Read the full text War-and-peace by Andy Paine.pdf
The problem with non-violence
April 2014
“The only problem with non-violence,” he tells me, “is this: what happens when you’re being attacked and you need to use violence to resist?” It really, honestly, is a valid question. It’s not his fault we’re constantly force-fed myths of violence in self-defence, from our movie and television screens to our governments and militaries, telling us that violence is only used to protect ourselves…. more…
First they came for the Muslims
September 2014
I think I first noticed it about a month ago. First it was just a few random posts on Facebook – people who are remnants of a conservative christian church past, who I have no real life contact with any more. They were sharing horrible anti-Islam articles with horrible anti-Islam comments posted below. I thought about deleting those people off my facebook, but then I thought that actually I wouldn’t. As obnoxious as I found this stuff, sometimes it’s better to see what’s out there. Know your enemy and all that…. more…
The war we didn’t notice
April 2015
Years ago, when I was involved in much less activism than I am today, I used to play footy with a number of guys who were in the Australian army. One of these guys missed a chunk of the season when he had to go to Afghanistan on service. When he got back, I asked him what it had been like over there. He told me he didn’t want to talk about it… more…
Australia becomes 51st American state
On Monday, 18,000 American troops landed on Australia’s north-eastern coast, occupying a large tract of land at Shoalwater Bay and completing a process that had been developing for some time – the transformation of Australia into the 51st United State of America… more…
They say people don’t believe in heroes anymore
June 2015
In the first Mad Max movie, there is that classic scene where Max is trying to quit the police force. Fifi tries to convince him to stay by telling him of the need for heroes. “They say people don’t believe in heroes anymore. Well damn them Max, we’re gonna give them heroes.”…. more…
Smoke and terrors
September 2015
The day after Malcolm Turnbull took over as Prime Minister, defence minister (at the time) Kevin Andrews proudly announced that the Australian air force had for the first time “engaged a target” (if you don’t speak militarese, that means killed someone or blown something up) in Syria. more…