Here at Petersham RSL Club, we take pride in the quality of service we are able to offer you, your guests and colleagues (even if you are neo-Nazis). We thank you for your interest in conducting your function with us and will ensure that your every need is accommodated with the utmost enthusiasm and professionalism…
Marrickville Street Festival is one of the largest annual festivals in the Marrickville area, drawing crowds of more than 50,000 people each year to celebrate Marrickville’s cultural diversity. The event is a feast for the senses – with live entertainment and cultural performances spread across 2 main stages, plus an additional community performance area in the Alex Travallion Plaza; also a dedicated Kids Space with free workshops and performances, international foods, arts and crafts, displays, rides, over 100 stalls, and much more.
Petersham RSL once again sponsored this year’s Marrickville Festival, held on Sunday 12th September on Marrickville Road, Illawarra Road, Marrickville from 11am to 5 pm… It was pleasing once again to see so many young people involved in the remembrance activities. (No doubt everyone will forget our hosting a group of fascists only two weeks later! Tee hee!)
I think I’ve been a little harsh in my criticisms of the “national anarchists”. I write this as not one not two but three new “national anarchist” blogs have recently sprung into existence, and they’re great!
Other neat-o blogs I’ve stumbledupon recently are:
AntiFa StreetArt : nice. different. unusual. street art against fascism Anti-Fascist Action Wellington : what it says on the label At Home He’s A Turista : anarchist, communist and working class news dokumentationsarchiv : a multi-lingual blog collating articles and media reports on the antics of the far right Gather Around Me : It Makes All Of Your Dreams Come True! squattercity : Robert Neuwirth is “a writer who spent two years living in squatter communities in four continents” — this is his blog
The intellectual challenge for social democrats is not just to repudiate the neo-liberal extremism that has landed us in this mess, but to advance the case that the social-democratic state offers the best guarantee of preserving the productive capacity of properly regulated competitive markets, while ensuring that government is the regulator, that government is the funder or provider of public goods and that government offsets the inevitable inequalities of the market with a commitment to fairness for all. Social democracy’s continuing philosophical claim to political legitimacy is its capacity to balance the private and the public, profit and wages, the market and the state. That philosophy once again speaks with clarity and cogency to the challenges of our time.
Social-democratic governments across the world must rise to the further challenge of developing a practical policy response to the crisis that rebuilds shattered economic growth, while also devising a new regulatory regime for the financial markets of the future. This is our immediate challenge. But if we fail, there is a grave danger that new political voices of the extreme Left and the nationalist Right will begin to achieve a legitimacy hitherto denied them. Again, history is replete with the most disturbing of precedents.
~ KRudd, ‘The Global Financial Crisis’, The Monthly, February 2009, p.21.
Originally, in the late nineteenth century, an ostensibly revolutionary doctrine — a marriage, presided over by Marxism, of the industrial working class and the middle class intelligentsia — in Australia, ‘social democracy’ is the ideological blanket in which the ‘Australian Labor Party’ has wrapped itself for many years. As an instrument through which the aspiring middle class can obtain some degree of influence over the political process, the party has been relatively successful. But over previous decades keeping the coal-powered fluorescent bulb burning on that hill in Canberra — and various State parliaments — has rendered the party a lifeless husk: somewhat dependent on the million-dollar sponsorship of the ALP-dominated cash-cows otherwise known as ‘trade unions’; increasingly reliant on the corporate sector for the filthy lucre necessary to defeat the Tories come election time; and almost entirely bereft of ideas.
In Germany, ‘social democracy’ is in heap ’em big trouble. In the federal election held over last weekend, the SPD gained just 23% of the popular vote — a drop of 11.2% on the last time the part-ay went to the polls — in the process losing 76 seats in the Bundestag (dropping from 222 to 146), and mourning over its worst performance in post-WWII Germany.
Germany’s Social Democrats are in crisis. And they are not alone. Across Europe, social democratic parties are struggling to connect with a new generation of voters. What’s the problem?
Germany’s Social Democrats were set for a sweeping leadership reshuffle on Tuesday as advocates of a sharp leftward shift moved to grab the helm of the country’s oldest party following Sunday’s historic electoral debacle.
Whoever becomes the party’s next chairman will decide the political direction of Europe’s largest Social Democratic force at a time when the centre-left is on the defensive across the continent.
