Meep.

[taimatsu]

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.

Comments

[borusa.livejournal.com]

All around this country, trouble in the air
And I hear the voices calling me
Asking "do you know and do you care?
Do you know and do you care?"

So I'm a-gonna do what I have to do
Say what I have to say
And I'm gonna be what I have to be
Now won't you come on along with me?
Won't you come along with me?


Mmm. Yes.

Do you want any company? Do you have company already?

Robert

[raggedhalo.livejournal.com]

I may well be there. I haven't decided yet, but I'm not sure I can safely not.

Joe

[ixwin.livejournal.com]

I feel very similarly and will also be going on the 15th - and we're not the only ones - see this entry (http://www.livejournal.com/talkread.bml?journal=mirabehn&itemid=25081).

My parents were/are quite involved in the peace movement so I went on a lot of demos when I was younger, but at about 15 I started to think - why bother, they never change anything. Also, although I think war is a bad thing, I'm not sure that sometimes it isn't the least worst option. But in this case...

kaet has put it much better than I could here (http://www.livejournal.com/talkread.bml?journal=kaet&itemid=113994)

not the only one

[liriselei.livejournal.com]

there are cut-price coaches from Oxford to London being organised ('though not sure offhand who by) and likely to be a sizeable contingent of local roleplayers heading down there

[ex-lark-asc.livejournal.com]

Hm. Am seriously considering joining you there. I've been increasingly feeling like I'm sticking my head in the sand about this for a few months now..

[gnimmel.livejournal.com]

I'm going, and so are a lot of people I know -- and I've never demonstrated about anything before.

[emperor]

Good for you. Alas, I have a charity committee meeting (In Oxford of all places) on that day

[inskauldrak.livejournal.com]

Embarrassingly enough, I should be at Young Labour National Conference....

but we do have an IR section scheduled and that should be 'somewhat pointed'

On the subject you raise elsewhere about marches and trouble - general advice is avoid the SWP and any groups who're drinking (though if it's properly stewarded this shouldn't be happening).

Groups like TUs, NUS etc. if they're sending banners are probably a good bet for well-run bits of a march. Will find out if any are going along if you like.

[softfruit.livejournal.com]

*smile* well I won't see you on the way down from Oxford but I might see you on the march - I'll be in the phalanx of Lib Dem diamonds. Can't help thinking that if the war does kick off on Feb 14th - one of the most strongly rumoured dates - that it'll turn from a few thousand of us into more like a hundred thousand. Even rabidly racist taxi drivers tell me this war is stupid and Britain should have no part in it.