Urban Awakenings by Samuel Alexander & Brendan Gleeson

Author:Samuel Alexander & Brendan Gleeson
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9789811578618
Publisher: Springer Singapore

Courtesy of Jacqui Brown ©

Let us ask with Thoreau: Are we expected to resign our conscience to the legislator? Why have a conscience, if we are simply expected to uncritically affirm all acts of government? We must be human beings first and subjects of the state afterwards. As Thoreau argued, ‘it is not desirable to cultivate a respect for law, so much as for the right’,11 and indeed, he insisted that respect for law can, at times, make us daily agents of injustice. In relation to his own time, Thoreau argued that one could not be associated with the US government without disgrace, for he could not recognise as his government what was also the slave’s government. He concluded that if a government’s law is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, he argued: break the law. ‘Let your life be a counter-friction to stop the machine’,12 he declared. ‘Cast your whole vote, not a strip of paper merely, but your whole influence’.13 We reflect on how the Australian government is every moment losing some of its integrity.

Whatever your views on civil disobedience, it is clear the global situation today would have been much less appalling if informed, compassionate political action had been taken decades ago. Further inaction and avoidance will only produce more desperation from ordinary concerned members of society, who will be drawn to social movements like Extinction Rebellion. Political inaction is an act, and sometimes—like today—it will provoke a reaction.

So will Extinction Rebellion end up on the right side of history? That question is not for your tramps to answer. But as this global movement readies itself for increased action (after-COVID), what is important is that people avoid superficial, knee-jerk reactions. We need a sophisticated and engaged debate on the complexities shaping this moment in history.

For now, however, the multitude of urban trampers comes to rest. We have arrived at the designated intersection, outside the Brunswick Town Hall. A group known as the ‘Red Rebels’ are waiting silently on the corner to welcome us with their arms raised in a V. They are dressed in what looks like red velvet, including red headdresses that resemble turbans, with what appear to be long red dreadlocks of fabric attached. Their faces are painted white with black features, as if determined to haunt the civilisation that haunts us all.

What does the red stand for, we wonder? The blood of lost species? Rage? Love? Emotion? Heat? Empathy? All of those things and more? In unison, the Red Rebels slowly change pose, this time with the revolutionary gesture of one fist raised in the air. The police presence is huge and intimidating but for the time being they let us all be. People begin to lie down, closing down the intersection, and for a moment everything is quiet. Soft music plays, overlain with a speech by the one and only Greta Thunberg. We see tears fall on the city streets.

The scene is as enchanting as it is disturbing.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.