If you want my vote
Image courtesy of facebook.com
she participated in the March in March. More than just being one of the
tens of thousands who marched simply to express a dislike of the Abbott
Government, she marched because of the the social and community issues
that concern her. They are issues worth voting for.
I am an Australian voter.
Other than that, I don’t think there is anything extraordinary about
me. I didn’t finish college. I am not rich, by this country’s standards,
and do not seek fame. I have an ordinary job, and been with the same
employer since 1989. I’ve (with my husband) raised two kids to adults
that I’m proud to claim as part of my loving family. I’ve been married,
for almost thirty years, to the only man I’ve ever been in love with;
the best man I know. I’m not suffering. I have, of course, but that was
so long ago it’s no longer even a painful memory. I’m not religious, but
don’t have a problem if you are, so long as you offer me the same
courtesy. Though I always vote, I’m not affiliated with any party, and
would be shocked to hear the word “political” used to describe me…mostly
“nice”, I suspect. I have a good life; economically, emotionally,
physically, spiritually. Seriously, I have no complaints. I’m happy. And
the last time I publicly protested anything, I was a minor.
So, if I’m not suffering and have spent a lifetime avoiding the
spotlight, why did I “MarchInMarch”? My reasons are, in no particular
order:
EDUCATION: Though I haven’t bothered to achieve a tertiary education,
I want every single child in this country to have that chance; not just
the ones who have money to spare or live near a major city. If children
(some of them made their own protest placards) can work out that
decent, affordable education is a necessity that should be a right in
this country, surely the rest of us can, too?
ASYLUM SEEKERS: Though I will never, I sincerely hope, know the horror of war, famine or violent persecution, I would never
refuse to help someone who has. Yes, quarantine asylum seekers while
their needs and refugee status are assessed, but do so with compassion,
not cruelty. And, in the name of common decency, do so for a finite
period of time. You know things are bad when China (globally infamous
for human rights violations) has criticized this country, my “lucky”
country, for their treatment of refugees. Just do it better; that’s all
I’m asking. Oh, if you approved of “Stop the boats”, look into how much
extra it’s costing to have them processed overseas; you’re paying for
it.
HOMELESS: Though I’ve never been homeless, I know that fellow
countrymen—yes; women and children, too—endure such hardship, because I
occasionally see them living near my house. If you stop to chat with
them, you might meet me; I’m the one bringing them food, clothing and
bedding. Not because a god is compelling me, or a government paying me,
but because I cannot do otherwise. None of the few displaced people I’ve
met have chosen that life (as our Prime Minister once suggested), and
they gratefully accept the first opportunity to get out of that
desperate situation.
MARRIAGE EQUALITY: Though I’m not gay, I am furious and mystified by
the fact that, in this century, homosexuals (and the relevant initials) still
do not have the same rights as other voters; refused (by law)
permission to marry or adopt. And, no matter how else they’ve conducted
themselves throughout their lives, being gay is enough that, in the
twilight of their years, they might (again, legally) be refused aged
care. This one is particularly painful for me, because one of my
brothers is gay and just about the sweetest guy you could ever meet.
Yes, he marched; for “equal rights”. Look at those words. Does it seem
like a lot to ask?
CLIMATE CHANGE: Though I am not a scientist, I can read. So, when I learn that an overwhelming
majority of the entire world’s scientists believe climate change is the
biggest problem facing this planet, and that humans can reduce the
severity of it, I paid attention. Apparently, our elected leader doesn’t
agree. That doesn’t bother you? You don’t have children, who might have
children, who will almost (a little skepticism is a good thing)
certainly inherit the disastrous consequences of our reckless actions?
It scares the shit out of me, and I’m not often afraid.
INDIGENOUS RIGHTS: (My sincere apologies, that I neglected to add
this to my placard. The fact that you’re used to being ignored does not
excuse my oversight.) Though most of my ancestors are buried in a
different country, I respect and admire our indigenous population; not
all of them, obviously. That would be folly. But many of them set an
example I’m proud to emulate, and I’m glad they received an official
apology from our elected representative. I’m just ashamed that they continue
to suffer; marginalized in their own homeland. Yes; shame. That’s what I
feel about his subject. I’m not used to that feeling, but perhaps I should get used to it.
MILITARY FAMILIES: Though I have not fought in a war, and never
intend to, I am proud of our armed forces; competently doing what they
can to protect me, my country and the idea of democratic freedom. They
deserve our respect and, as a small token of that respect, they deserve
money from our pockets. Here’s that shame feeling again when I remember
that children of fallen soldiers are now getting less compensation for
that staggering loss, for which there can be no real compensating.
Moving on, before I weep . . .
NATIONAL BROADBAND NETWORK (NBN): Though I have fast, affordable
internet, not every Australian does. It’s 2014, right? Yet in a first
(?) world country like Australia, access to fast, affordable internet is
at least partly determined by geography. In remote areas (of course,
most of this country), the only option for many is the foreign owned
Foxtel. Would you want your access to information determined by those
who don’t even live here? I sure as hell wouldn’t, and I don’t expect
anyone else to have to put up with it, either.
HEALTHCARE: Though I am healthy—rarely even visiting my GP—I know
that some voters struggle with illness or injury for extended periods of
time; some their entire life. Of course money is going to determine
your level of health care; not an easy fact to face, but a fact
nonetheless. And I’m realistic enough to accept that. But, at the very
least, every single Australian—impoverished and wealthy—should…no, must have access to adequate care. No cuts to healthcare, as promised; that’s all I’m asking.
