I have a voice.
I deserve to be heard.
I attempt to be as ethical as I can be in my writing. Yes, you might offend somebody, at some time, but as a rule, I try to write and listen and absorb and participate in debates. If I don’t know enough about something I say. And I’m not perfect.
Most writers like to operate in such a way.
It’s hard being a writer this week.
Firstly, a well-loved children’s writer is up on charges in Perth. He has written a couple of my favourite young adult novels. Extra-ordinary works. He is also the father of three young daughters. And he’s up on these charges. Innocent until proven guilty, he remains in custody until he either posts bail or his arraignment date in February. At present, the charges are alleged, but what the hell is going on?
I’ve also been watching the debacle over the Adelaide Writer’s Festival with a lot of interest, as both a writer and a proud South Australian.
I don’t feel like a proud South Australian at the moment.
What a fucking shit show!
As a consumer of writer’s events, there is something magical about these events. The sharing of ideas and viewpoints. The discussions. The processes. The insights. Writer’s Festivals are an important to society for this. It’s a place where you can safely, respectfully state your views and ideas, rather than stand on a soap box and proselytise. Writer’s festivals encourage healthy, respectful debate and a safe space to share these ideas.
So, when the Adelaide Writer’s Festival, first of all uninvites Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah, a Palestinian/Australian academic and writer from speaking at the Festival, there was always going to be an uproar.
The author who is now sitting in a Perth lock up was also scheduled to speak.
One by one, the writers on the program cancelled in support of Abdel-Fattah. And rightly so.
A few days on, the whole of the Adelaide Writer's Festival board, including its chair, Louise Adler, have stepped down. It appears the uninviting of Abdel-Fattah was done on the behest of the state government. It appears the Jewish Council of Australia had no problem with Abdel-Fattah being on the program - but the Jewish Council of South Australia did, allegedly because of the Bondi shootings a month ago.
Also, a lot of the funds for the Festival, which comes through the State Government, come from the State Jewish factions, who also hold Zionist beliefs.
And here's what upsets me. I'm evolved enough to recognise that religion and politics don't necessarily go hand in hand. Not all Christians are fundamentalist (thank fuck for that), nor are most Muslims jihadis, not most Jews hold strong Zionist beliefs.
But when one group, the one with the money, says that somebody from another group can't speak at this forum, well, we're going down a slippery slope. We're a country that prides ourselves on free speech. This is extinguishing a voice.
And some of you will say, well, it's a writer's festival. It's a heap of little old ladies sitting around sipping prosecco, clutching their pearls and buying the odd book.
Writer's Festivals are so much more than this. They provide an outlet for discussion and ideas, fraternity and acceptance. They bring diversity, humour, intelligence, courage .... and money into the state.
This year's festival has been cancelled. I've a lot of very disappointed friends who were looking forward to seeing some great writer's talk - Hannah Kent, Jacinda Ardern, Trent Dalton, Zadie Smith, Percival Everett, Helen Garner, Michele de Kretzer, Peter Fitzsimons, Clare Wright... the list is endless. Writers who backed away from the event because of the cancelling of Abdel-Fattah. Writer's, who would have lost money on this, and book sales - part of their livelihoods. Writers who don't get to have a voice.
You don’t go out of your way to silence writers, which is what has been done here.
I feel this personally.
This is not free speech.
Shame on you, South Australian government.
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