En Passant

As a class we can empower ourselves and in doing so would no longer have to endure structures of feudalism and celebrations of war, bigotry and the mysticism of religion. As Trotsky put it ‘Life is beautiful. Let the future generations cleanse it of all evil, oppression, and violence, and enjoy it to the full.’

The players have the power to stop profits flowing to the AFL.

All they need is the will to do that and win whatever they want from the bosses.

Without labour there are no profits.

It is a lesson all Australian workers could learn.

Condemn all the Arab dictators and support those who are rising up against their tyrants and for freedom and food, justice and jobs.

Labor is consolidating around a reactionary agenda and destroying itself politically as a consequence.

This is a government without political purpose, without vision, without morals, without principles other than ruling for the rich, but with a strategy to out-Tory the Tories.

With this sort of Labor trajectory the Conservatives could be in power soon.

Our task is to resist reaction of whichever hue and to argue for a fightback in our unions and in the social movements.

Two people in front of me reeled back, clutching their eyes. The cops had used capsicum spray on them. One was a photographer. Maybe taking photos is a threat to democracy too like tying ribbons on a fence.

Five people helped the other protester as he staggered about, blinded and in pain for the crime of attending a demonstration.

Refugees are the real ANZACS with their determination, commitment and struggle to win democracy and freedom.

Julia Gillard, tear down your detention centres.

But Marxism 2011 was a joy for another reason – the young revolutionaries. Here is a group of socialists eager to learn and keen to participate in struggles. Hope springs eternal in an old man’s breast when he sees the new generation of comrades. And when the working class begins to move.

The first Anzac Day was an attempt to divert anger away from the capitalist class to those who were “disloyal”. It was also an important part of the pro-conscription propaganda.

Instead of wine discounts and cheap movie tickets, maybe unions could offer what workers really want – an organisation in which empowered members take action to win real wage increases, better conditions and defend jobs.

We can’t predict what the spark will be in Australia for the resistance to the neoliberal agenda, but the events in the US, Europe and the Arab world give us great confidence it will happen.