AUSTRALIAN MINING, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION (ABC),
AUSTRALIA POST, TRANS PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP (TPP): I know; a lot of
titles, and I did some serious pruning to limit it to these few. And
they basically boils down to one concern; how much of Australian’s
businesses are now, or will become, foreign owned and/or influenced. I,
personally, don’t have a problem with the incredibly wealthy. I’m doing
quite well, thank you, and don’t fear becoming poor. I’ve been there and
it wasn’t so bad. And I’m all for diversity and global trade; genuinely
believe we’d be worse off without it. However, I have a big problem
with someone sitting in another country having a say in what happens
here. You think they don’t? Then you haven’t been paying attention.
There are other concerns within this one, about the dangers of
privatizing businesses that, by their very nature, need to serve the
average Australian. But, given how things are going, I’m not sure the
average Australian cares.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS: I was quiet while the current government (either
deliberately or obliviously; both are sins when you run a country)
damaged relations with our nearest (geographically speaking) neighbours.
But it was a young friend of mine in Canada who made me realize how bad
things have become, via a throwaway comment about Australia becoming a
worldwide joke. With, at the time what I thought was justified national
pride, I retaliated . . . also with gentleness and humor; see above,
“nice”. But she’s right, and things have deteriorated since then.
Perhaps my concern for asylum seekers will soon become redundant; if we
upset enough foreign leaders, maybe no one will bother trying to seek
refuge here.
ANIMAL WELFARE: Though I don’t expect any fellow human to put the
welfare of other (yes, we’re animals, too) animals above that of men,
women and children, I ask only that you not treat the creatures you eat
with barbaric cruelty while they’re alive. If we must have live animal
export (and I still don’t understand why), please do so with compassion.
In case you’re wondering, I’m a vegetarian, partly on compassionate
grounds, but don’t expect or even ask anyone to follow my example. I’ll
even cook you a lamb roast if you visit. Improvements have been made on
this issue. But, as my brother often reminds me, just because things
could be worse, doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be better.
WOMEN: I’m not ostentatiously feminine or feminist. When I was
ordered, at the age of ten, to never play footy with my (male)
classmates again, I—though mystified—calmly accepted that decision.
After all, I was a child, and one raised to believe that an adult’s word
is law . . . though I’m not sure it was, even then. When I was declared
ineligible to join my small (very small) town’s cricket team, on the
grounds that one of the men might get hit in the groin and be
embarrassed if a young woman was on the field, I smiled and took on the
challenge of tallying the score for them instead. Every time a colleague
is overtly sexist, I quietly and politely (perhaps a mistake) call them
on it, and they apologise; it’s been working pretty well for me. But
when the elected leader of our country says—actually says—that women are
inherently incapable of achieving the same as a man, that “withholding
sex” is a right that needs to be moderated, visibly and actively
supports a blatantly sexist campaign against an opponent, and is now in
charge of whether or not I get an abortion, it becomes an issue worthy
of space on a protest placard. Again, in case you’re wondering on this
polarizing issue, I cannot imagine a scenario in which I’d choose an
abortion, but I would brave the barricades with you if you made that
choice.
ENVIRONMENT: You’re curious what that one other protest was against?
The Franklin Dam project in Tasmania. I know, even though I was not yet
old enough to vote at the time, some will read that and think “another
left-wing radical”. But I’m just as likely to vote right-wing, if their
campaign sways me…though I liked the old Liberal Party more than this
Coalition Party, but I understand why they did that. Anyway, my
simplified point on this issue is that, if we don’t think before
destroying vast swathes of old growth forest, this wide, brown land will
get browner. I almost went with “I can’t believe we’re still protesting
this shit” as my placard, but there are fresh issues exclusive to our
current government that urgently need addressing . . . even so, I can’t
believe we’re still protesting this shit. Just like with most of these
issues, there’s heaps more to be said on this subject, but a couple of
minutes and a browser window will find people better qualified to do so.
MEDIA BIAS: This one is a new concern of mine; since I marched, in
fact. Of course I’ve heard this cry for—to be completely honest—decades.
But, until I marched with tens of thousands of other voters, didn’t
know that this particular “whinge” was justified. And the frustrating
thing is, now that I know about it, what can I do with that information?
If you were at the marches, you’d already know what I’m talking about.
And, if you weren’t, and miraculously heard about them anyway, there’s
no way you’d believe me . . . I didn’t, until I saw it with my own eyes.
Has it always been this bad, though; journalists using colleagues’
coverage as their only apparent source of information? They’re in the
business, so they must know that a report is rarely the whole truth. I’m
not ashamed about this, I’m embarrassed; of them and for them. Anyway,
enough on that; we no longer need them.
So now you know some of the domestic issues that concern this
ordinary Australian. I cannot give you one issue I care about the most,
because I care about them all. And I am (as accused by several
dissenters) asking for a handout, but not for myself, just for those who
need it. And I acknowledge (as did my extremely polite placard, which
never made it into any news report) that not all of our many problems
can be laid at the feet of our current government; they’re just not
helping, and (I believe) actually making things worse . . . and don’t
they seem in a bloody big hurry to do so? That’s why I joined my second ever
protest march, only months into this current government’s reign;
they’re clearly trying very hard to quickly achieve an agenda that was
kept from us at the last election.
And I’m not suggesting that you vote for the only other real option
in a two party political system . . . research that term, if you haven’t
already. I’m just asking you, begging you, to remember that the only
real power we have is at the polling booth. Think, read, ask (“How?” and
“Why?” are excellent places to start) and, above all, insist that your
(because it’s no one else’s choice) candidate is worthy of your vote.
And don’t stop doing so, even if it seems like you’re not making a
difference. This is a democracy; only you can make a difference.
This articled was first published on contriteshadow’s blog as “Why did I MarchinMarch?”
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