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Below is a message I recieved from Kerry Nettle. I sent her a quick thank you for standing up to * when he was in Australia.
Thank you for your message of support for our actions last Thursday and Friday.
Our offices, and Greens offices all over the country, have been inundated with messages from people in Australia and abroad who were, like us, dismayed by other MPs’ willingness to remain silent about fundamental human rights issues in the interests of "good manners". The overwhelming majority of responses have been positive, although we have received responses from critics too. It’s fantastic that our actions provoked such community debate – like President Bush said, we love free speech.
We did not take this course of action lightly. We were dismayed that neither the public nor the Australian Parliament was given an opportunity to engage in any type of dialogue with the Presidents during their visits. Even the Australian media was denied access to them. We knew that many Australians have been appalled by the behaviour of the United States Government, and by raising the issues of Guantanemo Bay and the Australia/US Free Trade Agreement during President Bush’s speech we attempted to give this sector of the Australian community a voice. President Hu Jintao’s repression of Chinese democrats and Tibet is legendary. Our protest gave voice to these issues.
Thanks again for your message. We will continue to speak up on behalf of the millions of Australians who do not agree with our current government’s willingness to put the interests of the President of the United States ahead of Australia. We’ve included some of the responses we received below.
"I congratulate you on your courage and principle. You have secured for yourself an honoured place in the dissenting history of Australia, and a treasured place in the memories and hearts of the many Australians who are sickened by the Bush visit and the timid genuflections of the ALP".
"I hope that your passionate opposition will be reported widely and that the President comes away with no delusions about the fact that many good Australians are against his appalling foreign policies. Keep up the great work! You are both conviction politicians who put your money where your mouths are and I think we need more like you!"
"Thank you for speaking out for us, for reminding Australians that the platitudes of the current US administration do not go unquestioned in a free and open society".
"Thank you for having the courage to stand up in parliament today for those of us who vehemently disagree with President Bush and John Howard's propaganda machine. Thank you for making visible the fact that not all Australians are complicit with their actions and speaking. Thank you for standing for a deeper truth and having the courage to voice your convictions. Bush says he "loves freedom of speech" yet he gags those who speak. Thank you both for finding a way to speak through the web of deceit and showing the hypocrisy for what it is".
"You've both done the right thing and are the only decent politicians in Canberra. I am proud of the pair you and disgusted at the appalling lack of cajones, ethics and spine from the rest of our supposed representatives".
"Yours is a conscience of cooperation, of adherence to law, and of minimizing the use of violence. Gandhi and Dr. King would be proud of you had they been alive to hear your words".
Kerry Nettle
Australian Greens Senator for NSW
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