
Defence for Children International Children killed as a result of Israel military and settlers 2000 – 2008
In addition, from the UN 4/1/09:
As of this evening, the MoH reports casualty figures since the beginning of the Israeli military operation on 27 December of 491 dead and approximately 2,400 injured, out of which figures, at least 20 percent of the fatalities and 40 percent of the injuries are women and children.
List of UN releases relevant to Palestine
Excellent chronology of the occupation by Israel and resistance to it.
As the occupying power, under the Geneva Conventions Israel has the responsibility for caring for the occupied. Despite its claims of having left Gaza in 2005, Israel still occupies it under international law.
UN Office for the Coordindation of Humanitarian Affairs latest updates.
In a few days we’ll be wearing new T-shirts displaying an essential message fom our spectacular black cat, drawn for us by Australian cartoonist, FirstDogOnTheMoon (@firstdogonmoon). FirstDog is resident cartoonist at Crikey.com.au .
To gain your special edition FirstDog T-shirt, visit Redbubble! Several of FirstDog’s recent avatar cartoons are available on T-shirts, cards and prints.
Any publicity is good publicity, so maybe the faithful will rally to the cause and fill the gap after fallout from the St. Vincent de Paul court loss to ex-volunteer Linda Walsh spreads. Moreover, perhaps they will look askance at a hypocrital organisation which invested a truckload of money and a barrage of lawyers with a shocking, medieval defence against one of its volunteers.
Those of us who thought the shop up the road was all about helping the poor stand corrected. “The primary function of the society,” said St Vincent de Paul’s lawyers, “is to inculcate the Catholic faith in its members.”
From the St Vinnie’s web site:
We follow the teachings of the Scriptures:
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, protect the rights of those who are helpless.
Speak out and pronounce a sentence of justice, defend the cause of the wretched and the poor.”
(Proverbs 31:8-9)
Yeah, right. Unbelievable hypocrisy.
There’s few things as repulsive as powerful religious organisations with their hand in the public till who sanctimoniously harass and belittle charitable people for not adherring to their irrational belief systems.
The case also highlights the importance of maintaining freedom from religion as well as freedom of religion in any Bill of Rights heading our way. God save us from those who want to save us!
