Suddenly, people turn shirty
3/6/08; http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/suddenly-people-turn-shirty/2008/07/02/1214950851287.html
Tell people what they can’t do, and they will surely go ahead and do it. Barely 48 hours after the Herald revealed that protesting, skateboarding or even wearing a particular T-shirt could result in a fine of $5500 if it annoys a pilgrim during World Youth Day, hundreds of people have designed T-shirt slogans in protest. Thousands more have voiced their opinions through online polls, blogs, letters and talkback radio. And more than 500 media outlets worldwide have run stories about the controversial regulations. Most people were opposed to any intrusion on civil liberties. “I am a Catholic and will be participating in the WYD,” wrote Andrew on an smh.com.au blog. “I think these laws are stupid and ridiculous.” Others cautioned people against directing anger towards participants. “Your beef should be with the Government, not the pilgrims,” Graeme wrote. “Anyone who wants to use this as an excuse for pilgrim bashing does not deserve to be called Australian.” More than 90 per cent of 10,000 respondents to an smh.com.au poll opposed the laws.
Anti-Pope campaigners target new laws
Ean Higgins;3/7/08
The radical group established to protest against the Pope at World Youth Day switched strategy yesterday, seeking a wider support base from all those opposed to the NSW Government’s containment of civil liberties. The NoToPope Coalition is led by some hard-core professional activists battle-hardened at Melbourne’s S-11 protests and Sydney’s anti-APEC rallies. The coalition includes atheist, Raelian and gay rights groups, along with old-guard Trotskyists and anarchists.
See: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23960581-5006784,00.html
Catholics split on freedom to annoy
Linda Morris, Joel Gibson & Jano Gibson; 3/6/08
The prominent Catholic priest and lawyer Frank Brennan has condemned new police powers for World Youth Day as a “dreadful interference” with civil liberties and contrary to Catholic teaching on human rights. The Catholic Church yesterday stood firm behind the State Government’s laws restricting annoying and inconvenient public protests. Father Brennan’s attack came as groups that had had no plans to protest during the event vowed to do so in response to the new laws.
See: http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/catholics-split-on-freedom-to-annoy/2008/07/02/1214950851278.html
Crack annoyance squad wanted
Julian Morrow; 3/6/08
Morris Iemma leads a Government whose members have displayed a truly impressive array of human failings. If we limit the list just to convicted criminals, it has harboured in its ranks a drink driver and a pedophile, not to mention a number of serial speeders. So it’s no wonder an official visit from a man who can absolve sins is appealing to the State Government. But it’s probably also not a surprise that the Government has, yet again, demonstrated bad judgment and made a bad law. Thanks to the World Youth Day Amendment Regulation signed by the the Deputy Premier, John Watkins, on June 25, doing something which “causes annoyance or inconvenience to participants in a World Youth Day” could now lead to a criminal conviction.
See: http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/crack-annoyance-squad-wanted/2008/07/02/1214950843595.html
Now I lay me down to sleep
Sue Carr; 3/6/08
I must have been doing a lot of sleeping lately because everywhere I turn I rub my eyes and see something I don’t recall voting for. Did I nod off when Sydney decided to bid for World Youth Day? I certainly remember the excitement when we won the Olympics bid, so winning youth day must surely have been a huge event for Sydneysiders. Perhaps I was sleeping. I guess I also micro-slept when millions of dollars were allocated to boot horse racing out of Randwick, because I definitely did not put my hand up for that one.
See: http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/now-i-lay-me-down-to-sleep/2008/07/02/1214950846374.html
Ban on T-shirt terrorists is really taking the liberty
So now it’s a crime to be annoying. I’m really annoying so I’m staying at home. John Howard better keep indoors. Mr Iemma too - I’d hate to see his own police do their duty there. And please someone tell Peter Jensen he sould stay in Europe for, oh, at least the next 30 years - Sam Neill Double Bay;
See: http://www.smh.com.au/letters/index.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap2
Libertarian ‘moral panic’ aside, it’s a happy event
Kristina Keneally; 3/67/08 - The State Government’s ministerial spokeswoman for World Youth Day.
World Youth Day is an event of enormous proportions. It will bring 500,000 young people to the city centre and Randwick Racecourse and huge crowds to dozens of other venues across the city.Large events, and major venues where large numbers of people gather, are always subject to special regulations to ensure crowd safety and effective management. World Youth Day is no different. The last two days have seen a range of sensationalist claims about the regulations in force for World Youth Day, and these have ignited community concerns about possible infringements on civil liberties, including the right to protest.
See: http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/libertarian-moral-panic-aside-its-a-happy-event/2008/07/02/1214950843602.html?page=2
Tags: Australia, Christianity, WYD