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In his Letter from Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr wrote that he had been “gravely disappointed with the white moderate”, a figure he described as “more devoted to ‘order’ than to justice.” Written more than 60 years ago, his words are just as relevant today, as activists and agitators have their tone policed, their methods of protest questioned, and their human rights violated by the State.In Screw Nice, bestselling author Amy Remeikis examines how the politics of civility attempts to shut down debate. Award-winning writer Melissa Lucashenko offers searing commentary on Blak identity, activism and social (in)justice in Not Quite White in the Head. And, turning to fiction to contend with complex power dynamics, Bobuq Sayed delivers ‘a moving and eye-opening debut’ (Sydney Morning Herald) about borders and boundaries transgressed, and what it takes to make a home on the margins of society.
Step outside your comfort zone and consider questions of reform versus revolution in this timely discussion led by co-founder of Deepcut News and former Guardian journalist Antoun Issa.
KEY INFO
Date: Sunday, 1 November 2026
Time: 10:00-11:00pm
Venue: Tibbi Whalan Hall
Tickets & More Info: https://www.bluemountainswritersfestival.com.au/events/beware-the-white-moderate
Amy Remeikis is a journalist, author, political commentator and Australia's best known live political blogger. She regularly appears across Australian media and is the author of On Reckoning, Screw Nice and Where It All Went Wrong.
Melissa Lucashenko, a Bundjalung woman, is a multi-award winning novelist and essayist. In 2019 Too Much Lip won Australia's most prestigious writing prize, the Miles Franklin; and her most recent novel, Edenglassie, won a total of eight literary awards, including the ARA Prize for Historical Fiction. Her latest book is a collection of essays, Not Quite White in the Head.
Bobuq Sayed is an organizer, theatremaker, and author of the Afghan diaspora. They co-edited the anthology Nothing to Hide: Voices from Trans and Gender Diverse Australia, and they wrote the chapbook of essays A Brief History of Australian Terror, and the novel No God but Us.
Antoun Issa is a Lebanese-Australian journalist and co-founder of Deepcut News. His first novel is Rebirth: A Love Story From the Depths of War.
This event is part of the 2026 Blue Mountains Writers Festival, head to bluemountainswritersfestival.com.au for more information.
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Event venue
81-83 Katoomba St, Katoomba NSW 2780, Australia, 81-83 Katoomba St, Katoomba NSW 2780, Australia, Katoomba
Tickets
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