Sunday’s general election, where the SPD obtained 23 per cent of the votes and only 146 seats in parliament – its worst result in the Federal Republic’s 60 years – could mark the end of an era for the centrist reformists who have dominated over the past decade…
Otherwise, the hard men of the NPD turned into Mr. Floppy at the ballot box — making Welf Herfurth and other “national anarchists” shed hot tears of disappointment. A total of 635,437 people voted for the NPD in the federal election on Sunday, a drop of 0.1% (1.5 ~versus~ 1.6) on the 2005 election results.
In the UK, Brown gambles on law and order (Paola Totaro, The Age, September 30, 2009). Apparently, while the great majority of the police, seemingly ever-patient and self-controlled, have stood for years as kids baited and yelled, shoved and provoked — and only a handful of officers have used well-placed elbows, their batons raised only in response to vandalism — the Government has had enough of the UK’s most pressing concern: anti-social families, teenage drunkenness and problem children.
The councilor comes with his battered old suit
And his head all filled with plans
Says “It’s not for myself, for the fame or wealth
But to help my fellow man”
Fist in the air and the first to stand
When the Internationale plays
Says “We’ll break down the walls of the old Town Hall
And we’ll fight all the lifelong day!”
Ten years later where is he now?
He’s ditched all the old ideas
Milked all the life from the old cash cow
Now he’s got a fine career
Now he’s got a fine career
Footy riots follow final
Emily Watkins Northern Territory News
September 30, 2009
A RIOT that lasted three days broke out in a Northern Territory town after Collingwood beat Adelaide in a footy final this month, a court has heard.
Darwin Magistrates Court heard warring Wadeye tribes had been supporting opposing teams playing in the AFL semi-final.
Luke Parmbuk, 20, pleaded guilty to engaging in violent conduct for his part in the riots on September 13 – two days after the game.
Aboriginal legal aid lawyer Callum Dolman said the entire community had watched the game, and the fighting started after one tribe, supporting Adelaide, took exception to the celebratory noise the other tribe was making over Collingwood’s win.
Parmbuk had been supporting Collingwood, and two days after the win, he was one of 30 people outside a house at Wadeye, throwing rocks.
He was holding a steel bar, hitting it on the fence.
Prosecutor Sergeant Justene Dwyer said the offence needed to be met with a harsh penalty.
“Children are afraid to go to school, people are afraid to go to work in case they get caught up in this ‘chest-puffing’ between groups” she said.
Chief Magistrate Jenny Blokland said his role in the Wadeye rioting was “of some significance”.
Parmbuk was sentenced to two months in prison.
[‘Good Old Collingwood Forever’ sung in the general direction of Jamie-R.]
“We must secure the existence of our people and sexual access to young children.”
The dead German incestuous coprophiliac dictator Adolf Hitler set a very high benchmark for sexual and political pathology, but that hasn’t prevented his ideological descendants from trying to emulate their dear departed leader. Of late, there was Kevin Strom of the US-based National Vanguard — he went to jail in January 2008 for the crime of possessing child pornography. Then a few months later, Martyn Gilleard of the British Peoples Party and the National Front (UK) was found guilty of two counts of ‘terrorism’-related offences after having pleaded guilty to ten charges relating to the possession of child pornography. Now Carsten Ovesen, a poster boy for Danish neo-Nazis, is in heap ’em big trouble after allegations surfaced regarding the very special relationship he developed with a comrade’s 12-year-old daughter:
Nazi rocker accused of pedophilia
ninemsn staff
September 29, 2009
The lead singer of the official band for the Danish neo-Nazi political party [Danmarks Nationalsocialistiske Bevægelse/DNSB] has been expelled from the group and asked to commit suicide after he was accused of pedophilia.
Carsten Ovesen, the frontman of the band Daneskjold, allegedly had an ongoing inappropriate relationship with a friend’s 12-year-old daughter.
“It turns out that Carsten has repeatedly been visited by the 12-year-old girl in his apartment in Amager (a suburb of Copenhagen),” Danish National Socialist party chairman Jonni Hansen wrote on the band’s website.
“None of us expected to find such a thing in our own ranks, among our own people.”
Hansen also told Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet he had personally asked Ovesen to kill himself.
“I said simply to him that I invite him to commit suicide.
“That, I think, is the only real way out of it here,” he said.
The three-piece group Daneskjold was disbanded after the allegations emerged, and their website has been replaced by the message from Hansen and a large photograph of Ovesen’s face.
Hansen said Daneskjold was a central icon of the Nazi political movement in Denmark,
“It is extra uncomfortable — I’ve known the man for some years now,” he said.
The Danish National Socialist Party is believed to have around 1000 passive and 150 active members.
The party is officially recognised by the Danish government and has contested for seats in some elections without success.
