Sloboda Is Freedom

Monica is an Australian Christian of Greek Italian heritage, who cares deeply and thoughtfully about freedom.

Yesterday in Melbourne outside the Federal Court of Australia, among clean-living God-fearing Serbian people seeking justice for their mistreated national hero Novak Djokovic, I saw Monica’s confidence in her ability to stand up for freedom blossom. It was a wonderful sight.

She and I both learnt that Sloboda is the Serbian word for freedom.

Under the beloved colours of the Greek flag and holding a Serbian flag in front of her, Monica chanted the Serbian nickname of the best tennis player in the world “Nole. Nole. Nole.”

Djokovic himself is embarassed by the attention that has been focussed on him.

After suffering from the trauma of false imprisonment in a cheap hotel, he has the right to step back from the limelight to recover.

But those of us, like Monica, who care about freedom and who crave its restoration, have the right and responsibility to speak out against injustice.

Human rights matter.

Freedom matters.

Australia has to stop degrading itself with irrational acts of tyranny.

Fairness is a fair dinkum Aussie value which Australia needs to reclaim.

The world is watching.

Geoff Fox, 18th December, 2022, Down Under.