Meep.

Don't want to start flamewars in comments, but in the light of this news story I think I am, after all, going to have to go and join the protests on Februsry 15th in London. Just because, while I don't now what alternaive would be appropriate, I feel very strongly that war is wrong in general, and this war is wrong in particular. As far as I can tell, the real grounds for this war seem so flimsy and so controversial, and the suffering to the Iraqi people will be so great (while Saddam, in his own person, will be totally unharmed) that I cannot support it. I want the politicians to try other solutions.

And if I keep quiet, and I do nothing, and I let other people protest for me, well, what am I? I have been reading news reports and thinking 'Why isn't *everyone* out there on the streets protesting?' Well, some people disagree, and other people are like me, and, up till now, just haven't been bothered enough to stand up and be counted themselves. Well, as of now, I'm standing up.

My plans for Feb. 15th

... are a little disjointed right now. When I decided I had to do something (late last week) I looked at the Stop The War Coalition website, looked at the listings for local groups, and emailed a likely-looking name on the list. Now I'm getting emailed updates on what is happenning in Oxford. Mostly it is prep for the 15th, though.

There are, as liriselei says, coaches being organised from Oxford. Tickets can be bought from a number of places, including the Quaker centre on St Giles, Uhuru Wholefoods on the Cowley Road, and the Inner Bookshop on Magdalen Road. The organisers are keen to have people use these coaches, and buy tickets early, because it makes organising and knowing numbers way easier.

I am not sure yet whether I will use the coach they provide. I would quite like to go with people I know. The only demonstrating I have done before is one Mardi Gras march in London, with my almost-cousin William, and one gay pride/visibility march in Oxford, with j4. I am significantly nervous about this thing, because, well, you hear bad reports about some of these demonstrations (more anti-globalisation ones than anythign else, but extremists can mix into any crowd). Therefore, I'd prefer to be with people I'm familiar with that any convenient bunch of other people, no matter how nice and well-intentioned.

So, is anyone from Oxford or environs up for forming a little peace posse with me?