Susie O’Brien: Schoolgirl anthem protester should be applauded, not punished
HOORAY for the nine-year-old who’s holding a one-person protest against our national anthem. More kids should speak up for what they believe in, writes Susie O’Brien.
Opinion
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HOORAY for the nine-year-old who’s holding a one-person protest against our national anthem.
Harper Nielsen, a year four student from Brisbane, has decided not to stand for Advance Australia Fair because she said it was not inclusive of indigenous Australians.
“The reason why I don’t sing it or stand is because Advance Australia Fair means advance White Australia,” Harper told News Corp.
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“When it says we are young it completely ignores the fact that indigenous culture was here for over 50,000 thousand years before colonisation.”
Her school, Kenmore South State School, has demanded she stand or leave the building. Her refusal to do either led to a detention and she’s now being told to sign a written apology and faces suspension.
I think it’s outrageous that she is being accused of “blatant disrespect”.
I love the idea of kids being supported by their parents to mount these kinds of ideological protests on issues that are meaningful to them.
Why not? If it sparks a discussion among primary school kids, what’s the harm?
Predictably, some of the usual carping conservative voices such as radio announcer Alan Jones have jumped on Harper, attacking her for defying the school.
Commentator Mark Latham even said she should be in a “special school for children with behavioural problems” and should be kicked out.
Latham’s the one with behavioural problems, not Harper.
Such right-wingers are all for free speech except when it goes against what they believe in.
The young girl’s protest comes as NFL players, including former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, have been kneeling during the US national anthem to protest a spate of black deaths by authorities.
Kaepernick hasn’t worked since as a footballer and is embroiled in a court case arguing he’s been unfairly treated by NFL teams who have colluded to keep him out of the sport.
He’s now spearheading an international campaign for Nike which has seen the global giant’s sales rise 30 per cent.
“Believe in something,” his Nike ad says. “Even if it means sacrificing everything.”
It concludes by saying: “Don’t ask if your dreams are crazy. Ask if they’re crazy enough.”
Kaepernick, like Harper, is standing up for what he believes in. Or refusing to stand.
Those attacking Kaepernick, like US President Donald Trump, say they’re speaking up in the name of freedom, but they don’t want to grant a successful black athlete the freedom to mount his own protest.
Similarly, a Department of Education spokeswoman said Kenmore South State School had been respectful of the student’s wishes and had provided other alternatives to singing the national anthem.
But these alternatives aren’t acceptable to Harper, so her protest continues. Good on her.
It’s better to believe in something than stand for nothing.
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