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Politics and Sunburn
Oct. 4th, 2004 09:25 pmIE just quits, Opera won't let me backspace, so let's try email. (ETA in Opera: ye gods, the ugly!)
The federal election is a few days away. Last Saturday myself and fellow Australian Democrats attended an anti-Ruddock rally in Hornsby, where all candidates pledged to put him last (except Family First and the Christians Democrats, who've done a preference deal with Ruddock - odd behaviour for FF whose policy is strongly pro-refugee). For me the highlight was hearing "human shield" Donna Mulhearn speak about the conditions in Iraq, where there is still no guarantee of clean water or electricity, and people have been dropping dead from the heat.
Sunday was the End The Lies rally, held in capital cities around Australia. Sydney's was attended by 6-7000 people, all fed up with Prime Minister Howard's long record of falsehoods and coverups. Jon and I were hoodwinked into carrying a jolly heavy Democrats banner and I strained some muscles I was unaware I owned. Staggered home, napped, off to local branch meeting for organising of letterboxing and handing out at polling booths etc. Finally got to see the small front-page ad I whipped up at short notice for the local paper. I was relieved to see it looked at least respectable, although guest Dems bigwig had only criticisms. (He was right that a photo would've improved it.)
Today: letterboxing omg. I am sunburned and haven't exercised this much in months. I think I covered half the area I volunteered to do, in a couple of hours, which is not too bad. Moreover, others are doing heaps more than me so I refuse to complain! Still to do: more letterboxing, handing out at railway station, handing out on polling day, possibly handing out at pre-polling booths.
The Not Happy John! campaign is everywhere - when I got home, they'd letterboxed me! (Makes a change from the endless glossy Howard brochures.)
The federal election is a few days away. Last Saturday myself and fellow Australian Democrats attended an anti-Ruddock rally in Hornsby, where all candidates pledged to put him last (except Family First and the Christians Democrats, who've done a preference deal with Ruddock - odd behaviour for FF whose policy is strongly pro-refugee). For me the highlight was hearing "human shield" Donna Mulhearn speak about the conditions in Iraq, where there is still no guarantee of clean water or electricity, and people have been dropping dead from the heat.
Sunday was the End The Lies rally, held in capital cities around Australia. Sydney's was attended by 6-7000 people, all fed up with Prime Minister Howard's long record of falsehoods and coverups. Jon and I were hoodwinked into carrying a jolly heavy Democrats banner and I strained some muscles I was unaware I owned. Staggered home, napped, off to local branch meeting for organising of letterboxing and handing out at polling booths etc. Finally got to see the small front-page ad I whipped up at short notice for the local paper. I was relieved to see it looked at least respectable, although guest Dems bigwig had only criticisms. (He was right that a photo would've improved it.)
Today: letterboxing omg. I am sunburned and haven't exercised this much in months. I think I covered half the area I volunteered to do, in a couple of hours, which is not too bad. Moreover, others are doing heaps more than me so I refuse to complain! Still to do: more letterboxing, handing out at railway station, handing out on polling day, possibly handing out at pre-polling booths.
The Not Happy John! campaign is everywhere - when I got home, they'd letterboxed me! (Makes a change from the endless glossy Howard brochures.)
