En Passant

  Old white men dominate our news, our economy, our politics and our lives. Harvey Weinstein is but the latest example of rich white male ruling-class overlordship. Me in Independent Australia today. Weinstein exercised his power in society to prey on women. He could only do so – and go unchallenged for decades – because […]

Electing Hillary Clinton won’t challenge let alone change the system of oppression or the positions of power that give some powerful men what they think is (and because of their positions of power often is) sexual power over women. Indeed, like Obama before her, as President Hillary Clinton will reinforce the oppressions of capitalism, the oppressions of gender and race on which capitalism has been and is built and reinforced.

Having more women as bosses will not challenge the system that gives rise to women’s oppression. It will only reinforce it. In the meantime, women workers, including junior doctors, could join unions and turn them into organisations that defend their interests. In the words of the famous song, don’t be too polite girls, don’t be too polite.

‘A campaign against rape in isolation from all other aspects of women’s oppression will not serve the purpose. Rape, like domestic violence and sexual harassment, is a symptom of a deeply unequal class-based society that leads some men to think they can control women, including sexually. This is reinforced by women’s material inequality and lower status in society. We must challenge sexism and through the process of struggle will see millions of people questioning the brutal, sexist and exploitative capitlaist society in which we live and look for alternatives beyond capitalism.’

The State and capital will attack the Other – whether it be indigenous Australians, Muslims or refugees – for their own benefit. They will not investigate one of their own, in this case the Catholic Church over child abuse, unless there is real pressure from below to do so.

We invade the Northern Territory to ‘protect’ children. We outlaw bikie gangs for alleged crimes. Why not the same for the Catholic Church?