Strikes?
November 15th, 2005
If the goverment passes the IR laws:
Imagine several hundred thousand workers striking until the IR laws were revoked.
I wonder if it would work. It would be kind of fun to have rolling strikes across the board in Australia.
I love the idea of civil disobedience.
I guess I’m a bit of an anarchist.
Do you think there is anything ethically (or morally or biblically for that matter) wrong with striking?
No I think striking is actually quite ethical. As long as it is done peacefully of course.
It is an important way of showing businesses and society at large the importance of the individual workers doing the dull jobs.
Also civil disobedience is the natural consequence of democracies in which the majority or at least a sizable number of people are not listened to.
If the government conducted itself in a more ethical manner there would be no need for civil disobedience.
I think fallen world = civil disobedience whether the people are being listened to or not. People are always going to disagree on what’s best for the country, and protestors and strikers, while louder are not necessarily a majority either. I think they said that 5% of the workforce protested today?
Could striking not be considered blackmail? Manipulation? Not respecting authority? I don’t know, protesting makes me think of societies inner 2-year-old.
I don’t think striking is blackmail most of the time.
It really is just a method of bringing power back to the workers. It is the workers who run this country and keep it going.
The federal government and businesses according to the smh(http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/fear-and-loathing-in-the-cbd/2005/11/15/1132016776139.html?page=2)
threatened workers who decided to join in the protest today.
Who is blackmailing then?
The only authority goverments have is that which the people give them.
As for companies…
It won’t happen david. There were only 200,000 people who went on strike.
And what about all the other people who are inconvienced by them? And the businesses who lose money?
THE GOVERNMENT HAS THE MAJORITY!!! To strike is wrong. If you strike, thenm you should accept the consequences, and receive no pay.
But further more, the minority won’t be listened by a bunch of liars, ie the trade unions. Less thenm 28% of the working population are in unions, SO WHY SHOULD THEY DETERMINE OUR WAGES IF PEOPLE AREN’T MEMBERS?
Striking is illegall. To do it will be braking the law. To encourage breaking the law as a christian is NOT ethical.
You have to realise that your opinion in in the MINORIty by a significant majority.
And you will soon see in time that all this fuss is all about nothing.
The governemnt has the authority!! Otherwise it wouldn’t be in power.
“Also civil disobedience is the natural consequence of democracies in which the majority or at least a sizable number of people are not listened to.”
The majority are listened too. The amount protesting is equivilant to 1.8% of the population. You go and explain to those poeple who own samll business that lost thousands because of interupotion to traffic, and poeple not being to shop at the shops.
The governemnt won the last election, and increased its majority significantly, and also won control of the senate. THIS INDICATES THE MAJORITIES VIEWS!!!!
have you read the 1300 page ammendemnts? Where have you got all your info from? You have made this governemnt your enemy. And nothing will change your opinion. Your figures are exaggerated, and what disturbs me is your supporting civil-disobedience, when the bible is very clear on respecting the authority placed upon us.
so whats the answer. Get guns and shoot john howard? Keep chucking tantrums and making assumptions instead of seeing what happens? several hundred thousand workers will not stirke. Striking doesn’t achieve anything. what did last weeks strike achieve?
it achieved runing the batlers having a go, and working in the city. It stopped and caused employers to loose money, many of whom are struggling as it is. The laws are going to go through, whether you like it or not. You will have to learn to accept it, and actually have faith that our government isn’t evil - and wants the best for our country
I wonder why James is so prepared to trust a government that has a track record of breaking international treaties that our country has signed by locking children up in detention - children - I’m talking about children, who have lost thier childhood and have been psychologically damaged as a result. I don’t trust a majority either - who are only convinced by fear about financial losses. Greed is the biggest enemy to Australians - Money is our new god. Many are motivated to strikle because of money - but there art other reaosns- and there are many Australians who live on low wages and are extremely scared and do not trust the government.
I’m glad people have made a stand - there is nothing more dangerous to democracies than appathy.
i am not apathetic.
Your views are pretty biased, and all you can do is slander the governement.
money isn’t the new god. Your inference is that I can’t be a christian if I support the governemnt. Thats is wrong. And you are also dis-respecting the majority in assuing they are all the same.
Perhaps its time to just stop reading the leftie green magazines and get a balanced view on things.
You should listen to Miriam she is a very wise woman. Trust me on that, I’ve known her many years.
All views are biased. That’s what being a human is about. We take sides ;-).
Slander is defined as “words falsely spoken that damage the reputation of another”
Miriam is not talking falsly. Australia has/is breaking treaties on the treatment of children in detention. If you like I can send you the appropiate documents which talk about this.
She did not even mention God in her post. I find it interesting that you infer that she thinks you can’t be a Christian liberal supportor.
are the children in the detention centres now?
I believe the governemnt did the right thing. Because their acions have stopped innocent chikdren from being put on dodgy boat that leak, and threathed their safety and lives.
and who also put pressure on the government to change these laws at the right time? Christians. Memebrs of the governemnt who are christians and were concerned.
but are we going to recognise the UN lasws as our laws? Because the Un is a corrupt organisation. It is powerless, and also gutless to act where it is needed. (ie in africa where poverty, dictatorships and wars are destroying peple lives.
“- there is nothing more dangerous to democracies than appathy.”
how can one take this comment in the context given above? It suggests that the majority who agree with the governemnt are apatheitic!
And lets also realise- that the majority in dention centres are ther’e because they have lied and their identities have not been confirmed. or they have said they are someone they aren’t.
reagrdless of this issue (which had nothing to do with the origial post)
mind you. They were not locked up with chains. They were fed food, given accomodation including all the creature comforts (and were not left to die). Their needs for survival were met, and if the stories were true from where they had come from, the living conditions would have been much better!
Why do i trust the governement?
Because i know the people personally. Not through the books , radio/tv etc. I know their real people and that they care about australia.- no one is perfect - and mistakes will be made - but 1 negative in a page of positives?
“don’t trust a majority either” - if you don’t truat a majority, you don’t believe in democracy.
I think we live in a democracy and must live with both its blessings and curses.
I’m not sure we have a choice about trusting the majority or not. I think we can be disappointed with the majority, but we must live with the fact that the same democracy that allows us free speech and the right to peaceful assembly, the one that doesn’t lock us up for protesting, is the same one that elected the Government. Trust or no trust, I think if we live in democracy we must take both the good with the bad. I think you can feel that the majority has failed in its moral obligations, but you must live with the consequences of trusting the majority to decide for itself.
I for one am pleased to be living in a democracy, because here I can be heard. I can be disillusioned, but I am not powerless. I have a vote, I have a voice, and I have an opportunity to change the way things are. The question is whether I use it. That is why apathy is the greatest threat to democracy. If there is something wrong and the people do nothing to fix it, the problem will only get worse, and it is a problem created by the nation.
I think, from this conversation, no one who has commented here can be accused of apathy. This is a tiny illustration of some of the freedoms we have in our democracy.
If “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing” then I pray none of us will be people who do nothing, whatever side we sit on.