Down, down with the tyrant an' bully
Letters from Mr Charrington #2
I’d like to share with you another letter from my friend at the second hand shop:
Hello Winston,
It seems we have a mutual friend living in Victoria. He wrote to me incredulous at what has been happening in the State Capital, Melbourne. I believe it but shake my head in disbelief. Having grown up there in a large family, I 'escaped' 32 years ago from the weather (which is notoriously poor) to the northern sunshine and we couldn't believe the comparative freedom from regulation we saw up here then. Things like council codes were far less strict as well as self-imposed dress requirements (everyone wore a suit in Melbourne, at least in the circles I worked in). Now, it has descended to depths of control that sees the rest of the World comparing the place led by “Chairman Dan”, to communist China and North Korea. Some going as far as calling the place the People’s Republic of Danistan.
It doesn't take great numbers to change things BUT it does take great commitment. I remember that as a child, my family visited the site of the Eureka Stockade just outside Ballarat, and years later took my kids there. The Eureka Rebellion was way back in 1854, when gold miners in Ballarat, revolted against injustice. It all culminated in the Battle of the Eureka Stockade. About 5,000 people met to originally protest the injustice of the Government, but there were only around 500 when push came to shove and ultimately a gun battle at the Stockade. Those men and women made this oath, led by Peter Lalor ...
"It is my duty now to swear you in, and to take with you the oath to be faithful to the Southern Cross. Now hear me with attention. The man who, after this solemn oath does not stand by our standard, is a coward at heart … We swear by the Southern Cross to stand truly by each other, and FIGHT TO DEFEND OUR RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES."
22 miners and 6 police died that day, 110 were later arrested and 13 taken to Melbourne for trial, all were later found not guilty. Peter Lalor, the leader, ended up a Member of Parliament and the electorate or Lalor is named after him.
I wouldn't be surprised if blood is shed along the way. That will be sad, unfortunate and unnecessary. A local Podcaster has described Melbourne as now being the worst place in the world to live comparing it to Germany in 1938. The parallels are there with repression of the people and brutality from the government1 paid brown shirts who under Dictator Dan wear police blue. When finally he is called to account, like those brought before the Nuremburg Court, I am sure Daniel Andrew’s defence will be similarly pathetic and "it seemed a good idea at the time" will be somewhat inadequate, and the people who elected him left wondering how they could have put their trust in such a pathetic excuse for a human being.
yours
Bob Charrington
P.S. I am still keeping a room available for you Mr Smith.