Danish authorities have not commented on whether they are conducting an investigation into the pedophilia claims.
“Was there any form of filth or profligacy, particularly in cultural life, without at least one Jew involved in it? If you cut even cautiously into such an abscess, you found, like a maggot in a rotting body, often dazzled by the sudden light – a kike!” ~ Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf: audio version kindly made available at ‘Australia First’ member Jim Perren’s blog (‘Whitelaw Towers’).
Another year, another Sydney Forum.
This year’s event was kindly made possible by the Returned Services League branch @ Petersham (7 Regent Street, Petersham, NSW, 2047. Ph: (02) 9560 8355; Fax: (02) 9564 1841).
“The Price of Liberty is Eternal Vigilance” is the RSL’s motto, so how a small group of neo-Nazis managed to book a seat at the table is an interesting question.
Even more interesting is the fact that this is not the first time the Sydney Forum has been held at an RSL club: in 2007, Eastwood RSL leaped at the chance to make some $ from fascists, while in 2004 it was Bexley RSL’s opportunity to Throw The Jew Down The Well of Australian history. Oddly enough, the only institution to say nyet to the neo-Nazis was the Russian Social Club in 2005 (the Estonian community opened its arms to temporary conquest in 2006).
In brief, the Master Race may have 99 problems, but an RSL venue ain’t one of ’em.
Aside from the venue — Petersham RSL on Saturday; ‘The Bunker’ on Sunday — the Sydney Forum also featured speakers. Among them was the convicted criminal (fraud and conspiracy) of Lebanese descent, Dr James Saleam.
Earlier this year, Rupert Murdoch ordered Fairfax journalist Greg Bearup to write a profile of Saleam for the Good Weekend. My rabbi informs me that Word on the street is that Uncle Rupert is growing increasingly worried at the massive yet oddly subterranean influence of the Australia First Party, and is afraid that, if they’re not stopped, they’ll blow the conspiracy wide open. Bearup writes, inter alia:
• of Jim’s phantasy that he is of Greek, rather than Lebanese, descent (“Jimmy, Greek?” says Dr Michael Monsour, who owns a large medical practice in Maryborough. “Greek! Ha! Ha! Jimmy was a Leb, just like us.”);
• of Jim’s early attraction to Nazism (‘…he was often in strife for painting swastikas and giving the Nazi salute… “I remember one particular incident where he rounded up some of the young fry for a Nazi rally,” Taylor says. “It caused a huge stink.” Many of the teachers were returned servicemen. One, a decorated airman, had to be restrained from taking young Jim into a room and thumping him. “We wondered where all this came from,” says Saleam’s old teacher. “Especially as his family were Arabs.”‘);
• of Jim’s status as a little rich kid (‘…young Jim is remembered as being a “spoilt little bastard”, “a little prick” and “a shit of a kid”, who never wanted for anything, “apart from a few good kicks up the arse”. In a very working-class town, he was one of the spoilt rich kids.’);
• the irony that is lost upon the claimed AF membership that it is lead by a ‘non-White’ bloke whose HQ was paid for by Jim’s hard-working, ‘non-White’ father.
The HQ that Jim’s granddad paid for was not only the HQ for National Action (Jim’s previous political vehicle), but also the venue for the second day of the Sydney Forum.
Scheduled to speak at the Forum were the usual suspects, with serial offenders Saleam, Dave Astin and Andrew Fraser being joined this year by debutantes John ‘911 Was An Inside Job!’ Bursill, Terrie-Anne ‘Fuck Off We’re Full’ Verney, “Harry Fritz-Gerald Beahrends”, Steve ‘The Military Controls Our Weather Patterns!’ Grey and the Yanqui Andrew ‘BANANAs’ Yeoman. Overseeing events were Master of Race Ceremonies Welf Herfurth and Nicole ‘I ♥ Horses. And Hitler‘ Hanley.
Apparently, on the first day of the Forum, a number of individuals protested outside of it; they were later joined by NSW police, who instructed them to leave(?), which they duly did. According to one commenter:
I spoke to Danny FitzGerald at the RSL today about the little weekend fascio-nazi-fest. He said that he had no idea what the room had been booked for until it was underway. If he had been informed before hand he would not have permitted them entry as he does not support such ideology nor wants his staff or members subjected to these people. He was informed by the local constabulary that it would be wiser to let it proceed than to have the fascists removed from the premises. The CEO believed that there were legal grounds to remove them but it seems that the blue boys didn’t want to do that. Danny FitzGerald was also concerned for the safety and welfare of his staff and members and he believed that they would not go quietly if forced from the premises. He said the police if they were asked would likely deny that this had been their suggestion. So. Clear as mud. But it did go ahead all week end.
