Practising the dangerous art of sedition - Opinion - theage.com.au
I note that a bunch of comics who either can't or don't bother reading had another go at complaining about the revised sedition laws.
The article about this in the Age (linked above) is again clearly misleading:
"This afternoon a group of artists will descend on the Arts Centre, in St Kilda Road, and try their hardest to get arrested. Comic Rod Quantock will collect money for an unnamed terrorist organisation, cabaret artist Eddie Perfect will sing his ditty John Howard's Bitches and satirist Max Gillies will assume a stiff marionette smirk and do his utmost to make Prime Minister John Howard look like a twat.
If this isn't urging disaffection with the Government, what is? Such antics are hardly intended to arouse warm, fuzzy feelings for our elected leaders. Under new sedition laws, seditious intent is defined as urging disaffection against the Constitution, the Government of the Commonwealth, or either house of Parliament. Yet, chances are, when Sedition!, the concert, is performed at the Arts Centre this afternoon, nothing will happen."
As I have pointed out several times before, this idea that a person doing something with "seditious intent" (as defined above) is an offence under the legislation is simply wrong.
But can comics read for themselves? Can journalists from The Age? Seems not.
3 comments:
I'm hoping Quantock is arrested for demanding money with menaces. What an utter f*ckwit he is.
Steve,
I think maybe it is you who is a little out of touch. The Age will do its thing to hype up any event and it is unfair to blame the individual performers for wanting to be involved in the debate on an issue which greatly affects us, our work and our community. It is the media (of course) and not the comedians who decide the tone of how to present a particular event such as "Sedition". My name is Eddie Perfect and I performed in this event for several reasons...
I can tell you first hand that no performer there believed they were ACTUALLY being seditious. To be honest, I think if anyone should be worried, it would be the muslim community in general. We were there because we felt the bill was rushed through parliament without adequate debate or analysis, that it could have an adverse effect on the way art is created and performed. You may be aware that several comedians (including right wing comedians... right up your alley) in the US have been cautioned, questioned and threatened for telling "seditious" jokes under the Patriot Act. I believe that comedy and theatre as well as visual and performance art, dance, opera et al should be free to criticise, analyse and reflect our political times without fear of arrest, threat or intervention. That's what we were all there to protect. We also wanted to discuss the POSSIBLE effects of such legislation and how it might affect OTHER members of the community.
The proceeds from the event have gone towards the drafting of a Bill Of Human Rights for Australia (as you know, the only Western country that currently does not have one) so that all our basic human rights are enshrined in law. Surely you can't have a problem with that?
Just to finish off... it is unwise to sit in your suburban ivory tower in Brisvegas and attack comdians for doing a show you clearly haven't seen and only comprehend through a couple of newspaper clippings. Rod Quantock didn't raise any money for terrorists... he actually closed his set by saying...
"I don't know how to be seditious. I'm not sure what that is... in my mind, the most seditious thing I can say in Australia is this... Don Bradman was GAY"
Maybe you need to get out more...
PS. Comedians are Dumb?
Are you some kind of idiot? Some of the most articulate, visionary and influential people in modern times have been stand up comedians. What Lenny Bruce did to champion free speech has resonances that continue today. It is brave people like him that have paved the way for less courageous social commentators like yourself.
Eddie Perfect
Yes, Steve. Comedians are dumb. And I'm pleased that I'm not one of them because I love serious stuff and being serious a lot.
It turns me off when others are trying to be funny. And so, I avoid funny stuff and people.
@Eddie Perfect:
"Why don't you get the hell off this blog if you dislike Steve's hatred for comedians? If you don't like it, don't read and comment on it."
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