Stand Together to Support Refugees
If We Don't Stand For Human Rights, What Hope Do We Have?Stand up against Australia’s violation of International Human Rights Laws by detaining the Men, Women and Children in Off-shore Detention Centres indefinately.
Our Cause

In such a time we have the duty to stand up and speak about wrongdoing and abuse of power. We must protest using whatever means we have. We must write letters and send emails, make phone calls and sign petitions. We must stand together and we must stand alone. And most of all, we must take care of one another. We must advocate for those who are abused or impoverished or disadvantaged.
In such a time and such a world, hope is an act of resistance.
#doyoureadme came about because we need to be able to recognize one another; that is, people who have hope, people committed to doing what they can, as often as they can, as best they can for one another, and for the world we live in. But most of all, people prepared to stand up and be counted.
Buying one of these T shirts means you have donated to a fund designed to help refugees and asylum seekers. Wearing one is a signal to the world that you have compassion and hope, and that you will not be silenced.

Front of the T-shirt
The T-Shirt Project
In fact, as far as I can understand the fine, it was not illegal, and I have let the council know I will not pay the fine. I am awaiting my summary hearing. I will wear this T shirt when I state that I am not guilty. Then there will be a court case. I hope everyone who buys a T-shirt will wear it on my court date, in some public space.
On that day, I will be glad NOT to stand alone.
How You Can Get Involved
Buy a T shirt for someone else.
Wear your T shirts with pride.
Engage with people who ask why you’re wearing it.
Inform yourself and stay informed.
Call your local politicians from time to time to ask about new matters
show them that you are persistently engaged.
Speak out when there is an occasion for it, even if it is among friends and family.
Back of the T-Shirt
The Amount of Money Raised for Refugees on Manus and Nauru So Far
T-shirts sold in support of refugees
Transparency is Truth
– The story of this project and the people involved in it.
This project is 100% not-for-profit.
For this T Shirt, any money raised is being donated to the Crowd Funded Project advertised on Chuffed to raise money for the legal fees for the men on Manus Island. Every T shirt includes a $30 donation, which will go wholly and directly to this fund.
The people involved in the T shirt project have all volunteered their time and expertise to support a cause that they all believe in and stand for. The only actual cost will be the T shirts and the screen print and postage, and even these prices have been lowered for us.
You can read about the people involved below.

Isobelle Carmody
Australian Author & Brains behind the T-Shirt Project
She wondered sometimes what would happen if people realised how many of us feel the same way. What power there would be in that visible solidarity. The T-shirts came about after an incident while she was standing one day in Australia just before Christmas.
Whilst quietly standing in a busy city mall, holding a sign expressing her feelings about Australia’s Politician’s treatment of Refugees in off-shore detentions centres, she was issued a fine.
As far as she can understand this bylaw, she does not feel her action transgressed it. She was not advertising or promoting anything, she was not making any noise or importuning passersby, and she was not handing anything out or soliciting donations. The security men had no response but to reiterate that she must leave because she was infringing a bylaw. When she refused to leave, saying she had not done any of the things in the act she had been shown, they fined her. She wrote to the Council to let them know she will not pay the fine. She will contest it. She has so far received a letter telling her to await for her mandatory hearing date. She is awaiting it.
In arguing with the council security men, Isobelle asked would she have been fined if she was wearing the words on a T shirt. Many people made the same comment: If she had been wearing a similar text written on a T shirt, would the same fine have been issued? What about on a balloon. On a dozen balloons, and how big was a balloon allowed to be? Was there a bylaw for that, too?
Then she thought of a T shirt, which could also be sold to raise funds. But it needed to be a really good T shirt with a beautiful font, so that people would want to wear it again, so as not to waste the world’s resources. (Or theirs). And finally, it would need to be ethically sourced. She mooted the idea on her Facebook page and immediately had over a hundred offers to buy such a T shirt, sight unseen. Touched and encouraged, she came up with some words, workshopped them with her daughter, a song writer, and her partner, a poet, then she approached her brothers.
Hi, this is Isobelle. I am writing this directly because I want to be able to properly thank and praise the people who helped me, even as I tell the story of this project.
Matthew Carmody
Graphic Designer & Isobelle's Brother.
Ken Carmody
Artist, Graphic Designer & Isobelle's Brother.
Dan Carmody
Business Owner, Activist & Isobelle's Brother.
Finally, there was my brother, Dan. He has been involved with animal rights for years, and, with, his partner Helen, runs an ethical fashion label called Animal Lovers. Animal Lovers also produced a dentist-designed bamboo toothbrush (Total Clean Eco Toothbrush) the ethical product will be part of a soon to be launched initiative . The initiative is called SURF (Socially United Responsible Fundraising), which offers ethical funding solutions. In an eye-blink, he had located a screen printer who offered very cheap good ethically produced T shirts, and who offered to waive the set up screen print cost, because the T shirts were for a good cause. They lent Dan a pile of sizes so we could do a shoot and see what the quality was like. I co opted friends and family who happened to be about for the shoot so we could show what the T shirt looks like. Dan also sent me a size chart.
Firlie Greening
Director, Green Sprout Websites
I was amazed and grateful that she would offer her valuable time to help me. This incredible site is the result. Firlie worked incredibly fast and graciously, given she is dealing with a tech-illiterate who is fussy, despite this being a charity project. I sent her a million pictures by dozens of emails fired off at unthinkable hours, and clumps of typo studded text. Ken forwarded her the art; my lovely, ever patient PA Heather, worked with her to set up the easiest way to take payments (keeping it as simple as possible) and a facebook page just for this project, and I edited the text for the site. I cannot thank her enough, both for setting this lovely site up, even to paying for the domain name and hosting herself, and for her ongoing help in running and operating it.
It will continue to be a work in progress as the T-shirt project grows.
Full Moon Screen Printing
Anonymous
Postage
That is everyone who has helped to this point.
The site will include a list of all who buy a T shirt, unless you ask not to be named, because I want to acknowledge you, too. At the end of this run, I will also add all of the financial details for this project to this thread.
This is a non profit venture run by totally idealistic dreamers.
Buy a T shirt and join us.