Danny Fitzgerald is Petersham RSL Club’s President.
In 2001, Newtown RSL was facing dwindling membership, negative profits and becoming rapidly outdated and inappropriate for the region’s young population. Later that year it went into liquidation. However, the building owned by NSW RSL Sub-Branch was thrown a lifeline by Petersham RSL Club who bought the building, funked it up and reopened it in July 2003 as “Petersham RSL @ Newtown”.
The RSL in Newtown has never been cooler, describing itself as “Sexy, Atmospheric and Inspiring,” a far cry from the RSL’s traditional modest environment. Petersham RSL Club’s President Danny Fitzgerald told the Glebe and Inner City News that it was fair to say @Newtown would not be like a typical RSL, “…there won’t be old-time dancing and bingo but we think it will fill a significant void in the Newtown area.”
Petersham RSL @Newtown now boasts two levels of entertainment including karaoke nights, hip-hop MCs, rock’n’roll and DJs all week through.
Petersham RSL Club marketing manager Kathy Briese said the club was trying out an SMS advertising campaign to attract younger patrons, sending special offers to members on their mobile phones.
“Rather than sending them out a birthday invite in the mail, as a lot of clubs would have done in the past, we can send an SMS to their phone saying bring this SMS into the club and you’ll get your birthday drink for free,” Ms Briese said.
“There’s so much competition out there these days that I think you have to be changing with the times to keep your membership growing.”
NB. I have issued instructions to Greg Bearup to write a full report, which will appear in the pages of the Sydney Morning Herald in due course.
Supposedly, only about 40–50 fascists (‘White racial patriots’) attended the event and, like the speakers, consisted of the usual suspects (members of Australia First, Blood & Honour, “national anarchists”, New Right, Volksfront, and assorted other racist riff-raff).
On Saturday, neo-Nazi Welf Herfurth complained about ‘antifa’, while John Bursill explained What Really Happened on 9/11.
According to a local “national anarchist”, Fraser argued that Australian identity must be based not upon loyalty to the Australian state, Constitution, or some other formal legal instrument, but rather a globalised ethnocentric or racial loyalism: ‘Anglo-Saxony for Anglo-Saxons‘. Saleam argued that the truth of Australian identity is to be found in its history (in the words of Australian poets and politicians, and through reference to ‘defining moments’); he quoted John Curtin and Jack Lang.
Activists in the South African shack dwellers movement Abahlali baseMjondolo have been attacked in Durban, leaving several dead.
Kennedy Road Development Committee (KRDC)
Emergency Press Release
September 27, 2009
Abahlali baseMjondolo Attacked in Kennedy Road – People Have Been Killed
Last night at about 11:30 a group of about 40 heavily armed men attacked the Abahlali baseMjondolo office in the Kennedy Road settlement where the movement was holding an all night camp for the Youth League.
The men who attacked were shouting: ‘The AmaMpondo are taking over Kennedy. Kennedy is for the AmaZulu.” Some people were killed. We can’t yet say exactly how many. Some are saying that three people are dead. Some are saying that five people are dead. Some people are also very seriously injured. The attackers broke everything that they could…
Many activists in South Africa’s largest shack dwellers’ movement Abahlali baseMjondolo (AbM) have been fighting over the issue of housing rights for 15 years now.
After the fall of apartheid in 1994, the new ANC government wrote into the constitution that the shack dwellers, living four or five to a room in hovels at the centre of South Africa’s wealthiest cities, should have homes.
But as time has gone on, successive administrations in the great conurbations, particularly the east coast port of Durban, have continued what many saw as one of the great injustices of white rule – the attempted removal of shack dwellers from prime real estate in the city centres.
Instead of building houses where the shack dwellers already are, they build in the suburbs, a reinvention of 19th century urban planning models which force working-class people away from the opportunities, amenities and beauties of central living…
Eight neo-Nazis rallying against illegal immigration Saturday in Riverside fled in the face of 200 counterprotesters who snatched and tore up swastika-covered flags and chanted “Nazis go home.”
Scheduled to last two hours, the protest ended after 45 minutes when police officers, who wore riot gear but made no arrests, advised the neo-Nazis to leave. Counterprotesters spit on the neo-Nazis’ Suzuki and Hyundai cars as they drove away…
Two Greek anarchists are making molotov cocktails. One says to the other: "So who will we throw these at then?" The other replies: "What are you, some kind of fucking intellectual?"
