Photo: If you don't know what this is - you haven't been paying attention! I took this on Monday evening, just as the lights of North Sydney were beginning to make an appearanceI don't know too much about the Bible, but I do remember being told in school that the Good Book says, "The meek shall inherit the earth".
Bollocks!
The reality is that the Minority have already inherited the earth and the meek are damn well stuck with it. A prime example of this new reality is Sunday's walk across the Sydney Harbour bridge to celebrate its 75th birthday.
The bridge is very much part of Sydney's history and a masterpiece of engineering. Over two hundred thousand people have registered to walk across the bridge - young, old, families, people who worked on the bridge or their relatives. Why - because we are proud of it.
However, according to reports from radio 2GB, unions plan to, "gatecrash the Harbour Bridge 75th anniversary walk." The station's website quotes an email allegedly circulated to unionists, part of which reads, "Unions NSW have organised a group booking for the forthcoming Harbour Bridge Walk on Sunday 18th March 2007. Any members who would like to participate are asked to wear their Nurses Rights @ Work T shirts. Please see the details below if you wish to take part in this historic event and show your support for the Rights at Work campaign."
Two things strike me about this issue. First of all they are actually going to march in their own time instead of their employers, which makes a nice change. Secondly, if they have a grievance, there is a time and place to voice their opinion. In fact, they have been doing nothing else since the Federal government introduced long overdue and much needed industrial relations legislation.
The bridge walk is supposed to be all to enjoy - not marred by the few.
Many people are now unhappy about going, knowing full well how quickly these marches can get out of hand. The original intent may be peaceful but all too often the end result is anything but - again a case of the minority spoiling things for the majority.
No doubt we will now we will have all sorts of minority groups joining in, (probably with the word "alliance" in their title) marching along chanting slogans that have changed little from the 60s. As one Sydney Morning Herald journalist commented - whatever the cause, the slogans all sound as though they've been written by the Seven Dwarves. "Whaada we want? Right to work. When-do-we-wannit? Now".
Strewth, please give my ears a break and come up with something original. Whoever was responsible for that chant should have copyrighted the bloody thing - they would have made a fortune from world-wide royalties.
Unions NSW, if the reports are true - this time you have gone a bridge too far.
