Political Alliances, Unitarian Events
Jul. 6th, 2010 11:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tcpipJust returned from two political meetings. The first was hosted by the Socialist Alliance with Michael Shaik from Australians for Palestine and Ralph Edwards of the CMFEU talking about the need for a boycott campaign against Israeli apartheid equivalent to the 1980s campaign against South African apartheid. Edwards has a realistic assessment of how such a campaign can be initiated, and Shaik has a superb grasp of the facts of Israel and the situation in Occupied Territories. After that attended a meeting of the Australian Sex Party and took the opportunity to spend some time discussing strategy with leader Fiona Patten and leader of the Gamers for Croydon, David Doe, especially in relation to secularism.
On very closely related matter, on Saturday the Isocracy Network held its first committee meeting. Shortly afterwards, on our initiative, members of several other organisations (including the Secular Party of Australia) met to form the Victorian Secular Lobby (facebook, website coming soon). Will be targetting same-sex marriage rights and the National School Chaplaincy Pprogram for the Federal election and reproductive rights legislation and supporting the teaching of secular ethics in schools for the State election.
(EDIT). Neglected to mention that on Sunday was the local Unitarian church concert and fundraiser for Medecins Sans Frontieres (Australia). Music and song was provided by several local performers with an international flavour (Czech and Georgian featured highly). I gave a background briefing on the activities of the organisation and some current efforts (Niger, Burundi and Haiti) of an organisation that provides health care and, importantly, witness. After conducted a session for the Philosophy Forum; part two on the comparison between the Anglo-American and continental tradition, along with an exploration of the Sokal Hoax.
On very closely related matter, on Saturday the Isocracy Network held its first committee meeting. Shortly afterwards, on our initiative, members of several other organisations (including the Secular Party of Australia) met to form the Victorian Secular Lobby (facebook, website coming soon). Will be targetting same-sex marriage rights and the National School Chaplaincy Pprogram for the Federal election and reproductive rights legislation and supporting the teaching of secular ethics in schools for the State election.
(EDIT). Neglected to mention that on Sunday was the local Unitarian church concert and fundraiser for Medecins Sans Frontieres (Australia). Music and song was provided by several local performers with an international flavour (Czech and Georgian featured highly). I gave a background briefing on the activities of the organisation and some current efforts (Niger, Burundi and Haiti) of an organisation that provides health care and, importantly, witness. After conducted a session for the Philosophy Forum; part two on the comparison between the Anglo-American and continental tradition, along with an exploration of the Sokal Hoax.
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Date: 2010-07-07 06:48 am (UTC)Either way, they're a group I support and it sounds like it was an interesting occasion...
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Date: 2010-07-07 07:20 am (UTC)Yeah, it was a really interesting performance. The pianist and singer duo were very skilled and Terese Vitue's group are quite brilliant.