POLITICS: Protest turns nasty at coalition launch, page 1

In a twisted way, it's a relief to realise that it's not only in the USA that the political election process is often tainted with madness. Men accused of being Nazis because they are union members wearing workboots, women dressing in 50s clothes protesting that the government is dragging them back into the dark ages, protesters dressed as rodents and sheep... Craziness is alive and ill in today's Australia as the government launches it's election campaign.

www.theage.com.au
Several scuffles broke out as anti-John Howard protesters attempted to block government supporters from leaving the coalition's campaign launch at Brisbane City Hall today.

A group of women's rights activists, with their hair in rollers and dressed in 1950s housewife gear, were popular with onlookers as they accused Mr Howard of ''winding back the clock'' on women's issues.

Holding anti-socialist placards, the men, part of the Working People's Coalition of Australia (WPCA), were protesting against the protest, which was co-organised by the Socialist Alliance. ''We support the Australian government, we are patriots of this country, not rabble rousing scum,'' said WPCA spokesman John Streicher. ''They call us Nazis, simply because we stand against what they are going on about. 'We are simply patriots. We are not wearing swastika armbands, we are not in jack boots, we are wearing boots because we are workers.''

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

Australia, like the USA, is a melting pot of cultures, ideas and forms of expression. However, the Australians are perhaps even better at putting their points of view across than the Americans.

The world of politics will always attract conspiracy theories, however it is easier than usual to read far more into this story than is actually printed.

Women's rights, environmentalism and nazism all mixed together into a joyous outpouring of discontent. Who or what is driving this in a prosperous nation with a booming economy?

[edited to say: Sorry, when I first went to this story I wasn't asked to register/login - I am now. I HATE that!!]

[edit on 9/26/2004 by illimey]

[edit on 26-9-2004 by John bull 1]