• Aradina [She/They]@lemmy.ml
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    2 months ago

    Great turnout at the rally today. I love going to these every week, its overstimulating as hell a bit but I feel completely safe in the crowd. All the singing and dancing and kind faces.

    I feel less safe around guns which the cops were running around flaunting but hey, can’t have everything.

    • StudSpud The Starchy
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      2 months ago

      I dislike you have been down voted. We are allowed to protest here, and as long as you’re not a Nazi, I have no issue with it.

      I also don’t understand what protesting in Melbourne is going to do for the Palestinians. Aus isn’t the big manufacturer of weapons being sent to Israel or Palestine. I’m not saying you should t go, I just don’t get what it is trying to achieve here.

      I get protesting in Britain, since they sort of set this up historically, but also wars and conflict over the holy land have been ongoing since, like, before Jesus. So. What does Australia have to do with this?

      I do think there are way more Australian-relevant issues to protest - such as the rise of Nazis, cost of living, price gouging, and housing affordability, and the rights of First Nations.

      I do not agree with either Hamas nor Netanyahu, I dont want innocent people to be used as collateral damage.

      But again, what will protesting the war do here, in Australia, in Melbourne?

      Not trying to start a fight, I just don’t understand the goals.

      • Aradina [She/They]@lemmy.ml
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        2 months ago

        The Palestinian struggle mirrors the struggle against colonialism in our country. That’s why the protests always include chants of “always was always will be”. Colonialism is a worldwide system after all, its not just in Palestine or Australia. It’s the same struggle everywhere, and we need to fight it everywhere if we want it gone to the dustbin of history where it belongs alongside all other forms of racism.

        Our government also does have the ability to pressure other governments. We have the ability to change things and improve things despite being a middle power. Even just condemning the genocide would be a massive move that could change things, it could encourage other countries to condemn it and stop exporting products that help it along.

        Those other issues are issues and we should be rallying about those too. Someone just has to organise and lead it. On the Nazis, these rallies are anti-nazi too. The groups involved are broad leftist groups who are very much against Nazism and everything it stands for, like colonialism.

        On top of that is just solidarity. If even one photo of the rally makes it to someone having a hard time in Palestine or Lebanon or wherever else and maybe improves their day, then every rally will have been worth it. I want it to be known that despite being on the other side of the world, I care.

        “An injury to one is an injury to all.” Is something I take very seriously. As long as there are oppressed people out there, none of us are free.

        Also the benefit of my account being on Lemmy.ml is that down votes don’t federate between instances so idk how many people downvote me, I only see one or two.

        • StudSpud The Starchy
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          2 months ago

          Makes sense to me, thank you for explaining! 🙏🏼

          May we see an end to all settler colonialism and move forward to a peaceful existence with each other.

        • Alamutjones
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          2 months ago

          these rallies are anti-nazi too.

          That may have been the goal originally, but I’ve definitely seen more swastikas than I would like…

          There’s some bad actors who have latched on, maybe

          • Aradina [She/They]@lemmy.ml
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            2 months ago

            Nazis aren’t really going to rallies where the chants include “always was, always will be!” “Aboriginal land” or “no justice, no peace, no racist police” because they support the cause. But they might rock up to agitate and divert media attention away from them.

            Any amount of swasticas are too many though. I got a cheapo kogan thermal printer so I can cover them on the fly with pictures of my cat. Haven’t actually had to use it for that yet though.

            • Alamutjones
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              2 months ago

              I’ve seen them. Remember I live in the CBD, so I see basically any protest that occurs.

              It’s not many, but since (like you) my preferred number of Nazis would be zero, I find it a tad concerning

        • Seagoon_OP
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          2 months ago

          I agree, we should protest Shia imperialism/colonialism. Shia Hezbollah has slaughtered 10,000s of Sunni democracy protestors in Syria. Shia Hezbollah persecuted and slaughtered Lebanese Christians. Shia has slaughtered and denied rights to women in Iran. Shia Hamas kills Druze and Bedouins and Christians in Israel. Shia wants to have a caliphate and destroying Israel and all infidels, including all Sunni, is part of that.

      • Seagoon_OP
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        2 months ago

        Imagine if our Governor General and Prime Minister were murdered and a religiously motivated gang took over.

        Lebanon deserves a democratically elected government, not a corrupt gang.

        • Seagoon_OP
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          2 months ago

          A gun in it’s holster is not brandished and is not considered a threat.

          • Aradina [She/They]@lemmy.ml
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            2 months ago

            A gun in its holster carries the implication of it no longer being there. Its a threat, and I feel threatened. Though I grew up around cops who were much more verbal with their threats of violence, the quiet ones make me nervous too.

            • Seagoon_OP
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              2 months ago

              I feel threatened when leaders chant River to the Sea and the followers scream at me “Kill them” .

              • Aradina [She/They]@lemmy.ml
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                2 months ago

                You’re arguing at a strawman and I don’t know why. I’m clearly not going to step in to defend a scarecrow.

                • Seagoon_OP
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                  2 months ago

                  I personally experienced it and wrote about it here on the day it happened. Was in October last year in front of the State Library.

                  Or are you saying my lived experienced is not valid?

                  • Aradina [She/They]@lemmy.ml
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                    2 months ago

                    No, I’m saying the presence of bad actors a year ago doesn’t mean an entire movement agrees with them. Antisemitism is not popular in the movements that are attending these rallies. A quick glance confirms this.

        • CEOofmyhouse56
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          2 months ago

          Yeah nah. Flaunting would be waving the thing above their head. Ok the show’s over now. Home time.

    • Seagoon_OP
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      2 months ago

      Imagine having 10,000 missiles launched at Melbourne. That would be terrifying.